THE WARNING OF AN ENEMY 53 and returning with that mocker of a dried-up palate —wild honey, Just as we fail to locate a face in an unexpected spot, which would be immediately named in its own surroundings, so were the contents of a bottle brought by Abid a matter of speculation to me. Taking a long and thirsty draught, I was instantly aware that it was some strange and unaccustomed beverage. An inquiring look brought from Abid the remark, " Sherba," and I awoke to the fact that, taken in bulk, one discovers an entirely different—and unpleasing—impression of the desirability of soup.

A leopard made his presence known at night, and the fires were more carefully attended to, though it was noticeable that as the journey wore on, even though lion paid us attention, the men grew more and more careless in keeping the fires bright. Weird are the night noises of the bush, and one falls asleep trying to translate them.

Climatic conditions vary here as elsewhere : one day is sultry and oppressive in its shimmering, burning stillness ; on another a cool breeze robs the sun-heat of its scorch and puts elasticity into one's limbs. Even the soft sand of the river-bed seems less impeding, and energy revives.

Near Kantarow we passed through khors where the forest was very thick, and old elephant spoor was visible everywhere. A reed-buck lost the protection of its colour by venturing on an area of black, burnt land, but retired into long elephant grass on observing me in a like predicament.