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diff --git a/old/61342-0.txt b/old/61342-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index deee3ef..0000000 --- a/old/61342-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7917 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of A White King in East Africa, by John Boyes - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: A White King in East Africa -The Remarkable Adventures of John Boyes, Trader and Soldier of Fortune, who became King of the Savage Wa-Kikuyu - -Author: John Boyes - -Editor: C. W. L. Bulpett - -Release Date: February 8, 2020 [eBook #61342] -[Most recently updated: April 16, 2021] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WHITE KING IN EAST AFRICA *** - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Transcriber’s Note: - -This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects. -Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_. - -Footnotes have been moved to follow the paragraphs in which they are -referenced. Photographic illustrations are also moved to fall on -paragraph breaks. - -Minor errors, attributable to the printer, have been corrected. Please -see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for details regarding -the handling of any textual issues encountered during its preparation. - - - - - A WHITE KING - IN EAST AFRICA - - - - -[Illustration: JOHN BOYES] - - A WHITE KING - IN EAST AFRICA - - THE REMARKABLE ADVENTURES OF JOHN BOYES, TRADER AND SOLDIER OF - FORTUNE, WHO BECAME KING OF THE SAVAGE WA-KIKUYU - - WRITTEN BY HIMSELF - - - EDITED BY - C. W. L. BULPETT - - WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS AND A MAP - - NEW YORK - McBRIDE, NAST & COMPANY - 1912 - - - - - (_All rights reserved._) - - - - - TO - - WILLIAM NORTHROP McMILLAN - - IN MEMORY OF MANY - TRAMPS TOGETHER - - - - - EDITOR’S PREFACE - - -The following pages describe a life of adventure in the more remote -parts of Africa—adventures such as the explorer and sportsmen do not -generally encounter. The man to whom the episodes narrated in this book -refer has been personally known to me for ten years. We have hunted big -game and explored together many a time in the African jungle; and as it -is principally at my instigation that he has put the following account -of his experiences into writing, I think it is due to him and to the -public that I should make known my responsibility in the matter. - -It seemed to me that the adventures John Boyes underwent were something -quite out of the common; in these matter-of-fact days they may be said -to be almost unique. In the days of exploration and discovery, when -Captain Cook and such heroes lived and thrived, they were perhaps common -enough; but every year the opportunities of such adventure get more and -more remote, and as the uttermost parts of the earth are brought under -the influence of civilization will become ever more impossible. For this -reason alone a story such as told here seems to be worth recording. - -There is no attempt at literary style. The man tells his tale in a -simple, matter-of-fact way, and, as his Editor, I have thought it better -from every point of view to leave his words as he has written them. - -The reader will judge for himself as to the interest of the adventures -here related, but I think any one will admit that no ordinary force of -character was necessary to carry them through to a successful issue. The -whole life of the author during the time he was a wanderer in the Kikuyu -country, and later while he was practically supreme ruler of the tribe—a -tribe numbering half a million of people—was one of imminent daily risk. - -Each hour he went about with his life in his hands, and if he came out -scatheless from the mêlée, he has only to thank his courage, nerve, and -resource. All these qualities he obviously possessed in a high degree. - -He appears to have been harshly treated by the British East Africa -authorities. Doubtless much that he did was grossly misrepresented to -them by more or less interested parties. He certainly did yeoman’s -service to the colony in its early days by opening up an unknown and -hostile country which lay right on the borderland of the Uganda Railway, -at that time in course of construction. His energetic action enabled the -coolies on the line to work safe from many hostile attacks. He supplied -them with the food without which they would have starved—all for a very -small reward, and at great personal risk to himself. But the love of -adventure was in him, and such people do not work for profit alone. The -life itself brings its own reward. - -An impartial observer will perhaps be able to understand the point of -view of the British Administration, and will appreciate their -difficulty, indeed their ability, to allow an independent white power to -rule beside their own; but the public will judge for themselves whether -they set about to do what they did with regard to John Boyes in the most -tactful way, or whether they treated a brave fellow-countryman in the -manner he deserved. - - C. W. L. B. - -_August, 1911._ - - CONTENTS - - PAGE - - CHAPTER I 1 - - Early youth—I run away to sea on a fishing-boat—Hardships of the - life—Take service on a tugboat—Life on board a tramp—First view - of tropical African coast—A collision at sea—Land at Durban, 1895 - - CHAPTER II 17 - - I work my way up-country to Matabeleland—Employed as fireman on - engine—Reach Johannesburg—Trek the rest of the way to Bulawayo on - foot—Take service in the Matabeleland Mounted Police—Join the - Africander Corps engaged in putting down the rebellion—Go into - trade in Bulawayo—Return to the coast—I take to the stage—Work my - way on an Arab dhow to Mombasa, February, 1898—Cool official - reception - - CHAPTER III 38 - - 1898—Determine to organize a transport caravan on the Uganda - Railway route, to carry provisions for the coolies working on the - railway—Man-eating lions at railway construction camps—Reach the - borderland of the Masai and Kikuyu tribes—Desertion of my - men—Return to Railhead—Start out again with convoys for - Uganda—Loss of my transport animals—Decide to enter the Kikuyu - country. - - CHAPTER IV 76 - - Government official tries to prevent me going into the Kikuyu - country—Give the official the slip—My first acquaintance with the - Kikuyu—Meet Karuri, the Kikuyu chief—Hospitable reception—Kikuyu - village attacked because of my presence in it—I help to beat off - the attack—Successful trading—Build a house in the Kikuyu - village—Native theory as to the origin of the Kikuyu race—I help - defend my Kikuyu friends from hostile raids, and beat off the - enemy—Benefit of my conciliatory counsels—Pigasangi and - blood-brotherhood - - CHAPTER V 101 - - Am established in the country—Native festivities and - dances—Troubadours—Musical quickness of the natives—Dearth of - musical instruments—My attempts at military organization—Hostile - rumours—Preparations for resisting attack—Great battle and defeat - of the attacking tribes—Victory due to skilful tactics of my - Kikuyu force—Succeed in taking a large convoy of provisions into - the starving Government stations—White men attacked and killed—Am - supreme in the tribe—Native poisons—Although I am supplying the - Government stations with food, I get no recognition at the hands - of the officials - - CHAPTER VI 124 - - Determine to extend my operations into more remote districts of - the Kikuyu country—New friends—Native taste for tea—Plague of - ants—Curious superstition with regard to milking cows—The Kalyera - reject my friendly overtures—Trouble at headquarters—Tragic - interview with a recalcitrant chief—Gain further prestige - thereby—Further plans—Take my Kikuyu followers down to - Mombasa—Their impressions in contact with civilization - - CHAPTER VII 149 - - Back again in the Kikuyu country—Kalyera raid—Effect of a mule on - the native nerve—Does it eat men?—Prepare for a new - expedition—Dress my men in khaki and march under the Union Jack—A - hostile medicine man—Around Mount Kenia—Native drinks—Treacherous - native attack on my camp—Lucky capture of the hostile chief saves - the camp—Pursuit after stolen cattle—Another attack on my - camp—Change of attitude of natives on account of rain—Peace - again—Bury my ivory—The forest slopes of Mount Kenia—Wagombi’s—A - powerful chief—Precautions—Establish myself and erect a fort - - CHAPTER VIII 189 - - The Wanderobo—Visit from the Wanderobo chief—Native bartering—A - grand meeting of surrounding tribes for blood-brotherhood under - my auspices—Dancing frenzy—Native ideas of a future life—Again - trek for the unknown—Attacked by natives—Chief’s - admonition—Decide to visit the Wanderobo chief Olomondo—Wanderobo - gluttony—The honey bird—Wanderobo methods of hunting—Massacre of - a Goanese safari—My narrow escape—General uprising of hostile - tribes—Rise of the Chinga tribes against me—My precarious - position—Successful sally and total defeat of the enemy—My - blood-brother, the Kikuyu Chieftain, comes to my aid with - thousands of armed men—Total extinction of the Chinga people - - CHAPTER IX 233 - - My control over the whole country now complete—Get back with my - ivory to Karuri’s—Recover all the property of the murdered - Goanese—My position recognized by all the chiefs—Violent death of - my enemy, the Rainmaker—Peaceful rule—Try to improve the - agriculture of the country—Imitators of my schemes cause trouble - in the country—Troubles of a ruler—Outbreak of smallpox—Famine—My - attempts at alleviating the distress misunderstood—Daily routine - in a native village—"Sin vomiting"—Native customs—Native - hospitality among themselves—Adventures with lions - - CHAPTER X 279 - - Government send an expedition into my country to take over the - administration—Go with my followers to meet the Government - officials—Am asked to disarm my followers by the Government - officials, who are in a state of panic—Consent to this to allay - their fears, and am then put under arrest—Am charged with - “dacoity”- -Am sent down to Mombasa to be tried, and placed in - the gaol—Am released on bail—Tried and acquitted—I am appointed - intelligence officer and guide to a Government expedition into - the Kalyera country - - CHAPTER XI 295 - - Origin of the Kikuyu—The family—Circumcision—Marriage—Land - tenure—Missionaries - - INDEX 317 - - - - - ILLUSTRATIONS - - JOHN BOYES _Frontispiece_ - - FACING PAGE - - MASAI WARRIORS FROM NAIVASHA 48 - - AN ANT-HILL 58 - - KIKUYU WARRIOR 80 - - WA-KIKUYU MAIDENS 82 - - THE RIVER MORANDAT 100 - - A GROUP OF MASAI WARRIORS 112 - - A GROUP OF WA-KIKUYU PORTERS AND THE AUTHOR 192 - - A DEAD RHINO 208 - - WA-KIKUYU WOMEN POUNDING SUGAR-CANE FOR MAKING 240 - NATIVE DRINK - - RIVER SCENERY 264 - - WAKAMBA WOMEN 300 - - MAP OF THE WA-KIKUYU LAND 314 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - JOHN BOYES, KING OF THE WA-KIKUYU - - - - - CHAPTER I - -Early youth—I run away to sea on a fishing-boat—Hardships of the -life—Take service on a tugboat—Life on board a tramp—First view of -tropical African coast—A collision at sea—Land at Durban, 1895 - - -This book is simply an attempt to set down, in a plain and -straightforward manner, some account of the various experiences and -adventures of the author during a period of some fifteen years spent in -hunting, trading, and exploring, principally on the eastern side of the -African continent. The title has been suggested by some episodes in the -narrative, the main facts of which are within the recollection of many -of the white men now in British East Africa. These episodes caused -somewhat of a stir at the time, and the author had to stand his trial -before the local courts on a capital charge as a direct consequence of -the facts here narrated. - -I was born at Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, on 11 May, 1874, so -that at the time of writing this book I am still a comparatively young -man. I lived there with my parents until I was six years of age, when I -was sent to Germany to be educated at the little town of Engelfingen, -where my parents had some relatives living, and it was here that I -received all the schooling I have ever had. This early education has -left its mark on me, and even at the present day I sometimes find it -difficult to express myself correctly in English—a fact, I hope, an -indulgent public will take into consideration. - -At the age of thirteen my schooling in Germany ended, and I returned -home to my parents, who wished me to continue my school-days in Hull, as -I had received no English education whatever; but I strongly objected to -going to school again, and, evading their efforts to control me, spent -most of my time about the docks, watching the vessels in and out. - -By this time my mind was bent on a seafaring life, and I lost no -opportunity of scraping acquaintance with sailors from the different -ships, whose tales of the various countries they had visited and the -strange sights they had seen fired my imagination and made me more -determined than ever to follow the sea. - -I practically lived on the docks, and one of my greatest delights was to -pilot a boat round them, or to get some of my many friends among the -sailors to allow me to help with odd jobs about a vessel, such as -cleaning up the decks or polishing the brasswork; and I was fully -determined to get away to sea at the first opportunity. - -My keenest desire, at this time, was to enter the Navy, but my parents -would not hear of my going to sea, and without their consent I could not -be accepted, so that idea had to be abandoned. I was determined to be a -sailor, however, and kept my eyes open for a chance of getting away on -one of the fishing-vessels sailing out of Hull, among which were still -many of the old sailing-boats, which have now been almost entirely -displaced by the steam-trawlers. When I had been at home about six -months the longed-for chance came. I got to know that one of the -trawlers was to sail at a very early hour one morning, so, stealing out -of the house before any of the other members of the family were about, I -made my way down to the docks. This being before the days of the large -tonnage steam-trawlers, the vessels carried only about five hands, and -finding that the boat on which I had set my mind was in need of a cook -and cabin-boy, I offered my services, and was duly signed on. My -knowledge of the work was nil, but, to my surprise and delight, the -captain asked no awkward questions, and I found myself enrolled as a -member of the crew of my first ship, which was bound for the North Sea -fishing-grounds, and was expected to be away for about three months. - -I was very seasick on this first voyage—the only time in my life that I -have ever suffered from that complaint—and the life proved less -attractive than I had expected. In those days the lads on the -fishing-boats were very badly treated, and though I had not so much to -complain of in this respect, I found it a very trying life at the best. -The work itself was very hard, and I was liable to be called up at any -hour of the day or night to prepare hot coffee or do anything that any -member of the crew wanted me to do. - -It was on this voyage that I had a very narrow escape of being drowned -in a gale which we encountered. We had taken in the second reef of the -mainsail, which hung over like a huge hammock, and I was ordered aloft -to perform the operation known as reefing the lacing. As I was crawling -along the sail a heavy sea struck the ship, carrying the boom over to -the weather side, which caused the sail to flap over and pitch me head -first into the sea. Fortunately for me, the accident was witnessed by -the crew, one of whom seized a boathook, and, as I came within reach, -managed to catch me by the belt, and so succeeded in hauling me on board -again, feeling very miserable and, of course, drenched to the skin, but -otherwise none the worse for my adventure. - -With this exception, there was little out of the ordinary in my life on -the trawler, unless I mention an experience I had when we were lying off -the then British island of Heligoland. - -It was the custom for the captains of the various boats to go ashore all -together, in one boat, on Sundays, and the crew also often took -advantage of the opportunity of a run ashore. One Sunday they had all -gone ashore, leaving me in sole charge of the ship, my principal duties -being to prepare the dinner and stoke the boiler of the donkey-engine so -as to keep steam up ready for hauling up the anchor at a moment’s -notice. Soon after they had gone some lads came off in a shore-boat, and -as I could speak German we were soon on the best of terms, and of course -I had to give them biscuits and show them round the ship. So engrossed -was I with my new-found friends that I forgot all about the boiler, -until I noticed a strong smell of burning. We all raced to the -engine-room, to find that the boiler was red hot and had set fire to the -woodwork round it. Not knowing what else to do, we chopped away the -woodwork and threw it overboard, and so prevented the fire spreading. -Scenting trouble ahead, my friends took to their boat and cleared out, -while I decided that it would be wise to disappear for a time also, and -so hid myself in a part of the ship where I thought I was least likely -to be found. The captain made a big fuss when he discovered the damage, -and I heard him calling loudly for me, but I thought it would be wise to -remain out of sight until he had had time to cool down; so I stayed -where I was, turning up again next morning. He did not say much when I -appeared, probably because he thought awkward questions might be asked -if any bother was made as to why a youngster like myself had been left -in sole charge of the vessel. - -I returned to Hull after six months with the fishing fleet, fairly sick -of life on a trawler, and with my mind made up to try for something -better in the seafaring line. - -My great idea was to get abroad and see something of the world, and I -should, so I thought, stand a better chance of doing this if I went to -Liverpool and tried to get a ship there. Having no money—my entire -worldly possessions consisted, at this time, of a few spare clothes—I -set out to walk the whole distance from Hull. - -For a lad of fifteen this was no light undertaking, but, as in other -instances in my career, the very difficulties only seemed to make the -idea more attractive; so I started boldly off. Having no very clear idea -of the route to be followed, I made for York, and then continued my -journey by way of Leeds and Manchester. I had no money, so, to procure -the little food I could allow myself, I pawned my spare clothes at -different places on my way, and helped out my scanty meals with an -occasional raw turnip or carrot; and though I had to go on rather short -commons towards the end of my journey, I managed to get through without -being reduced to begging. Of course I had nothing to spare for lodgings, -and used to sleep out during the day, continuing my journey at night, -and as it was early in the year—about the beginning of May—I found the -cold at times bitter, but this was my greatest hardship. - -After a rather weary journey I eventually arrived in Liverpool, very -footsore but in good spirits, and finding a lodging-house in the -sea-men’s quarter of the town, kept by an old sailor who was willing to -take me in on trust until I got a ship, I took up my quarters there, -agreeing to repay him as soon as I got a berth. - -I still had a strong inclination for the Navy, so I applied at the -recruiting office, but, as I could not show my parents’ consent, they -refused to accept me, and I had to look elsewhere. At last I got a berth -on a tugboat, called the _Knight of St. John_, which was going out to -Rotterdam to tow a barque, the _Newman Hall_, into Liverpool. - -While at Rotterdam I managed to get into another scrape, but, -fortunately, it was not a very serious one, though I suffered some -discomfort. It was known on board that I could speak German well, so I -was sent ashore to buy cigars and tobacco for the officers and crew. I -must have been longer away than they expected, as when I got back to the -quay the boat was gone. Having no money left, I was in a fix for a -night’s lodging, until I noticed a small wooden hut on the beach, -apparently unoccupied, so, taking shelter in this, I made myself as -comfortable as possible and went to sleep. On waking the next morning I -was astonished to find the shanty surrounded by water. It turned out to -be a hut built for the use of bathers, and at high tide was always -surrounded by the sea; consequently I had to stay where I was and wait -more or less patiently until the tide went down far enough to enable me -to wade ashore. While I was wondering what to do next I saw the tug -coming along close inshore, and shouting until I attracted attention, I -was soon aboard again. - -Having got our tow-line aboard the barque, we started on our return -journey to Liverpool, but had scarcely got clear of land before it -commenced to blow heavily, and the sea became so rough that we had to -part company with the barque, which, fortunately, drifted back to -Rotterdam, while we found ourselves with only sufficient coal to take us -into Dover. - -I did not stop long with the tug, as I came to the conclusion that there -was little chance of getting on in my profession if I was content to -simply knock about from ship to ship. If I was ever to get an officer’s -certificate, I must start by getting a berth as A.B. (able seaman), in -an ocean-going ship, so that I could put in the four years’ regular sea -service which I should have to show before going up for my certificate, -of which at least twelve months had to be on a sailing ship trading to -foreign ports. I therefore looked out for a suitable berth, and at last -shipped on a barque, the _Lake Simcoe_, trading to South America. - -I had, as usual, my share of incident during the voyage. - -Whilst trading in Brazil, we made a trip up the River Amazon, during -which I got a touch of yellow fever, and on arriving at Laguna, where we -had to take some logwood on board, I was put ashore to go into hospital. -I do not know what alterations have been made since I was there, but at -that time the hospital was a gloomy enough building, with heavily barred -slits in the wall for windows, and used indifferently as hospital, -lunatic asylum, and gaol, while the strong resemblance to a prison was -heightened by the fact that the place was always guarded by a detachment -of soldiers. - -The hospital arrangements were disgusting and reckless, no regard being -paid either to sanitation or the prevention of infection. All manner of -diseases were mixed indiscriminately in the same ward, while the duties -of orderlies and attendants on the patients were undertaken by some of -the more harmless among the lunacy cases! - -One gruesome discovery which I made soon after my entry was that the -establishment possessed only one coffin, which had to do duty for each -fatal case in turn, being made with a sliding bottom, which reduced the -work of lowering the corpse into the grave to a minimum. When a case -ended fatally, the corpse was placed in this coffin—which was always -kept in the ward—and taken out for burial, the coffin being afterwards -returned to its place in the hospital, in full view of the other -patients! As there were generally three or four funerals every day, it -may be easily imagined that the effect on those left behind was not the -most cheering. - -One other custom in the hospital struck me as very peculiar. When a -patient became very bad the attendant generally gave him a spoonful of a -substance which, from the smell, I have since thought must have been -opium. Whether or not this was merely given to relieve pain I cannot -say: I only know that the patient invariably died soon after taking it. - -One day the spoon was brought to me, so I asked the attendant, one of -the harmless lunatics, to place it on the table by my bedside. Occupying -the adjoining pallet was a Brazilian soldier, who, waking up in the -night, asked if he might have the stuff in the spoon, as he was in -terrible pain. Thinking it might relieve him, I made no objection, and -he eagerly swallowed the lot. The next morning he was dead! - -After this experience, I was anxious to get out of my present quarters -as rapidly as possible, and a chance came a day or two afterwards of -which I at once took advantage. It happened to be Sunday, and my bed -being close to one of the slits which served for windows, I heard the -voices of some of the crew of the _Lake Simcoe_ outside. I at once -shouted to attract their attention, and begged them to get me out of -this awful hole. Recognising my voice, they threw themselves on the -soldiers guarding the place, and, after a struggle, managed to get in, -and carried me off. I was fearfully weak, and scarcely able to stand, -but they managed to get me aboard ship at last, where, with proper -attention, I soon recovered. - -On the homeward voyage we had terribly rough weather in the Atlantic, -and the ship became top-heavy, listing to such an extent that the -fore-yard-arms were practically in the water the whole time. For days we -were drenched to the skin with the big seas which broke over the vessel -continually, and the hull being practically under water, I wrapped -myself in a blanket—having no dry clothing left—and kept my watch seated -on the mast, which dipped in and out of the water with every roll of the -ship. - -To add to our misfortune, scurvy broke out very badly among the crew, -owing to the wretched quality of the food, and, altogether, we were very -thankful when we at last made Falmouth harbour. - -Shortly after my return I joined the Royal Naval Reserve, in which I had -to put in a month’s drill every year, as I was still bent on getting -into the Navy, if possible, and I thought that, if I could work my way -up to a Lieutenancy in the Reserve, I might manage it that way. - -By this time I had done my twelve months in a sailing ship; so, by -shipping on steamers trading to different parts, I was able to visit -many interesting places. For twelve months I was on a boat trading -between the various ports on the coast of India, and on another voyage -was in a ship taking pilgrims from Port Said to Jedda. Our passengers on -this voyage were chiefly Arabs and Turks on their way to Mecca. For -another trip I shipped in one of the Royal Niger Company’s boats, and we -went up the West Coast of Africa with trading goods, chiefly old -flint-lock rifles and gunpowder. We also had on board two or three white -men, who were going on an exploring trip into the interior. - -I was very much impressed with this part of the world, the tropical -scenery was so magnificent on either side of the rivers, while I was -intensely interested in the natives who came down to trade with the -ship. I made up my mind that I would go into the interior myself some -day, and get to know more about the country and its people. As it turned -out, a good many things were to happen before this intention was carried -out. - -During this trip I contracted malarial fever, and not being able to -shake it off, had to go into hospital at Rotterdam on our return. On my -recovery I spent some time on coasting vessels trading out to Guernsey, -and one night, when we had put into Dungeness, through stress of -weather, I had another startling experience. - -Roused out of my sleep—it was my watch below—by a shout of “All hands on -deck!” I rushed up, just in time to see another ship coming directly -towards us. We shouted, but she kept on her course, and in a few seconds -crashed into us. Apparently everybody lost their heads at once, and a -scene of utter confusion followed, nobody appearing to know what to do. -I saw that the yards of the two vessels had become entangled, and -expected every minute to see them fall, and crush the boat, which was -stowed away on deck; so I made my way to the poop, and shouted to the -crew to get the boat out at once. So great was the confusion that it is -almost impossible to say what really happened. I only know that I -eventually found myself in a boat with only one other man, and as we -pulled off we saw the ship which had done the mischief apparently -drifting away. Pulling to her, we managed to scramble aboard, and, to -our great surprise, found that there was not a single soul on board, and -we then remembered seeing her crew jumping on board our vessel at the -time of the collision. Everything was in apple-pie order, and the lamp -lit, and we could not find anything the matter with the ship, so that -her crew must have been seized with a sudden fit of panic, and abandoned -her in their fright. We were on board just in time to steer her clear of -a steamer, and then we dropped anchor. The following morning her crew -returned on board, looking rather foolish, and we were transferred to -our own vessel, which was then towed to London. - -I put in a claim on account of salvage, and after a good deal of delay, -found that the owners had settled for salvage, demurrage, and loss with -the captain of the barque, who was also the owner. I had left the ship -when we reached London, but happened to meet the captain later on in -Hull, when he invited me to accompany him to Guernsey, to see about my -share of the salvage money. At the last minute I found that I could not -go, so he promised to write me on the matter, but on the homeward voyage -his