February 6th.—Soon after breakfast we saw, stretched from tree to tree near the camp, what appeared like clothes-lines with stockings suspended on them to dry. The Basé had made ropes out of the palm-leaves, and on these the meat which they could not then dispose of hung in strips and festoons to dry. When dried, they would stuff them into gazelle skins, or bags of some kind, for future use. To-day about 40 of them returned to Koolookoo, well-charged with meat, both in their own skins and that of gazelles; the rest remained with us.
This morning another buffalo, which was wounded on the night of the 4th, was found, but not dead. He, however, received his coup de grace from Mr. Colvin’s rifle, but not until he had made a furious charge, though so badly wounded, fortunately without any ill-results. A wounded buffalo is about as dangerous and fierce an animal as can be met with, and will charge most savagely if he is only within five minutes of death, provided his limbs will support him. We had plenty of meat brought into camp, for in addition to this buffalo, two nellut, a mora, and two buffalos were shot. Temperature at 1.30, solar thermometer 150°, wet bulb 66°, dry bulb in shade 90°.
This has been rather an exciting day, as Mr. W. James saw and stalked three giraffes, but was not successful in getting near enough for a shot. Sali, the tracker, saw three ostriches and a rhinoceros, the latter pretty close to him, and I two full-grown elephants a distance off, but none of them were bagged. No doubt had these elephants been followed up for a day or so they could have been got at, but they were not. Messrs. A. James and Colvin followed them up next day for many miles, but not far enough.
February 7th.—Messrs. Colvin and A. James, who went in quest of the two elephants, returned about 4 p.m., without having seen them. In the evening Hoodoo, chief sheik of the Basé, paid us a visit, bringing with him a pot of wild honey as a present. He went through the formality of making “aman” with us, after which he squatted on his haunches in the usual native fashion.
During a long pow-wow which ensued, I was busy making mental notes of Hoodoo, not by any means complimentary to that august personage. He was a dirty-looking old fellow, as scantily dressed as his colleagues, nearly black, with an ill-favoured, sinister cast of countenance, and not by any means a man whom I should place unbounded confidence in. He received several presents, amongst others a bernouse and a rather gorgeous-looking abia (a cloak-looking kind of thing), with gold braid ornamentation around the neck. He seemed mightily pleased with these. He then joined his comrades’ camp, and we went to our dinner.
This was rather a nice camping-ground, but quite unsheltered from the sun by trees. However, we provided a shelter by cutting down some young trees, fixing them in the ground and making a covering of matting, tall grass, and palm leaves, which were obtainable close by. So great was the heat now that the ink dried in my pen ere I could write three lines on a page of foolscap. However, I was fortunately provided with Mappin and Webb’s stylographic pen, which is really invaluable in such hot climates. Always about 12 or 1 o’clock a slight breeze would spring up, producing occasionally a very curious phenomenon. A very high column of dust (perhaps half a mile in height) would come whirling and waltzing along right through the middle of the camp, and so long as it was not hidden by trees or mountains I could see it spinning on and on, looking in the distance like a column of smoke. A good deal of sport was obtained in this neighbourhood, chiefly buffalos and antelopes of different kinds.
February 8th.—We struck our tents and were in marching order by 11 a.m. After an easy journey through some pretty good country, where vegetation was abundant, we encamped at 3 p.m. on a nice bit of land by the Mareb amongst many tall trees and shrubs, which afforded a good shade. Here we purposed remaining for a week at least, as big game of all kinds was plentiful, and here for the first time we found rhinoceros’ tracks. This place is called Maiambasar, and is situated on the border of Abyssinia. Water is near the surface here. During the journey I have noticed that as we have got nearer to Abyssinia we have found the water nearer the surface. We heard panthers, hyænas, and lions last night near camp, but lions are not so plentiful as they were a few days ago.
February 9th.—Abdullah, a black boy, who looks after my camel, has been walking very lame during the last few days, having considerable swelling at the knee. I find he has a large abscess, produced by a guinea-worm. He comes from Algeden, which is about five days from here between Kassala and Souheet. He says guinea-worm is very common there and on the White Nile.
Strange to say, all returned to camp in the evening without having obtained game of any kind, although out all day. Mr. Aylmer, whilst in search of game, suddenly came upon a rather curious scene. There, on the mountain side, scarcely sheltered from the burning rays of the sun, was an old man suffering from leprosy, miles away, apparently, from any human being or habitation. Food and water had been placed near him, to which he could help himself. Mr. Aylmer informed me that the surrounding atmosphere was charged with the stench arising from the decomposed food which was scattered around the place. I should say that most probably that old man furnished a meal for one of the wild beasts ere long.
February 10th.—Two buffalos and two nellut killed this day. One, a bull buffalo, was an enormous beast, and probably the hero of many a fight, for one of his horns had been knocked short off, one eye knocked out, whilst his forehead was covered with scars—evidently a disreputable, cantankerous old buffalo. His carcase was given to the Basé, who were well pleased with the donation. The Koolookoo Basé who came with us through the country would, I daresay, have divided the meat amicably between them, as their Sheik was with them, but their number had been materially increased by other Basé.