of dried meats and shields in one pile to find a little shade under
them. Stas issued orders to save the water, but the negroes are like
children, who have no thought of the morrow. Finally it was necessary
to surround with a guard those who carried the supplies of water and to
apportion the water to each one separately. Kali attended to this very
conscientiously, but this consumed a great deal of time and delayed the
march, and therefore the finding of some kind of watering-place. The
Samburus complained in addition that the Wahimas got more than their
share to drink, and the Wahimas that the Samburus were favored. These
latter began to threaten to return, but Stas declared to them that Faru
would cut off their heads. He himself ordered the men armed with
Remingtons to go on guard and not let any one leave.

The next night was passed upon a level plain. They did not build a
boma, or, as the Sudanese say, a zareba, for there was nothing to build
one with. The duties of sentinel were performed by the King and Saba.
This was sufficient, but the King, who received only a tenth of the
water he needed, trumpeted for it until sunrise, and Saba, with hanging
tongue, turned his eyes towards Stas and Nell in mute appeal for even
one drop. The little maid wanted Stas to give him a mouthful from a
rubber flask left by Linde, which Stas carried with a string across his
shoulder, but he was saving this remnant for the little one in the dark
hour; therefore he declined.

On the fourth day towards evening only five bags with water remained,
or not quite half a cupful for each member of the party. As the nights,
however, at any rate were cooler than the days, and the thirst at such
times vexed them less than under the burning rays of the sun, and as
the people had received in the morning a small quantity of water, Stas
ordered those bags saved for the following day. The negroes grumbled at
this order, but fear of Stas was still great; so they did not dare to
rush at this last supply, especially as near it stood a guard of two
men armed with Remingtons, the guard being changed every hour.

The Wahimas and Samburus cheated their thirst by pulling out blades of
poor grass and chewing its roots. Nevertheless, there was almost no
moisture in it, as the inexorable sun burnt it, even below the earth's
surface.* [*About the waterless plains in this region see the excellent
book, entitled "Kilima-Njaro," by the Rev. Mr. Le Roy, at present
B