boat was lost, and he went down with it, so the letter never -arrived. Although very disappointed at the loss of my expected windfall, -I was very glad I had not been able to go with the captain, or I should -have lost my life as well. - -Since my last voyage I had been working up for my certificate, attending -a Navigation School on Prince’s Dock Side, in Hull: but I was doomed to -disappointment, as, when I came to be medically examined, the doctor -found that my eyesight was affected, and could not pass me. This was the -result of the yellow fever from which I had suffered in Brazil. - -After this I had to give up all hopes of the sea as a career, unless I -was willing to remain before the mast all my life, and that was by no -means my idea; so my thoughts turned to Africa, and I remembered the -impression made on my mind by the little I had already seen of it, and -the attraction which the idea of its huge unexplored districts had -always had for me since my school-days, and I decided to see what I -could do out there. - -Being again at the end of my money, the only way I could get there was -by working my passage, and as I could not get a berth in any boat going -from Hull, I went to London, and being successful, landed at Durban, in -Natal, just after the Jameson Raid. - - - - - CHAPTER II - -I work my way up-country to Matabeleland—Employed as fireman on an -engine—Reach Johannesburg—Trek the rest of the way to Bulawayo—Take -service in the Matabeleland Mounted Police—Join the Africander Corps -engaged in putting down the rebellion—Go into trade in Bulawayo—Return -to the coast—I take to the stage—Work my way on an Arab dhow to Mombasa, -February, 1898—Cool official reception - - -Learning that the Matabele War had broken out, I made every effort to -get up to the front; but as I had had no previous experience, the -military authorities would not take me on. However, I was determined to -get to Bulawayo somehow, and with this idea made a start by taking the -train for Pietermaritzburg, having just enough funds left to pay the -fare. On arriving I was lucky enough to get a job to look after the -engine and boiler at a steam bakery, and with the money I thus earned I -was able to move on, a fortnight later, to Charlestown. I had now just -enough money to pay for a night’s lodging, and the next morning I -crossed the boundary between Natal and the Transvaal, and moved on to -Volksrust, getting a glimpse of the famous Majuba Hill on my journey. - -Of course, I was open to take any job that offered, and it so happened -that I was lucky enough to get one that very morning, as fireman on the -railway. - -On applying at the station, I was asked if I was experienced in the -work, and having just left a steam bakery, and remembering my experience -with the trawler’s donkey engine, I modestly said that I was, and was -duly engaged and told to get on the engine of the mail train for -Standerton, which was standing in the station, ready to start, and get -on with the work. - -The driver was a Hollander who spoke very little English, which fact I -looked upon as a stroke of luck, as he would be less likely to ask -awkward questions. He did ask me if I had done any firing before, and I -gave him the same answer as I had given to the official on the platform. -He soon put me to a practical test when, looking at the gauge glass, he -told me to turn on the pump to fill the boiler. I had not the slightest -idea where the pump was, but, noticing that, as he gave the order he -looked at a handle which was sticking out, I promptly seized that, and -began working it vigorously up and down. He at once began to shout, and -I found that I had made a mistake, the handle only having to be lifted -to a certain point, and then a tap turned on. Seeing that the driver -seemed to expect some explanation of my mistake, I remarked that the -arrangement was different from those I had been used to, which was -perfectly true, and this seemed to satisfy him, as he merely said that I -should, no doubt, get used to it in time. - -But I was fated to exhibit my ignorance still further before we started. - -I was looking over the side of the engine, when the driver gave an order -which I failed to understand, being engaged in watching the antics of an -official on the platform, who was waving his arms and gesticulating -wildly. He looked so funny that I burst out laughing, and the more I -laughed the wilder he got. In the meantime the driver was grumbling, and -came across to find out the cause of my laughter, and, seeing the man on -the platform, turned on me, and asked why I had not reported the signal -to start? It then suddenly dawned upon me that the order that had been -given me was to watch for “Right away,” but his English was so funny -that I thought he wanted me to look out for some friend he expected. - -As Standerton was two hundred miles on my way to Bulawayo, I had thought -of leaving the train there, but my clothes had got so dirty and greasy -that I thought it best to stay on a little longer, until I had saved -enough money to get some more clothes and help me on my way to -Johannesburg. - -This particular engine proved to be one of the hardest for firing on the -whole line, and I soon found that I had got the job because no one else -would take it, and after a fortnight on it I was so knocked up that I -decided to take a few days off, but on applying for my pay I was told -that I should have to go to Standerton to get it. This suited my book -exactly, and the idea entered my head, “Why not get a free pass to -Johannesburg?” as they had given me one to Standerton, to draw my money. -So when I drew the money the officials at Standerton were somewhat -startled when I demanded a free pass to Johannesburg. They seemed to -think I was crazy, but I quickly assured them that I was perfectly sane -and meant to have the pass before I left the office. - -They stormed and threatened, but seeing that I did not mean to budge, -they finally gave me the pass, with the remark that the English were -always so stupid and obstinate. - -Getting some fresh clothes, I boarded the train, and at last arrived in -Johannesburg. Here I found that most of the men in the town fire brigade -were sailors, so I soon made friends, and had hopes of getting into the -brigade, but after waiting a day or two, and seeing no prospect of an -opening, I was advised to walk round the mines to see if I could get -anything to do there, but there were plenty of others on the same job, -many of them old hands, and I found that I stood very little chance of -employment. - -I was still studying how to get up to Bulawayo, which I was told would -cost me about £50 by coach, then the regular means of making the -journey. At one of the mines I was lucky enough to meet a sailor, and -getting a warm invitation to spend a few days with him, I accepted, on -the chance that something might turn up. Visiting the saloon which was -the meeting-place for the miners in the evening, I became acquainted -with a man named Adcock, and as a consequence of an argument on the -strained relations between the Boers and Outlanders, a row arose, in -which I got mixed up, and I was ordered to leave the camp. Outside I -came across Adcock, who told me that he was going up to Bulawayo, and -had his outfit—which consisted of twenty mule wagons and one hundred -horses, which he was taking up for the Government—camped a little -distance away. - -This was my chance, but at first he was inclined to refuse my request to -be allowed to go up with him, but on my promising to make myself as -useful as possible on the journey, he finally agreed to take me. There -were six white men in the party, in addition to Adcock and myself, and -about fifty natives, chiefly Cape boys and Hottentots. My duties were to -look after these natives and the stores. - -Bulawayo was about six hundred miles up-country from Johannesburg, and -the order of the march was for the white men, who were all mounted, to -drive the horses in front of the caravan, while the wagons, under charge -of the native drivers, followed on behind. - -With a crack of his long whip like a pistol shot, each driver set his -team in motion, and we started on our long trek up-country. The natives -are very expert with these whips, being able, from their place at the -front of the wagon, to single out any one of the ten or twelve mules -which form the team before them. - -My efforts as a rider were the subject of much sarcastic and -good-humoured comment from my companions, but before the end of our -journey I was as good a rider as any in the outfit. - -The country through which we passed was for the most part open veldt, -dotted with thorn-bushes, and the climate being dry and hot, the -scarcity of water is a continual source of anxiety to the traveller in -this part. Our animals suffered most severely, as there was no grass to -be found, and after crossing the Limpopo they began to fall sick, and -our progress became slower and slower with each day’s march. - -When we arrived at a place called Maklutsi the mules were all so utterly -done up that they could go no farther, so the horses and some of the -wagons went on to Salisbury, and the natives returned. - -I had the choice of going back with the natives or continuing my journey -on foot, and, choosing the latter course, I was provided with a small -quantity of flour and some bully beef, and saying goodbye to my -companions, I started out on my solitary trek. - -Food at Maklutsi was very dear in consequence of the transport having -been entirely disorganised by a serious outbreak of rinderpest. The -price of an ordinary tin of corned beef (bully beef) had risen to 5s., -and bread cost 1s. a loaf. There was no work to be got here, so I left -the settlement at once and started on my 150 miles’ tramp to Bulawayo. - -Having no means of carrying my food comfortably, I tied up the legs of a -spare pair of trousers, and putting the flour in one leg and the beef in -the other, I slung these improvised provision-bags over my shoulder, -along with my cooking-pots, and started off. - -When I had been two days on the road I was lucky enough to fall in with -a travelling companion, in the person of an old soldier named Grant, who -was also making his way to Bulawayo. - -We agreed to travel on together, and Grant, who saw everything in a -humorous light, enlivened the journey with his cheery conversation and -good-natured chaff. He had run out of food and would have been in a -tight fix if I had not come up with him; but he took everything very -philosophically, and I imagine that his lively spirits would have kept -him going to the last gasp. - -We shared the provisions as long as they lasted, but as I had only -provided for myself, the supply gradually diminished until, stopping one -day for a rest near a water-hole we had found in the bush, we found that -we had not a scrap of food left. - -Grant had thrown himself on the ground utterly exhausted, and I went off -to the pool to have a bathe. Stepping into the water, I felt something -slimy under my foot, and stooping down and groping beneath my foot, I -found that it was a fish of the kind known in Africa as mudfish. They -are good enough eating, and in our present famished condition promised a -very appetising dish, and to my delight, on feeling round, I found that -the pool was simply full of the fish, and we need have no further -anxiety about food for the next few days. - -I learned from the experience gained later during my journeyings through -Africa that the smaller rivers all dry up after the rainy season, -leaving only a few pools, such as the one we had struck, and, of course, -all the fish naturally make for the deeper spots as soon as they find -the water going down. This accounted for the large quantity of fish to -be found in the pool, which I proceeded to catch and throw on to the -bank to dry as fast as I could. Having done this, I went back to Grant -to tell him of our good luck. By way of breaking the news gently, I -asked him if he would like a feed of fish, to which he replied with some -comical remark to the effect that he really had no appetite, thinking -that I was only chaffing. However, when he found it was really true, and -saw the fish I brought up to cook for our meal, he was in no way behind -me in getting to work on the best meal we had had for some days. - -Not wishing to waste the fish, of which we could not manage to take much -with us, we stayed there for a few days and were much better for the -rest. We managed to dry a little of the fish, which we took with us when -we moved on again. - -This proved to be the turning-point of our luck, as a few days later we -were overtaken by a Boer, going up to Bulawayo with a mule-wagon, and -exchanged some of our dried fish with him for a little tea, flour, and a -few other things, which we had now been without for several days. He -seemed a good sort, so we begged him to give us a lift, which he did -willingly enough, so our troubles were over for that journey. - -I was so anxious to get into Bulawayo that I left the wagon when we were -still some miles from the end of our journey, and made my way ahead on -foot. This was a stupid thing to do, as we were well aware that the -Matabele were already out in that district. We had found all the forts, -as the police posts were called, under arms on the way up. These posts, -which were placed at intervals along the road, were small positions -protected by earthworks and barbed-wire entanglements, and occupied by -thirty or forty men, with perhaps a Maxim gun. Many of them were the -scenes of desperate fights during the rising, but their very names are -unknown to people in England, who only regarded the Matabele rising as -one of our many little wars, and as it did not affect their everyday -life, took little or no interest in it. - -I was lucky enough to get safely into Bulawayo without adventure, -arriving about two o’clock in the afternoon, and was not surprised to -find the town under martial law. Everybody was armed, and a big laager -had been formed in the market-place, where the women and children -gathered when an alarm was raised. - -Being directed to the office of the Matabeleland Mounted Police, I lost -no time in presenting myself before the officer in charge. I found that -the conditions of service were good, the pay being at the rate of 10s. a -day and all found, so I was duly enrolled. - -After a good bath I discarded my old clothes and reappeared in full -war-paint, feeling the self-respect which accompanies the wearing of a -decent suit of clothes for the first time after some months in rags. - -The police had no recognised uniform, but all wore a khaki suit, with a -slouch hat, the different troops being known by the colour of the -pugaree. A troop consisted of from thirty to fifty men. - -Having been supplied with a Martini-Henry rifle and fifty rounds of -ammunition, I was now fully equipped, and the next day I went out, in -all the glory of my new uniform, to meet the mule-wagon. My improved -appearance made such an impression on Grant that he lost no time in -enlisting, and was enrolled the same day. - -After three months in this troop of police, I joined the Africander -Corps, which was a body of irregulars attached to them under Captain Van -Niekerk. As they were composed of experienced men, well acquainted with -the country and accustomed to savage warfare, I thought there would be a -much better chance of seeing some of the fighting. - -We were scouting in the outlying district, where the Matabele had been -seen, but although we got into touch with them here and there, we had no -serious engagement. Later on we were sent out on the Shangani Patrol, -visiting the district where Major Wilson and his party were cut up -during the first Matabele War. - -This patrol numbered from two hundred to three hundred police, with the -mounted infantry of the Yorks and Lancs Regiment, a detachment of the -7th Hussars, under Colonel Paget—with whom was Prince Alexander of -Teck—and a battalion of infantry. - -The natives were lodged in the hills, and from a position of comparative -safety were able to pour in a galling fire on the troops, while we were -unable to inflict any serious loss on them in return. However, we lost -only a few men killed, but had several deaths from fever. - -The man who gave us the greatest trouble was a chief named Umwini, who -was the leader of the rebellion in that district. I was present on -several occasions at _indabas_ (_indaba_ is the native word for a -meeting to discuss any matter), when he would come out of his stronghold -and stand on the rocks in full view of us; but when asked to surrender, -he replied contemptuously that we were a lot of boys and that he would -never be taken by us. - -His kraal was high up amongst some almost inaccessible crags on the -mountain side, and all efforts failed to dislodge him, until a few of -the Dutch Corps, of whom I was one, managed to steal upon him unawares. -We reached his cave in the early dawn, and saw him, through the opening, -sitting, with only a few of his followers, round some lighted candles -which he had probably looted from one of the stores. One of our men, -taking careful aim, shot him through the shoulder, and then, rushing the -cave, we took him prisoner. He was tried by a court martial, and -sentenced to be shot, and when the time came for the sentence to be -carried out he showed himself a thoroughly brave man, refusing to be -blindfolded or to stand with his back to the firing party, saying that -he wished to see death coming. - -It was about this time that I first met B.-P.—now General Sir R. S. S. -Baden-Powell, but then only Colonel—who had been sent up to take charge -of the operations, and who confirmed the court martial’s sentence on -Umwini. I was on water guard that day, to see that the natives did not -poison the stream, when a man whom I took for a trooper came up and -entered into conversation with me, asking about my past experiences, -&c., and it was only when I got back to camp, after going off duty, that -I found I had been talking to the officer in command of the expedition. - -A general plan of attack was now organised, under the direction of -Colonel Baden-Powell, and the natives were finally dislodged from the -hills and the rebellion crushed. - -On the successful termination of the patrol a fort was built at Umvunga -Drift, where I remained for some time; but it was a most unhealthy -place, nearly every man going down, sooner or later, with fever and -dysentery. There was absolutely no medicine of any sort in the place, -and we consequently lost several men. I myself had a bad attack of -dysentery, but managed to cure it by making a very thin mixture with my -ration of flour and some water, which I drank daily until the attack was -cured. - -In the centre of the fort stood a big tree, and after cutting away the -branches at the top we erected a platform on the trunk, which, besides -serving as a look-out, made a splendid platform for a Maxim gun which we -mounted there, and were thus able to command the surrounding country -within range. - -During my stay here we had one or two brushes with the natives, but they -gradually settled down; so, on a relief force being sent up, I returned -to Bulawayo, where the corps was disbanded. I then got a post as one of -the guard over a number of murderers lying in Bulawayo gaol awaiting -sentence, all of whom were finally hanged. - -In the course of the twelve months that I remained in Bulawayo I made -the acquaintance of a man named Elstop, who is mentioned by Mr. F. C. -Selous in one of his books. This man was one of the oldest hands in the -country, and had been one of the pioneers in Rhodesia, and had also -spent a good deal of time trading and storekeeping among the natives of -the interior. - -It was my acquaintance with him that finally decided me on my future -course of action. The tales he told of his experiences in the earlier -days, when elephants and other game were to be met with in plenty, fired -my blood, and I said that I wished I had been in the country at that -time. He said that I should probably find the same state of things still -existing farther north. This was quite enough for me, and I resolved to -find out for myself if he was right. - -I was then in partnership with a man named Frielich, carrying on -business as fruit and produce merchants, under the name of the Colonial -Fruit and Produce Stores of Bulawayo. I had put practically all my -savings into the business, but this did not alter my resolution to go -north, and by mutual agreement we dissolved partnership. - -I have since learned that Frielich finally made over £100,000 out of the -business. Before the Boer War broke out he had stored an immense amount -of forage, which he was able to sell during the war at his own price, -and so amassed a comfortable fortune, in which, of course, had I stayed -in Bulawayo, I should have shared. - -Before starting out on our new venture I thought I would take a short -holiday at the seaside; so going down to East London, in Cape Colony, I -joined some men I had met during the Matabele War, and we stayed there -some time, camping out on the sands. - -Finding that the funds were running out, I took to the sea again, and, -getting a ship, worked my way round to Durban. Here I had to look round -again for something to do, and finding that a Shakespearian company was -playing in the town at the time, I presented myself at the stage -manager’s office and applied for an engagement. They happened to have a -vacancy, and I was taken on for small parts. The company was at -rehearsal when I was engaged, and I was told to take my place at once -among the others on the stage. As far as I could judge, I was no worse -than the other members of the company, and for a month I appeared -nightly for the edification of the aristocracy of Durban. - -Tiring of the stage, I again took to the sea, and worked my way, from -port to port, round to Zanzibar, where I gathered all the information I -could about the interior, which did not amount to much more than that -the country was very wild indeed. - -However, my mind was made up now, and I was not to be scared off my -plan; so, as there were no boats running to Mombasa—which is the gateway -of British East Africa—I bargained with an Arab for a passage on a dhow -which carried native passengers between the various ports along the -coast. The owner of the dhow provided no accommodation for his -passengers, and I suppose one could hardly expect that he would, seeing -that the fare from Zanzibar to Mombasa—a distance of about 250 miles—was -only two rupees, or two shillings and eightpence! - -The boat had a single mast, and carried one huge sail. It had no compass -or lights, and was navigated round the coast by keeping as close inshore -as possible all the time. There was no place to make a fire or any -provision for cooking. It had been so, the Arab told me, in the days of -his father, and what was good enough for his father was good enough for -him and those who chose to travel with him. This was said in Arabic, but -was translated to me by a fellow-passenger who could speak a little -English. - -With fully fifty people on board the tiny craft we started on our voyage -along the coast, but had not gone very far before we were in trouble. -With the huge sail set to catch the breeze, we were flying merrily -along, when we were suddenly brought up all standing, and found that we -had come across some obstacle in the water. We were very quickly -informed what it was by a shouting crowd of excited native fishermen who -swarmed round our boat, loudly demanding to be compensated for the -damage done to their nets, which, it seemed, formed the obstacle that -had pulled us up and which we had destroyed. - -The owner of the dhow did not seem to be at all disposed to give in to -their demands, and they were about to seize the small boat which we were -towing behind us, when I thought it was time to take a hand in the -argument, as, in case of any accident to the dhow, this boat was our -only hope of safety, the waters in that part being said to be infested -with sharks. Picking up an axe, which happened to be lying handy, I -jumped into the boat and threatened to brain the first man who came -within reach. Although they did not understand English, my attitude was -evidently suggestive enough to make it clear that they were safer at a -distance, and, realizing that they were not likely to get any -satisfaction by continuing the argument, they allowed us to proceed on -our way. - -After this we made fairly good headway, with a favourable wind, and, -occupied in watching the changing scenery opening out as we made our way -along the coast, I had almost forgotten the incident. I was settling -down to enjoy the trip when, without any warning, we were suddenly -pulled up again with a jerk, and the dhow came to a fullstop again. - -Every one immediately got into a wild state of excitement, shouting and -gesticulating, and making a perfect pandemonium of noise. The captain -was shouting as wildly as the rest, and, thinking he was giving orders, -I was surprised to see that nobody attempted to carry them out, but on -asking the passenger who could speak some English what orders he was -giving, and why no one obeyed them, he said, “He is not giving orders, -he is praying. He is calling on Allah to help him.” This was no use to -me, and I thought the best thing I could do was to take charge myself; -so, getting the man to whom I had spoken to act as interpreter, I told -them what to do to put things right. They then calmed down a good deal, -and I went to take soundings. There was no leadline on board, so I had -to make one with some old iron and some pieces of rope that were lying -about. On sounding I found plenty of water on one side of the ship, -while on the other it was very shallow, so that we were evidently stuck -on a reef. As soon as I was certain of this I lashed some rope to the -anchor, and had it taken out about twenty or thirty yards from the ship, -in the small boat, and then dropped overboard. Then I made everybody -lend a hand to pull hard on the rope, and after about six hours’ hard -work we managed to pull her off. In case of trouble I kept the axe -handy, but they were ready enough to obey my orders, so nothing -happened. - -When we got her off I found that the dhow was leaking pretty badly, so -everybody was kept busy baling out the water, while I took the helm, -and, keeping her close in to the land, steered towards Mombasa. - -Noticing a large white building on the shore, I asked what it was, and -my interpreter told me that it was the residence of a white man, and -that the place was called Shimoni; so I took the boat in as close as -possible and dropped anchor. On landing I found that the house was -occupied by a British official, who offered to put me up, so I stayed -the night there. The next morning I found that the dhow had continued -her journey, and, as Mombasa was only thirty miles from Shimoni, I -walked the rest of the way. - -Mombasa is the starting-point of the Uganda Railway, of which so much -has already been written. At the time of my arrival the railway was only -in the initial stages of its construction, and just beginning to stretch -its track through the almost unknown interior of British East Africa. So -far it had only advanced a comparatively short distance into the -Protectorate, and from the very start the engineers were faced at every -step with some of the numerous difficulties which lie in the way of -railway building in a new and savage country, from men and animals, as -well as from the climate and tropical vegetation. The loss of life from -wild animals, as well as from the climate, was very heavy. - -In those days the European quarter of Mombasa was only a small cluster -of buildings—chiefly Government offices—with one hotel, which was kept -by a Greek. Two or three Europeans trading in the interior had stores -here, and the British Government was represented by a Sub-Commissioner. - -Mombasa—meaning Isle of War—is of great interest to the student of -history. It is situated on an island, connected to the mainland by a -bridge. There is a huge native town and an old Portuguese fort, several -hundred years old, built in the days of Henry the Navigator, in whose -reign the Portuguese ships visited all the ports of the known world, and -many others, till then unknown. - -Thinking that I should be most likely to get the information I required -from the Government, I called on the Sub-Commissioner, and asked him to -advise me as to the best way of carrying out my plan of visiting the -interior. Very much to my surprise, I was received with the scantest -courtesy, and given very plainly to understand that white men, whether -travellers or hunters, were by no means welcome. They were not wanted, -he told me, under any circumstances, and he advised me to leave the -country at once. - - - - - CHAPTER III - -1898: Determine to organize a transport caravan on the Uganda Railway -route, to convey provisions for the coolies working on the -railway—Man-eating lions at railway construction camps—Reach the -borderland of the Masai and Kikuyu tribes—Desertion of my men—Return to -railhead—Start out again with convoys for Uganda—Loss of my transport -animals—Decide to enter the Kikuyu country - - -I own I was a little discouraged by this reception, but it did not alter -my determination to remain—in spite of the veiled threat of the official -to