100



Ronald Stevens—Capturing Waterfowl



reflection on the changing conditions which were than taking place

over the whole of Northern Rhodesia.


After returning to civilization and some further waiting I at length

had the honour of being presented to the Governor, His Excellency

Sir Ronald Storrs, who was kind enough not only to take a great interest

in my mission but to give me the long-sought-for permission to enter

the Native Reserve.


I had heard of a marvellous lake fed by hot springs which was

reputed to be a duck’s paradise and, what was most important, it

was believed to be covered with duck at that time of the year when

they were scarce everywhere else. So I decided that this lake should

be my first destination in the Reserve, and headed for it towards the

end of June. On arrival, however, my dreams of hordes of duck which

were waiting to walk into my traps were rudely shattered. There

was not a single duck to be seen ! The natives said the fowl had

swarmed on the lake until just recently, but now they were gone, and

would not return until November when the rains commenced. They

said there was another lake some miles away where possibly duck

still lingered, so my boys and I trekked over there with a local guide.

However, that sheet of water was as barren as the first.


I felt forced to the conclusion now that it was the same all over

Northern Rhodesia, if not the whole of Central Africa. A general

migratory movement had apparently set in, and the sooner I cleared

out after the departed hosts the better. By the time it would be

possible to return to Zululand the fowl should be there in numbers,

according to what I had previously learned. At any rate, it seemed

something on which to work.


However, when I reported at the Boma and announced my intention

of leaving the Reserve, the District Commissioner, Mr. Gordon Reed,

the same gentleman who had so much opposed my entry, now most

generously persuaded me to try again in another direction. Two of

his native boys reported duck in the north-east, so I decided to make

another attempt. Mr. Reed kindly gave me two boys who knew

the country and would be useful in introducing me to the chiefs.

At the time I thought Mr. Reed’s magnanimity and helpfulness a good

omen for a turn of fortune, but though I shall always have him to



