IX 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



439 



plied with water; and it filled me with irritation to 

 think that I was unable to profit by this state of 

 affairs in pushing on to Reschatt. The Beloochi 

 said that during the rains, although the Tana is 

 nearly always swollen to such an extent that it is 

 unfordable, nevertheless there are periods when the 

 rains fall less incessantly, and during such periods 

 the river lowers, permitting caravans already stationed 

 on the bank, and watchful for such an opportunity, 

 to cross ere the river as^ain rises. In order to take 

 advantage of the chance of such a favourable condi- 

 tion, they set out with their men and donkeys for the 

 banks of the river. 



November i6 was ushered in by a flight of locusts, 

 so dense as to form a cloud. The natives came to 

 us at once, and asked for medicine to stop the 

 plague. I told them to have patience; that their 

 crops would not suffer ; for I considered that the 

 millet had not grown sufficiently high to sustain per- 

 manent injury, even though all above ground should 

 be entirely eaten. However, they insisted that I 

 should make medicine, and to that end brought a 

 male sheep. I told them to kill and eat the sheep 

 in company with one of my men. They at once 

 built a fire, and slaughtered the victim ; but after the 

 meat was cooked, they refused to eat any of it there, 

 as they said that the local deity, who lived on a hill 

 back of our camp, would kill them at once, should 

 they eat it in the neighbourhood of the hill. Though 

 the natives refused to eat the sheep, my men gladly 

 did so ; and while eating it they laughed and gossiped 

 together in such a hearty manner, that the natives 



