Evening star., 1937-01-17

authority good cheer was invariably
re-established as soon as the resistance
failed.
A THOUGH marching over the
African sands was not work dur
ing the day, the nights were often un-
comfortably cold. The long days
march. full Of annoyances. was ex-
hausting. When we had not had
much luck with our guns the ration
was thin, and sometimes we had to
resort to monkey meat. Water was
scarce and bad. The camp usually
would have been dismal enough had it
not been for an abundance of duties.
The animals were fed and cared for.
muddy water was boiled, brushwood
or dried camel dung for fuel had to be
found. broken crates had to be re-
paired and disordered packs had to be
repacked. The care Of the tents. cook
ing and sentinel duty. to protect the
camp, was necessary. Hobbled camels
and the picket line of mules must be
preserved from attack by hyenas. leop-
ards and lions, to say nothing of bel
ligerent tribes. Once on our trip the
King Of Danakil-land threatened war
il we did not pay tribute for an alleged
injury to one of his shepherds at the
watering hole.
On that occasion We doubled senti-
nels and turned in. The camp had
no sooner settled down for the night
when one Of the sentinels fired a
warning shot which Immediately
brought the camp to fighting stations.
A few strapping spearmen, found hid
ing in the bush. were brought in and
placed under guard. To clear up the
situation I took half the men to make
a reconnaissance of the surrounding
country. Making q wide circle We
found no new enemies and were
marching sleepily back to camp when
was aroused by a chorus Of unin-
telligible chatter to our right. Glanc-
ing over my shoulder I saw that the
long ridge Of hills commanding our
camp was packed with figures sill.
houetted in the moonlight. Appar-
emily they were forming to charge by
hundreds. I called to the men to
double time so that we could join our
comrades in camp for concerted re-
sistance. But as we ran along
looked just In time to seen one Of the
supposed enemy Jump into tree and
thence to another!
It was an army Of monkeys!
Sounds of our rifle shots had aroused
them for miles around and either
curiosity had brought them to the
center Of attraction or they had con-
centrated for mutual defense.
The Danakil king reappeared in
our caravan the next day and re-
manned with us as long as We were in
his kingdom. There was no further
attack and we did not revive the an
cient American custom OF paying
tribute to Africans.
A SIDE from the monkey, there was
excellent hunting; great herds
of gazelle and antelope, jackal. part
ridge, bustard, francolin, plOver, geese,
duck, guinea fowl, pigeon. hornbill,
hartebeast, ostrich, python, ibis, heron.
coot and dig dig "a miniature ante
LOPEZ. After marching % miles to get
to water on one occasion we camped by
a stream and hunted in hippopotamus
country. On this march we also
encountered q small herd Of elephant.
but as we then did not have the
emperor's permission to shoot elephant
we were forced to leave them alone.
Upon our return trip We saw an
elephant hunt in progress in the dis
tance (around Mount Assabote), the
hunters using fires to corner the
beasts.
One dawn, when we had been in
the saddle since midnight, I saw
fine big buck on . rise Of ground
watching our caravan transfixed with
curiosity was suffering with q
severe chill and fever and was
anchored to my saddle with heavy
load of leopard skins and ponchos,
but I called to the nearest marine.
riding behind me. and told him to
set his sight at 800 He did 80 and
the buck dropped in his tracks. The
camel men rushed to the spot and
81 A. -