254 
SOMALILAND 
Shouts of amazement were heard on all sides, and cries of 
‘ Allah ! Allah !’ I felt more pleased over that shot than 
over many at bigger, game. Soon after the bush still 
further opened as we neared the edge of the Toyo Plain on 
our left hand. Here extensive grass-burning was being 
carried on, and the smoke in the distance, rising in clouds 
at small intervals, quite reminded me of Manchester. 
At sunset we had not reached Edegan and the water. 
On and on we marched in the darkness. At length, about 
8 p.m., we saw the lights of the people watching over the 
precious fluid in the distance, and soon after arrived at the 
first well, which was being watched by a woman and a boy. 
The woman, getting frightened on our telling her we must 
have water, and would pay for it, yelled out lustily, when 
a man ran up with a spear. After begging, beseeching, 
and threatening-, we at last received two bucketfuls for the 
pony, but not a drop more would he give us. 
At the next well we found nobody in possession, so sent 
a boy down to get up some water, when up ran two men, 
who most assuredly would have speared us had we not 
snatched their weapons from them. Then began such a 
quarrelling and shouting between my men and the natives. 
I was obliged to drag my head shikari away by main force, 
as he was drawing his knife and shouting, ‘ I swear I will 
kill you !’ 
By this time, luckily, my main caravan arrived, and we 
pitched camp to consider what was to be done. After a 
long palaver, I eventually bought with the greatest diffi- 
culty enough water to fill two barrels, for which I had to 
pay an enormous price. I knew that my donkey and old 
pony would die next day unless they got water, so I did 
my utmost to buy some more. I got half a bucketful, which 
I gave to the wreck of a pony, and the wretched donkey 
went without ! 
Next morning we started to do the two marches to 
Odewein. It was a long distance to the main caravan track, 
over rough grass, and it took it out of the camels consider- 
