contact are able to take care of themselves, but at the
same time are willing to make fair bargains. It has
been the experience of almost all African travellers, that
commercial intercourse between the European and the
savage is impossible, until, by force of arms, the former
has convinced the natives of his superiority.
A t the very inception of our enterprise, while in
Europe, Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had laid our
plans,' and counted upon meeting the Rendile, from
whom we had convinced ourselves that we should be
able to procure animals sufficient for the porterage of
our goods. From the coast up to the point of meeting
with the Rendile, notwithstanding most untiring efforts,
we had been unable to provide ourselves with enough
donkeys. The donkeys we took from the coast were
all dead, and we were on the frontier of a new country,
with a caravan amply equipped, as far as supplies
went, for a journey of eighteen months, and yet unable
to move a step for the lack of beasts of burden.
On Lieutenant von Hohnel’s former journey he had
seen, while passing through the country of the Turcana,
thousands of donkeys and several hundred camels.
The Turcana inhabited the country to the southwest
of Lake Rudolph, at a considerable distance from the
point at which we then were. Not only distance intervened,
but we knew from our experience in this land
that we should meet with great difficulty in our search
for water. Notwithstanding this, we decided to turn
our steps in that direction. By the young Rendile
who gave us the information concerning the customs
of his people, we sent word to the chiefs that on thè
following day we should take our departure.
CH A P T E R VIII
T he road to Turcana lay via Seran and Lolokwi.
In fact, this was the only portion of the country ,with
which we were acquainted; but we hoped to be able,
upon again reaching our friends, the Wanderobbo, to
procure fresh guides, who would be - competent to lead
us to the other purchasing-ground for beasts of burden.
A t early dawn on the morning of July 8, we left our
camp in the Rendile country, and reached Seran at
three in the afternoon of the same day.
We received no response from our message to the
chiefs of the Rendile; and, in fact, from their unfriendly
behaviour during the last few days of our stay in that
country, we hardly expected any. Nevertheless, we did
not like to leave their country without giving them
notice, lest they should construe our march into something
in the nature of a retreat.
Upon reaching Seran, I made a short detour of the
surrounding country, and killed three zebra and an
oryx beisa. I also wpunded a rhinoceros, but the latter
we were unable to get.
About five o’clock of the day of our arrival at Seran,
Lieutenant von Hohnel and I were seated at the door
of our tent, almost entirely undressed, owing to the
heat of the day, and taking tea, when some of our men,
who had gone to a pool of water 300 yards distant
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