122 



ALONG LAKE RUDOLF 



necks. Not an Askar or donkey-boy was to be seen anywhere. 

 All discipline was at an end, and the men were utterly de- 

 moralised. 



I was now informed that the Count had shot two rhino- 

 ceroses and had gone on with the vanguard. One of the dead 

 animals lay close to the path, but no one took any notice 

 of it. It was of such a light colour that I almost overlooked 

 it on the white sand. With the help of my three men I at first 

 unloaded all the aniinals and then hastened after the Count to 

 tell him of the terrible condition in which three-quarters of the 

 men were. A stony, winding path led over a low ridge for 

 more than an hour, and at four o'clock I reached a narrow 

 ravine cutting the ridge across, the walls of which were formed 

 by columns of basalt of all manner of different heights and 

 varying in circumference from one to several feet, whilst 

 other pillars strewed the sand encumbering the ground. 

 We pressed on for some 600 paces through the ravine, and 

 then in its furthest corner came upon the van of the caravan, 

 all huddled together and jostling each other about a shallow 

 pit at the base of a wall of rock. There was water here, though 

 in but very small quantities, about a couple of pints oozing up 

 at the bottom every few minutes. 



As even the first to get to the pit could not satisfy their 

 thirst, it was a very long time before any water could be 

 obtained to send back to the poor fellows who had fallen by 

 the way. Late in the evening and during the night the 

 stragglers gradually came in and flung themselves like wild 

 vultures upon the water. Each one was eager to be first, so 

 that the dark ravine was soon the scene of a bitter struggle. 

 Not until after a great deal of trouble, and with the help of the 

 Somal mercilessly wielding their whips, were the combatants 

 separated, and something like order restored. The Somal then 

 mounted guard over the water and doled it out in rations, but 



