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EXCURSIONS FROM EL BOGOI 
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shot another gazelle. Had I known, I might have got an 
oryx, as there were two close by, but I did not see them till I 
had shot the other buck, and they had got well away. I found 
my men all as cheerful as possible and looking very fit. They 
were quite contented to go again to Mthara, as they got good 
living there, but seemed to be looking forward eagerly to the 
onward move towards the lake, which they were as keen as I 
was to visit. Abdulla’s new donkeys were fine strong ones, in 
good condition, and would be a great help on our journey to 
the north. My other donkeys had also improved with their 
rest here. 
I was altogether very pleased with the way Abdulla had 
done his duty on this trip, and told him so ; for he had carried 
out my wishes most zealously and faithfully. He was a head¬ 
man after my own heart. I arranged everything for him to 
start again the following day, and told him to be back, if 
possible, in twenty days, by which time I meant to be quite 
ready to make a final start for Reshiat. Though anxious to 
go on, I was glad to get a little more time here first, as I 
particularly wanted to go over the Lorogi Mountains, under 
which I had done so much hunting ; it was as well, too, to 
secure an abundant supply of food before plunging into the 
desert ahead, for there is nothing like having an ample provision 
for the future. In the meantime, I hoped to get a little more 
ivory. 
The porters had come to me in the afternoon and asked 
me to give them another day to rest here, to which I willingly 
assented ; so I went out the next morning to try and get some 
meat, but saw not a living thing. Baithai, who had made his 
camp not far from mine again, came and said he had sent men 
to prospect the “ subugo ” (that is, the forest on the mountains) 
far and wide for elephants ; he also told me that Lesiat had 
come back with his clan, and was encamped under the range 
near one of my old hunting-camps, whence I had shot several 
elephants last year. But what sounded less hopeful was the 
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