prevent my going up-country; so I set out to make a few inquiries for -myself. - -I found that there were a number of caravans going up to Uganda, the -main road to which place was protected by a line of forts, placed about -a hundred miles apart. North and south of this caravan road the country -was practically unknown, being under no administration, and chiefly -inhabited by hostile tribes. - -A mutiny had recently broken out among the troops in Uganda, on account -of which the whole country was in disorder, and a lot of transport was -required in the disaffected district. Here, again, I thought I saw my -opportunity. - -At that time everything had to be carried upon the heads of native -porters, so that each load, averaging about sixty pounds in weight, was -costing from sixty to one hundred rupees—very often a lot more than the -value of the goods carried—before it reached its destination. - -I was convinced that this state of things could be improved on; and -chancing to meet a man named Gibbons—a white trader—as I left the -Commissioner, I talked over the question of cheapening the cost of -transport with him, and we finally decided that it could be done by -using donkeys and wagons in the place of porters; so we decided to try -the scheme in partnership. - -Having settled the bargain, we set to work to prepare the expedition. -Altogether we purchased about thirty donkeys, which cost us about a -hundred rupees each, and got as many wagons as we thought sufficient. In -the meantime I set to work to make the harness, as we could not get any -in Mombasa, and by using rope and sacking I managed to turn out a -sufficient number of very creditable sets. - -We also decided to take a hundred porters with us in case of accident, -as our contract provided for a heavy fine if we did not deliver the -goods on time. These porters were chiefly Swahili, a name meaning -“coast dwellers.” These Swahili consider themselves more civilized than -the people of the interior. They practise the Mohammedan religion and -copy the Arabs in their dress. Swahili porters march under a headman of -their own race, who receives his orders and repeats them to his -followers. If, as sometimes happens, there are porters from other -native tribes in the caravan, each tribe has its representative -headman. For each ten carriers there is an _askari_, or soldier, who is -armed with a rifle, and whose duty it is to keep guard at night and -protect the caravan on the road. These askaris also act as police and -keep order generally, and bring in any deserters. As may be easily -imagined, it would hardly do to trust merely to the askaris’ sense of -duty for the prevention of desertion, but a clearly understood -condition of their engagement in that capacity ensures their using -their best endeavours to prevent anything of the sort. It is the -recognized rule on all _safaris_ that, if any man of the ten in an -askari’s section deserts, and the askari cannot bring him back, he will -himself have to carry the deserter’s load for the rest of the journey. -Apart from the unpleasantness of having to carry a sixty-pound load in -the ranks of the porters instead of swaggering along with no other -burden than his rifle, ammunition, and blanket, the blow to his -self-importance involved in the degradation from askari to porter is -one that would be severely felt by any nigger, who is probably blessed -with more self-esteem than even a circus-ring master or a newly -appointed Sub-Commissioner, and the fear of such degradation is a -wonderful spur on the askaris’ watchfulness. A cook and a private -servant completed the outfit. - -On this occasion we had two hundred loads of Government goods to take up -to Uganda, and one hundred loads of trade goods which we were taking up -on our own account, our intention being to deliver the Government goods -at their destination and then start on a private trading and hunting -expedition away up north, in the direction of Lake Rudolph, where we -hoped to buy more donkeys, as we had heard that they were very cheap in -that district. - -Having completed all our arrangements, we put the whole caravan—men, -donkeys, wagons, and loads—on the train, and started for rail-head, -which was then about 150 miles from Mombasa. This was in the year 1898. -On arriving safely at the terminus of the line we left the train and -went into camp. - -We found that the district around us was infested with lions, whose -ferocity had created such a state of panic among the Indian coolies -working on the construction of the line that the work had practically -stopped. No less than thirty of the coolies had been carried off by -them, and I found the remainder sleeping in the trees and afraid to go -to work. - -Many stories were told of the audacity of the lions, who prowled round -the camp nightly, and rarely left without one or more victims. In one -case an Irishman, named O’Hara, who had charge of the coolies engaged in -the construction of the line, set himself to watch for the man-eater, in -the hope of getting a shot at him, and took his post with his rifle by -the door of his tent, in which his wife was sleeping. The night passed -without incident, and towards morning he must have dozed off, for his -wife awakened to see him being dragged off into the bush by a lion. His -mutilated body was eventually found by the search party within a short -distance of the camp. - -On another occasion three men with whom I was personally well acquainted -had a remarkable experience. They were watching for lions from a railway -carriage—a construction wagon on the line—the door of which they left -open. Two of them, Perenti and Hubner, made themselves as comfortable as -they could on rugs laid on the floor of the carriage to rest till their -turn for watching came, while the third, a man named Rial, took up a -position near the door, where he evidently fell asleep. A prowling lion -scented the party, and took a flying leap into the carriage. The impact -of his landing made the carriage oscillate, and swung the door to, -caging the whole party and their unwelcome guest. Perenti told me that -he was wakened by the curious smell of the lion, and, putting out his -hand, felt the animal standing over him. Directly he was touched the -beast let out a terrific roar, and, seizing Rial by the throat, sprang -clean through the window with him and made off. The body, partly eaten, -was found in the bush next morning. - -Some of the dodges to kill the lions had distinctly humorous results, -and I remember being much amused with the story of one man’s experience. -I must explain that to provide the labourers with water, tanks were -placed beside the line, which were refilled at intervals. One genius had -the idea of lying in wait for lions in one of these tanks, in one side -of which he made a hole in which to insert the barrel of his rifle—quite -overlooking the fact that the lion might prefer to approach from the -opposite side, which was what actually happened. The animal, scenting -him, immediately knocked the lid off the tank and tried to fish him out -with his paw. He was unable to get his rifle round, and could only -shrink into the smallest possible space in the corner of the -tank—fortunately beyond the reach of the lion—and remain quiet until the -beast was driven off. He was lucky enough to escape with a torn blanket -and a few deep scratches where the lion had just managed to reach him -with his claws. Of course, he had to endure a considerable amount of -chaff on the result of his original attempt at lion-hunting. - -I myself had a narrow escape before leaving railhead, for which the -lions were indirectly responsible. I had been dining with one of the -railway officials, and had stayed rather late, it being after ten -o’clock when I set out to return to my own camp. Not expecting to be out -so late, I had not brought my rifle, so, as it was of course pitch dark, -I took a blazing brand from the camp fire, and started to walk the two -miles to my own place. After going for some time I saw some fires in the -distance, and, thinking they were those of my own people, I made towards -them. All at once I heard a terrific din of shouting and beating of -empty paraffin-cans. While wondering what on earth all the row was about -I heard firing, and some shots whizzed past, unpleasantly close to my -head. Dropping flat, I began shouting, and the firing presently ceased. -I was then able to make my way into camp, which I found was one made for -some of the Indian coolies, who had mistaken the light of my firebrand -for the eye of a lion. I was persuaded to stay the remainder of the -night in their _boma_ and return to my own camp in the morning. A -_boma_, or _zareba_ as it is called in the Soudan, is a rough fence of -thorn-bushes or brushwood built round a camp to keep prowlers, whether -two or four footed, at a distance. - -We were all very busy now, getting the wagons and harness ready and -fixing up the loads for our journey to Uganda. - -We found that if we were to get the loads through by the time agreed -upon we should want at least five hundred porters, so we tried to engage -some natives from the Wakamba[1] to go with us. With the native -disinclination to move except just as they felt inclined, they -absolutely refused to go; so it was arranged that I should go on ahead -with the wagons, while Gibbons should come on later with the porters. - ------ - -Footnote 1: - - Wakamba, _i.e._, natives of the Kamba tribe who inhabit that region. - ------ - -I started with one hundred loads of Government stuff on five wagons, -while my camp outfit, food, &c., was carried on another, and took about -twenty of the men with me. Being unable to get the necessary porters, we -had to leave some of the loads behind in charge of two of the men, -intending to return for them later, but, as it happened, we never saw -them again. - -I soon found that the donkey outfit did not work by any means as -smoothly as we had hoped, the donkeys never having been in harness -before and the men being new to the work. The drivers could not keep on -the road, wagons capsized, and things went wrong generally. None of the -rivers we had to cross were bridged, and when we had got the wagons down -into the hollow of the river bed it was a terrible job to get them up on -the other side; the only way being to get all the boys to push at the -back, so that it took several hours’ hard work at each of the rivers -before we managed to get donkeys, wagons, and loads from one side to the -other. - -The country generally was dry and bushy, being covered with thick scrub, -which made our progress so slow that, after two or three days’ -travelling, we were overtaken by Gibbons with the remainder of the men. - -While we were sitting by the camp fire that night, waiting for a meal, I -was very nearly shot by Gibbons, who was anxious to explain the working -of the Snider rifle to me. Taking a rifle from an askari, he put in a -cartridge, wishing to show me that it was absolutely impossible for it -to go off at half-cock, and, pointing the rifle towards me, he said, -“You see, it won’t go off now.” I objected, and was pushing the rifle to -one side, when it actually did go off, the bullet whizzing close by my -ear! - -The free, gipsy-like life in the open just suited my inclination. The -absolute freedom to go where one liked, and do as one liked, without any -of the restrictions which meet one on every side in civilized countries, -and the feeling that you are literally “monarch of all you survey,” -appealed very strongly to me, and I felt that I had at last found the -life suited thoroughly to my disposition. - -We started off again and made very good progress, as, by the aid of the -moon, we were able to travel at night. We were now crossing the Athi -Plain, which extends for about one hundred miles and teems with almost -every kind of game except elephants, so we were able to keep the caravan -well supplied with meat. Almost every night my boys used to rouse me up -with a scare of lions, but, although I always turned out, I never saw -any cause for the excitement. - -After travelling for some days, we finally arrived at Nairobi, since -become the capital of British East Africa, and here the character of the -country completely changed. From the dry scrub-covered plain we now -entered a splendid grazing country, with magnificent forests and -beautiful woodland scenery, making a very pleasant change from the bare -landscape of the last few marches. What is now known as Nairobi was then -practically a swamp, and from the nature of the surrounding country I -should never have imagined that it would be chosen as the site for the -future capital of British East Africa. Indeed, I still think that by -going a little farther westward a situation far more suitable in every -way would have been found. The town of Nairobi takes its name from a -river of the same name which rises in the neighbouring hills, the river -forming the boundary-line between the Masai and Kikuyu countries, and -the plain where the town now stands was at this time an absolutely -uninhabited district, without a village of any kind. We outspanned for -the night on the edge of the swamp which borders the present town. Being -thoroughly tired out with the day’s work, I was resting in my tent, when -about six o’clock in the afternoon I heard my boys calling me with one -of the usual stories about lions being about. Finding that they seemed -more excited than usual, I turned out to see if there really was any -cause for alarm, and saw two lions stalking the donkeys in the gathering -dusk. They came quite close up to the camp, and I then saw that one was -a lioness, so, having heard that if the female were shot the male would -clear off, while if the male were shot the female became savage, and -would probably attack, I fired at the female and thought I hit her, -though, owing to the bad light and the fact that my gun—a -Martini-Metford—was a very poor one, and could not be relied on to shoot -straight, I could not be certain. The animals turned and plunged into -the swamp, but though we saw signs of blood and tracked them for some -distance, we had to give up on account of the gathering darkness, and -the next morning we could find no signs of them. - -[Illustration: MASAI WARRIORS FROM NAIVASHA] - -Some of the Masai tribe were in the neighbourhood, and visited our camp. -This was the first time I had come across any of this race, of whom so -much has been written, and I was naturally very much interested. They -seemed very friendly, and, in spite of their warlike reputation, we had -no trouble with them at all. Physically, they were very fine specimens -of the African native, and certainly make very good fighting-men. - -We were about to enter the practically unknown country of the Kikuyu -tribe, a people whose reputation was such that only the most daring of -the white traders would even venture to set foot over the boundary, and -then only at the greatest risk of their lives and goods. - -Those who only know the Kikuyu people as they are to-day may find some -difficulty in crediting many of the statements I shall make as to their -character and reputation at the time when I spent some three or four -very lively years among them, but a short quotation from the late Sir -Gerald Portal’s book on the “British Mission to Uganda in 1893,” dealing -with the race as they were then—which accurately describes them as I -found them five years later—may help the doubting ones to a clearer -realization of the facts. - -Describing the British East Africa Company’s station, Fort Smith,[2] in -the Kikuyu country, Sir Gerald says:— - -“The Kikuyu tribes were practically holding the Company’s station in a -state of siege.” Later on he says: “We left the open plain and plunged -into the darkness of a dense belt of forest, which forms the natural -boundary of the regions inhabited by the treacherous, cunning, and -usually hostile people of Kikuyu. Warned by the state of affairs which -we had heard was prevailing at the Company’s fort in this district, we -were careful to keep all our people close together, every man within a -couple of paces of his neighbour. One European marched in front, one in -the rear, and one in the middle of the long line. The Wa-Kikuyu, as we -knew, seldom or never show themselves, or run the risk of a fight in the -open, but lie like snakes in the long grass, or in some dense bush -within a few yards of the line of march, watching for a gap in the -ranks, or for some incautious porter to stray away, or loiter a few -yards behind; even then not a sound is heard; a scarcely perceptible -‘twang’ of a small bow, the almost inaudible ‘whizz’ of a little -poisoned arrow for a dozen yards through the air, a slight puncture in -the arm, throat, or chest, followed, almost inevitably, by the death of -a man. Another favourite trick of the Wa-Kikuyu is to plant poisoned -skewers in the path, set at an angle of about forty-five degrees, -pointing towards the direction from which the stranger is expected. If -the path is much overgrown or hidden by the luxuriant growth of long -grass, these stakes are of much greater length and so pointed that they -would pierce the stomach of any one advancing towards them.[3] Keeping a -sharp look-out for these delicate attentions, our progress was -inevitably slow, but at length we arrived without further adventure at -the strong stockade, ditch, brick houses, and well-guarded stores known -as Fort Smith in Kikuyu, above which was floating the Company’s flag. - ------ - -Footnote 2: - - Fort Smith was situated close to where the present town of Nairobi now - stands. - -Footnote 3: - - Sir Gerald was evidently misinformed on this point, as I ascertained - during my stay in the country that it had never been the custom to use - long stakes such as he describes. - ------ - -“Outside the Fort itself the state of affairs was not so pleasant to -contemplate. We were surrounded day and night by a complete ring of -hostile Wa-Kikuyu, hidden in the long grass and bushes, and for any one -to wander alone for more than two hundred yards from the stockade was -almost certain death. On the morning of our arrival, a porter of -Martin’s caravan, who had strayed down to the long grass at the foot of -the little hill on which the station is built, was speared through the -back and killed within 250 paces of our tents. A short time before eight -soldiers in the Company’s service who were foraging for food—probably in -an illicit manner—were all massacred in a neighbouring village; and a -day or two before our arrival the natives had even had the temerity to -try and set fire to the fort itself at night. - -“It will, however, be a matter of time and difficulty, requiring great -tact, patience, and firmness, to induce these Wa-Kikuyu to have -confidence in Europeans, and to discontinue their practice of spearing -or otherwise murdering any defenceless Swahili porter whom they may find -straying away by himself. - -“Long before I went to their country myself I remember being told by an -African traveller of great renown that the only way in which to deal -with the Kikuyu people, whether singly or in masses, was to ‘shoot at -sight.’” - -The Martin mentioned by Sir Gerald Portal above was one of the pioneers -of British East Africa. He was a Maltese sailor, who came to this -country with Joseph Thompson, and was the first white man to venture -among the Masai. He now manages the Mabira forest rubber estate. - -Another traveller, Mr. G. F. Scott Elliott, speaking of the Kikuyu in -his book, “A Naturalist in Mid Africa,” says: “They are only too anxious -to spear a lagging porter.”[4] He also describes the murder by these -people of forty-nine out of fifty men composing an Arab or Swahili -trading caravan. - ------ - -Footnote 4: - - For further reference to the Kikuyu tribe see Professor Gregory’s - excellent book “The Great Rift Valley,” 1896. - ------ - -Later on I was destined to be the first white man to live amongst this -pleasant people, enter into their daily life, and bring them into -something like close touch with European civilization. - -We were warned to be very careful when we reached the Kikuyu country, -and to keep a good guard, as they had a very bad name, being very -treacherous and not to be trusted in any way; but, keeping a sharp -look-out, we passed the boundary without any interference from them. We -kept to the caravan road, which passed along the outskirts of the -country, as we were told that every caravan going through the country -had had trouble with the natives, having had porters killed and goods -stolen. - -About this time Gibbons left me and pushed on ahead, as we were anxious -to get the loads through, while, the surrounding country being splendid -grazing ground, I remained about a week to give the animals a rest -before crossing the practically uninhabited district which lay between -my present camp and the ravine—the station on the road to Uganda for -which I was bound. - -Being short of donkeys, some having died on the road, I decided to -redistribute the loads, and make the total weight somewhat less by -leaving some of my personal belongings behind. Among the things I left -was my tent. This I had good cause to regret later on. We had been -gradually rising nearly all the way as we approached the high escarpment -of the Kedong Valley, which is about five thousand feet above sea-level, -and therefore very cold, and the absence of my tent caused me -considerable discomfort. - -Arriving at the top of the escarpment and looking down the precipitous -slope on the farther side, the first question was how we were to get the -wagons down into the valley, where we could see a number of Masai -villages, the road being very narrow and full of holes, besides being -plentifully strewn with boulders. - -I decided to camp at the top for the night and make a start early the -next morning. That night on the top of the mountain taught me a -lesson—never again to travel without my tent. Besides the discomfort of -the cold, there is always the danger of getting a dose of fever, and -this was what I did on the present occasion. - -Rousing the camp at a very early hour, we set to work to devise some -means of getting the caravan down the side of the escarpment. There were -no brakes on the wagons, and the donkeys would not go down even without -the wagons unless they were absolutely driven. So, to get the wagons -down, I tried a plan of my own, which, at the first attempt, came very -near to killing me. - -Taking the donkeys out of the wagon, I placed a boy on each side with a -rope to ease it down, while I took hold of the shaft. When it went too -fast, I told the boys to put stones under the wheels to check the pace, -and so let it down gradually. As I had already shown them how to place -stones at the back of the wheels in coming up the hill to prevent the -wagon running back, I thought that they would have the sense to see that -the stones must be put in front when going down hill. The result -impressed upon me the fact that the nigger cannot argue from analogy, -but that everything you wish him to do must be carefully explained in -the fullest detail. - -We got along all right until the hill-side began to get very steep, and -I found the boys could not hold the wagon. They started to let go, and I -shouted to them to get the stones in place. Their stupidity would have -been laughable if my position had not been so serious. Instead of -putting the stones in front of the wheels, they put them at the back, as -they had been taught to do when we were getting the wagons up the hill, -and seemed surprised when the wagon ran away from the stones, and before -I could make them understand what I wanted, the boys at the ropes had -let go. Being unable to let go myself, I had to hang on like grim death, -while the wagon went tearing down the slope. One minute I was bumping on -the road and the next I was in the air, with trees and other things -whizzing past. By making the best use of my chances when my feet touched -the ground, I managed to keep the wagon on the road until very near the -bottom of the hill, when it ran over a hole and capsized. Luckily very -little damage was done, but it took us the whole day to get all the -wagons and animals down, and when we camped at night every one was -thoroughly tired out with the hard day’s work. - -The valley was very fertile, and made a splendid grazing ground for -cattle, the Masai regularly bringing their stock there to graze at -certain seasons of the year, and at the time of our arrival a large -number of them were camping on the spot with their herds of stock. - -While out shooting one day in the valley, one of my porters showed me -the spot where he said a trader named Dick, with five or six hundred of -his men, had been murdered by the Masai. Dick himself had shot seventeen -of his assailants before he was killed. I went to examine the ground, -and found it covered with so large a number of skulls and bones that I -was inclined to think that the boy had used less than the usual native -amount of exaggeration in telling the story. So far as I know, no -attempt has ever been made to punish the Masai for this massacre. -Another of the porters, on my asking him how he had lost an eye, told me -that it had been torn out by the Masai—formerly a common practice of -theirs when they caught any Arab or Swahili traders passing through -their country. They were habitually very offensive to strangers, -generally forcing them to camp a considerable distance from water, which -they then proceeded to make them buy, their practice being to stick a -spear into the ground, and make the trader pay in goods, brass and iron -wire, and beads, as the case might be, to the height of the spear, -before they would let him pass. - -As I have said, there were a number of Masai in the valley, but I had no -trouble with them; many of them came into camp with milk, which I bought -from them. I found that it had a distinctly smoky taste, due to the -gourds in which it is carried being hung over the fire to clean them. - -The Masai always seemed well disposed towards me, and, as is their -custom when they wish to be polite, paid me the compliment of spitting -on their hands before shaking hands with me. The bearing of the -_elmoran_, or warriors, was certainly truculent and insulting, but I -managed not to give offence, and even succeeded in trading with them for -a few donkeys to replace those of mine which had died on the road, and -one which had been killed by a hyena; and when the animals were -sufficiently rested, we were able to resume our journey to Lake -Naivasha, where there is a Government station, without further incident -of note. - -The natives along the Uganda Road were now beginning to get accustomed -to the altered state of things. Caravans were going through the country -regularly, and they had sense enough to understand that the white man -had come to stay, and any attempt to oppose his coming would probably -have serious consequences for themselves, resulting in the loss of their -herds and their best grazing-grounds. Of course they did not realize all -this at once. The old fighting spirit of the warriors could not be -entirely checked in a moment, but it was only in isolated instances that -they dared to attack the white intruders; they had always been -accustomed to make war on the neighbouring tribes as they pleased, and -up to recent years would raid portions of British East African -territory, and make organized descents into German East Africa. To the -present day they will carry off cattle whenever the opportunity offers, -arguing that, as the original owners of all the cattle in the country, -they are perfectly within their rights in helping themselves. - -[Illustration: AN ANT HILL] - -Two or three days later we camped by the side of Lake Elmenteita, where -I had a curious experience with a lion. It had been my custom to give -out rations about once a week, but my men had exchanged their flour with -the Masai for milk, and we had run short of food, so I said I would go -and shoot them some meat. As I had practically run out of ammunition -also, I took only two or three rounds out with me, and these I had fired -off without result, with the exception of the one round which it is -usual to keep in case of emergency. On the way back to camp I saw a -zebra, which I thought would be just the thing for the men, so I started -to crawl on hands and knees towards an ant-hill which was about fifty -yards from the zebra, thinking that from there I could get him with one -shot. With my rifle in one hand and the cartridge in the other, I had -reached the ant-hill, and was just looking round the corner to get a -shot at the zebra, when I saw a lion about two yards off looking -straight at me. He was evidently after the zebra too, and the meeting -was a pretty big surprise for both of us. It is one thing to go out -hunting a lion, but quite another to meet one unexpectedly round a -corner in this way, and I was so taken aback that I could not find the -cartridge. I was far too surprised to be scared, and started fumbling in -my pockets and about my clothes to find the cartridge which I held in my -hand; the lion also seemed to think there was something curious about -the affair, as, after looking at me for a few seconds, he walked quietly -away, before I discovered the cartridge in my hand. By this time the -zebra had also gone, and with it the last chance of any meat that night. - -The next day I got