CHAP. IV.] 
IMPROVIDENCE OF MONKEY. 
157 
slave to assist, and to cheer the men; I was also 
fatigued. We had marched from 4.30 p.m. —it was 
now 1 a.m. ; we had thus been eight hours and a half 
struggling along the path. The moon had sunk, and 
the complete darkness rendered a further advance im¬ 
possible; I therefore, on arrival at a large plateau of 
rock, ordered the animals to be unloaded, and both man 
and beast to rest. The people had no water; I had a 
girba full for Mrs. Baker and myself, which was 
always slung on my saddle; this precaution I never 
neglected. 
The men were hungry. Before leaving G-ondokoro 
I had ordered a large quantity of kisras (black pan¬ 
cakes) to be prepared for the march, and they were 
packed in a basket that had been carried on a camel; 
unfortunately Mrs. Baker’s pet monkey had been placed 
upon the same camel, and he had amused himself 
during the night’s march by feasting and filling his 
cheeks with the kisras, and throwing the remainder 
away when his hunger was satisfied. There literally 
was not a kisra remaining in the basket. 
Every one lay down supperless to sleep. Although 
tired, I could not rest until I had arranged some plan 
for the morrow. It was evident that we could not 
travel over so rough a country with the animals thus 
overloaded; I therefore determined to leave in the 
