Page 23 - Adventures in Africa

where we could procure water, for they are always
careful to hide such spots from those they think
unfriendly.

They accompanied us the following day, and led us
to a pool, the only one we had met with while cross­
ing' the desert. Probably in many seasons that also

would have been empty. Here our animals got as
much water as they could drink, and we filled our
water-bottles. W e then parted from our yellow

friends, who said that, as they were ignorant of the
country to the northward, they could not venture
farther. Trusting to Jail's sagacity to find water, we

proceeded in good spirits,
W e had hoped to trade largely with the natives,
but as we had lost the greater part of our goods, we
should have to depend upon our own exertions to

obtain the ivory and skins which would repay us for
the difficulties and dangers of our journey. W e had

fortunately saved the greater part of our ammunition,
which would enable us to hunt for some months to
come.
Of course we knew Mr. Welbourn would be much

disappointed at seeing us arrive with so slender an
equivalent for the skins and ivory my uncle had taken

south, instead of the waggon full of goods which he
had expected,
" He is a sensible, good-natured fellow, and will
know that it was from no fault of ours we were

plundered,” observed my uncle. “ W e shall still do
well, and shall probably encounter more adventures
than we should have met with had we confined our­

selves to simple trading with the natives, I should,