Hunting-knife, nearly severing about four feet from the tail, but
it escaped in the high grass.
"October 18.--A lion paid us a visit last night, roaring close to
the tent at intervals, frightening Mahomet out of his wits.
"The seroot fly has entirely disappeared, and immense dragon
flies are now arrived, and are greedily attacking all other
flying insects.
"October 19.--Troops of baboons are now exceedingly numerous, as
the country being entirely dried up, they are forced to the river
for water, and the shady banks covered with berry-bearing shrubs
induce them to remain. It is very amusing to watch these great
male baboons stalking majestically along, followed by a large
herd of all ages, the mothers carrying their little ones upon
their backs, the latter with a regular jockey-seat riding most
comfortably, while at other times they relieve the monotony of
the position by sprawling at full length and holding on by their
mother's back hair. Suddenly a sharp-eyed young ape discovers a
bush well covered with berries, and his greedy munching being
quickly observed, a general rush of youngsters takes place, and
much squabbling for the best places ensues among the boys; this
ends in great uproar when down comes a great male, who cuffs one,
pulls another by the hair, bites another on the hind quarters
just as he thinks he has escaped, drags back a would-be deserter
by his tail and shakes him thoroughly, and thus he shortly
restores order, preventing all further disputes by sitting under
the bush and quietly enjoying the berries by himself. These
baboons have a great variety of expressions that may perhaps
represent their vocabulary: a few of these I begin to understand,
such as their notes of alarm, and the cry to attract attention;
thus, when I am sitting alone beneath the shade of a tree to
watch their habits, they are at first not quite certain what kind
of a creature I may be, and they give a peculiar cry to induce me
to move and show myself more distinctly.
"October 20.--A lion was roaring throughout the night not far
from the tent on his way towards the river to drink; at every
roar he was answered by the deep angry cry of the baboons, who
challenged him immediately from their secure positions on the
high rocks and trees. I found the tracks of his large feet upon
the bank of the river, but there is no possibility of finding
these animals in the daytime, as they retire to the high grass
upon the table lands.
"The banks of the Atbara are now swarming with small birds that
throng the bushes (a species of willow), growing by the water's
edge; the weight of a large flock bends down the slender boughs
until they touch the water:
