eeks with tougher and less valuable mules.
Pending his return we moved on leisurely, camping long at one spot,
marching short days, searching the country far and near for the special
trophies of which we stood in need.

It was great fun. Generally we hunted each in his own direction and
according to his own ideas. The jungle along the river, while not the
most prolific in trophies, was by all odds the most interesting. It was
very dense, very hot, and very shady. Often a thorn thicket would fling
itself from the hills right across to the water's edge, absolutely and
hopelessly impenetrable save by way of the rhinoceros tracks. Along
these then we would slip, bent double, very quietly and gingerly,
keeping a sharp lookout for the rightful owners of the trail. Again
we would wander among lofty trees through the tops of which the sun
flickered on festooned serpent-like vines. Every once in a while we
managed a glimpse of the sullen oily river through the dense leaf screen
on its banks. The water looked thick as syrup, of a deadly menacing
green. Sometimes we saw a loathsome crocodile lying with his nose just
out of water, or heard the snorting blow of a hippopotamus coming up for
air. Then the thicket forced us inland again. We stepped very slowly,
very alertly, our ears cocked for the faintest sound, our eyes roving.
Generally, of course, the creatures of the jungle saw us first. We
became aware of them by a crash or a rustling or a scamper. Then we
stood stock listening with all our ears for some sound distinguishing
to the species. Thus I came to recognize the queer barking note of the
bushbuck, for example, and to realize how profane and vulgar that and
the beautiful creature, the impalla, can be when he forgets himself. As
for the rhinoceros, he does not care how much noise he makes, nor how
badly he scares you.

Personally, I liked very well to circle out in the more open country
until about three o'clock, then to enter the river jungle and work
my way slowly back toward camp. At that time of day the shadows were
lengthening, the birds and animals were beginning to stir about. In
the cooling nether world of shadow we slipped silently from thicket
to thicket, from tree to tree; and the jungle people fled from us, or
withdrew, or gazed curiously, or cursed us as their dispositions varied.

While thus returning one evening I saw my first colobus. He was swinging
rapidly from one tree to another, his long black and whi