1 82 Wanderings in Eastern Africa, 
fear from the Masai, rejoiced at such news, and began 
to congratulate each other upon the prospect of plenty 
of beef. To be candid, we ourselves were a little gra- 
tified, inasmuch as for aught we knew we should have 
to travel several days without food. Our attempts at 
shooting the game we had met that day had proved 
so unsuccessful as to excite our apprehensions that 
we might have to suffer, in a land of plenty, if com- 
pelled to rely upon our guns alone. A bullock in the 
pen was just the thing for us. 
Rose early on the 3rd, but did not commence our 
march before seven o'clock. The country was now 
becoming much prettier. It was still a level plain, 
well carpeted with herbage, fresh and green, but it was 
more thickly wooded than that over which we had 
passed the last two days. Overhanging the path were 
many trees, bearing edible fruit, some of which we 
gathered and ate with relish. True there was nothing 
comparable to European fruits, still there were some 
that were far from despicable, especially to men in 
such circumstances as ours. There was one kind 
really delicious to look at, and not obnoxious to the 
taste. In appearance it was like a fine, red cherry, 
but not so fleshy. In taste it was too sharp and 
acid to be generally agreeable, but it was very grate- 
ful to us then. Another kind was not so tempt- 
ing in appearance, but much more palatable. In size 
and colour it was not unlike a small russet, but with 
less red and more brown in it when ripe. In an un- 
ripe state it is as green as a crab. In flavour it re- 
sembles a mellow pear, so much so that it might be 
mistaken for this fruit if judged of only by the taste. 
These wild fruits supplied us with a breakfast. 
