She was saved! When not a ray of hope remained, God alone knows what helped us.
The gratitude of that moment I will not attempt to describe.
Fortunately there were many fowls in this village.

We found several nests of fresh eggs in the straw which littered the hut; these were most acceptable after our hard fare, and produced a good supply of soup.
Having rested for two days we again moved forward, Mrs.Baker being carried on a litter.
The next day we reached the village of Parkani.

For several days past our guides had told us that we were very near to the lake, and we were now assured that we should reach it on the morrow.

I had noticed a lofty range of mountains at an immense distance west, and I had imagined that the lake lay on the other side of this chain; but I was now informed that those mountains formed the western frontier of the M'wootan N'zige, and that the lake was actually within a day's march of Parkani.

I could not believe it possible that we were so near the object of our search.
The guide Rabonga now appeared, and declared that if we started early on the following morning we should be able to wash in the lake by noon! That night I hardly slept.