undisturbed by any enemy,
the elephant might cool himself during the fervid noon.

Pressing further on out of this swampy region, they came, about sunset,
to a thin jungle, where here and there rose a giant baobab, the monarch
of all woods. Choosing one of these great trees, whose foliage was
denser than ordinary, the party proceeded to cut down the smaller trees
and brush, to form a brush fence around their camp, for the centre of
which they chose this great baobab. They built the fence solid, secure,
and high, as an efficient protection against wild beasts and nomadic
freebooters. They then erected their huts--placing four short pronged
poles in the ground, one at each corner of a square of six feet; then
two taller poles dividing the square into halves; over these two taller
poles and the two shorter poles on each side they laid transverse poles,
which rested in the forks; and over these again they laid laterally
light sticks, sloping down each side, which they covered over with long
grass, and in a short time they had a perfect miniature house. There
were other kinds of houses or huts being constructed; but the following
illustration will best describe the architectural knowledge of the
Watutu.

After constructing their huts, some roamed into the woods to hunt for
wild fruit, others to look for flat stones to grind their corn upon,
others to procure sticks to make their fires with, others to get water;
while others, again, scoured and prepared their pots to boil their
porridge in. There were about fifteen huts in the encampment, some huts
having as many as five for a mess, others only three, while others had
but two. It is a noteworthy fact in African camps that, where the mess
is large, the more important of the party are together; or that the most
popular are those who prefer each other's society to that of any of the
rest; though in each large mess one may be sure that one of the members
has been admitted only for the sake of utilising his services; and his
folly and ignorance, or cowardice and unworthiness, are forgiven and
borne with, so long as he is industrious and not idle.

Thus in Kalulu's mess were Selim, Simba, Moto, and an ignorant and timid
fellow, who was only too glad to be near the great, and who
industriously strove to please them for the sake of the patronage which
he received for his labour. Kalulu, of course, as chief, could command
the services of all if he chose to do so, but none wo