TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 155 
we passed through extraordinary changes. Every two 
or three miles or so we came on similar oases to Galadi, 
and then, in between, burnt up patches of familiar 
country. In one of these green gardens Cecily bagged 
a lesser koodoo, somewhat rare in these parts, and an 
exceedingly beautiful trophy. 
Nearing another oasis, some two miles in extent, 
Clarence manifested the greatest desire for me to 
penetrate the place with him and see something that 
was bound to interest me. He was like a woman with 
a secret, longing to tell, telling a little, then feeling if 
he showed his hand entirely I might not trouble to go 
at all. Whatever could the mystery be ? Animal, 
vegetable, or mineral ? “ Curiouser and curiouser.” 
None of these things ! So, following the shikari, his 
face all alight with eager interest and desire to surprise 
me, we pushed our way through the density of the 
foliage until we reached about the centre of the place. 
It was a Titania’s bower, carpeted with green and 
shaded by lofty trees. I sat down and gazed upon the 
wonders of it, though it would have taken me hours to 
take in the many beauties in detail. They were so 
infinite in variety, the etchings, the colour and the 
rainbow effects as the sun glinted through the lustrous 
fresh verdure. I sat on and marvelled. To think that 
outside of this there existed only a waste of red sand, 
ugly and monotonous, and here — but it is ridiculous 
on my part to try and describe it. I should like some 
Shakespeare to see it and try his art. 
This did not please Clarence at all, who has no love 
for the beauties of nature. We must push on. Then, 
