. TH R O U G H J U N G L E A N D D E S E R T c h a p . •_______________
undergrowth, and forced to take a line some distance
from the river, where the country was more open. We
usually broke camp about 7 a .m ., that is, an hour
after dawn, and took up the march. As it was our
invariable custom to camp near the river, our path at
first led through very tall grass and over plantations.
While on the march, from my horse’s back could
just see the heads of the tall spears carried by the
Pokomo guides, which danced and gleamed in the light
of the rising sun. Presently we emerged from the grass
and were confronted by a tangled and impassable grove,
which called for the use of axes and machettes. ese
came at a call, and soon the forest rang with the resounding
blows of the axes, the cracking of broken
boughs, and the shouts of the workmen. In three-
quarters of an hour a path was made; and where but
a short time before all was noise and disorder, the caravan
wended silently and smoothly on its way.
There was something imposing in the picture presented
by the caravan, when viewed from a short distance
The camels swayed gracefully and majestically
onward beneath their high-piled b u r d e n s , followed by a
winding line of men, made tall and imposing by e
massive loads borne upon their heads. Following the
men, were the cattle and donkeys, which added soli 1 y
to the column; and, bringing up the rear, a s a fitting
finish to the whole, rode tall Lieutenant von Hohnel on
his white pony. As a rule, not a sound was to be hear
Occasionally, however, some porter, bursting wi vi a 1 y
unsuppressed by the eighty-pound burden he bore, carolled
forth some simple lay, such as: “ Vily vi y, saw
sawa, pocho!”— the burden of the song being of food
just partaken of, or looked forward to with expectation.
Occasionally an obstacle was encountered by the caravan,
and then the even, and I might say almost solemn,
movement was at once broken. The camels were
forced to kneel, bellowing forth the while their displeasure
at such an indignity; the donkeys ran hither and
thither among the loads thrown down by the men;
shouts, curses, and blows from the ever-ready stick filled
the air, and the pandemonium continued until the difficulty—
whether river, hill, thicket, or forest— had been
surmounted and passed, when the caravan again swung
into its accustomed smooth and noiseless movement
toward its goal.
At times the guides proved very poorly informed as to
the route, and led us through tangled masses of mimosa,
aloes, and creeping vines. In such cases the axes were
in constant requisition; and in consequence, often for
hours at a time, our progress was dismally slow.
During the afternoon of this day we encamped on the
banks of the river. As it was customary to pitch our
tents under tall trees in the cool of the evening, with the
knowledge that a certain portion of the distance had
been covered, our minds were filled with pleasant
thoughts (despite the fact that Lieutenant von Hohnel
was suffering greatly from his feet), when turned to the
distance yet to be accomplished before reaching Kine-
kombe— the point at which we were to find the canoes.
One of the canoes contained what we regarded as precious
freight,— ninety-six bottles of Tennent’s Pilsner
beer,— the thought of which acted as a tonic to our
spirits, and lent energy to our tired feet while on the
march.