They were delighted with the singing, and without waiting to be correctly taught the tune of “Jesus loves me” they rushed into it, all together, and soon fell into unison. The original air was quite unrecognisable, but one must forget to be orthodox sometimes out here. Singing never fails to arrest the minds of the people, and offers an opportunity of telling them something of the Great and Loving Creator whom we laud and worship. Christ alone who is Wisdom can give one the confidence to attempt, in one short time, to draw aside the veil from the eyes and reveal the Father to those who have never heard His Name. Yet once having seen Him, one dares not allow that opportunity to pass by. Within the last few years this plain has been placed among the game preserves of the Protectorate; it will consequently be a tantalizing route to the sportsmen, as it abounds in antelopes of several kinds—harte-beestes, wilde-beestes, water-buck, wild boars, and birds of exquisite colouring. We could get practically no food for our porters, and on the second day’s fast, regardless of laws and regulations, we ventured out with a gun to try and bring down something. But it was impossible to get anywhere near the animals, as our scouts got so excited that they frightened them away before we could get within shooting distance. Then we tried the plan of despatching one of our noble soldiers with a number of men from one of the villages to the nearest market in order to buy food. The men procured some potatoes, and started back with them, but, as the military went on slightly in advance, they all decamped one by one, carrying off the food with them. They had evidently taken in the measure of their leader! The following day, Sunday, we could not do otherwise but press on, while our men were without food. At mid-day we reached a most indescribably desolate stretch of country; for many miles there extended scrub, interspersed only by thorn bushes and tall cactus trees. Being thoroughly exhausted with fatigue, we struck camp by three lonely huts that unexpectedly were dumped down in this wilderness, without any sign of cultivation around. The people were wretchedly emaciated and seemed to have no spirit or strength to provide themselves with nourishment. They declared nothing would grow, and they were obliged to live on what they hunted or the food which occasionally they could get in exchange for animal flesh or hides. The only prolific life was mosquitoes. We got out our prayer books towards evening to sing one of the well-known hymns, but our spirits were at low ebb and would not rise. Two hungry-looking vultures sat on a naked cactus tree opposite our tent, watching our effort; they did not encourage song! I do dislike those birds so! The fact was we were all feeling the dreariness of our surroundings, and needed a good, sound chop!