d illimitable distances falling away to the unknown Tara
Desert and the sea.

There seemed to be nothing much to be gained here, so we made up our
minds to cut across the mesa, and from the other edge of it to overlook
the valley of the tributary river. This we would descend until we came
to our horses.

Accordingly we stumbled across a mile or so of those round and rolling
stones. Then we found ourselves overlooking a wide flat or pocket where
the stream valley widened. It extended even as far as the upward fling
of the barrier ranges. Thick scrub covered it, but erratically, so that
here and there were little openings or thin places. We sat down, manned
our trusty prism glasses, and gave ourselves to the pleasing occupation
of looking the country over inch by inch.

This is great fun. It is a game a good deal like puzzle pictures.
Re-examination generally develops new and unexpected beasts. We repeated
to each other aloud the results of our scrutiny, always without removing
the glasses from our eyes.

"Oryx, one," said F.; "oryx, two."

"Giraffe," reported B., "and a herd of impalla."

I saw another giraffe, and another oryx, then two rhinoceroses.

The three bearers squatted on their heels behind us, their fierce eyes
staring straight ahead, seeing with the naked eye what we were finding
with six-power glasses.

We turned to descend the hill. In the very centre of the deep shade of
a clump of trees, I saw the gleam of a waterbuck's horns. While I was
telling of this, the beast stepped from his concealment, trotted a short
distance upstream and turned to climb a little ridge parallel to that
by which we were descending. About halfway up he stopped, staring in
our direction, his head erect, the slight ruff under his neck standing
forward. He was a good four hundred yards away. B., who wanted him,
decided the shot too chancy. He and F. slipped backward until they had
gained the cover of the little ridge, then hastened down the bed of
the ravine. Their purpose was to follow the course already taken by the
waterbuck until they should have sneaked within better range. In the
meantime I and the gunbearers sat down in full view of the buck. This
was to keep his attention distracted.

We sat there a long time. The buck never moved but continued to stare
at what evidently puzzled him. Time passes very slowly in such
circumstances, and it seemed incredible that the beast should continue
much longer to hold his fixed