264 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



he was to return without fail within three months. 

 This period, should he make the slightest effort, we 

 felt confident would be amply sufficient ; and he as- 

 sured us that, should he meet with no mishap, we 

 should find him at Daitcho upon our return from the 

 Rendile. 



Upon our return to Daitcho from the Embe, we 

 were so fortunate as to find in one of the villao'es a 

 Wanderobbo, who had just returned from the desert. 

 He expressed a willingness to accompany us, and added 

 that he knew the country well ; and though he was 

 ignorant of the whereabouts of the Rendile, he could 

 take us to some of his own people, who would gladly 

 lead us to that tribe. He said that he had been 

 forced to leave the desert, owing to the famine preva- 

 lent among his people ; and his emaciated body served 

 to confirm his statement. 



As we were about to venture upon an enterprise 

 the outcome of which was clouded with uncertainty, 

 I left with George a letter of instructions, which he was 

 to follow in case anything happened to us. Should 

 we not return to Daitcho by January i, 1894, he was 

 instructed to return to the coast ; for in such case we 

 should probably have met with such a mishap that 

 longer stay on his part would be useless. With our 

 cattle, sheep, and goats, together with the food carried 

 by the donkeys, we were equipped with food for sev- 

 enty-five days ; and as the country to the north was 

 reported to be well supplied with game, we felt that 

 we had sufficient for nearly five months. 



During the afternoon of June 5, Lieutenant von 

 Hohnel and I, accompanied by sixty-five men, bade fare- 



