428 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. IX 



ble. Dr. Peters, in the book describing his journey, 

 tells how for weeks and weeks he made attempt after 

 attempt to cross the Tana after the rains, only to be 

 met with disappointment and failure. My men on the 



other side of the Tana were pro- 

 vided with food and trading- 

 goods only sufficient to last 

 them a short time ; so that, 

 should the rains continue to fall 

 for a considerable period, I felt 

 sure my people would find it ex- 

 tremely difficult to support life. 

 Nevertheless, nothing could be 

 clone : Lieutenant von Hohnel 

 had to be borne to Kibwezi, and 



I knew that George would not 



loiter on the return journey. I 

 had nothing to do but fold my 

 hands, and fortify myself with 

 what philosophy I had for what 

 the Fates had in store forme. 



Three days after the rains set 

 in, the men I had sent to Ukam- 

 bani returned, and reported that 

 the river was much swollen, and 

 that they experienced much diffi- 

 culty in their passage over it. 

 They had heard nothing of George and the men with 

 him. To state it mildly, my position at this time was 

 a most trying one. I was at Daitcho with 150 men 

 and no work for them to perform ; my trading-goods, 

 sufficient for eighteen months' travel, with 150 men. 



Beri-Beri 



Medicine-man and Poisoner of 

 the Daitcho 



