A TWELFTH ON THE EQUATOR 
57 
companied by reed-pipe and rude guitar, not wanting in 
its own appropriate melody—startled the stillness of 
the tropical night. The final pipe was enjoyed amid 
wondrous serenade of nightjars and cicadas, ground- 
crickets and bull-frogs, with a backing of laughing 
hyenas beyond. 
From Equator Camp we resumed our march north¬ 
wards towards Baringo. One day's travel across low 
rocky ridges, clad with scattered mimosas, brought us 
to the Molo River at Ya-Nabanda—a spot where later 
on we enjoyed some memorable sport. Thence following 
the river till it diverged to the west at a point known 
as Maguiohni, we struck due north, three days’ hard 
travelling, entangled all the time in intricate passes 
through rocky mountains—cruel volcanic lava, hidden 
boulders overgrown with wiry grass and trailers, horrid 
with bush and thorn—bad going for the heavily-laden 
safari, especially when rhinos filled their breasts with 
frequent alarm. 
It was our object to explore Lake Hannington, lying 
among the rocky hills to the eastward, and with that 
idea we had left the track; but the deviation, with 
loaded men, proved impracticable. We struck one 
corner of the lake, nestling amid forest-clad heights, all 
reflected on the still surface, that recalled the scenery 
of Norway. The shallows and mud-fiats at the head of 
the lake were brilliant with innumerable herds of rosy 
flamingoes that hid the w T ater from view. 
We were the less disappointed by this failure as the 
rugged volcanic hills and thorny jungle that surround 
Lake Hannington did not appear at all likely ground for 
eland, which we had been told frequented the shores of 
that lake, and to secure which had been our object in 
trying to reach it. That rocky country appeared more 
suitable for koodoo than for eland. 
At all these camps, being in the Masai cattle-country, 
plagues of flies (like ordinary house-flies) tormented 
beyond bearing. In the morning, luckily, we were 
away before the demons awoke. At that hour they 