plenty of meat for the boys, and continuing to follow -the caravan road, we moved on as far as Lake Nakuru, and from there to -Equator Camp—so called from its being situated exactly on the -Equator—where we halted. Two days later we reached the Ravine, where I -handed over my loads at the Government Fort. There had been a mutiny of -native troops and the Ravine was the only station which had not been -taken over by the mutineers. I ought really to have gone on up to -Uganda, but the rains were on, and it was very difficult to get through -with the wagons, and as I was feeling very ill, I was relieved from -going through to my proper destination. - -At Ravine Fort I met Major Smith, after whom Fort Smith was named, and -found him a very interesting man. He was an ex-Life Guardsman, and had -had a very interesting career in the early days of British East Africa, -and had lost one hand in the course of his adventures. I also met -Martin, whom I have already mentioned in the extract from Sir Gerald -Portal’s book with reference to the Kikuyu. - -My partner, Gibbons, had gone on to Uganda, where he would deliver the -other loads, being able to get through more easily with porters than I -with wagons, so I thought that my best plan would be to return to -railhead—which would be about three hundred miles back from the -Ravine—and make arrangements about the loads we had left behind, and -also secure more transport. - -I had very little food for my men on the return journey, and was unable -to buy any at the Ravine, as their supply had run short through trouble -with the Nandi natives. So we started out with a very poor prospect in -front of us, and I myself was really not well enough to do anything. The -men, too, not having been accustomed to the donkey wagons, were -dissatisfied with the class of work they had been doing for me, and all -the flour having given out, they were evidently anxious to get away. I -was not much surprised, therefore, when, having turned in early one -night, feeling far from well, I woke the next morning to find that every -one of my men had deserted. This was at Equator Camp. - -No one who has not experienced it can realize the feeling of being left -absolutely alone in the wilds, with everything on your hands. Certainly -I did not find it a pleasant one, and the fact that I was ill did not -lighten my troubles. I made up my mind not to be beaten, however, and -set myself to make the best of a bad job. Thinking that if I could -overtake the men I might induce some of them to return, I went out for -some distance, but not seeing anything of them, returned to the lonely -camp. Before setting out after the men I had untied all the donkeys, and -at night I had no difficulty in finding them again, and having tied them -up as usual, I made a big fire round them and settled down to rest as -well as I could. I slept through the night without being disturbed, and -turned out early in the morning, having thought out the previous night -what I should do. Not wishing to abandon the wagons, I tied them -together, one behind the other, and put all the donkeys in front, -inspanned on the leading wagon. Having fixed the caravan up like this I -started off, and an awful time I had of it. Sometimes the road would -turn, and then the job was to get the wagons round the bend without -capsizing—which I could not always do, and by the time I had righted the -wagons the donkeys would be all mixed up. I started off at six in the -morning, and travelled until three o’clock in the afternoon, by which -time I had reached the Njora River, where I halted, and managed to shoot -a buck and had a good meal, which I thoroughly enjoyed, having been all -day without food. Tying up the donkeys, I turned in and had a -well-earned rest. - -Feeling better for this, I started off early the next morning, and soon -came across a solitary nigger, whom I commandeered. He was a stray -porter, who had evidently deserted from some caravan, and was nearly -starving. I gave him some meat, which he seemed uncommonly glad to get, -and we went on together. We had a pretty long trek that day, and the -next morning we started off again as soon as it was light for another -long march, as it was thirty miles to the next camp where we could get -water, and what with the delay caused by wagons capsizing, and trouble -with the donkeys, it was ten o’clock at night before I got in. I arrived -at my halting-place alone, my native follower having slipped quietly -away into the darkness, and I never saw him again. I had brought some -water with me in a bucket, but the jolting of the wagon had upset it, -and having had no food all day, and suffering from the want of water, I -was absolutely dead beat. The first thing I did was to outspan the -donkeys and let them have a feed; then I took a bucket and went to look -for water. The water-hole was about a mile away, and as it was pitch -dark I had no easy job to find it. However, I succeeded at last, and -just as I got there I was startled by something jumping up and brushing -right past me. I knew from the sharp growl that it must have been a lion -which I had disturbed when drinking. I was too done up to pay much -attention to it, and having satisfied my thirst, I half-filled my bucket -with water and made my way back to camp, where I had some trouble to -find enough wood to make a fire. Eventually I managed to get one going -and turned in. Before turning in I had noticed a fire at some little -distance, which I put down to natives, and when I turned out in the -morning, after having satisfied myself that the donkeys had not been -interfered with by lions, I started off in the direction in which I had -seen the fire in the hope of being able to get some help. The camp -proved to be that of some East Indians, who were taking food to a party -of railway surveyors who were out ahead, and they supplied me with some -rice and let me have a couple of boys, and with this assistance I got -started again, and managing to pick up a few boys here and there, I -finally reached railhead, after a tiresome and worrying journey. - -My stay here was short, and I was soon on the road again, this time -taking up food for the troops engaged in quelling the mutiny up in -Uganda. Owing to the religious prejudices of the sepoys, all this food -had to be brought from India, and transported from the coast by -carriers, at a cost of two rupees per pound weight, so that it must have -cost the Government at least 10s. per day to keep a private soldier in -food alone, while, by comparison, the white officers were costing -practically nothing, as they were able to live almost entirely on the -country itself. My own experience convinces me that Indian troops are -practically useless in Africa, owing to their not being able to live on -the country, and I hold the same opinion with regard to the coolies -working on the Uganda Railway, which I consider could have been built -much more cheaply with white labour. - -With the experience obtained on the previous trip, I had organized my -safari for the second trip on different lines, being, among other -things, careful to select my men from different tribes. When travelling -in Africa, I have found it advisable never to get all the men from one -tribe, as when the tribes are mixed they are less likely to mutiny or -desert, or cause trouble in other ways. I also took care to have my tent -with me on this trip, and when the caravan was ready to start I had, in -addition to the donkey-wagons, about 120 native porters. - -I might say here that the porters of East Africa, taking them all round, -are a happy, careless lot. They will go through the greatest hardships -on a journey, and on their return at once forget all their troubles in -the pleasure of spending their wages as quickly as possible. They are -chiefly Swahili, with a mixture of a few other tribes, such as the -Wakamba. The Masai, however, even to this day, will not lower themselves -to carry loads. - -I had by this time learned a little of the language, and had hopes that -by the time I returned Gibbons would have got back, and we should be -able to start on the journey we had originally planned. News travels -quickly in Africa—indeed, with such remarkable speed as to be mysterious -to the European mind—and I had heard that Gibbons was still up in -Uganda, and later I received a letter to say that he was ill. - -This question of the rapid transmission of news among the native races, -both in Africa and India, has for a long time been a favourite subject -for discussion and argument among white men who have had much to do with -the native races. The well-known instances of the disaster to Hicks -Pasha’s force and the fall of Khartoum being known in the bazaars of -Cairo long before any official intimation was received by the Government -are cases in point. Personally, after fifteen years spent in close -association with natives in Africa, I have absolutely no belief in the -theory of any superhuman agency being employed. In the first place, -there is always the fact that much of this wonderfully transmitted news -is false, which discounts the value of such news generally and -discredits its value though it turns out afterwards to be true. The -white man who has sufficient experience of the nigger and his ways can -generally winnow the grain of truth from the bushel of fiction with -which it is wrapped about; while in the next place it must be borne in -mind that the natives nearly all have recognized methods of passing news -quickly from one point to another, of which I may mention a few. - -The Kikuyu shouts his news from hill to hill, while the Masai runner -thinks no more of carrying a message sixty miles in a day than we should -of a three-mile stroll: the Congolese have a system of whistle signals, -by which they can convey messages from one end of a district to the -other in a very short time; while the West African native tells his news -from village to village by means of a sort of Morse code, tapped out on -drums. The Matabele uses a system of signalling by long and short -obscurations of a fire, by means of a skin, or in daytime by long or -short puffs of smoke regulated by the same means; while the Red Indian -of North America was in the habit of using a similar method of -communication. By these various methods it is quite possible to convey -news enormous distances in a remarkably short space of time, and I think -that they are quite sufficient to account for the many remarkable -stories told of this sort of thing, without calling in the theory of any -unknown agency at all. - -I accomplished the trip with the food for the soldiers without any -mishap, and began the return journey to railhead, travelling light, with -nothing on the wagons; and having by this time become thoroughly used to -the work, and knowing better how to handle the men, things went much -more smoothly than on the previous trip. - -The nights being cooler, and much more pleasant for travelling, we took -advantage of the moonlight for our treks, resting during the daytime so -that the donkeys could graze. There was something very fascinating about -this moonlight travelling in the clear night air, with the stillness -only broken by the sound of the wagon wheels and the patter of the -donkeys’ hoofs, whilst the long procession of black porters looked -ghostly in the semi-darkness. Occasionally the surrounding silence would -be broken by the sound of some wild animal disturbed by our approach, -then all was quiet again. - -As we were travelling light, it was not necessary to have all the -donkeys inspanned in the wagons, and the spare animals were allowed to -run loose alongside, stopping occasionally as they went along to crop a -few mouthfuls of grass, then trotting on again to join the caravan. I -was lying down on one of the wagons, half dozing, one night, when I was -roused by the donkeys suddenly increasing their pace, and looking up, I -saw a lion stealthily approaching one of the donkeys running loose by -the roadside. I immediately jumped off the wagon and called to the men, -but by this time the donkeys were all bolting with fright, and it was -only with a good deal of difficulty that the wagons were stopped. By now -the lion I had first seen was nowhere in sight, but another, probably -his mate, was approaching the donkeys from another direction. I could -see him coming leisurely along, evidently intent on a feed, and I -prepared to receive him. I had still the same old gun, and having only a -few cartridges, I waited for the animal to approach near, so as to -become as good a target as possible. The brute had, so far, been facing -me, and as moonlight is deceptive, to get a good shot I allowed him to -come as close as I thought advisable. Just as I was going to fire he -stopped, apparently uncertain what to make of the situation, and as I -hesitated for a moment he turned slightly, and I fired immediately, and -hit him in the shoulder. With a savage growl, he gave a jump into the -air, and then began to tear up the ground in a great rage. The sound of -the report and the growls of the lion again caused the donkeys to bolt, -which spoiled my aim for the second shot. I could tell that I had -wounded him severely, and thought that I would go into camp, as I had -intended, a little farther on, and then return when daylight came and -find out whether I had really killed him. It was about three o’clock -when we camped, and we remained quiet for about two and a half hours -waiting until it was sufficiently light to go out again to look for him. -Going back to the spot where the encounter had taken place, we found a -large quantity of blood, which showed that I had wounded him severely, -but the lion was not to be seen. After following the blood spoor for -about a mile I saw the animal crouching in the scrub. We had been going -very cautiously, and had got within about twenty yards of him, before we -were made aware of his presence by a deep growl. Kneeling down and -taking careful aim, I fired two or three shots, which I knew must have -hit him by the thud of the bullet. Past experience had taught me not to -approach too closely until certain that the brute was dead, as they are -often most dangerous when you least expect it, so we waited some time -before approaching the body, when we found that the last shots had -really settled him. The boys skinned the carcass, and a great scramble -ensued for the fat, which is greatly valued for certain healing -properties it is supposed to possess. I know myself that it is a grand -thing for rheumatism. The skin was brought back to the camp, at Lake -Elmenteita, in triumph. This camp was known to the natives by the name -of Camp Mabrook, from the fact that a big Arab trader named Mabrook, -with all his safari, was murdered there while on his way up to Uganda. - -My present safari I had equipped with the proceeds of my first trip to -the Ravine, and as both trips had been successful, I was doing well. I -had also heard from Gibbons that he was not coming back, and so the -donkeys and wagons fell to me, as my share of the partnership. - -My next contract was to carry rice for the porters accompanying the -railway surveyors going from railhead up the Molo River, the distance -being about the same as to the Ravine, but the road in this case -branched off at Nakuru, going up more directly towards the Lake Victoria -Nyanza. - -As I was getting 30 rupees a load for this transport, and carrying 100 -loads, I stood to make £200 on the journey, my expenses not being more -than £50 for the trip. But it so happened that I was rather unlucky. -Everything went well until I branched off at Nakuru, where I had to -leave the caravan road and strike off across country. Here the road was -so difficult for the wagons that I could only make a few miles each day. -To add to our troubles, water was very scarce, and when we had travelled -two days without finding any, both donkeys and men were exhausted, and I -began to feel doubtful of getting through. - -I had with me a couple of Masai who knew the country, and they assured -me that we should find water not far away, but as we did not come to it -as soon as they had led me to expect, I outspanned, and taking my rifle -and one of the boys, I set off to find it. - -In Africa one learns to judge from the formation of the country and the -nature and state of the vegetation where one might expect to find water, -and I was very successful in locating it, my judgment often proving -right when the guides assured me that there was no water near. On this -occasion it was nearly dark when we came to a swamp, and being terribly -thirsty, we at once started drinking the dirty water, without stopping -to look any farther, and, to our great disgust, afterwards found that -there was a beautiful stream of running water only a few yards from -where we had been drinking, which made us repent of our haste to quench -our thirst. People who live in the civilized parts of the world can -never really appreciate the true value of water. To the traveller in -Africa it is the one thing he learns to prize above all others, and it -is not surprising, therefore, to find the natives in some parts -worshipping it as their god, since they know of no higher blessing. - -Taking some of the water from the stream with us, we returned to camp -and gave all the men a good drink, and early next morning I left the -wagons, and took all the donkeys to have a good drink and a good feed as -well, as there was plenty of good grazing in the neighbourhood of the -stream. The animals appeared to be thoroughly knocked up, and far from -well, which I put down to their having been so long without water, -though I was by no means sure that they had not been tampered with by -the Masai drivers. The Masai are blood drinkers, and when they have a -chance will make an incision in the jugular vein of an animal and thus -drink its blood, and I had little doubt that this was what they had been -doing to my donkeys while I was away looking for the water. - -I brought up the wagons, and camped by the stream throughout the next -day, as I saw that there was a good crossing over the stream, and the -country was simply full of game. What struck me as most remarkable here -was the tameness of the zebra, who were mixed up among my donkeys, all -quietly grazing together near the wagons. - -The condition of the donkeys began to get worse, and one by one they -began to fall sick and die. Then the boys began to desert, as is the -habit of the nigger when things begin to go wrong, and each day saw me -with one donkey and one boy less. - -It was part of my contract that the loads should be delivered by a -certain time, otherwise I had to pay a heavy penalty—about two rupees a -load for every twenty-four hours after the time fixed—so, as I had only -some twenty-five miles farther to go, I set to work to collect the -loads, intending to complete the rest of the journey without the wagons, -by taking the rice on the donkeys’ backs. By doing this I managed to get -the journey completed and the loads delivered only a day or so after the -proper time, but when I had finished the journey I found myself with -just one donkey and three boys left! - -It was impossible to take the wagons back without donkeys, so, taking -the lid off one of the food boxes, I painted on it with wagon grease -“Dead Donkey Camp,” and having stuck this up I left the wagons, and -never saw them again, while with my three boys and my sole remaining -donkey I started to trek back to Naivasha. - -On the way back I met one or two parties surveying, who all complained -of the difficulty of getting food, and said that their people were more -or less starving. Rice was very difficult to get, as it had to be -shipped to Mombasa and then brought up-country, while the cost of -transport, as I have pointed out, was very heavy, and no food was to be -got from the Nandi country, which lay between us and the Lake Victoria -Nyanza. - -Everybody knew that the Kikuyu country was full of food, but any parties -which had gone out to buy supplies there had always been killed by the -natives: in one instance a party had been attacked within about thirty -miles of the Government station at Fort Smith, and nearly every man -killed. - -Food was wanted, I found, for the Government stations on the caravan -road, as well as for the surveying parties on the line of the Uganda -Railway, and as it was worth a rupee a pound, I thought I saw a good -chance of making some money by trying my luck in the Kikuyu country. - -Although I had lost all my wagons, I had not lost my desire for further -adventure, and the opportunity of getting away into some hitherto -unexplored part of the country, where there was a prospect of getting -the adventures I wanted, together with a chance of making enough money -to repair my misfortunes, seemed too good to be lost. - -Arriving at Naivasha, I made a few inquiries, and found that I could get -into the Kikuyu country by going north, crossing the Kinangop Plain, -through the Masai country, and over the Aberdare Range—the highest peak -of which is about 12,000 feet. - -I thought that this would be the best point at which to enter the -country, as, for one thing, it was the nearest to Naivasha, and if I was -lucky enough to get the food, it would be easier to get it to the place -where it was most needed. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - -Government official tries to prevent me going into the Kikuyu -country—Give the official the slip—My first acquaintance with the -Kikuyu—Meet Karuri, the Kikuyu chief—Hospitable reception—Kikuyu village -attacked because of my presence in it—I help to beat off the -attack—Successful trading—Build a house in the Kikuyu village—Native -theory as to the origin of the Kikuyu race—I help defend my Kikuyu -friends from hostile raids, and beat off the enemy—Benefit of my -conciliatory counsels—Pigasani and blood brotherhood - - -Having made up my mind to go into the Kikuyu country, I set about -preparing my safari, for which I decided to take with me only seven -boys, natives who knew the language, to act as porters and carry the -goods I was taking with me for trading with the Kikuyu. Having persuaded -them that it would be all right, I armed myself with a rifle and fifty -rounds of ammunition, and set out to explore the unknown. - -When the official in charge of the station found that I had really -started, he sent out an escort, under Sergeant Miles, to bring me back, -and, of course, I had to go. When I got back to Naivasha, he asked me if -I was trying to commit suicide. He said he dare not let me go, as I was -certain to get killed, and he would then be held responsible for -allowing me to leave his district. I told him that I would give him a -written statement that I was going entirely on my own responsibility, -and if I got killed it would not matter to him. His reply was that it -was incumbent upon him not to allow me to leave his district. When I -asked how far his district extended, he said to the Kedong Valley, about -twenty miles from Naivasha. - -I have before stated that the Government officials were strongly opposed -to white men coming into the country, and Captain Gorges, who was in -command at Naivasha, was only carrying out the orders of his superiors -in trying to stop me. At this time there were only about ten white men -who were independent traders and hunters in the whole of what are now -the East African and Uganda Protectorates, besides the Government -officials and missionaries—practically the whole of the latter class -being up in Uganda. We were told plainly that we were not wanted, and -were not even allowed to have guns and ammunition with which to protect -ourselves; while the Arab and Swahili traders were allowed to overrun -the country as they pleased, carrying and purchasing arms and ammunition -as freely as they liked. This state of affairs _may_ have been due to -there being no organized administration in the country, off the caravan -road; but it is peculiarly consistent with the Downing Street policy -which prevails pretty well throughout our African dependencies, and -which seems to be based on the principle that, in the eyes of Colonial -Office officials, a native is more to be considered than any three white -men. - -To get beyond the jurisdiction of the official at Naivasha I went off to -the Kedong Valley, which forms a portion of the great “rift” or -depression which seems to divide the continent of Africa east from west -into two portions, and which in those days was the boundary between -British East Africa and Uganda. Naturally, I did not advertise my -intention, but my determination was, as soon as I got out of his -district, to start for the Kikuyu country, and by taking this step I -avoided all further opposition and duly set out for my Land of Promise. - -It was before the end of the year 1898 that, striking camp one morning, -I entered the Kinangop Plain, a favourite grazing-ground of the Masai. -The plain is a fine stretch of open country, rising in a gradual slope -from the caravan road for about one thousand feet or more to the -commencement of the bamboo forest,[5] which is known to the natives by -the name of Menzini, “the place of bamboos.” Owing to the elevation of -this plain, rains are more frequent here, and when the lower lands are -dry and parched, rich pasturage is to be found on the plain, while the -ground is generally moist, and, on account of the lower temperature, its -surface is often covered with a white rime in the mornings, and the air -is cool and refreshing. The herds of sheep and cattle browsing suggest a -country scene, such as is common in the Old Country. - ------ - -Footnote 5: - - The bamboo forests fringe the higher slopes of most of the mountains - of East Africa, between the grass line and the windswept heights. - ------ - -As I was accompanied by two Masai boys, I met with no opposition from -the warriors of that tribe camped on the plain to look after the safety -of the herds; and during the first day’s march we travelled about thirty -miles, camping that night about eight thousand feet up the mountainside, -where we found the air very cold. Game was everywhere in abundance, and -I also noticed a few elephant tracks; so the next morning we had a look -round, and followed the elephant tracks, which we found went through the -forest and over the mountain. We had great difficulty in forcing our way -through the trackless bamboo forest. The bamboos grow as thick as wheat -in a wheatfield, and even where the elephants had forced a way the trees -they had broken were lying across their path. Bordering on the forest -were steep precipices, the depth of which was so great that objects in -the valley below could only be very indistinctly seen. That night we -ascended to a height of between eleven thousand and twelve thousand -feet, and passing over the crest of the mountain, began the descent of -the other side. Making a long day’s trek, it was almost dark when we -again camped for the night, still in the bamboo forest which covers the -mountain-side. - -So far we had met none of the Kikuyu people, and, continuing our march, -we arrived, on the third day, in sight of the first native village. I -had heard some one cutting wood in the forest off our road, and the news -of our coming had spread. At the first sight of us the natives had -started running away, but we soon heard the native war-cry being taken -up from hill to hill round about, and could catch occasional glimpses of -the natives themselves as they gathered in force towards the village. -They were certainly a wild-looking lot, with their bodies smeared all -over with grease and red clay, or, in some cases, a kind of whitewash, -in which patterns were drawn according to the fancy of each individual, -while fastened to the leg was a rattle, with an iron ball inside, which, -as they moved about, made a noise very much like a railway train. Many -of them wore wonderful head-dresses, made of the skin of the colobus -monkey, and all were armed with spears and shields. These details I -managed to notice as we were moving towards them. - -[Illustration: KIKUYU WARRIOR] - -In a short time quite five hundred warriors, fully armed, were drawn up -outside the village, and, getting within speaking distance, I told my -Masai interpreter to tell them that I had come to see the chief of the -district. - -Never having seen a white man before, they regarded me with something -like awe, being evidently puzzled at my appearance, and were at a loss -how to act. The fact that I had ventured to come there alone was, in -itself, quite enough to surprise and astonish them, and, noting the -impression I had made, I knew that if I was to succeed with them I must -keep up an attitude of fearlessness. - -After my interpreter had spoken, a guide came forward to conduct me to -the chief, whose name was Karuri. Accompanying the guide to the chief’s -kraal, I was met by Karuri, who demanded to know what I wanted. - -This important personage, who to-day collects the hut tax for the -British Administration, would hardly be recognized as the savage warrior -chief who now stepped forward to meet the first white man he had ever -seen in his own country (as before explained, others had thought it more -prudent to go round the outskirts). It was a strange meeting, and one -which was to have great consequences for both of us. As time went on -Karuri was to become my friend and right-hand supporter, while I, in -turn, was to have an influence over him and