152 
TREKKING 
[CH. YII 
rest. Just before this we heard two lions roaring, or 
rather grunting, not far in front of us; they were after 
prey. Lions are bold on rainy nights, and we did not 
wish to lose any of our horses ; so a watch was organized, 
and we kept ready for immediate action, but the lions 
did not come. The native boys built fires, and lay close 
to them, relieving one another, and us, as sentinels. 
Kermit and I had our army overcoats, which are warm 
and practically waterproof; the others had coats almost 
as good. We lay down in the rain, on the drenched 
grass, with our saddle-cloths over our feet, and our 
heads on our saddles, and slept comfortably for two 
hours. 
At three we mounted and were off again, the rain 
still falling. There were steep ravines to cross, slippery 
from the wet; but we made good time, and soon after 
six off-saddled on the farther side of a steep drift or ford 
in the little Suavi River. It is a rapid stream flowing 
between high, well-wooded banks; it was an attractive 
camp site, and, as we afterward found, the nights were 
so cool as to make great camp-fires welcome. At half¬ 
past ten the safari appeared, in excellent spirits, the flag 
waving, to an accompaniment of chanting and horn¬ 
blowing ; and, to their loudly expressed satisfaction, the 
porters were told that they should have an extra day’s 
rations, as well as a day’s rest. Camp was soon pitched, 
and all, of every rank, slept soundly that night, though 
the lions moaned near by. The waggons did not get 
in until ten the following morning. By that time the 
oxen had been nearly three days without water, so, by 
dawn, they were unyoked and driven down to drink 
before the drift was attempted, the waggons being left 
a mile or two back. The approaches to the drift were 
steep and difficult, and, with two spans to each, the 
