small open space, where the high grass had been destroyed
by the elephants. A quick shot from the little
Fletcher 24 rifle doubled him up; but, recovering himself
almost immediately, he was just disappearing»
when a shot from the left-hand barrel broke his back,
to the intense delight of my people. We accordingly
bivouacked for the night, and the fires were soon blazing
upon a dry plateau of granite rock about seventy feet
square that I had chosen for a resting place. In the
saucer-shaped hollows of the rock was good clear water
from the rain of the preceding day ; thus we had all
the luxuries that could be desired—fire., food, and
water. I seldom used a bedstead unless in camp ; thus
my couch was quickly and simply made upon the hard
rock, softened by the addition of an armful of green
boughs, upon which I laid an untanned ox-hide, and
spread my Scotch plaid. My cap formed my pillow,
and my handy little Fletcher rifle lay by my side beneath
the plaid, together with my hunting knife; these
faithful friends were never out of reach either by night
or day.
The cap was a solid piece of architecture, as may be
supposed from its strength to resist the weight of the
head when used as a pillow. I t was made by an Arab
woman in Khartoum, according to my own p l a n t h e
substance was about half an inch thick of dome palm
leaves very neatly twisted and sewn together. Having
a flat top, and a peak both before and behind, the whole
affair was covered with tanned leather, while a curtain
of the same material protected the back of the neck
from the sun. A strong chin strap secured the cap
upon the head, and the “ tout ensemble” formed a very
effective roof, completely sun-proof. Many people
might have objected to the weight, but I found it no
disadvantage, and the cap being tolerably waterproof
I packed my cartouche pouch and belt within it when
inverted at night to form a pillow;—this was an exceedingly
practical arrangement, as in case of an alarm
I rose from my couch armed, capped, and belted at
a moment’s notice.
On the following morning I started at daybreak, and
after a march of about thirteen miles through the same
park-like and uninhabited country as that of the preceding
day,. I reached the country of Farajoke, and
arrived at the foot of a rocky hill, upon the summit of
which was a large village. I was met by the chief
and several of his people leading a goat, which was
presented to me, and killed immediately as an offering,
close to the feet of my horse. The chief carried a
fowl, holding it by the legs, with its head downwards;
he approached my horse, and stroked his fore-feet with
the fowl, and then made a circle around him by