NEAR THE SHORE OF THE LAKE.
"Our camp was made in a small valley, and close by a ravine that was easily turned into a cattle-yard. A fence of African thorns was built across each end of the ravine, and as the sides were too steep for the cattle to climb easily they did not climb at all. The guard around the camp was doubled, for fear of accident, and Captain Mohammed said he should have a double guard every night till we arrived at Foueira.
"There was an alarm during the night, caused by one of the guards discharging his rifle at a hyena that came near him. Everybody turned out, in expectation that a fight was on hand; but when the cause of the disturbance was explained we soon went to bed again. I thought the guard should be reprimanded for his act, but Abdul said he was commended for his watchfulness; and when I heard the explanation I thought he was right after all.
"Abdul said that a few years before, at one of the posts in the Bari country, the sentinel on duty at a certain point was found dead one morning, and the indications were that he had been strangled. His gun and all his equipments were gone, and there was no trace of the assailant. The next night another man was killed at the same place, and the third night the guard was doubled.
"Nothing happened there that night, nor was there anything worthy of note when the guard consisted of more than one man. But whenever the sentinel was alone he was strangled, and the same thing happened at two or three points where sentinels were stationed.
"The men had orders to fire at anything suspicious, but somehow they did not seem to have suspected anything till too late.
"One night a man went on duty, and received the usual orders to fire at anything suspicious, and to stop any man that came near him.