STRANGE LIGHT IN THE FOREST 191 
the mysterious sounds of the forest in the early part of the 
night, even the falling leaves, rivet one’s attention. 
The long-drawn howl of the wolf in the distance, and the 
‘ chiki, chiki, chiki,’ mirthless laugh of jackals, if not cheerful, 
at least is a sign that no human beings are stirring in that 
direction. Occasionally booming through the forest comes the 
hunting grunt of lions, or perhaps, ’ when a kill has been made, 
the roar calling their mates together, who answer from afar off 
in the same note. And now, thank Heaven, surely here is the 
peculiar faint greenish colour pervading the atmosphere that 
in Africa always foreshadows the approach of day. Solemnly 
one feels more than sees this light, and then, there at last it is 
growing lighter—yes, it is the day. With shout and bound ta 
drive off the remnants of sleep, one is up, and the day begins. 
It was seven o’clock in the evening, and I had just cast off 
my boots, and was lazily closing my eyes, with my pipe still 
between my teeth, in dreamy satisfaction and rest after the hard 
day’s march with the heavy pack on my back, when a startled 
yell from one of the boys brought [me on to my feet in an 
instant. Grasping the double shot-gun, loaded with heavy swan- 
shot, from the row of loaded guns standing in readiness in the 
skerm in case of attack, as the most serviceable weapon to use 
in the dark, I followed the excited gaze of Hammar and the 
boys, who were eagerly looking by the flickering firelight at 
something amongst the large-stemmed trees up in the sand-belt. 
As soon as I had focussed the position, instead of seeing a horde 
of advancing savages, as expected, there appeared a pale yellow 
light, circular in form, about the size of a plate, steadily resting 
three feet above the ground, apparently eighty yards off, in the 
black darkness. While looking, the light moved steadily forward 
and backward several yards; then, standing still for a time, it 
afterwards repeated the movements. To both Hammar and 
myself this was a strange occurrence, and none of the boys 
could give any explanation of this appearance beyond suggesting 
hat it might be the eye of a lion or rhinoceros, whose organs of 
vision are fitted, as is well known, in common with several other 
