SEARCH AFTER HAMMAR 
255 
course we had taken from there to our present camp, in the 
knowledge that we would not move on until he reached us. 
Just then we observed some natives eight hundred yards 
ahead, and hoping that they perhaps had seen him, we showed 
ourselves and signalled to them. But as soon as they saw us 
they fled out of the laagte into the bushes, and we could get 
no nearer to them. This conduct was not reassuring, supposing 
they had really met him, and gave rise to unpleasant suspicions 
for Hammar’s safety. 
There was, however, no time to lose if we wished to serve 
Hammar. Back to camp we must go as hard as we could 
and start the signal gun, and if he did not turn up during 
the night, as soon as his track would be visible by the coming 
daylight we should go, well provided with water and food, 
and follow till we found him. 
Hammar’s special boy, Springkant, was so anxious about 
his master’s welfare that he led us home at a great pace, 
and insisted on firing the signals himself, no easy task, for 
the elephant gun loaded with twelve drams of powder rammed 
down with an enormous wad of paper to increase the report 
took some holding while she was let off. Springkant, however, 
valiantly drew the trigger, holding the gun tightly to his 
shoulder, and pointing the muzzle low under my instructions; 
and at precisely five o’clock p.m. the first shot was discharged. 
Religiously to the second we kept up the signal every half- 
hour, till at 10.30 in the night 1 thought of desisting, as no 
sign appeared from Hammar. Our anxiety was terrible, know¬ 
ing the dire effects of thirst in this dry climate. There was 
little chance of Hammar finding a pan of water in this par¬ 
ticular sand-belt, owing to its rising higher than usual above 
the level of the river-bank, and recollections of poor French’s 
sad end unwillingly forced themselves on our minds. To lose 
the companion who had bravely faced all the past hardships 
and dangers without a murmur, and who by kindly forbearance 
and gentle tact had won a place at my side, was so bitter a 
