near the camp; so near that we could easily hear
the deep breath they would take after each roar.
There was a little moonlight, but not sufficient to
disclose their whereabouts. My men were very
anxious to procure water from the stream, but
seemed loath to set out in quest of it. We waited
at least half an hour, but although the lions did not
seem to approach any nearer, they continued their
magnificent roarings. I think they had just finished
A t t h e H e a d -w a t e r s o f t h e M a c k e n z i e
a hearty meal, and so did not care whether they
warned us of their proximity or not. A t length,
seeing that they were unlikely to leave us that night,
I got the men together, and told them to take sticks
and beat their water-bottles loudly, as they went to
the stream. They demurred, and said they preferred
to do without water that night. After a little persuasion
they set out, at first in a hesitating manner,
all of them beating their water-bottles vigorously, and
giving vent to half-hearted yells; but as they advanced,
the chorus swelled sufficiently to drown the
roars of the lions. They succeeded in getting their
water and returning to camp without mishap. On
their return, the cook shouted to them: “ Watu
wapum bavu! Ugopa nini? [Foolish men! What
are you afraid of ?] Have you not already had
sufficient proof of the white man’s medicine ? These
lions may roar as long as they will, but their feet
are tied by the magic of master.” As the men had
succeeded in getting their water without ill result,
they freely assented to the cook’s remarks, and shouts
of “ Mganga! I (Medicine-man!) rang through the
camp.
The following day was the 18th of September, and
at four in the afternoon we. succeeded in reaching
Daitcho. It was with a feeling of relief that I
caught sight of the Stars and Stripes waving over
our camp. Many times during the journey from
Sayer I had despaired of the ability of Lieutenant von
Hohnel to bear up until we reached Daitcho. During
the fentire journey his sufferings were very acute,
and they had not been lessened in any degree by
the rough manner in which we were forced to
transport him, nor by the poor quality of food he
had been forced to eat. Now, however, that we had
reached Daitcho, where we had medicines in plenty,
and where he could be nursed with greater care, I
hoped for his recovery; and, indeed, I indulged for a
few days the pleasing thought that he would recover
sufficiently to continue with me on the journey.
But this was not to be. Although for the first few
days after reaching Daitcho he seemed to quickly
recover his strength, a relapse set in, and it was made