the bushlands we had passed, or sometimes emerged from
the desert itself, suggesting that beyond this waste there lay fertile
country. So numerous were these great beasts indeed that for my part I
hoped earnestly that it would prove impossible for us to continue our
journey, since I saw that in a few months I could collect an enormous
amount of ivory, enough to make me comparatively rich, if only I were
able to get it away. As it was we only killed a few of them, ten in all
to be accurate, that we might send back the tusks as presents to Bausi
II. To slaughter the poor animals uselessly was cruel, especially as
being unaccustomed to the sight of man, they were as easy to approach as
cows. Even Savage slew one--by carefully aiming at another five paces to
its left.

For the rest we lived on the fat of the land and, as meat was necessary
to us, had as much sport as we could desire among the various antelope.

For fourteen days or so this went on, till at length we grew thoroughly
tired of the business, as did the Mazitu, who were so gorged with flesh
that they began to desire vegetable food. Twice we rode as far into the
desert as we dared, for our horses remained to us and had grown fresh
again after the rest, but only to return without information. The place
was just a vast wilderness strewn with brown stones beautifully polished
by the wind-driven sand of ages, and quite devoid of water.

After our second trip, on which we suffered severely from thirst, we
held a consultation. Old Babemba said that he could keep his men no
longer, even for us, as they insisted upon returning home, and inquired
what we meant to do and why we sat here "like a stone." I answered that
we were waiting for some of the Kendah who had bid me to shoot game
hereabouts until they arrived to be our guides. He remarked that the
Kendah to the best of his belief lived in a country that was still
hundreds of miles away and that, as they did not know of our presence,
any communication across the desert being impossible, our proceedings
seemed to be foolish.

I retorted that I was not quite so sure of this, since the Kendah seemed
to have remarkable ways of acquiring information.

"Then, Macumazana, I fear that you will have to wait by yourselves until
you discover which of us is right," he said stolidly.

Turning to Ragnall, I asked him what he would do, pointing out that
to journey into the desert meant death, especially as we did not know
whith