his people which was to -raise him to the position of a great chief and myself to supreme power -in the country—a virtual King of the Kikuyu. - -Through my interpreter, I explained as fully as possible my mission to -his country, in answer to his inquiry. I said that I had come to see his -country and was anxious to trade with him and to buy food. He then -questioned me as to the force I had brought with me; to which I replied -that, as my mission was a peaceable one, I had left most of my guns in -the forest to avoid trouble, but that if he harmed me, my people would -come and make war on him. This pardonable untruth seemed to make the -desired impression on him, and he allowed me to give him a present of -cloth, which he accepted with every appearance of pleasure. After this -his manner became more friendly, and when I signified my intention of -making a long stay in his country he readily agreed that his men should -build a hut for me. - -His people still regarded me suspiciously, but obeyed my orders when I -told them to fetch wood, and set about the building of the hut, under my -instructions. They also brought me a sheep and some flour and sweet -potatoes, and, as I had by this time got a fire going, I had a good meal -cooked for myself and my men, the Kikuyu all the time looking on with -much interest. - -[Illustration: WA-KIKUYU MAIDENS] - -In the meanwhile I had been looking round and taking stock of the -neighbourhood, and a wilder scene it would be hard to imagine. The -Kikuyu country is a succession of small hills, separated by deep -valleys, lined with water-courses fed from the higher country, while the -hills are beautifully wooded, except where the trees have been cleared -away to get patches of ground for the cultivation of crops. - -The village, which was situated on the high ground in a large clearing -in the forest, consisted of a cluster of round huts, surrounded by a -high thorn fence, or boma, high enough and thick enough to make any -attempt at forcing an entrance by a force unprovided with good axes a -matter of great difficulty. The entrance through the boma was by means -of a narrow tunnel, made of large slabs of wood, sunk deeply in the -ground, with the tops interlocking at such an angle that any one wishing -to enter had to crawl through it on hands and knees. The walls of the -huts were made of huge slabs of wood, fashioned out of large trees by -the simple process of cutting portions off the trunk until it was -reduced to the required thickness. These slabs were placed upright in -the ground, close together, in the form of a circle, and a thatched roof -built up over them. By the side of the huts, which were built without -any attempt at regularity, were smaller structures, with basket floors -and grass roofs, which I found were used as granaries, or larders, in -which to store the food. - -The people who gathered round us while the meal was being got ready were -a fierce-looking crowd, their bodies being disfigured with paint and -hung about with rough ornaments. Every one seemed to be discussing me, -and, by the looks cast in my direction, debating whether, after all, -they should not kill me. Not knowing what might happen, I kept my rifle -near me and my bandolier in readiness in case of a sudden attack. After -a time they became more inquisitive, and began to examine my clothes, -which were something quite new to them, as they had never seen anything -of the sort before. The boots puzzled them the most, as they appeared to -think they were actually part of my feet, which they seemed to think -very curiously constructed. Some of them pushed their curiosity to the -extent of wanting to examine my rifle, but this I refused to let go out -of my hand. - -My interpreter said that they thought I was very foolish to come among -them with only one rifle, so I told him to tell them that this gun was -different from any that they had ever seen before and far more effective -than those carried by Arab and Swahili traders. This gun, I explained, -could kill six men with one shot, and I told them that I would show them -what it would do by firing at a tree. It happened to be the old -Martini-Metford, so, putting in a solid cartridge, I chose a tree that I -knew the bullet would go through and fired. They immediately rushed in a -body to see what damage had been done, and when they found the hole -where the bullet had gone in and come out the other side they were both -considerably surprised and impressed. I assured them that that was -nothing; if they would examine the side of the mountain beyond they -would find that the bullet had gone right through that as well! I knew -that only sheer bluff could bring me safely out of the position in which -I had voluntarily placed myself, and so made the best use of every -opportunity that arose of impressing them. - -Turning into my hut, I kept awake practically all night, fearing that -some treachery might be attempted, but fell asleep at last, to be -awakened early in the morning by an awful row of war-horns and men -shouting and running about in every direction. By the time I had rubbed -the sleep out of my eyes I saw a crowd of very excited natives rushing -in a body towards my hut, and fully expected that I was in for a tough -fight. However, far from intending to attack me, they had come to -implore my help for themselves. It seemed that though Karuri, in his -younger days, had been a powerful chief, his influence had waned as he -grew older, and the tribe being split up into clans, something like the -Highlanders in the old days, in the absence of a chief sufficiently -strong to keep the various sections in order, they were continually -indulging in petty wars among themselves. One of the neighbouring clans -had heard of my arrival, and, objecting to the presence of any white man -in the country, had promptly attacked Karuri’s village, with the object -of disposing of me once for all, and a big fight, in which a number of -people had already been killed, was then in progress, while, on looking -out of my hut, I saw that a portion of the village was in flames. - -My duty was clear. These people had brought the trouble on themselves by -befriending me, and the least I could do was to give them such help as I -could. Besides, I wished to remain in the country, and if these people -were worsted—even if I escaped with my life, which was very unlikely—I -should have to get out and stay out, for some considerable time, at any -rate. It did not take me long to make up my mind, and, seizing my rifle, -I made for the scene of the fight, accompanied by a crowd of yelling -savages, delighted at my decision. When I arrived the row was at its -height and the sight of the hand-to-hand conflict among the warriors, -surrounded by the burning huts, was a stirring one. Seeing the -reinforcements, headed by myself, coming up, the attackers began to -waver, and when I had fired a few shots with effect, finally turned tail -and bolted. After pursuing them for some distance, to make sure that -they were completely scattered, the triumphant warriors returned to the -village, and made quite a hero of me, being convinced that their victory -was entirely due to my help. This incident was of the greatest value to -me, as it fully established my reputation as a useful member of the -community, and they became very friendly. I learned that they had had a -lot of trouble with this particular clan, who had frequently raided -them, killing many of their men, and carrying off their cattle, and -sometimes their women. - -After this Karuri came to ask me if I would stop in his country, and I -told him I would think about it. I said that I had other work to do, but -that if he would sell me flour and other foodstuffs I would come back to -him. I told him that the flour was for friends of mine, who were coming -along the caravan road. He said that he did not want any more white -people in the country. I could stop as long as I liked myself, and his -people would be my friends, but they did not mean to have any strangers. -I explained that though my friends were coming along the caravan road -they had no intention or desire to enter the country. This explanation -seemed to satisfy them, and I told them that I would not decide at once -about staying in the country, but that when I had taken the flour to my -friends I would come back and talk matters over with them. They then -asked what I had to give in exchange for the flour, and I produced a -bottle of iodoform, some of which I had used on their wounds after the -fight with good effect. They thought it was a great medicine, and all -wanted some, and in exchange for a small quantity, wrapped in paper, -would give from ten to twenty pounds of flour. - -They looked upon me as a great medicine man, and members of the tribe -came to me daily to be cured of various complaints during the fortnight -I stayed with them while the food I wanted was being collected and -brought in. When it was all in I found that I had about two hundred -loads, and the trouble then was to find porters to carry it out of the -country; but by dint of persuasion I finally succeeded in impressing a -number of the people into my service, and started off with my loads. - -On account of my little difference with Captain Gorges I decided not to -go to Naivasha, but to carry my loads down towards the Kedong. As the -route to the Kedong Valley led through the Masai country, my men would -not go right through with it, so I set them to build a hut on the -caravan road, where I established a store for the flour, and within a -few days I sold the lot to the railway surveyors and caravans for about -thirty rupees a load, which made me highly satisfied with the result of -my first venture among the Kikuyu. It was on this journey that I first -saw the native method of starting a fire by means of the “fire-stick,” -though subsequently I found it very useful on many occasions when, owing -to the dampness during the rainy season, my matches would not light -satisfactorily. The fire-stick itself is a piece of hard wood, about -eighteen inches in length, of the thickness of a lead pencil and -pointed, and is carried in the quiver with the arrows. The method of -using it differs somewhat from that practised by certain tribes who are -accustomed to use a sort of mandril in connexion with it. The Kikuyu -always carry, as well as the fire-stick, a piece of wood of a softer -kind, about a foot long and two or three inches wide, which, when they -wish to make a fire, they place between their feet, holding it in -position with their toes. The pointed fire-stick is inserted into a hole -in the soft wood and rapidly revolved between the flat of their two -hands until the dust worn off the softer wood by the friction begins to -glow. This burning dust is then quickly tossed into the middle of a -little bundle of dry bark fibre, always carried by the owner of the -drill. The little bundle is then taken between the hands and gently -blown up until it shows signs of blazing, when it is placed in the -middle of a little heap of dried twigs and leaves which has been -prepared in readiness. A little careful manipulation soon produces a -blaze. - -I was also able to purchase a large quantity of trade goods, beads, -cloth, &c., from Arab traders going up to Uganda, and sent to Karuri for -more natives to carry my purchases back to Kikuyu, where, on my return, -I paid them for their services in cloth, which seemed to make them still -more anxious for me to remain among them. - -Having finally announced my decision to stay in the Kikuyu country, at -any rate for a time, I selected a site for a house, and got them to help -me with the building. I found that they had a sort of native axe, -somewhat similar to those in use in the South Sea Islands, made with a -very small head, which is fixed to the club which forms the haft by a -spike projecting from the back, which is driven through the haft and -projects for two or three inches at the back—and with these and the -swords, with which every man is armed, they cut down trees from the -forest, and a house in the European style was built for me. - -In connexion with these swords I may mention a peculiar custom which -illustrates the treacherous nature of these people. They invariably wear -the sword on the _right_ side, as when worn in that position it is much -easier to make a treacherous attack on an opponent while approaching -apparently with the friendly intention of shaking hands! - -Their method of tree-cutting was a somewhat dangerous one, as they -simply cut into the tree near the ground, without any regard to the -direction in which it was likely to fall, so that serious injuries -during tree-felling operations were by no means uncommon. The Kikuyu -never use nails, but by dint of careful explanation, I was able to get -the native blacksmiths to make me a very efficient substitute.[6] The -natives were very much interested in the building operations, and when -the house was finished I used to invite the chief and his headmen to -visit me there. The house, which was built in the bungalow style, common -to European houses in the tropics, looked very well, and though the -windows were, of course, unglazed, I had shutters made, with which I -could close them at night. - ------ - -Footnote 6: - - I have read that the use of nails was practically unknown in England - until the latter half of the eighteenth century. - ------ - -In the meanwhile I had been getting better acquainted with the country, -and found that the people lived in a constant state of civil war. Every -day men came to me to have their wounds dressed, and I heard of many -being killed. As I have already said, the country was very mountainous, -and each hill had its own chief, who lived in a state of continual -warfare with his neighbours. No man was safe in travelling about the -country, except on certain days when a sort of general market was held, -during the continuance of which a truce seemed to exist, hostilities -being resumed again as soon as it was over. Karuri used to visit me -nearly every day, and from him I learned all about the country. Even he -seemed afraid to go far from his own village, and, as this state of -affairs was very bad for my plans of trading, I determined to do what I -could towards reducing the country to something like order. - -I gathered, from conversations with Karuri and the older men of the -village, that at one time the country was believed to have been covered -with a vast forest, inhabited by a race of pigmies, whom they called -Maswatch-wanya. These people did not cultivate the land, but lived by -hunting, and the legend said that the wife of a Masai, who was very -badly treated by her husband, was in the habit of taking refuge in the -forest, with her little boy, from his cruelty. At first she used merely -to stay in the forest for a time, and then return to her husband again; -but at last his treatment of her became so bad that she left him -altogether, and took refuge with the pigmies, and it was believed that -the Kikuyu race were the descendants of the offspring of this woman. -There is certainly a good deal of evidence to support the tradition, as -they undoubtedly have Masai blood, use the same kind of weapons and -shield, and in each case worship a god they call Ngai. I have also heard -them singing Masai war-songs when going out to fight, and in a very -large number of instances the physical resemblance between the two races -is very strong. - -I stayed some weeks with them this time, and found that there was a good -deal of fighting going on, and that many of the friendly natives were -being killed through the hostility to me of the neighbouring chiefs and -their people. They strongly resented my intrusion into the country, and -any of the natives known to be friendly towards me, or wearing any of -the cloth I had given them, were immediately marked down for attack. - -This sort of thing went on for some time, and they began to think that, -because I took no action against their enemies, I was afraid of them. -There were threats to kill me every day, and one night, after some of -their villages had been burned, and a lot of the people killed, they -came to me and asked me to take their part, saying that they had always -been friendly towards me, and that was why these people were making war -on them and robbing them. - -I therefore sent a messenger to the offending chief, to say that if he -did not return the stolen property, and pay compensation for the murders -he had committed, I should have to go and compel him to do so. (The law -of the country is that for every man killed a payment of one hundred -sheep shall be made, and for every woman thirty sheep.) The chief simply -returned an insulting message to the effect that we were afraid of him, -and the next time he came he would kill me too. - -A few days later I had a consultation with Karuri, and we came to the -conclusion that the only thing to be done was to go out and fight the -matter out with them, though I was strongly averse to getting mixed up -in any of their quarrels. However, the matter was settled for us, for -while we were still negotiating for a peaceful settlement of the -difficulty, our enemies came down in force one day and attacked the -village. They numbered altogether about five hundred warriors, while we -could only muster about three hundred. They had been successful in -previous raids because the people were scattered about in a number of -small villages, and could not muster in sufficient force to beat them -off, as they could always overwhelm a village and get away before any -help could be brought to the spot. On this particular occasion, however, -matters were a little different, as we had been expecting trouble, and -had made arrangements to give them a warm reception if they should -venture to come. - -Our spies had been out for some time, and kept us well informed as to -what was going on, and gave us good warning as to when we might expect -to be attacked. As soon as the news of the approaching raid reached us, -I mustered the fighting men and got ready to receive them. We were soon -made aware of their approach by the sound of wild war-cries and savage -yells, as well as by the flames of the burning villages, to which they -set fire as they came along, and, meeting with no opposition, no doubt -they anticipated an easy victory. - -By this time I had taught my people to hold themselves in check, and act -together, instead of each man fighting for his own hand. Waiting till -they had got within easy striking distance, we poured in a volley of -spears and arrows and I did service with my rifle. Following up the -surprise caused by this unexpected reception, we were soon among them -and engaged in a warm hand-to-hand fight, which lasted until we had -beaten off the invaders and followed them right back into their own -country. The battle, which had started in the early morning, lasted -until midday, and, having administered severe punishment, we camped for -the night in the enemy’s district. - -We had had the good fortune to capture the enemy’s chief, who was -brought a prisoner into our camp, and the next morning I consulted with -Karuri as to what was to be done with him, and it was at last decided to -hold a _shauri_ (pronounced _showari_), or council, on the matter. I -asked them what they would have done in a case like this if I had not -been with them, and they replied that they would either have killed him -or made him pay a heavy fine. I pointed out that killing him or making -his people pay a heavy fine would only aggravate the enmity of these -people, and so cause more trouble later on. I told them that it would be -better to make the chief restore everything that had been stolen by -him—not in previous years, but in the raids which had taken place during -my stay among them, and to this course they finally agreed. - -Within a few days all the stolen property was restored to its original -owners, causing much rejoicing among them, as they had, of course, never -expected to see any of it again. Of course, I took precautions to see -that no friction occurred during the process of retransferring the -recovered property, and having invited some of the chief men of both -districts to my camp, we got on quite friendly terms. Seeing them -sitting, eating and drinking together amicably, it was difficult to -imagine that they had been cutting one another’s throats only a few days -previously, but the Kikuyu, like many other African races, are -remarkably changeable, and their temper can never be relied upon. As I -learnt during my stay among them, they are both fickle and treacherous, -and had it not been for my own people, I should have run great risk of -being killed on several occasions, through trusting them too much. - -I was very anxious to strengthen and maintain my friendship with these -people and the surrounding clans, and, after some discussion on the -matter, found that they had a ceremony, known as Pigasangi, which was -supposed to be mutually binding. If it could be arranged for me to -undergo this ceremony, there was every prospect of a lasting friendship -being formed. This ceremony differs from that of blood brotherhood -chiefly in that, while blood brotherhood establishes a friendly -relationship with the individual, Pigasangi establishes it with the -whole of the tribe or communities represented at the ceremony. - -After some days the assembled chiefs consented to take part in the -ceremony, and, accompanied by the natives who had always been friendly -to me, and about fifteen of the old men of the district, I went to the -chief’s village to make the necessary arrangements. - -When we arrived at the village the people were already waiting to -receive us, and there were signs of great festivity. Word had been sent -round to all the villages that the ceremony was to take place, and, as -it was looked upon as a great occasion for rejoicing, much dancing and -beer-drinking were going on, and we were received with shouts of welcome -and every sign of friendship. A large clearing had been selected for the -occasion—the Kikuyu, like many other savage tribes, always choosing an -open space for their ceremonies, or discussions of importance, as they -were thus enabled to detect any would-be eavesdroppers before they could -get near enough to overhear anything or to attempt any treachery. Nearly -all native villages, I found, have a large space set apart in the -neighbourhood for the holding of their shauris, dances, &c. - -After a lot of superfluous oratory, the proceedings began with a black -goat being brought in, with its feet tied up, and laid in the centre of -the space. The natives then grouped themselves in a circle, with the -chiefs and orators in the centre. Everybody taking part in the ceremony -had previously disarmed, and, considering that there were over two -thousand people present, it was remarkable how orderly and quiet the -assembly was, everything being carried out without any hustling or -disputing for right of place. - -The native never speaks at any meeting of the tribe without a stick in -his hand, and on the present occasion each speaker was provided with a -number of sticks, having one for each subject of discussion, the sticks -being thrown on the ground by each alternately as he went through his -speech. First one side and then the other stated the points of the -agreement, which, of course, had been carefully discussed beforehand, so -that there should be no chance of argument during the ceremony. The main -points were that there were to be no hostilities between the two clans -in future, that they were to assist each other, and that neither should -molest any white man coming through its country. - -When all the sticks had been thrown down, they were collected, and being -bound up in a bundle, were placed between the legs of the goat. The -chief orator, whose stick was more like a club than the rest, then -repeated the different conditions, at the end of each clause dealing the -goat a heavy blow with his club whilst repeating a formula to the effect -that any one breaking the agreement should die like that goat. By the -time he had reached the last clause the animal was almost dead, and a -particularly heavy blow dispatched it. After that no one dare touch the -goat, which was regarded as sacred, and I learned that this was the -opportunity to obtain any confession from a native, any one suspected of -wrongdoing being asked to swear by the goat, when he would certainly -tell the truth. - -The ceremony was followed by more rejoicing and drinking of native beer. - -This function considerably enlarged the area of friendly country, which -now extended to the banks of one of the rivers which rises in the -Aberdare Range, and flows in an easterly direction until it empties, as -I afterwards found, into the River Tana. - -On the other hand, the fact of these people making friends with me had -the effect of increasing the enmity of the other chiefs, who remained -outside the agreement, and feared that the effect of it would be to lead -more white men to come into the country. - -[Illustration: THE RIVER MORANDAT] - - - - - CHAPTER V - -Am established in the country—Native festivities and -dances—Troubadours—Musical quickness of the natives—Dearth of musical -instruments—My attempts at military organization—Hostile -rumours—Preparations for resisting attack—Great battle and defeat of the -attacking tribes—Victory due to skilful tactics of my Kikuyu -force—Succeed in taking a large convoy of provisions into the starving -Government stations—White men attacked and killed—Am supreme in the -tribe—Native poisons—Although I am supplying the Government stations -with food, I get no recognition at the hands of the officials. - - -The people in the immediate neighbourhood of the district where I was -living now looked upon me as a great man. My advice had been good in -their councils, and I had succeeded in bringing about peace with their -bitterest enemies. They also regarded me as a great medicine man, on the -strength of the iodoform, and of a bottle of Eno’s fruit salts, which -they would come round in crowds to watch me drink, saying that the white -man could drink boiling water; and they believed that I must have a -stomach like iron, and, being utterly ignorant, my friends were firmly -convinced that it was impossible to kill me. - -The news of my presence spread all through the country, and many threats -to kill me were uttered—it being reported that some of the hostile -chiefs were banding together for that purpose. - -In the meanwhile, I invited some of the principal witch doctors to come -and live near me, and at intervals of about ten days I would get the -natives round about to come up to my house to dance. These dances were -always held during the daytime, and the women took no part in them. The -Kikuyu are a very musical people, singing wherever they go, and the -warriors would come to the dances in a body, singing as they marched -along, and keeping as perfect time and step as a regiment of trained -soldiers. First of all they would have a kind of march past, and then, -falling out, would form a huge circle, with all the women and the old -men on the outside. First one warrior and then another would dart out -from the circle and go through some weird evolutions. Every man was -fully armed as if going on the war-path, and the movements took the form -of a fierce fight with an imaginary enemy, each man, as he jumped out of -the circle, rushing round and spearing his imaginary foe. If the man was -recognized as a great warrior, he was violently applauded by the -onlookers, and, encouraged by the signs of approbation, would work -himself up into a perfect frenzy; but if he was a man who had not -distinguished himself in any way, or who was not popular among the -tribesmen, his performance would be received in absolute silence. - -One peculiar point that struck me about these people was the absence of -any kind of musical instrument, even the usual drum. All their songs and -dances were absolutely unaccompanied by any of the usual weird noises -that, with most savage tribes, represent a musical accompaniment, and -the only musical instrument that I ever knew of their making was a kind -of whistle, something after the fashion of those made by boys at home -from elder stems, and, I imagine, merely a toy; certainly I never saw -them used by any but boys, and only on rare occasions by the boys -themselves. I do not include among musical instruments the war-horn, an -instrument usually made from the horn of a bullock or the koodoo, and -which is used simply as an alarm. - -One peculiar point about the applause on these occasions was that it was -confined to the women, the men considering it beneath their dignity to -make any demonstration, whether of approval or contempt. Although the -women were not allowed to take any part in these dances themselves, they -always appeared in full force as spectators, rigged out in their best -go-to-meeting suits of skins, with their bodies plentifully smeared with -grease, and wearing all their ornaments. When any favourite warrior had -the floor, they expressed their approval by waving bunches of grass, and -at the same time raising a musical chant of “lu-lu-lu-lu-lu.” This -chant, by the way, was the common form of welcome among them, as, when -my safaris returned from one of my trips to Naivasha with food, the -women would all turn out as we approached a village and greet us with -this cry, which was taken up from hill to hill as we went along. - -They had some dances in which the women joined, and these were usually -held at night round a big fire. The Kikuyu seem to have more varieties -of dances than any natives I know, and are, on the whole, a -light-hearted race, singing all day long. - -They have a class of strolling minstrels, resembling more than anything -the old troubadours of the Middle Ages. There were only five or six of -these troupes in the country altogether, and, like the troubadours, they -were a privileged class, travelling from place to place and -extemporising songs about local events and people—not always without a -strong tinge of sarcasm, which no one dared to resent. - -The Kikuyu were particularly clever in picking up the songs introduced -by these troubadours, and a song that took the popular fancy would be -taken up at its first hearing, and spread through the country with as -much, or even more rapidity than a music-hall ditty among the -errand-boys of London, disappearing as rapidly when a new one came out. - -There was a further resemblance to the troubadours in the fact that they -dressed in a fashion of their own, and wore a ring of small bells -strapped round each ankle, and a single large one of iron fastened to -each knee. They seemed to be free to pass where they pleased throughout -the country, and I consequently encouraged them to visit me—which some -of them would do every week—as they were able to keep me informed as to -what was going on all over the country, so that I was able to meet any -emergency that might arise. - -The dances I arranged as a means of bringing the people together, so -that I could talk to them afterwards and explain various things to them -which they did not at first understand, such as the coming of the white -men, who, I explained, did not come to raid their villages and make -slaves of them, but wished to be friends in trade with them. - -The information I got from some of my visitors with regard to what was -going on in the outlying districts was also very useful at times. For -instance, about this time I found that a tribe whose district lay to the -north of us was preparing to make a big raid through the whole country, -as they did not want any white men there at all; and I also got news -from time to time of Arab and Swahili traders being murdered on their -way down from the north from the Turkana country.