So we were in
luxury, and stayed two days in this spot to enjoy it to the full.
We had the additional fun here of catching fish in the river with a
hook and line attached to a stick cut from an oleander bush. We found
some worms in the irrigated garden, and thus we were able to fish and
to catch a good number of barbel.
These made a great addition to our larder.
A very useful tip to know in Africa is that when all other wood is
wet, dead palm branches will always light and burn well. They are most
useful as torches in camp, and are nicknamed "Arabs' Candles."
* * * * *
A DRAGON'S LAIR.
We left our camp ground, with its palm trees down by the river, and
with our tent and belongings packed on to two mules, and our two Arabs
as guides, trekked across a wide, stony plain under a blazing hot sun.
Not a particle of shade the whole way, nor a drop of water; every
footstep had to be picked among the loose, jagged stones, and our way
was continually barred by deep, dry water-courses, which had to be
carefully clambered into and scrambled out of.
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