A HEARTY WELCOME 



229 



was indeed, as I found to my cost, for it was loaded not only 

 with ball but with shot, as if it had been a cannon. The recoil 

 was such that sight and hearing left me, and, fearing my collar- 

 bone was broken, I put my hand up to my shoulder. I now 

 understood how it is that negroes never aim successfully, and 

 I resolved never again to use one of their weapons 



Early next morning the men arrived, sent back by Count 

 Teleki from Lake Nyiri, and as it was evidently only four hours' 

 march off, I started at once. 



The scenery was very much the same as before — dreary 

 plains strewn with volcanic boulders, debris, ashes, &c., whilst 

 a strong south-east wind laden with brick-red dust blew con- 

 tinuously and distressed us greatly. Not until we were close 

 to the acacias, rushes, and papyrus fringing the shores of the 

 lake did the conditions change. 



Close to the water were our tents, and amongst our own 

 men we could see hundreds of natives of both sexes and all 

 ages. The greatest harmony evidently prevailed, and we soon 

 received a most hearty welcome, men and women, young girls, 

 and even the little children gathering about us, greeting us with 

 a friendly ' Leibon sobaj ' or 'Leibon tagwenja,' all trying to shake 

 my very dusty and dirty right hand at once. Count Teleki 

 was absent for the moment, but soon tokens of his activity 

 arrived in the form of great joints of buffalo carried in on 

 poles, and immediately afterwards he ap|)eared himself ; he was 

 followed by a number of moran, who had taken part in the hunt. 



The day before Count Teleki had shot one gnu and two 

 Mpala antelopes. The former differed from other animals of 

 the same kind in having a perfectly snow-white mane, that of 

 most gnus consisting of alternate tufts of white and black hair. 

 To-day he had killed two buffaloes, and a hot chase they had 

 cfiven him : but before I relate his adventures I must describe 

 the scene in which they took place. 



