XVI 
EN ROUTE FOR EL BO GO I 
385 
tusks, and able to carry them with ease for hours at a stretch, 
and with less fatigue than some of the porters carrying lighter 
loads. There was no running water in the Suya now, and the 
quantity of fresh spoor on the numerous game-tracks leading 
to the pools showed that there was none at all away from the 
river. At the Barasaloi plenty was still to be had, a little 
below the surface, by digging in the sand, and that deliciously 
cool and much better than at the last stream, no doubt because 
this one rises in the high “ subugo ” forests of the Lorogi 
Mountains. 
On nearing El Bogoi we almost felt as if the worst of our 
journey was over, although it is really only about half-way to 
the coast; but the rest of the distance to the coast was through 
comparatively familiar ground, and even the El Bogoi camp 
seemed quite homelike now. Before getting in, a couple of 
Ndorobo youths belonging to Lesiat’s clan overtook us as we 
were threading our way through the bush in the early morning. 
They had been lying in wait by one of the game-paths 
traversing the jungle, in the hopes of getting a chance at a 
rhinoceros, which they had noticed was in the habit of using 
it on his way to or from the water, and had their harpoons 
with them. Rhinoceroses are scarce here, as a consequence, 
no doubt, of the vicinity of this community, and the chances 
of getting one by these means must be infinitesimal ; indeed, 
how rarely these hunters meet with success was illustrated at 
the time by the fact that the principal item of news they had 
to give us, in reply to our inquiries, was that one of these 
animals had been killed during our absence (about seven 
months), and another wounded, but lost. 
It was cheering to be greeted with friendly smiles and 
handshakes, indicative of genuine pleasure at meeting us, by 
these careless children of the forest. They accompanied us 
for some distance, asking many questions about our experiences, 
and looking with admiration at our fine show of ivory. On 
hearing of my accident they showed much interest and concern, 
2 C 
