332 
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA 
CHAP. 
place where I intended to camp early on the morning of the 8th. 
The bulk of the caravan was still to remain at the Kere camp. 
At first I felt so much better that I was able to walk 
slowly without assistance, and even managed to shoot a few 
doves with my rook rifle, a performance of which I felt 
immensely proud. I then, presuming on my strength, 
attempted a more ambitious task, and early one morning, 
attended by the faithful Juma carrying the .303, managed to 
get within long range of a topi, and even succeeded, at the 
second shot, in killing it, much to my delight. But the 
exertion was too much for me, and I had a relapse. I was 
living in my tent again here, with only the indifferent shade 
afforded by a small tree from the scorching sun. Worse fever 
than ever ensued, accompanied by violent dysentery, throwing 
me back another whole month. But by about the end of the 
second from the accident, I was again well on the road to 
recovery. By this time I had got a good airy hut built for 
myself on the highest part of the rise, with other little buildings 
near ; one for my cook, another to use as a bathroom, and a 
shed for the stores, which were to be gradually moved from 
Kere. 
I called this “ convalescent camp,” for here I • steadily 
progressed without any further serious relapse; and I was 
really very comfortable in it in spite of some drawbacks, 
notably mosquitoes and other insect pests. During the hours 
of daylight the flies gave one no peace, and no sooner did it 
get dark than mosquitoes put in an appearance, except when 
there happened to be a stiff breeze blowing, though this had an 
unfortunate knack of generally going down with the sun ; then 
if I ventured to have a light on my dinner-table, the food soon 
became filled with minute flies and little round yellow beetles. 
All these insects were bred in the swampy margin of the lake. 
The land was poor in insect life, owing to the dearth of flowers; 
there were very few butterflies, and those only of the commonest 
kinds, and not a bee to be seen. As a consequence of the 