[7] - ------ - -Footnote 7: - - The Turkana country lies to the west of Lake Rudolph. - ------ - -Of course, these things put me on my guard, and I began to get the men -together and to give them some little military training, so that we -might be ready for any attack that should come. One point in particular -that gave me a lot of trouble was teaching them to keep guard. It is a -peculiarity of the African native that even when surrounded by the enemy -and expecting attack at any minute, he has no idea of keeping on the -alert and watching for his foe. I had a remarkable instance of this in -the case of my own servant, a Swahili, whom I found herding sheep for -the Kikuyu, and took into my service. He had originally come to the -country with a caravan of Swahili traders, who, with the exception of -himself, had all been murdered. I put him among my askaris (soldiers), -and one night when he was on guard, on making my usual round to see that -all was right, I found him lying on the ground fast asleep at his post. -I took his rifle away, and as that did not wake him I poured a bucket of -water over his head. Even that did not disturb him much, the only effect -being to make him shiver and pull his coat over his head—possibly -thinking it was raining—and then go on sleeping as peacefully as ever. -So I called the other men and pointed him out to them, and they slipped -a noose round his legs and pulled him by his feet, while I fired a shot -in the air over his head. I thought that this would give him such a -fright that he would never go to sleep on guard again, but it did not -work and I had to find him another job. It might have been thought that -his experience of having all his companions murdered through not keeping -a proper guard would have been sufficient to make him keep awake, but -this carelessness of such dangers is a native peculiarity which is very -hard to overcome. - -As I have said, I found it very necessary to have the natives better -organized, from a military point of view, seeing the danger with which -we were threatened, not only in respect of keeping guard, but also in -their method of fighting. They had never been accustomed to observe any -sort of formation in their attack, but simply made a mad rush at the -enemy, so I taught them to keep together, forming a line with their -shields touching. I had one or two lines in front of men armed with -spears and shields, while the bowmen, with their poisoned arrows, took -their place behind, protected by the shields of those in front. I had -very few rifles, but hearing that there were some in the country—a good -way farther north—which had been taken from some Swahili traders who had -been murdered, I made a night march to secure them, and succeeded in -collecting about one hundred, but only some thirty of them were of any -real use. Having managed to get some ammunition, I selected the best men -out of the tribe and armed them with these rifles, taking great trouble -in teaching them how to use them. After a time I was able to put the -squad through the manual exercises in English, though it always puzzled -me to know how they understood what I wanted them to do, as not one of -them knew a word of English, but I suppose they simply imitated what -they saw me do when showing them the various movements, and associated -certain sounds with those movements. - -All this time the country was in a terrible state of unrest. Every night -alarming messages were brought in that the people from the north were -coming down to attack us. One night it would be the followers of -Wagombi—a big chief living near Mount Kenia, who could muster two or -three thousand fighting men—who were on the war-path. This chief had -raided the whole of the country at one time or another, and, though I -had tried to get messengers through to him in the hope of making friends -with him, they were always murdered. Another night it would be the -people of Tato who were coming down on us. All this time food was being -collected and brought in, and I was anxious to explore the country still -further, but was afraid to leave, on account of these rumours of -threatened attacks. If I had gone away I should have had to take the -best of the people with me, and I knew that during my absence the -hostile tribes would have come down on the district, burnt the place -out, and killed every one that was left. Besides, all the people urged -me to stay with them, and not to go away just yet. - -I had taken the precaution of placing outposts to give us due warning of -any attack, which I expected would take place, if it did come, early in -the morning, just before daylight, this being the usual time for an -attack, and for this reason the Kikuyu will not keep fowls, lest the -crowing of the cocks towards dawn should betray their villages—which are -always hidden away in the bush—to the enemy. This practice of delivering -their attack just before dawn prevails among savage tribes pretty well -all over the world, and I think that the chief reasons which lead to -this time being chosen are, firstly, that the night offers the best -opportunity of gradually bringing the force up into such a position that -the enemy are surrounded before they can discover the movement which is -in progress, and, secondly, that it is the hour at which vitality is at -the lowest point, and consequently, the desire for rest and sleep has -greater power over the body, and the force attacked is likely to be less -alert and less fitted for strenuous resistance. - -One night an attack was actually made on us, though it did not turn out -to be anything very serious, and was possibly simply a piece of bravado -on the part of some of the young warriors who were anxious for war. They -had not time to do much damage before we arrived on the scene and -repulsed them, with the loss of a few killed. - -Up to this time I had not really attached much importance to the rumours -that an attack was to be made on us from that quarter, though I had -taken all precautions against being caught napping; but this put me more -on the alert than ever, while my people were absolutely -terrified—especially as the latest rumour said that the people of Tato, -who were coming down on us, had got the Masai to join them, as well as -many of the Kikuyu who lived on the other side of the river which, as I -explained before, was the boundary of the friendly district. This river -was nearly two days’ march from the farther boundary of the Kikuyu -country, and the inhabitants of the intervening district had made -friends with the Masai to save themselves from being raided—indeed, -those on the boundary were half Masai themselves, having largely -intermarried with that tribe. They would probably be able to muster a -force of about two thousand fighting men; so having come to the -conclusion that there was something in the rumour—after having made -inquiries and carefully thought the matter out—I saw that it was -necessary that we should be thoroughly prepared, and set to work to make -my plans accordingly. Crossing the country through which the enemy would -have to come was a deep ravine, with a river running through it. This -river was crossed by a few bridges consisting simply of felled trees, -which had been cut down so as to fall across the stream. I gave orders -to destroy or remove these bridges at once, with the exception of one, -against which I kept a guard night and day, to give us full warning of -the enemy’s coming; my intention was to destroy the bridge as soon as -the opposing force had crossed it, in the hope that I might be able to -teach them such a lesson that they would leave us alone for the future. - -At the top of the mountain overlooking the ravine I had built another -house for myself, with a food station and trading store attached—as I -made use of every opportunity of trading—and it was here that I decided -to wait for the invaders. I had put a good guard there, which I visited -every day myself, to see that things were all in order. The only path up -the hill from the bridge over the river zig-zagged up the mountain-side, -and was very rough and steep, so that it was difficult for an enemy to -approach in a body. - -The people living near this station were in continual fear of an attack, -as they had news from their spies that a considerable number of Masai -were on the Kikuyu boundary, near Tato, and it had been the custom of -this tribe to raid the country at least once a year, when the young -braves would come out on the war-path after the circumcision ceremony to -prove their fighting qualities. Their main object was loot, but they did -not hesitate to kill all who opposed them, besides burning the villages -and carrying off the cattle—and very often the women as well. I -determined if possible to put an end to this raiding and wanton -bloodshed. - -[Illustration: A GROUP OF MASAI WARRIORS] - -The men guarding the bridge had been instructed to send two of their -number to bring me word as soon as they saw the enemy approaching, while -the remainder were to stay behind in hiding, and destroy the bridge as -soon as the invaders had crossed, so as to cut off their retreat. The -long expected attack came early one morning, and, following out their -instructions, the watchers at the bridge gave me early warning that a -large body of warriors had crossed the river, and we were quite ready to -give them a warm reception. They came boldly on, never thinking that we -were waiting for them, and no doubt expecting the same easy victory that -they had had on previous raids. But a big surprise was in store for -them. Owing to the narrowness of the path, they could only approach in -single file, and we waited until they had almost reached the top before -letting them know we were there. I had given strict orders that no man -was to make a move, or utter a sound, until I gave the signal by firing -my rifle. Coming steadily on, they had got close upon us when I fired, -and my rifle-men opened on them at once, while the bowmen followed the -volley up with a flight of poisoned arrows. The invaders were taken -completely by surprise, and before they could recover themselves the -Kikuyu warriors swept down on them with swords and spears. Bolting in a -mad panic, they were hotly pursued down the mountain-side, suffering -severely in their flight. Arriving at the river, they found that the -bridge was gone, and many of them jumped into the stream, of whom some -got safely across, but a good many were drowned on the way. At least -fifty had been killed, and many wounded, and these I gave orders were -not to be killed, but brought in as prisoners, of whom, when all were -collected, we had a very large number, so that the victory was -altogether complete, while my force had suffered only very slight loss. -The punishment we had administered was so severe that the country was -never again raided by these people during the time I was with the -Kikuyu. - -This victory having ensured the people security from any further -raids—for a time, at any rate—I had now the opportunity for which I had -been looking, of taking the food I had collected into the British -settlement. I had bought a lot of flour, which I took into the -Government station at Naivasha, and very pleased they were to get it, as -I found that they were practically starving for want of food. Not only -was this the case at Naivasha, but they were no better off at the -Ravine; and so thankful were the Government to get these supplies that -they made a contract with me to keep them provisioned, and I heard no -more about my going into the Kikuyu country without permission! - -It was on this visit to Naivasha that I was able to renew my -acquaintance with two most interesting people, whom I had met on some of -my journeys with food for the troops in Uganda. They were Mr. and Mrs. -Walsh, who, at the time I first met them, were engaged, like myself, in -taking up food in donkey-wagons for the troops. They had, I found, -established the first store in Naivasha. This was what I had wished to -do some time previously, but had been forbidden by the official in -charge—who, as I now have reason to believe, far exceeded his legal -powers in doing so; but I was only a settler, and he was one of the -officials who had his knife into me. - -This couple had come to East Africa from Mashonaland, where Mrs. Walsh -had been the first white woman to enter the country, and had started by -taking up the transport business, in which they had both had -considerable experience, and in which Mrs. Walsh took a man’s share of -the work, being the only white woman who ever ran transport in British -East Africa. In spite of their many successful ventures, they are not -numbered among the wealthy, their open-handed hospitality and careless, -happy-go-lucky Irish temperament being against them in the race to -accumulate riches; but there is hardly any one who has been in British -East Africa who does not know them, and few who have not, at one time or -another, shared their generous hospitality, which was as freely extended -to the trader or settler temporarily down on his luck as to the -Government official or missionary travelling in luxury. - -I gave the authorities a full report on the country, telling them of the -continual fighting and the trouble I had had right through. They said -that they were quite aware of it, and that I could expect nothing else, -but that they could give me no assistance, as they had quite enough -troubles of their own, with the natives near at hand. - -It appeared that during my absence from the Kikuyu country my old -partner Gibbons had returned from Uganda and gone into partnership with -a man named Findlay to make a trading expedition to the Kikuyu country; -but I had somehow missed him while transacting my business in Naivasha, -as his route had lain farther to the east. I found that as soon as the -two had entered the country they had had trouble with the natives, and -some of their men had been killed. They had taken with them forty or -fifty men, armed with rifles, and about one hundred porters, intending -to trade for ivory. So far as I could gather, a chief had come to them -and told them that he had a tusk to sell. When the Kikuyu come to sell -ivory they do not show you the tusk but give you the measurement, from -which you have to guess the weight; then, after the bargain is struck, -you pay for the ivory, and the seller is supposed to bring it in. -Gibbons bought a tusk, and sent ten armed men back with the chief to -bring it in. These men were Swahili, who were terribly afraid of the -Kikuyu. They had received the ivory, and were bringing it back to camp, -when they were all ambushed and murdered. The rest of the safari lost -heart at the murder of their companions and had scarcely courage to -defend themselves, and Gibbons saw that his only chance was to build a -boma, as the natives were coming in force to attack him. They had barely -completed the boma when they were attacked, and throughout the night the -improvised fort was surrounded by a yelling horde of savages, bombarding -them with spears and arrows and trying by every means to get through the -defences. Gibbons and Findlay kept up a plucky defence, and by spurring -on their men managed to beat off the attack. Things, however, looked -even worse in the morning, when the natives were reinforced, and hemmed -them in on every side. It was impossible to remain in the boma, as they -could not hope to hold it for long against the hundreds of black fiends -who surrounded them, and it was decided to make a sortie and, if -possible, cut their way through and get out of the country. The attempt -was made, and a fierce hand-to-hand fight ensued, in which Findlay -received two bad spear thrusts, and would have been killed outright had -not one of his boys come to the rescue, firing his rifle so close to -Findlay’s assailant that he blew his arm clean off. Findlay was carried -back into the boma, to which Gibbons and the few survivors also -returned, and managed to strengthen their defences sufficiently to -enable them to hold the savages at bay until a messenger could get -through to the nearest Government station, from which a relief force of -the King’s African Rifles was sent out, and after a week of terrible -hardship Gibbons and his few remaining followers were rescued. Findlay, -however, died later of his wounds. - -This incident gives a good idea of the treacherous and bloodthirsty -nature of the people among whom I was now spending my life. - -On returning to Karuri’s I found myself on better terms than ever with -the natives, and many other chiefs came in to profess their friendship. -By this time I could speak Swahili well, and had mastered the Kikuyu -language sufficiently to understand what they were saying, although I -still spoke to them through an interpreter, as I thus had time to -consider my replies. My thorough defeat of their sworn enemies, the -Masai, had given me a great reputation among them, which was increased -by their belief that it was impossible to kill me, a belief which had -been strengthened by my defying the witch doctors to poison me and -swallowing, in their presence, samples of what they considered their -most deadly poisons without any ill effects. In consequence of the -reputation I had thus gained my word was law, and I advised them that it -would be greatly to their advantage to stop quarrelling and fighting -among themselves, which advice I backed by severely punishing any one I -caught quarrelling. With regard to my singular immunity from the effects -of the poisons of the native witch doctors, it is, perhaps, difficult to -find a satisfactory explanation. Whenever I met a witch doctor I always -insisted on sampling any poisons he might have with him, which were -always prepared with honey, and appeared to me to be a mixture of honey -and the ashes of burnt herbs—a black, sticky mess—and though not, -perhaps, the most appetising morsel one could choose, yet not so -unpleasant to the taste as to be objectionable. But, in spite of the -opportunities thus offered them to get rid of the one man in the country -whom they both hated and feared, I never felt the slightest ill-effects -from these experiments. On the other hand, it must not be supposed that -I ordinarily took any undue risks of death by poison. I never accepted -any drink offered by my savage acquaintances or hosts without first -seeing that the person who brought it carried out the usual custom of -sampling it himself before I touched it, while I took all necessary -precautions to ensure that my food was not interfered with. - -Several theories occur to my mind to account for my immunity. One is -that the concoctions which I took, in spite of the witch doctors’ -assurances that they were deadly, were not poisons at all. I think it -quite likely that they never carried their real poisons on them, but -specially prepared them, in the secrecy of their own huts, for each -individual, and that they were merely trying to frighten me.[8] - ------ - -Footnote 8: - - It is the Wakamba who deal in poisons and sell them to the - neighbouring tribes. They pretend to have a monopoly of them in East - Africa. - ------ - -Another is that the Kikuyu had no poisons at all.[9] It must be -remembered that the African native is one of the most superstitious -beings in the world, and there is no doubt that many of the deaths -attributed to the action of the witch doctors were really due to pure -funk. The natives are so oppressed with a belief in the occult powers of -the medicine man that it is well known that it is generally quite -sufficient for him to curse an individual and assure him that his death -will take place on or before a certain time to ensure that the man will -simply give up the ghost according to the prophecy. Instances of this -sort of thing can be quoted in connexion with most primitive races, -either in Africa or India. I know very well that some of the native -races of British East Africa have deadly poisons, and do not hesitate to -use them, as two white men of my acquaintance met with horrible deaths -from poison administered by some Wakamba, while I know of more than one -similar instance occurring among white men on the West Coast. But with -the native the ingrained superstitious fear of the medicine man is -generally quite sufficient to cause death under the influence of his -curse. So deeply rooted in the native mind is this belief in the power -of these quacks that I know of a native doctor, holding the post of -Assistant Colonial Medical Officer in one of our West Coast colonies, -who definitely stated that he could do nothing for a certain man who was -ill, and of whom it was rumoured among the natives that he had trodden -on poison which had been scattered on the floor of his house by a native -medicine man for the purpose of poisoning him. This official was a -prominent member of the Church of England in the colony and the -possessor of several first-class European qualifications, yet he frankly -said that he could do nothing against the arts of his heathen rival! - ------ - -Footnote 9: - - The poison put on their arrows is, I believe, innocuous if merely - swallowed; it needs to be inoculated in the blood to be effective. - ------ - -It is quite possible that a reason for my escape may be found in the -superstitious fears of the witch doctors themselves. One of the greatest -assets of these men was the belief, which they carefully fostered among -the natives, that any one attempting to injure them would bring some -terrible disaster upon himself. If they actually believed this -themselves—and by constant reiteration of the fraud they may at last -have brought themselves to believe it to be a truth—it is quite likely -that they feared that any attempt to injure me, whom they reluctantly -admitted to be more powerful than themselves, would, in the same way, -recoil on their own heads. - -I may mention that the medicine men of the Fantee and Ju-Ju systems, on -the West Coast, frankly admit that their arts are of no use against the -white man, who absolutely disbelieves in them, so that possibly my want -of faith in their mummery served to protect me from their kindly -attentions and from any serious attempts at poisoning. - -It should be remembered also that by “medicine” is meant -incantation—that the drug is supposed to act rather through the medium -of the incantation than through any potency of its own. Hence the powers -of a poison to do harm would depend more on the magic possessed by the -medicine man than on the power of the drug. So that a poison would have -no power to injure a medicine man possessed of more magic than the man -administering the drug. - -After collecting more food, I went down with it again to the Government -station at Naivasha, the road to which, through the bamboo forest, was -extremely difficult; but when I wanted to improve the track the Kikuyu -strongly objected, saying that if a road were made it would make it much -easier for the Masai to raid them. As it was, in case of a raid, they -could get away with their cattle through the bamboo forest. But if roads -were made through the forest they would be at the mercy of the raiders. -They also feared a descent by the Kalyera, another branch of the Kikuyu -tribe, along the fringe of whose country I had to pass when taking -supplies down to Naivasha. Where their path joined the main road into -the Masai country my caravans were frequently waylaid. To put a stop to -this I built a camp at the junction of the two paths, and left some -armed men in charge, but they were continually being attacked, and -several of them were killed. - -On getting the food into Naivasha I was told that there was no limit to -the quantity they would take if I could only provide it. I again made a -report to the Government as to the difficulty I had in obtaining the -supplies; but, as usual, no notice was taken. