176 
THE NEW AFRICA 
us corre to a pan of water, a couple of miles off. I wished 
to oblige her to accompany us, but Hammar, having got the 
direction correctly, asserted that he could find the spot if she 
±ad told the truth—and if not, well, in the usual stubborn resolve 
not to betray what they wished to keep to themselves, she 
might lead us a dance to any distant place and then desert 
during the fast approaching night. Hammar’s alternative 
turned out most satisfactory, for, with a natural instinct for 
locality thoroughly developed by his profession, he took a bee¬ 
line for the indicated spot, through bush and sand-belt for three 
miles, that led us to within a few hundred yards of the water. 
We were all but passing the spot, but an apparent depression to 
the right induced me to investigate the place, while Hammar, 
still intent upon his c line/ did not think it advisable to swerve, 
but agreed to wait till I returned to report on the depression. 
On nearing the spot I saw several figures of natives, reclining 
under straw mats they had hung over the low bushes and 
hanging branches of trees surrounding a pan. They were 
Mosaros, and this is the only shelter these wandering families 
avail themselves of during the dry season. Feeling sure that 
these people had nothing in common with our friends on the 
Liana, I approached unhesitatingly, and then, seeing the water, 
fired a shot as a signal to Hammar and the bearers, to let them 
know that all was well, and they might approach. 
The consternation of the Mosaros grouped round the pan on 
hearing the shot was immense. They fled helter-skelter away 
into the bush, leaving their little children 
behind. One poor little brat, not yet old 
enough to speak, made a bold attempt to fly, 
but her little legs were too weak to support 
the body, and she toppled over, but bravely 
rose again and struggled on, spite of repeated 
falls. I picked this poor little startled mortal 
up and fondled it to attract the mother, who 
I knew would be in hiding not far away, and 
I was right, for she soon came out to within speaking distance 
