So at two o'clock in the morning I ordered the men to get up. A couple of hours' sharp walking brought us to a thick wood, and there we were sheltered. We quickly made up one very large fire, big enough for all of us, and stretched ourselves pell-mell around it for a short nap. We were so tired that we soon fell asleep, not caring for leopards or anything else. We were awakened by the cry of the grey partridge (Francolinus squamatus), called quani by the natives.
I will now say a word about these partridges. Unlike our partridges, they perch on trees. When evening comes, the old cock perches himself first, and calls the flock together. They all settle near each other. In the morning, before daylight, they begin to cluck; and it was this noise that we heard. They do not sleep on the ground, like our partridges, because there are too many snakes crawling about, and too many carnivorous animals.
AFTER DINNER.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE HIPPOPOTAMUS—A SPECK OF WAR—REACH NGOLA—A SUNDAY TALK—THE BLACK MAN'S GOD AND THE WHITE MAN'S GOD—HOW KING NJAMBAI PUNISHED HIS WIFE—WE BUILD AN OLAKO IN THE WOODS.
Sunrise found us under way again; and before us lay a fine stretch of prairie, on the farther borders of which were quietly grazing several herds of buffaloes, which, as we approached them, quickly ran into the woods. While they remained in sight they gave the country a civilized appearance; it looked like a large grazing farm in June, with cattle, and hay almost ready for harvest; a fine, quiet, old-country picture here in the wilds of Africa, that reminded me so much of home scenes that I felt happy and elated.