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - -I determine to extend my operations into more remote districts of the -Kikuyu country—New friends—Native taste for tea—Plague of ants—Curious -superstition with regard to milking cows—The Kalyera reject my friendly -overtures—Trouble at headquarters—Tragic interview with a recalcitrant -chief—Gain further prestige thereby—Further plans—Take my Kikuyu -followers down to Mombasa—Their impressions in contact with civilization - - -On returning to my home among the Kikuyu I found that the country was -fairly quiet, so I thought I would take the opportunity to explore a -little farther into the interior, and, if possible, make friends among -some of the other chiefs, thus enlarging the area from which I could -draw supplies of food. My idea was to build trading stations at various -points in the country, and, leaving a few men in charge at headquarters, -to organize a fairly large expedition to explore other parts of the -country and induce the natives to make friends and trade with me. - -The first people I wished to come to terms with were the Kalyera, who -had given me so much trouble on the road to Naivasha. I wished to -prevent my people being killed when taking the food down, and as these -murders had been on the increase, I was afraid that they would -eventually block the road. I determined to keep the route open at all -costs, it being the only way into Naivasha. As I have already said, the -Kikuyu country is very hilly and difficult for travelling, and to reach -Kalyera we should have to cross several mountains and rivers. - -Having prepared my expedition, we set off. All the country through which -we passed was under cultivation, by which I mean that wherever a -clearing had been made in the forest the land was either growing food or -had been abandoned in fallow after being under cultivation for some -time; the custom of the Kikuyu being to cultivate the land until it -showed signs of becoming exhausted and then make a fresh clearing and -repeat the process. - -The first day passed without any trouble at all from the natives, who -were all more or less friendly towards me in this part, and our first -camp was pitched in the territory of a typical native chief, a rather -stout and quite jolly sort of fellow, who owned a large number of -cattle, sheep, and goats, and who seemed a good deal more like a Masai -than a Kikuyu. I had not seen him before, but he had sent some of his -people to help me against the hostile tribes who had come down to attack -us. He wanted me to stay there altogether, but I told him that my -headquarters were at Karuri’s, and then delighted his heart with a -present of a blanket and fez, which pleased him immensely. His people -called me Karanjai, meaning literally “Who eats beans,” because I -preferred that vegetable to their sweet potatoes. In connection with -this nickname of Karanjai several amusing incidents occurred before I -found out what was actually meant by it. Names of this sort, which the -natives are very clever in bestowing, once given, rapidly become known -throughout the country, so that it was nothing unusual for me to be -greeted as Karanjai on my first visit to some village in a part of the -country quite new to me, and it was, therefore, not unnatural that I -should think it was some form of greeting, and for a long time, when any -native addressed me as Karanjai, I replied by repeating the word, -thinking that I was thus complying with native etiquette. It was the -more difficult for me to get at the real meaning as my own people would -give me no satisfactory explanation, fearing that I should be annoyed if -I found that they had given me a nickname. When I did finally discover -what it meant, it was impossible to be annoyed, as there was nothing -objectionable in the name itself, and I could not help admitting that it -was peculiarly appropriate. - -As time went on, and my power and influence in the country extended, it -was quite usual, when I visited a village, for several proud fathers to -bring small sons to be introduced to me, explaining that they also had -been named Karanjai in my honour. - -They had never seen a white man before, and likened me to their god -Ngai, as I was a great medicine man, and they believed that I could make -rain. They also thought that I was unkillable, but, knowing their -treacherous nature, I never allowed myself to be caught off my guard. -The Kikuyu will come up to you smiling and kill you the next moment if -he gets the chance. This happened in the case of a man who went out to -buy food only about twenty miles from Fort Smith. The chief came up to -him smiling, and while he shook hands with one hand drew his sword with -the other, and the man barely escaped with his life, while all the men -with him were killed. As before stated, they wear their swords on the -right side, as the action of drawing the sword is less noticeable from -that side, and their opponent has less warning of their intention. - -This chief, Wunjaggi, had been notified of my coming by a messenger sent -on ahead of the party, and sent out some of his warriors to welcome me, -who plucked handfuls of grass and waved them as a sign of peace. The -chief met me with a huge spear in his hand, which, as soon as he saw me, -he stuck in the ground, and we then shook hands in the native fashion, -first spitting in our palms. I had discouraged this practice of -hand-shaking among my own people, and taught them to make a military -salute instead, as a precaution against treachery. He seemed very -pleased to see me, and told me that he had heard a lot about the white -man. As we entered the village his people began singing, and my -followers joined in, and there was general jubilation. - -The chief gave me a present of sheep for myself and my men, and when we -had selected a site and pitched our tent some njohi[10] was sent in, -which I gave orders to be taken to my own tent and gave out to the men -myself, as I knew that when they got too much they were not responsible -for their actions, and would be sure to cause trouble. During the day -quite a lot of people came to see me, as they had never seen a white man -before, so I had a strong guard posted round the camp, only allowing a -few natives to come in at a time, and all had to disarm before entering -the camp. Of course, everything I had of European make was quite new to -them, even to the tent; but they seemed most particularly interested in -the knives and forks, while the enamelled cups and saucers and plates -also excited their curiosity. Everything I did seemed to them making -magic. If I happened to be reading a paper, they thought I was doing so -for some occult purpose, and when I smiled at a funny paragraph they -watched me curiously, and all began to laugh too, although they had not -the faintest idea what I was amused at. - ------ - -Footnote 10: - - A native drink. - ------ - -I invited the chief to drink tea with me, out of a cup and saucer, and -at first he took a lot of persuading, but after tasting the tea he liked -it so much that I had reason to regret having introduced the practice, -as both he and the various other chiefs I met got so fond of it that -they would demand it whenever they saw me. They were also very fond of -salt, which they would eat by the handful. This fondness for salt may -seem to those who are accustomed to use it without stint, and even waste -large quantities carelessly, rather peculiar; but it must be borne in -mind that in many parts of the world besides the Kikuyu country salt is -a very rare article and a heavily-taxed luxury, every grain of which -must be carefully economised. The Kikuyu obtained the requisite salt for -their animals from certain salt-pans, or, as they are called in some -parts of the world, salt-licks, which were places where the earth was -sufficiently mixed with saline particles to give it a fairly strong, -brackish taste. This earth is dug up by the natives and mixed with water -till it is of the consistency of liquid mud; it is then placed in the -cattle-troughs, and it is a strange sight to see the animals devouring -this muddy mess with every appearance of enjoyment. For their own use -they used to burn large quantities of green papyrus reed, mixing the -ashes with their food instead of salt. This plant, although it grows in -the fresh-water lakes and streams, contains a fair proportion of saline -matter, so that the ashes form a substitute—though, to my taste, a very -inefficient one—for salt. - -As the country here was about seven thousand feet above sea-level it -became very cold at night, and I had always a big fire lighted at -sundown, and before turning in saw that a good guard was set. - -During our first night among my new friends we had a most unpleasant -experience, in the shape of a visitation from an army of brown ants, -which came right through the camp. These brutes—they are about half an -inch long, and so may be rightly called brutes—have very powerful jaws, -like the claws of a lobster, and bite most fearfully. They covered -everything in their path, and, getting into the blankets, drove me out -of my tent, and caused every one to dance about in the most comical -fashion in their efforts to get rid of the pests. So tenacious were they -that one could hardly pull them off, and the whole camp was in an uproar -during the hours that the army took to pass, and there was little more -sleep that night for any one. I do not know to what particular variety -of the ant tribe these brutes belonged, but I should think that they -must bear a strong resemblance to the kind known as “the bull-dog ant,” -which is, among certain African tribes, looked upon as a valuable -assistant to the native surgeon, who uses it instead of the silk thread -and surgical needle of civilization for sewing up wounds. The manner in -which they are used for this purpose is as follows: The edges of the -wound are drawn together, and held in that position with the fingers of -the left hand, while with the right a bull-dog ant is picked up and held -so that the jaws grip one on each side of the wound; the body of the ant -is then twisted off, while the head still remains, tenaciously holding -on to the flesh. From this habit of holding on they have acquired the -name of bull-dog. The Kikuyu did not make any such use of these ants, -though their method of sewing up wounds was scarcely less primitive. In -their case the edges of the wound were drawn together and a long thorn -run through both. A fine thread, made of fibre from the bark of certain -trees, is then wound over both ends of the thorn, in the same way that -sailors wind the spare ends of ropes round the cleats. The thorn is left -in place till the wound heals, and then drawn out in the same way that a -surgeon removes the stitches after more civilized operations. - -Next morning we struck camp and resumed our journey, the chief -accompanying me to the boundary of his territory. On the way he told me -that he had had a lot of trouble with the neighbouring tribes, -particularly the people I was going to visit, the Kalyera, with whom he -was in a state of continual warfare. He parted from me with a serious -warning to be very careful, as the people I should next meet were very -treacherous. - -We had started about 6 p.m., and about five hours’ march brought us to -the village of the next chief, named Caranja, whose looks I did not like -from the first, as he had a most truculent and treacherous appearance, -so that, although he shook hands with me readily when we met, I did not -trust him, and ordered my men to keep a particularly strict guard, and -forbade them to go into any of the villages. We camped outside, and -nothing of note happened, except that the chief was most interested in -my gun, and asked me to fire a few shots at a tree to show him how it -worked—a request with which I complied. - -Starting at daybreak the next morning, the chief himself accompanied me -as guide for some distance, and when beyond his jurisdiction I was -surprised to find that the people had all deserted the villages along -our road. I imagine that what had happened was that the chief had sent -messengers on ahead to say that I was coming to fight them and raid -their country; or, possibly, the reason was that I had now got to the -edge of the Kalyera country, and they thought that I had come to inquire -into their behaviour in killing my people and to demand compensation. -Although we shouted to them as we went along that we had not come to -fight them and waved bundles of grass to show that our intentions were -peaceful, none of them would come near us, and we did not interfere with -them. - -All the country round was thickly populated and under cultivation, like -the districts we had already passed through. The chief who had been -guiding us had returned to his own village, and we were making very slow -progress through an unknown country when two natives came in sight, whom -we found had been sent by another chief to guide us to his place. They -said it was not very far away, but the native has very little idea of -distance, and I thought we were never going to arrive at his village. I -knew from experience that a native will lead you on for two or three -days with the assurance that you are close to your destination. Our -guides kept telling us that it was just over the next hill, and when we -had got over that it was always just over the next. I was beginning to -get tired, and thought about camping for the night, when the guides -pointed out a village in the distance, which I could just make out with -my glasses, so we continued our journey, and arrived close to the -village about dusk. There was a lot of shouting and hallooing, but we -did not go in and camped close together outside. Practically every man -was on guard that night, as we knew nothing about the people, and could -not be sure that they would be friendly, but though we heard a lot of -shouting during the night nothing happened, and in the morning the chief -came to see me. As soon as I saw him I liked the look of him. He seemed -a young man, though it is very difficult to tell the age of natives—they -never know it themselves—but I took him to be about thirty. He seemed to -be quite different from any Kikuyu I had ever seen, his features being -more of a European type, and he had not the thick lips of the ordinary -native, whilst his skin was more of a copper colour than black. He also -seemed a good deal more intelligent than the others I had met, and his -people were not in the least afraid, as most of the others had been. - -The chief’s name was Jugana-wa-Makura, and he had with him a friend, a -neighbouring chief, named Bartier, and we were soon very friendly -together. Makura brought his old mother to see me—a Masai woman, who -wore a dress of skins, plentifully hung with iron-wire ornaments. The -old lady was very friendly, shaking hands with me, and telling me that -she had heard a lot about the white man, and that it had been her -greatest wish to see one before she died. They gave me a lot of presents -of sheep, and also food for my men, and though I did not allow myself to -be taken off my guard by these professions, I found that they were -absolutely genuine. - -Both of these loyal chiefs, unfortunately, paid for their friendship to -the white man with their lives. Some two years after this I came into -the country with an expedition sent by the Government to punish the -Kalyera for some outrages, and called on Jugana-wa-Makura and Bartier -for the assistance of some of their warriors, which was readily given. -After our expedition left the country the Kalyera ambushed both these -chiefs and murdered them for having assisted the Government expedition. -As is usually the custom in such cases, the criminals escaped scot-free, -no steps ever being taken by the Government to find out and punish the -murderers. - -I had had great difficulty in obtaining milk from the previous Kikuyu we -had met, as, being very superstitious, they thought that if I drank the -milk the cow from which it came would die. I found that this -superstitious objection to giving away the milk of their cows prevailed -throughout the Kikuyu country. The people themselves use very little, if -any, milk for food purposes, preferring to allow the calves to have it, -and seldom or never milking the cows themselves, so that butter was -unknown in my time among them, though they may now have been taught to -go in for dairy-farming to some extent. They were at that time, however, -perfectly convinced that to allow a stranger to drink any of their milk -was a sure way of bringing disaster on the cow. - -Owing to milking not being a general practice, the cows would never give -their milk unless the calf was near by, so that if the calf died it was -their practice to stuff the skin and place it by the cow when they went -to get any milk. - -This chief, however, brought me plenty of milk, and was altogether most -friendly disposed, so we camped there for several days, the natives -coming in every day to see me, and organizing a big dance for my special -benefit. They had heard of my people being killed while going into -Naivasha, and told me that the Kalyera were a bad lot and not long -before had murdered some Government soldiers who had been sent out to -buy food for the people constructing the Uganda Railway. - -Being now close to the Kalyera country, I tried to get into touch with -some of the chiefs, but they would not come to see me, only sending a -lot of insulting messages in reply to my requests for interviews, and -saying that if they saw any of my people straying about they would kill -them. They did not attack me, however, but I had to abandon my mission -to them for the present. - -The two friendly chiefs brought me in a lot of food, for which I traded -with them, and also several tusks of ivory, which I also acquired. -Unfortunately, my own people could not carry all that I had bought down -to headquarters, and the chief’s people refused to go down with me, -saying that they would be killed on the way back, the other tribes being -hostile to them; so that the food had to be stored until such time as I -could arrange to have it transferred to Karuri’s. - -My followers having made friends with the people with whom we had been -staying, we were all very sorry to leave; but it was imperative that we -should return at once, as a rumour had reached me that my people at -headquarters were in trouble, and they had sent a message for me to come -back as quickly as possible. We had hardly got started on the return -journey when it was rumoured among the natives that I had gone on this -expedition especially to see the Kalyera people, and that I was -returning because I was afraid to meet them. Emboldened by this, the -tribe living to the north had attacked my headquarters, killed a lot of -the people, and raided the country, burning the villages, and carrying -off a lot of cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as some of the women. On -hearing this news I hurried back as fast as possible, as I thought it -quite likely that they would burn my place. I got back in time to -prevent any further fighting, and set myself to calm the fears of my -people, who were lamenting the loss of their cattle, and praying me to -get back their women. I found that the whole country was up in arms, and -set to work to find out what was the cause of all the trouble. - -It seemed that my own people had been partly the aggressors, and the old -quarrelling had been started again; so I sent out messengers to ask the -other chiefs in the neighbourhood to come in to see me. It is the custom -always to send two messengers together, as no native will travel alone, -and I waited some time, but as neither of the men returned, I supposed -that they had both been murdered. So I moved out and pitched my camp at -one of my trading stations on the boundary of the country, where I had -built a house, which I found had not been interfered with. I hoped, by -staying there a few days, to get into communication with the natives, -with the object of getting the old men of the district to come in for a -shauri. In this I was successful, and we talked over the whole matter of -the raid. They said that they had no wish to fight, but the young -warriors had got out of hand, carrying things their own way. The result -of the palaver was that the women and all the stolen cattle were -returned, with the exception of a few sheep and oxen that had been -eaten, and knowing that my own people had been the aggressors in the -first instance, I did not see that I could take any stronger action in -the matter. - -However, this peaceful settlement did not please them, and, coupled with -my failure with the Kalyera, caused a change of feeling towards me; the -people became insolent, and I had to be more than ever on my guard. -Things were getting pretty bad, and it so happened that, just at this -time, I had to call in a rather powerful headman, who had been causing a -good deal of disturbance in the country, to see me; so I sent a -messenger to his village to summon him to my camp. He refused to come, -and sent back an insolent message, which was heard by all the people -round about, and caused a jeering laugh at my expense. This headman was -known as a great warrior, who was said to have slept out in the bush at -night to kill lions with a spear, and was supposed to have killed -several in that way. - -I sent further messages to him, but he absolutely refused to come, and -began to send threatening replies. He had a following of about one -hundred fighting men, and it became a standing joke in the country that -he had defied the white man, so that I felt that unless I did something -I should lose my influence in the country; I was also getting ashamed to -face my own people, who were continually asking if I was not going to -bring him in by force. A few days later the matter was brought to a head -by a body of about five hundred fighting men turning up at my camp to -ask me what I proposed to do in the matter. Seeing that they were -thoroughly roused, I said that I would go and bring him in myself. They -all wanted to go with me, but I said that I would go alone, and to show -that I was not afraid of him, I would not even take a gun, but only a -stick or knobkerrie: I took the precaution, however, to have my revolver -in my belt out of sight. - -I started off with only about ten men, and when we got within a few -hundred yards of the mutineer’s village, I told the men to stay behind, -while I went on to talk to the headman. They had evidently got news of -my coming, and were waiting for me, as I could see about fifty men, all -fully armed, with the chief in front, drawn up to receive me, and I had -no doubt that others were in ambush near by. The man was a fine big -fellow, every inch a chief, and I knew that I could only hope to succeed -by showing a bold front, bravery being about the only virtue a savage -recognizes. As I advanced alone they appeared to be impressed, and a -grunt of approbation passed round. The crisis had arrived, and I knew -that only sheer bluff could carry me through; so, before the chief could -guess my intention, I sprang on him like a flash, and dealt him a blow -with the knobkerrie which laid him senseless on the ground, at the same -time shouting to his followers to throw down their weapons, as my men -had them covered with their guns, and they would all be shot if they -attempted to resist. Standing over the chief, with my hand on my -revolver, I was ready to face the crowd, but, to my great surprise, they -all threw down their weapons. It must be remembered that I was believed -to possess mysterious powers, which probably accounts in some measure -for their ready submission. - -Having made the warriors put all their weapons in a heap, I ordered them -to bring in some sheep and goats which they had stolen, and had the -chief carried to my camp, while the sheep and goats were driven into my -village, the whole of the warriors marching ahead of me till I reached -my own people. After giving them a good feed, I gave them a good talking -to, and dressed the wound on the chief’s head, binding it up with some -sticking-plaster; while, to show that there was no ill-feeling, I -invited his followers to spend the night in my camp, and return to their -own village in the morning. - -During the night I heard an awful row, and, rushing out to see what had -happened, I found that the two parties of natives had been sitting round -the fire, drinking njoi, and having imbibed too freely, had started -their quarrels all over again. The old men of the village were fighting -with the chief I had brought in, who was defending himself with the flat -of his sword. My appearance speedily put an end to the disturbance, and, -taking the chief into my own quarters, I ordered my men not to allow any -one to go near him. No further trouble occurred during the night, and -the following morning the chief returned with his own people to their -village. We parted the best of friends, and for the remainder of my stay -in the country he was one of my best men. - -Having re-established my influence, I was able to continue my trading, -and collected large quantities of food, which I took down from time to -time to Naivasha. The possession of cloth and other trade goods seemed -gradually to have a civilizing effect on the natives, and they would -listen attentively while I told them of our Queen and Government, the -big cities of the white people, and the ships which crossed the seas. -They were more ready to trade than formerly, and I found no difficulty -in obtaining food, which they were only too ready to bring in, in order -to procure the cloth and other trade goods with which I purchased it -from them. - -My chief enemies were the rain-makers and witch doctors, who were -jealous of my power, and disliked me because I did not show them proper -respect. For anything that went wrong they blamed the white man. When -the natives wanted rain, and grumbled because it did not come, these -witch doctors said that I was the cause of the drought, and I found that -they were gradually stirring up trouble all round me, and trying by -every means in their power to get me killed. They knew that they were -losing their influence and were not looked up to as they used to be -owing to my presence, and they would have done anything to get me out of -the country. Of course, they lived by trading on the superstitions of -the natives. One of them in particular was believed to have great -supernatural powers, and had a reputation for being able to disappear at -night, when he was supposed to go to see their god, Ngai. Some support -was given to this belief by an incident which was said to have happened -one night. A number of the old men were drinking njoi in a hut, when a -terrible storm came on. The witch doctor was one of the party. They were -all sitting in a circle round the fire, when suddenly there was a -tremendous flash of lightning, and the witch doctor, who was supposed to -be still sitting among them, dropped through the roof into the middle of -the circle. The cunning rascal had evidently crept out of the hut -unnoticed by the others, and choosing the moment of the lightning flash, -had dropped through into the midst of them; while they, not having seen -him leave the circle, were, of course, amazed to see him appear in this -fashion through the roof, and quite believed his explanation that he had -just come down from their god on the streak of lightning! In spite of -the witch doctors, however, the natives were, on the whole, very -friendly to me, wishing me to stay in the country. - -Things being once more in a fairly settled state, I thought I should -like to make a trip north, towards Mount Kenia, to try to make friends -with some of the chiefs living in those parts. Wagombi, the powerful -chief who lived at the foot of Mount Kenia, had a most murderous -reputation, and was reported to be very treacherous. Several Arab and -Swahili expeditions were reported to have been completely wiped out by -him, while the King of Tato, another neighbouring chieftain, a man named -Karkerrie, had rendered his name redoubtable by similar murders. I -gathered, however, that there was a lot of ivory in that part of the -country, and being also anxious to open more food stations, I was not to -be scared by the ugly rumours I had heard. Another reason why I wished -to make this journey was that I was anxious to see the place where -Gibbons’s safari had been cut up. So I gathered all the information I -could about the district, and talked the matter over with Karuri and his -people. They were, without exception, altogether opposed to the -undertaking, even the old men seeming to be afraid, and saying that we -were bound to be all killed, whilst one of the witch doctors prophesied -that I should be killed and never return, and even went through an -elaborate ceremony to prove that it would happen. At his request I went -into the bush and got three sticks, which I gave to him. Having first -waved them round his head, chanting “Lu-lu-lu” all the time, he threw -them on the ground, and then, picking up each stick separately, he shook -it, first taking hold of one end then of the other. When he had finished -this performance he said he could tell me what was going to happen, -which, according to him, was that I should have a lot of trouble with -the people of the district to which I was going, and therefore had -better not go. If I did he assured me that I should certainly be killed -and never return. - -Of course my people heard what the witch doctor had to say, and in the -face of his predictions did not want to go with me. I pointed out that -so far nothing had happened to me during the time I had been in the -country, nor had any harm befallen any of my personal servants; but my -arguments were of no use, they declined to be persuaded, and begged me -to give up the idea, saying that they would bring me all the food I -could want and that I need not search anywhere else for it. I told them -that I wanted ivory, and they hunted up a few tusks which I did not know -they had, and these I bought; but I was still resolved to go, so after -much persuasion they said that they would go if I would get more rifles, -as the people living round Mount Kenia were supposed to have a lot of -rifles. They also told me that the trade goods I had were not suitable -for that part, where they would prefer brass and iron wire to cloth and -beads. I thought, therefore, that my best plan would be to take down my -ivory and the food I had collected, and when I had disposed of them, to -make a trip down to the coast myself for more trade goods. I also wished -to ask the Government authorities to let me have some rifles, so I went -down to Naivasha and delivered the food and ivory; then, finding that -the railway was approaching nearly as far up-country as Nairobi, which -would enable me to take my men down to the coast without much trouble, -after transacting my business I entrained with my savage followers for -Mombasa. They were much impressed with the evidences of civilization, -particularly with the railway engine, which they thought was alive, -remarking that it seemed in a fever and wanted a drink. Arriving at -Mombasa, they were equally astonished at the sea and the ships, never -having seen either before. - -I was able to buy all the trade goods I required, and having finished -that part of my business, I paid a visit to the Sub-Commissioner to ask -him to allow me to have some rifles for self-protection. He absolutely -refused, repeating what he had said when I first came to East Africa, -that white men were not wanted in the country. I pointed out to him that -the Arab and Swahili traders possessed rifles, to which he replied that -they had not obtained them with official sanction! Such was the class of -administrator approved by Downing Street for the opening up of a new -country! - -Before leaving Mombasa, where I stayed only a short time, I took the -Kikuyu on board a ship, which was a remarkable experience for these -people, who had spent all their lives in the mountains and had never -even seen the sea, let alone a ship, before. If there was one thing that -puzzled my Kikuyu followers more than another in Mombasa, it was, -perhaps, the fact that everything had to be paid for. In their own -country, when any Swahili traders came to a village they were accustomed -to give them a sheep for food, and never thought of asking payment, but -here, among the Swahili themselves, they found that they could get -nothing unless they were prepared to pay for it; above all, they were -astonished that any one should have to pay for lodgings, as it was the -invariable custom among them to set apart, or more often build, a hut -for the use of any stranger whom they welcomed to their villages. They -were very soon tired of Mombasa, appearing to be homesick, so we -returned to Nairobi, where we camped for a few days, and during my stay -bought some cattle, which my people told me would be useful for trading -with the natives near Mount Kenia. