he
had come to the conclusion that this mysterious lake was situated
further east and north. Stas did not know what to think of it all; he
feared, however, that he might not chance upon the Wahimas at the lake;
he feared also the savage tribes, the waterless jungle, the
insurmountable mountains, the tsetse flies which destroy animals; he
feared the sleeping sickness, the fever for Nell, the heat, and that
immeasurable expanse which still separated them from the ocean.

But after leaving Mount Linde, naught else remained to do than to go
ahead continually eastward. Linde indeed had said that this journey was
beyond the strength of an experienced and energetic traveler, but Stas
had already acquired a great deal of experience, and as to energy, why,
as Nell was concerned, he determined to use as much of it as might be
necessary. In the meantime it was essential to spare the strength of
the little girl; so he decided to travel only from six until ten
o'clock in the forenoon, and to make the second march from three to six
in the afternoon only in case that at the first stopping place there
was no water.

But in the meantime, as the rain fell during the massica quite
copiously, they found water everywhere. The little lakes, formed by the
downpours in the valleys, were still well filled, and from the
mountains flowed here and there streams, pouring crystalline, cool
water in which bathing was excellent and at the same time absolutely
safe, for crocodiles live only in the greater waters in which fish,
which form their usual food, are to be found.

Stas, however, did not permit the little girl to drink crude water as
he had inherited from Linde a filter whose action always filled Kali
and Mea with amazement. Both seeing how the filter, immerged in a
turbid, whitish liquid, admitted to the reservoir only pure and
translucent water, lay down with laughter and slapped their knees with
the palms of their hands in sign of surprise and joy.

On the whole, the journey at the beginning progressed easily. They had
from Linde considerable supplies of coffee, tea, sugar, bouillon,
various preserves, and all kinds of medicine. Stas did not have to save
his packs for there were more of them than they could take along; they
did not lack also various implements, weapons of all calibers, and
sky-rockets, which on encountering negroes might prove very useful. The
country was fertile; game, therefore fresh meat, was everywhere in
abundance,