hese species becoming
extinct.

While crossing this dry expanse, the greatest difficulty I had to
contend with was the provision of sufficient water for the three
thousand workmen employed about railhead, for not a drop could be
obtained on the way, nor could we hope for any until we had got to the
other side of the plain and had reached the Athi River, which could not
be accomplished under a couple of months. As we progressed onwards into
the waterless belt, this became a very serious matter indeed, as any
breakdown in the supply would have had the most disastrous consequences
among so large a body of men working all day under the blazing sun of a
tropical climate. Every day two trainloads of water in great tanks were
brought up from the last stream we had passed, which, of course, daily
fell further to the rear. This was a source of considerable delay, for
the line was blocked all the time the water was being pumped into the
tanks, and consequently no material for construction could come
through; and a good deal of time was also wasted, when the trains
returned to railhead, in distributing the water to the workmen, who
often quarrelled and fought in their eagerness to get at it. At first I
had most of the tank-filling done by night, but on one occasion a lion
came unpleasantly close to the men working the pump, and so night work
had to be abandoned. The coolies themselves were so anxious, indeed, to
get a plentiful supply of water, that once or twice some of the more
daring spirits among them ventured to go out on to the plains in search
of waterholes, which, by reason of the large herds of game, we knew
must exist somewhere. The only result of these expeditions, however,
was that three of these men never returned; what befell them is not
known to this day.

When we had proceeded some distance across this dry land, and when I
was experiencing to the full the disadvantage and delay caused by my
tank trains, a native from some remote corner of the plains--with
nothing by way of dress but a small piece of cowhide thrown over his
left shoulder--came to my tent door one day and squatted down on his
heels in the native fashion. On being asked his business, "I have
heard," he replied, "that the Great Master wants water; I can show it
to him." This was good news, if it could be relied upon; so I
questioned him closely, and ascertained that some time
previously--exactly how long ago I could not gather--he had been in the
lo