XII 
LAKE RUDOLPH 
273 
the better route, in spite of the rough hills and stony going. 
So altogether I seemed to have been most happy in my choice. 
Saying good-bye to our trader visitors bound for Mombasa, 
we resumed our march next morning, our newly-acquired guide 
trudging importantly ahead. We cut across a cape, but came 
down to another bay beyond, the last point of Bassu we should 
touch before striking inland for a spell. For here a range of 
rough stony hills juts out into the lake, so that not only is it 
a great saving in distance to leave it to the left, but if the 
shore were followed at this part progress would be most 
difficult. Game-tracks were becoming more numerous as we 
proceeded, the grass making a better pretence of covering the 
now sandy soil, and that night I heard lions roaring, a sure 
indication that game is not scarce. I also noticed a good many 
rhino spoors. I was most anxious to meet with rhinos here, as 
Von Hohnel (whom I had the pleasure of meeting in Mombasa, 
and who had most kindly given me much valuable information 
about the country) had told me that those found on the 
eastern side of Lake Rudolph were possibly a distinct species. 
From this point we traversed a wide flat valley between 
two parallel ranges of hills, the one bordering the lake, the 
other inland ; the valley—cut up by denudation of the friable 
soil into many little ridges and gullies—made rather tiresome 
going. Water was scarce, the sun burning hot, and the 
marches long and trying, and I sighed for our dear old lake ;—a 
good friend had it been to us. Never had we had any worry 
about water or the distance to camp since we had struck it. 
Now, no sooner did we leave its shores than our trouble 
began : anxiety as to whether there would be enough for all, 
the tedious process of watering the donkeys out of buckets, 
scooping up the reluctant fluid by cupfuls out of holes in the 
gravel (myself standing in the stifling heat of the river-bed, 
exposed to a burning sun, to see that each one got its turn), 
stinted allowance for washing, and all the inconveniences of a 
short supply. 
T 
