Through the Semliki Valley 223 
I climbed on to a small plateau close to our camp, and from 
this coign of vantage my eyes roved over the incomparable 
panorama of an almost limitless plain. Expanses of reed-grass 
alternated with patches of elephant-grass, barren steppes and 
trees. The glistening waters of the Semliki completed a fine 
picture. In the far distance diminutive specks could be seen 
moving slowly hither and thither, and we knew them to be the 
slender bodies of antelopes. The sun poured down its fierce rays 
on us with terrible force. Standing there, lost in thought and 
gazing at the marvellous prospect, I heard sounds of lamenta¬ 
tion behind me. Turning round I beheld my boy executing a 
lively Indian dance and hopping about from one foot to the 
other. 
“ What are you doing ? ” I asked laughingly. 
“Master, the stones are so hot that my feet are being burnt,” 
was the reply. 
Putting my own hand on the rocks to test the assertion, I 
was compelled to withdraw it immediately for pain. A blister 
that instantly formed convinced me that my boy had not com¬ 
plained without cause. 
In close proximity to our small camp we saw some dozen 
crocodiles basking on a sandbank. We made up our minds to 
kill some of these hated enemies of man which considerably 
heighten the mortality of the native races. First, however, I 
determined to utilise them as a welcome subject for my camera. 
Accompanied by Weidemann I crawled snake-like along the 
ground. At a distance of about lOO metres I raised the camera 
very carefully above the grass and “ clicked.” The slight sound., 
however, sufficed to create a certain uneasiness among some of 
the animals. So, lying on the ground, I hurriedly changed the 
plates and took a second snap-shot. The renewed sound caused 
one of the reptiles to draw near the water and others prepared 
to follow. Then I jumped up and shot six of them one after 
the other; four remained dead on the banks, whilst the other 
two, bleeding badly, rolled over into the water. The scene was 
an animated one; the animals tumbled over each other in their 
