OFF FOR THE SOTIK DISTRICT. 
315 
of view, travel through the darkness of the night increased the 
difficulties of the journey, making their progress much slower than 
it otherwise would have been. In addition to this the party were 
prevented from pitching their tents at night, and whatever rest was 
secured had to be obtained while lying upon the bare ground for an 
hour or two, covered with overcoats and blankets, to' protect them 
from the persistent annoyance of predatory hordes of insects. 
Not a drop of fresh water was procurable until the party had 
crossed theJiills to the west and the belt beyond had been passed. 
With their supply rapidly running short, the party hailed with 
delight the sight of the fresh water, and lost no time in filling six 
large casks and loading them upon carts to enable them to complete 
their journey in comfort. 
Colonel Roosevelt, accompanied by his son, F. C. Selous, R. J. 
Cuninghame, L. A. Tarlton, Dr. Mearns, and the naturalist, brought 
up the rear guard. 
LITTLE IS KNOWN OF THE SOTIK DISTRICT. 
The Sotik district is in the southern part of Kisuru province 
and consists, broadly speaking, of a series of meadows with numer¬ 
ous streams and strips of forests. The district is about seventy- 
five miles east of Lake Victoria Nyanza. The Kisii people inhabit 
this territory, but they are little known to Europeans. They are 
said to be brave and warlike, amiable, intelligent and good culti¬ 
vators of the soil. 
Before leaving Mombasa Colonel Roosevelt heard his prowess 
as a lion-killer told in song and sketch at the entertainment given 
by the “ Nairobi Follies,” which Colonel Roosevelt and his son, 
Kermit, attended as the guests of His Excellency, Mr. F. J. Jackson, 
C. G., C. M. G., Acting Governor, as an evening’s diversion after 
dining at Government House. The topical songs dealing with 
Colonel Roosevelt were a feature of the occasion and at each 
allusion made to himself. Colonel Roosevelt’s laugh rang out above 
the applause and laughter of the rest of the audience. 
The song describing Colonel Roosevelt’s lion hunting, was sung 
