are clothed with the most luxuriant vegetation near the water's edge, whilst many lovely butterflies flitting from flower to flower add much life and colour to the scene. Some of the reaches are not unlike the most perfect parts of the Lynn in Devonshire, a few Oriental palms and dragontrees alone preventing one from imagining one's self at home. The ground in places is covered with quartz, spar, and shale, whilst outcrops of granite and various sandstones are also met with. Laurustinus, holly, drawf oak, and the dragon-tree, grow everywhere along the river.

For the next few days our progress through the hills was still slow and laboured, as the country was much broken and, for the most part, densely wooded, which entailed much clearing work on the advance guard. When, therefore, on October 24, we at length emerged on to the Karamojo plains, and saw the lofty Elgon Mountain away in the distance, none of us regretted the charming scenery left behind, as we hoped now to travel faster, for our food-supply was becoming well-nigh exhausted. We saw game again now almost for the first time since leaving Baringo, and, on issuing out of the hills through a deep rift enclosed by fine rocky scarps, passed numerous recent traces of elephants. Two rhinos welcomed the advent of the column into open country by charging and ignominiously dispersing a portion of the caravan, the porters throwing down their loads and making record times to all points of the compass. Next day we reached and crossed the river Turkwel, of which we were to see so much during our subsequent travels, and camped again on the 26th for a second time on its bank. On this day we met a few Wa-Karamojo, who reported that food was only obtainable in very small quantities in their populated districts further north, as the country had recently been visited by great drought, and that a Swahili caravan which had lately been there was compelled to return to Save, on the northern slopes of Elgon, as it had been unable

to maintain itself. This, I feared, would very seriously interfere with Major Macdonald's plans; but, as it appeared useless proceeding where no food was obtainable, I decided to alter our course to Save, which I had always heard of as a veritable Goshen.

On October 27, therefore, instead of striking in a northerly direction towards Mount Dabasien, we continued in a southwesterly one to a small stream known as the Rarosia, and next day to some pools near a conical peak on a ridge, which constitutes the water-parting hereabouts between the streams that flow into the Turkwel and so towards Lake Rudolf, and those which, flowing into the small chain of lakes to the north of Elgon, subsequently find their way to the mighty Nile. During these two days we had passed several small colonies of wandering Wa-Karamojo, though what all the men, women, and children lived on in this barren waste was a mystery to us. Their existence must have been a precarious one, as they appeared entirely to be dependent for their food on tamarinds, species of wild melons, birds, and what game the men were enabled to spear. In spite of this, some of the men were the most magnificent specimens of humanity I had ever seen, with grand powerful limbs, chests, and shoulders. As they were quite devoid of any such vanities as clothing or skins, their fine proportions were displayed to the best advantage, for elephanthide sandals on their feet was all they wore. The elder women were by no means comely, but were decently clad in skins, whilst numbers of beads made of ostrich egg-shells and other varieties were hung in great profusion round the neck.

On October 29 a march of twelve miles brought us to a powerful stream-the Kisimchanga-at the foot of the northern slopes of the Elgon mass. We continued in a westerly direction at the foot of these spurs for the next two marches through fairly open grass, over a plain on which

numerous earth boils, almost perfect cones in shape, were dotted about, whilst here and there fantastic rocks sprung up. We then reached a stream, from which the ascent to the Save plateau was be made. Formerly, the base of Mount Elgon hereabouts was thickly populated by thriving, industrious natives, who tilled the fertile soil and lived in flourishing villages; but they became the prey of marauding bands of Masai warriors of the Guas' Ngishu plateau to the south and the powerful Karamojo tribe to the north, so were compelled to abandon their homes on the plain, and seek refuge in the mountain fastnesses of Elgon, and it was to their present settlements we were about to ascend in search for food. Owing to the steep and difficult nature of the ascent of 2,000 feet, which was pointed out to us, it was obvious that we could not hope to take our transport animals up, so I decided to establish a permanent post at the foot of the hill, at which they could all be left under suitable guard, as well as all the stores, equipment, etc., not immediately necessary for present requirements. In spite of half-rations being issued, supplemented with meat, we had only six bags of flour left, and the porters had lately been showing serious signs of exhaustion after all their hard work in the Muroni. We heard, however, that a large Swahili trading caravan had been settled for the last three years in a stockaded enclosure on the plateau, so, relying on being able to obtain food from them, it was arranged to leave these bags of flour for the use of the garrison until such time as more could be sent down to them from above.

On November I we experienced a long and trying day before we reached the populated district of Save, as the porters found the stiff climb almost beyond their powers in their present weak state. The higher we ascended, the more glorious became the view and fresher the air, and the more charming our surroundings; but we had little leisure to enjoy these, as our immediate desire was to get everybody

into camp before dark. Eventually we reached the Swahili traders' stockade, the occupants of which came out to meet us in spotlessly clean flowing robes, which formed a marked contrast to the ragged, bedraggled appearance of our hardworked porters. Osborn had already pitched camp on the opposite bank of the stream to that on which the stockade existed, and, looking down from the higher ground on to our camp, I thought I had seldom seen so lovely a spot, and in truth I had seen many a lovely one in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America before that day. The Swahili traders supplied us with three and a half bags of flour the same evening for our weary men, and I commenced negotiations with them regarding the purchase of some 600 bags more for the expedition.

Let us rest awhile now after our hard day's work, and bring this chapter to a close before proceeding with my narrative. The memories of that pleasant, peaceful existence in our mountain home which we had now reached have always lingered in my thoughts; preceded as it was by days of slow and exasperating progress through the Suk hills, and to be so soon followed by war's wild alarms, when fighting with a savage foe.

CHAPTER VI

SAVE TO LUBWA'S

FROM Our lofty position on the northern spurs of Elgon a fine view was always obtainable on a clear day across the huge plain some 2,000 feet below us, which was not unlike the ocean in appearance rather than the barren, inhospitable waste we knew it to be. Looking north, the grand crags and rugged outline of Mount Dabasien, which attains a height of close on 10,000 feet, was the most striking feature of the landscape, rising abruptly, as it does, out of the plains, and standing out in bold relief—a marked contrast to the more distant and faintly discernible Moroto and Kamalinga Hills further north, and the continuation of the Suk range away to the north-east. Turning west, one's eyes were refreshed by the green, swampy plain of Kimama, with its chain of small lakes glistening in the sunlight like so many jewels. Our own immediate surroundings were perhaps still more pleasing. Facing south, towards the summit of the great Elgon crater, which reaches an altitude of over 14,000 feet above sea-level, one's gaze is arrested by perpendicular walls of rock and beetling cliffs, the summits of which are densely wooded with vegetation of most variegated tints and hues. The numerous spurs and banks of the many mountain torrents, coursing in all directions down the sides of the hill, are thickly cultivated with bananas, Indian corn, mtama (or dura), beans, pumpkins, yams, and various other foodstuffs; whilst beautiful turf and short sweet clover-covered grass affords excellent pasturage for the goats and sheep