444 THE GIANT ELAND [ch. xv 
scaffolds of bent branches, and askaris and porters 
were gathered in groups, chatting and singing; while 
the mighty tree near which our tents were pitched cast 
a black shadow on the silver plain. Then the shenzis 
who had helped us came to receive their reward, and 
their hearts were gladdened with red cloth and salt, and 
for those whose services had been greatest there were 
special treasures in the shape of three green-and-white 
umbrellas. It was a pleasant ending to a successful 
hunt. 
On our return to Gondokoro we found Cuninghame 
all right, although he had been obliged single-handed 
to do the work of getting our porters safely started on 
their return march to Ivampalla, as well as getting all 
the skins and skeletons properly packed for shipment. 
Heller had also recovered, and had gone on a short trip, 
during which he trapped a leopard and a serval at the 
same carcass, the leopard killing the serval. Dr. Mearns 
and Loring were both seriously sick ; so was the District 
Commissioner, kind Mr. Haddon. One day a German 
missionary dined with us; the next he was dead, of 
black-water fever. An English sportsman whom we 
had met at Nimule had been brought in so sick that 
he was at death’s door. Dr. Mearns took care of him, 
badly off though he himself was. We had brought 
with us a case of champagne for just such emergencies ; 
this was the first time that we made use of it. 
On the last day of February we started down the 
Nile, slipping easily along on the rapid current, which 
wound and twisted through stretches of reeds and 
marsh grass and papyrus. We halted at the attractive 
station of Lado for a good-bye breakfast with our kind 
Belgian friends, and that evening we dined at Mongalla 
with Colonel Owen, the Chief of the southernmost 
