220 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 
plague of locusts, and their millions darkened all the 
sky, like the big black crow in Alice’s Adventures 
through the Looking-glass, taking an hour or more to 
pass. Some didn’t pass at all, but settled in countless 
thousands on an area of red sand, that they changed 
to rainbow colours. Closely looked at, they are 
the ordinary familiar locust of many countries, in 
shades of green, yellow, with red spots. Cecily, who 
would, I believe, curry anything, said they ought to 
taste like prawns. The insects quite forgot their 
plain duty — and didn’t. They tasted like — well, like 
themselves ! The shell of the back was as hard as 
nails, and I’m sure they were meant to be anything 
but curried. 
At last, towards 6.30, as the light was not so good, 
we found ourselves on a plain again covered with 
splendid trees, and we knew we had left the dreary 
waste of forsaken desert behind us. Turning joyfully 
in my saddle I waved my hand, crying Au revoir. 
“ It’s good-bye as far as I’m concerned,” said 
Cecily stolidly. 
We came to a place of many deep wells, and the men 
went down forthwith and began watering the animals. 
A few busied themselves cutting the thorn for the 
zareba, whilst two more erected our tents. The 
camels commenced to graze as each one was satisfied 
by a drink. 
We rested under a thorn tree until, in awful moment, 
we realised that it was already in the possession of a 
most horrible-looking creature, a hateful monster who 
eyed us from his branch above us. We vacated our 
