river for water, which we found to be distant more
than a mile. Up to that time there was no sign of
a village. The next day we followed an elephant trail,
which had become overgrown with bushes, and by the
use of our axes, at the end of four hours reached the
river. To our joy, we found an island in the middle
of the stream, which was covered with banana trees.
We sent two men to swim the intervening stream,
who found a storehouse on the island with 3000 ears
of Indian corn, but not a sign of natives. Our food
supply being low, and not knowing when we should
find our canoes which carried the grain for the men,
we built a raft with our table, a chair, and some
sticks, using the water-bottles of the men for floats;
and by this means succeeded in getting all the food
to our side of the stream.
Late in the afternoon we again tried to force our
way along the river, when we heard the splash of a
paddle. Looking through the intervening branches,
we saw two natives paddling a small canoe. One of
our men understood the language of the Pokomo, and
he shouted greetings to them, and asked them the
whereabouts of the next village. Instead of making
a response, the men threw themselves into the water
on the far side of the canoe, which drifted rapidly
past us, and was carried on down-stream by the current.
I am afraid they were the owners of the food
on the island. If such was the case, by their timidity
they missed an offer of payment for their store. I
suppose the poor creatures mistook us for Somali.
.Next day at noon the sun appeared, and Lieutenant
von Hohnel was able to get an observation, which
showed that we were still more than a day’s march
south of our canoes. We returned to camp, and at
once set to work cutting a road through the bush for
the camels, donkeys, and men.
During our absence from camp two of our camels
died. These beasts seem to have the slightest possible
hold upon life. Upon this occasion, however,
their deaths were not inopportune, as there was no
food in camp, and the men were delighted to get the
meat. With the corn we discovered on the island,
we were able to give the men two days’ rations.
C a m e l s o n t h e M a r c h
The next morning we made an early start, but were
again harassed by the thick undergrowth, and prevented
from reaching the river. This time we could not get
nearer than two miles from it. All the men were then
sent to the river to get water, and some of them did
not reach camp until the following morning.
From the light rains the desert had become positively
beautiful; the vicious thorn-bushes were disguised in
delicate shades of softest green, and their thorns hidden
by blossoms, — veritable wolves in lambs’ clothing. One
of the men deserted here. I am sure he never reached
the coast, and his death in that horrible bush was a
terrible penalty for his stupidity.