Once across it I must make for the Letsitela, another tributary of the Great Letaba, and by keeping the far bank of that stream I should cross the mountains to the place on the plateau of the Wood Bush which Arcoll had told me would be his headquarters.
It is easy to talk about crossing a river, and looking to-day at the slender streak on the map I am amazed that so small a thing should have given me such ugly tremors.

Yet I have rarely faced a job I liked so little.

The stream ran yellow and sluggish under the clear moon.

On the near side a thick growth of bush clothed the bank, but on the far side I made out a swamp with tall bulrushes.

The distance across was no more than fifty yards, but I would have swum a mile more readily in deep water.