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - -Back again in the Kikuyu country—Kalyera raid—Effect of a mule on the -native nerve—Does it eat men?—Prepare for a new expedition—Dress my men -in khaki, and march under the Union Jack—A hostile medicine man—Around -Mount Kenia—Native drinks—Treacherous native attack on my camp—Lucky -capture of the hostile chief saves the camp—Pursuit after stolen -cattle—Another attack on my camp—Change of attitude of natives on -account of rain—Peace again—Bury my ivory—The forest slopes of Mount -Kenia—Wagombi’s—A powerful chief—Precautions—Establish myself and erect -a fort - - -The return journey was accomplished with considerable difficulty. On -arriving at my old camp at Menzini, where the path branched off to the -Kalyera country, an attack was made on the men herding the cattle, with -the result that several were killed and some of the cattle driven off. I -was lying down in my tent when the news was brought to me, so turning -out at once, I gave orders for a mule—which I had bought at Nairobi and -given into the charge of one of my men, with orders to be always ready -to saddle up at a moment’s notice—to be brought, and mounting quickly, I -set off in pursuit of the cattle. The attack had been made while they -were being taken down to drink at the river, and their tracks were -plainly visible, though the cattle were nowhere in sight. Galloping -forward, I caught sight of them just as they were about to enter the -bamboo forest, with about a hundred Kalyera driving them on. As I fired -my revolver, and came galloping towards them on the mule—which was a -kind of animal that they had never seen before—they bolted in a fright. -My men had been following me up in the rear, and we drove the cattle -back to the camp, deeming it unwise to attempt to follow the Kalyera up -through the bamboo forest. After this we reached headquarters at -Karuri’s without further incident. - -When Karuri heard that we were coming he sent men out to meet us, and -our return was the signal for great rejoicings. My mule came in for a -special share of attention, and all sorts of funny questions were asked -about it, such as whether it ate people—the general impression being -that it was some sort of a lion—indeed, all the natives came in to see -it, and a report was spread about the country that I went riding about -on a big lion. I had brought Karuri a kettle, and a cup and saucer for -making tea, of which he was very fond, and he was delighted with them, -and, of course, I had also brought presents for the other chiefs. - -During the next week or so I spent the time preparing for my trip north. -All the natives were now anxious to go with me, but I decided to pick -only about one hundred of the best men, and as I had by this time about -thirty rifles, I dressed the men to whom they were entrusted in khaki -suits, which I had bought on my last visit to Nairobi, and of which the -wearers were very proud. I had also brought a Union Jack back with me, -which I took at the head of my caravan on all my later expeditions. The -Kikuyu warriors carried their usual weapons, and the trade goods were -divided among one hundred porters, whom I loaded lightly so that we -could move quickly if the occasion required. - -The men looked very smart in their new khaki uniforms, and with the -fifty or so Kikuyu warriors, armed with swords, spears, and shields, and -the long line of porters and camp-followers, it was quite an imposing -expedition which set out from Karuri’s village one morning. The -warriors, armed with native weapons, acted as an advance guard, with -myself next, riding the mule; immediately behind were ten soldiers, as -my special bodyguard, and following these were the porters, with more -soldiers distributed among them. A little farther to the rear were the -camp-followers, followed by the cattle, then ten more soldiers, and -behind all, a rearguard of fifty Kikuyu warriors. - -With orders to keep close together the safari marched out in single -file, the Union Jack flying at the head, while Karuri, with the rest of -the natives who remained behind, gave us a great send off, though the -old witch doctor shook his head as if he still had misgivings as to the -success of the enterprise. - -The first day we camped at my old food station, where we had defeated -the Masai raiders, at the top of the mountain, and resuming the march -the next morning, we went through the Chinga country. The natives kept -out of the way, though we could see groups of them standing on the hills -watching us, and though we shouted to them that we were friends, they -only replied with threats, saying that they did not want the white man -in their country. All the villages were deserted, and we quite failed to -get into touch with the people at all, until we saw some of the old men -sitting on a hill-side, to whom I sent one of my men with a present of -cloth. He went unarmed and waving a bunch of grass as a sign of peace, -and they allowed him to approach them. After he had given each of them a -present of cloth, two of the old men accompanied him back to my camp, -and when the others saw that they were treated as friends they also came -in. I amused them by showing them a looking-glass and several other -things that they had never seen before, and explained to them that my -object in coming into the country was to buy food. I told them that my -idea was to make peace among all the natives, as complaints were coming -in to me every day of raids and murders. It was very difficult to -understand from their stories whether the things complained of had -happened fifty years before or only the previous day, so I advised them -to let all those matters drop and start again with a clean slate from -now, and I told them that I would do my best to settle any differences -that arose in the future. At the same time, I impressed upon them that -they must also help me towards this end, and not go raiding and killing -each other, telling them that it was only savages that settle their -quarrels in that way. To speak of them as not being savages flattered -their vanity, and a remarkable thing I frequently noticed was that as -soon as a native became friends with me, or with my followers, he -immediately called all the rest of the natives savages. It was very -laughable in some instances. I have had one of my own men come to tell -me that some _washenzi_ (savages) wanted to see me, and on going out to -see who they were I would perhaps find that the so-called savages were -the man’s own father and other relatives. - -I saw that what I had said about being friendly had impressed them, and -in the meantime my followers had got hold of them and were explaining -what my policy had done in their own country, so that they could see -that I was to be trusted, and consequently made friends with me. After -dusk they went home, and it was evident that they had given a good -report of me, as the next day the two principal chiefs of the district, -Bartier and Henga, came to see me, with about fifty followers. They were -both young men and very intelligent for savages, dressed in skins, but -wearing no special finery. I gave them a red blanket and a fez -each—which was my usual present to chiefs—and they immediately put them -on, wearing the blanket over one shoulder like a cloak, the ends being -tied on the other shoulder, so that only one side of the body was -covered. The effect, however, was rather picturesque, something like the -old Roman toga. They were very pleased with their new garb, but it had -the result of getting them into trouble at times with the other natives, -who looked upon it as a badge of their friendship with the white man. - -They stayed in the camp nearly all day, and were very friendly, -explaining the features of the country we were going through, and -warning me against the people of the district of Tato, and their chief -Karkerrie, of whom they gave a very bad account. I asked them if any -white men had been there before, and they said no, though they had heard -of white men going through the country a very long time ago, but not -that part of it. - -They brought me some food and told me that they had some ivory, and they -brought me the measurements of several tusks, which they promised to -bring in the next day; but although we waited, expecting the ivory, it -did not come. They were all still very friendly, however, and so I -suggested holding a Pigasangi, but as this was more of a national than a -local affair, they said that it could not be done unless they first -talked it over with their other people, so I told them that we might be -able to arrange for the ceremony on my homeward journey, and also asked -them to have the ivory ready so that I could buy it then. - -That day we had a visit from the chief rainmaker of the Kikuyu country, -a tall, fine-looking man, who lived some distance from there, but seemed -to have a roving commission and to be able to travel through any part of -the country without being molested, all the natives being afraid of him, -as they believed that he could bring the rain or stop its coming at -will. I very well remember his stalking in, because he was wearing a red -blanket and fez which I had given him. On this occasion he arrived, like -the villain of the play, just as things were going well, and at one -swoop destroyed all my castles in the air by telling the people that it -would do them no good to make friends with the white man, as it would -stop the rain and bring various other misfortunes upon them. I took no -notice, but the natives evidently took him seriously and I had a lot of -trouble with him later on. - -Striking camp early the next morning, we trekked farther north towards -Mount Kenia, where the big chief Wagombi lived. The country continued -practically the same, thickly populated and well cultivated, while here -and there we could see the sheep and cattle grazing quietly and the -people working in their _shambas_ (gardens). It was hard to believe that -I was in the midst of savages, and that any minute they might be up and -cutting one another’s throats and my own too; the scene was so peaceful -that you could have almost imagined yourself amidst the quiet -surroundings of an English landscape. - -We had halted to give the men a rest, and I was having some lunch under -the shade of a tree—my practice being to start the day with only a cup -of coffee in the early morning, making my lunch about midday my first -meal—when two or three natives were brought in, who told me that they -had been sent by a big chief, who was also a very powerful witch doctor, -named Muga-wa-diga,[11] who begged me to come and camp in his village. -Of course I was only too glad to meet another friendly chief, and asked -them to take me to his village, where we arrived quite early in the -afternoon. - ------ - -Footnote 11: - - The name Muga-wa-diga means Muga, the son of Diga, the syllable _wa_ - being the equivalent of the Russian _vitch_ or the Scandinavian _sen_, - as shown in Peter Petrovitch or Peter Petersen. In the same way, this - syllable is prefixed to the names of tribes, as in Wa-Kikuyu (the sons - of the Kikuyu), Wakamba, though in the latter case it has now become - an integral part of the name. - ------ - -The chief was an old man, very active for his years, and far more -intelligent than the majority of the natives I had met so far. His -appearance marked him out as a typical witch doctor, and I had never -before seen any chief dressed as he was. His costume was composed -chiefly of the skins of wild cats, and he wore a hat made of the skin of -the colobus monkey; round his ankles were the usual iron rattles, while -two small boys who were with him carried calabashes containing various -medicines. He had evidently started off in something of a hurry to meet -me on the road, and came up to me without any hesitation, shaking hands -in a dignified sort of way, as if the meeting with a white man was an -everyday occurrence. After we had exchanged greetings, he conducted me -to a suitable place to camp near the village, and also introduced me to -his wives and children, which I thought rather extraordinary for a -native meeting a white man for the first time. I could see that he was -very anxious to make friends with me, and he got his people to assist -mine in building the camp, at the same time telling us to be very -careful when leaving the village to collect wood or bring in water, as -some of the natives were not to be trusted, and he felt himself -responsible that no one should get killed while staying at his place. - -Of course I was always on my guard, and ordered my men never to go far -from the camp without taking some rifles with them, especially as I -found that my friend the chief rain-maker had been there before me, -spreading rumours of what would happen if they had any dealings with me. -But Muga-wa-diga was evidently not on good terms with the rain-maker, -being jealous of his power, and this accounted for his being so willing -to be friendly towards me. - -Finding it a good camp, and being able to obtain plenty of food, I -decided to stay there for some days, and in the meantime to try to -gather more information about the country and people farther on, while -at the same time getting to know more of the people among whom we were -camped. - -The chief came to my camp nearly every day, and I got a lot of useful -information from him. One day he brought his medicines with him, and -explained all about them, which gave me a good insight into the art of -working magic. Medicine, as we understand it, is not the kind of -medicine used by the witch doctor of East Africa, who relies more upon -incantations than upon the potency of any drugs to doctor the complaints -of those who seek his aid, the ailments he is expected to cure being -more of a mental than a physical nature, as, when a native complains -that some one has given him poisoned medicine, he really means that some -one has put some spell on him to cause something to happen to him. Such -is the superstitious nature of the savage that, if one has been told -that he is to die at the end of three days, he will actually accept the -statement as literally true, and it would have such an effect upon him -that, unless the witch doctor could convince him that he had made some -medicine powerful enough to counteract the influence of the spell cast -over him, he would certainly die at the time stated. - -The witch doctor also professed to be able to say what was going to -happen to any one who sought the information from him, the mode of -procedure in this case being to spread a leopard skin on the ground, and -turn out upon it the contents of a calabash containing a lot of stones, -lion-claws, arrow-heads, &c. These were counted out in sections—somewhat -after the style of the game children play with plum-stones in -England—and from the balance remaining after the full number of even -sections had been completed he read the signs. An arrow-head perhaps -foretold that the inquirer would be killed with an arrow, a lion’s claw -that he would be killed by a lion, and so on. They had also medicines -for the treatment of physical ailments, and antidotes for poisons. - -During my visit to Mombasa I had bought a medicine-chest, which I always -carried with me, so I gave the chief a taste of the different tabloids, -&c. I found that he was very fond of pepper and salt, and it was -surprising to see him take a handful of pepper and eat it up without -winking. - -The natives were intensely interested in everything I possessed, and -were greatly mystified by the trick of drawing the heat from the sun, by -means of a lens from my field-glasses focused on their hands, and it was -remarkable how some of the warriors would stand the pain without making -a sign, letting the flesh burn without appearing to notice it. - -When I approached the chief on the question of a Pigasangi, he promised -to talk the matter over with his people, and suggested that we might -also arrange for the ceremony of blood brotherhood. - -Whilst staying here I sent a present to Karkerrie, the chief of Tato, -and also one to Wagombi. We were a good day’s march, in different -directions, from each of these chiefs, and I told my messengers to say -that I was coming into their country on a peaceful mission. Muga-wa-diga -said that he would accompany me to Tato, where, he told me, there was a -lot of ivory; so I decided to go to Tato first, and then go round to -Wagombi’s country. - -While at Muga-wa-diga’s I made the acquaintance of a young chief named -Katuni, or the Lion, who was by far the tallest Kikuyu I had ever -seen—being considerably over six feet in height—and got quite friendly -with him, and he brought me, among other things, a lot of honey. All the -Kikuyu keep bees, and you can see the hives hanging on the trees, -sometimes five or six on a tree, all over the country. The hive is made -out of a log of wood, hollowed out and shaped like a barrel, and the -ends are headed up just as a barrel would be. They are about five feet -long by eighteen inches in diameter. The natives ferment the honey to -make a drink tasting very much like sharp cider, which they call njohi, -and on which they manage to get very drunk, as it is highly -intoxicating. It is generally made in very large quantities when the -honey is gathered, and the headman of the village sends out an -invitation to all the old men of the district to come in and have a big -drinking bout, which generally ends in a drunken orgie, when they all -start quarrelling and fighting with each other. The drink is kept in big -calabashes, and the headman first pours out a hornful, which he spills -on the ground, at the same time saying “Ngai,” meaning “To God”- -a -ceremony reminding one of the ancient libations to the gods. This -function over, the headman first drinks himself, to prove to his guests -that there is no poison in the brew, and then the general drinking -starts. A peculiar and somewhat unpleasant habit of theirs is to spit on -their chests after drinking, but the reason for the practice no one -could tell me. - -I found a similar kind of drink to njohi among the Abyssinians, who call -it _tej_, and the Kikuyu also have another drink, not quite so -intoxicating as the njohi, and made from sugar-cane instead of honey. - -By this time the messengers whom I had sent to Karkerrie with presents -had returned, so we packed up and moved on towards Tato, Katuni deciding -to accompany me, as well as Muga-wa-diga. The country continued thickly -inhabited, and I noticed that the people seemed to own more stock than -elsewhere. They did not take much notice of us, except on one occasion, -when about half a dozen old men, who had been drinking njohi, greeted -us, as we came round the shoulder of a hill, with a shower of arrows. - -Arriving at last at Karkerrie’s village, we were met there by the chief -himself and some of the elders of the tribe. The country had changed -somewhat as we neared Tato, being less mountainous, and not so thickly -cultivated, but the people owned enormous herds of cattle, sheep, and -goats. They seemed more like the Masai than the Kikuyu, and undoubtedly -have a good deal of Masai blood in their veins. From the reports I had -heard as to their being such a bad lot, I was quite prepared for them to -try to prevent my entering their country, but, possibly because they had -heard a lot about me, and also on account of my having the medicine man -Muga-wa-diga and the chief Katuni with me, they received me in a -friendly way; so, finding a good place near the chief’s village, I -pitched my camp. - -I had brought about fifteen head of cattle with me, and, of course, had -a lot of trade goods, so I opened up negotiations with the chief for -some ivory. The value of cattle varies right through Africa, depending -on the number of sheep in the country. Among the Kikuyu a cow is -reckoned to be worth twenty sheep, whilst among the Caramoja and Sambura -tribes—whom I visited later—it goes up as high as sixty sheep. I -exchanged the cattle at the rate of twenty sheep for each, and when the -natives came in with the ivory, I would give, say, the value of twenty -sheep for a tusk measuring two hands. Ten rings of iron wire, or so many -hands of cloth, equalled a sheep; so that if I bought ivory to the value -of twenty sheep, I would give perhaps five sheep only and the rest in -trade goods. - -The iron wire used in these transactions was about the thickness of an -ordinary telegraph wire, while the rings, ten of which were the value of -a sheep, would be about nine inches in diameter, ten of them equivalent -in value to about a shilling of our money. The standard value of a hand -of ivory, in Karkerrie’s country, was thus ten sheep, or a hundred rings -of iron wire, or sixty hands of cloth. In Wagombi’s country the prices -were about half these, so that there a tusk weighing from twenty-five to -thirty pounds could be bought for about a sovereign and, even allowing -for the cost of transport, &c., at an average price of about nine -shillings per pound there was a fairly good profit to be made on the -deal. In the Wanderobo country, where most of the ivory was in the form -of the heavier tusks of the bull elephant—that at Karkerrie’s and -Wagombi’s being mostly from the females—I usually gave a bullock for a -tusk weighing from eighty to ninety pounds. - -A few details of the native system of measurement may be of interest. -The hand, which is their standard of lineal measure, varies with the -commodity to which it is applied, but in no case is it the same as our -hand of four inches. In selling ivory the hand is the length of the -forearm from the elbow, with the fist doubled. In measuring ivory a -liberal allowance is made for the hollow portion at the root of the -tusk,[12] and also for the point, neither of which are reckoned in the -length. In buying or selling cloth the hand is practically the same as -our yard, being measured from the centre of the chin to the tip of the -fingers, with the arm stretched out. - ------ - -Footnote 12: - - The elephant tusk is more or less hollow for a third of its length at - the thick end, measured when extracted from the skull. - ------ - -Things were progressing very favourably, and there was any amount of -ivory to be had, and I was buying it at the rate of two or three tusks a -day, and at eight to ten shillings a pound each tusk would be worth from -£10 to £15. I was at first at a loss to account for so much ivory being -in the country, as the natives there do not hunt the elephant, but I -found that the Wanderobo tribe, who live on the outskirts of the -country, are great hunters; in fact, they live entirely by hunting; and -the elephants wounded by them, and getting away, seek cover in the -forest, where many of them die of their wounds, the wounds being made by -poisoned weapons. The Kikuyu, going into the forest to find wild honey, -find the ivory, and as no trader had been to the country to buy it -before, this accounted for the quantity to be had on my first visit. -These facts may also account for the remarkable stories one comes across -sometimes of “elephant cemeteries.”[13] Certainly, in a long and varied -experience of elephant-hunting in various parts of Africa I have never -come across anything but the slaughter caused by the hand of man which -could account for these so-called cemeteries, nor have any of the -elephant-hunters I have met—and I know all the chief ones—been able to -confirm the “cemetery” yarn. - ------ - -Footnote 13: - - A traveller some years since, having come across large quantities of - elephants’ skulls and bones collected together in one place, started - the theory that elephants came to particular spots to die. The - probability is that such places are scenes of the destruction of a - herd by slaughter. (See P. H. G. Powell-Cotton’s “In Unknown Africa,” - 1904.) - ------ - -One day Karkerrie and his elders came across to see me, being curious to -know all about the white man and his various possessions. Among other -things in my outfit, I had brought with me a musical clock, which, -instead of striking the hour, played a tune, and this I had in my tent. -After I had been talking to the chief for some time, the hour came round -and the clock struck up a lively tune. They could not understand this, -and thought there must be magic about it, so I told them that I could -make it speak whenever I wished, and, unnoticed, moved the lever. When -the hands came round to the hour, I said, “Now I will make it play a -tune.” It so happened that rain had been expected, and as the clock was -playing a few drops came. Looking up into the sky, they saw the rain, -and at once turned to me and asked if the clock could make rain, so I -said, “Certainly, it makes rain all right.” They said that it must be a -great thing if it could make rain, and seeing that these things seemed -to amuse them, I showed them a few sleight-of-hand tricks—never dreaming -that they took what I said seriously. - -The next day Karkerrie turned up, and said that rain was absolutely -necessary, and I must make some for them. I said that the best thing -they could do was to bring in plenty of ivory, and go on trading, and -the rain would come of itself, as it was not possible for anybody—white -or black—to make it rain. They kept bothering me every day, however, to -make it rain, and I kept putting them off with the excuse that the rain -was coming all right. But, unfortunately, it did not come, and from -believing that I could make rain they turned to thinking that I was -keeping it away with the clock, and things began to look threatening. -The natives would not bring in any more ivory, and I heard rumours that -the warriors were coming to attack my camp. In the meantime, unknown to -me, there was a plot on foot to murder me, in which, as I found out -afterwards, one of my own men was mixed up. It afterwards appeared that -he was a native of the very district in which we now were, but had been -taken away in some raid to where I had first met with him. - -None of the natives came near me, but I knew by the singing, and -shouting, and feasting, that something unusual was in the wind, and took -the precaution of having every man on guard, and slept myself fully -dressed, with my rifle handy, so as to be ready for any emergency. One -pitch-dark night about eight or nine o’clock, a day or two after I had -noticed the change of attitude on the part of the natives, the crisis -came. There had been an ominous stillness around the camp for some time, -when suddenly the air was rent by a wild uproar, and we heard the -war-cry of the tribe spreading from village to village, mingled with the -shrieking of women and children. Over all the din the hideous howl of -the hyenas could be distinguished. These animals seem to realize when -there is a feast of human flesh in store for them, and at the sound of -the native war-cry, which warns them of a fight being at hand, they are -always on the alert. The natives never bury their dead, but leave them -for the hyenas to eat. - -All doubts as to the object of this demonstration were removed by the -cries of “Kill the white man!” which could be heard above the other -sounds resounding in the stillness of the night, and it may be imagined -that my feelings were somewhat mixed—planted there out in the wilds as I -was, with a crowd of yelling savages anxious to cut my throat swarming -round my camp. The darkness added a good deal to the natural feeling of -uneasiness, and I certainly did not feel very sanguine as to the outcome -of this hostile demonstration; but all that I could do was to see that a -strict watch was being kept, and make the best preparations I could to -keep the enemy out if they should attack the camp. It was quite useless -to think of packing up and clearing out, as we should have been pretty -certain to have lost our way in the darkness, and have run a greater -risk of being killed in the morning. Further, to have shown the white -feather in this way now would have meant abandoning my project of going -up into the country, and I was by no means disposed to give up my -project. So I set to work as well as I could to build a kind of fort, -using the boxes of trade goods, and anything else I could get, to make -barricades. Having got all my people inside the enclosure, I warned them -not to move out of it on any consideration, telling them not to be -afraid, as we should come out of it all right. All the spare ammunition -was placed ready to hand, and we were prepared for the attack when it -should come. - -In the meantime, the uproar among the natives had died down and given -place to an almost oppressive stillness, only broken now and then by a -faint rustling, which told us that the savages were moving about just -outside the fort, and, although we could not see them, we instinctively -felt that we were being surrounded. The sensation of knowing that the -enemy were creeping up all round us was a good deal more trying to the -nerves than all the previous noise and shouting had been, and it was -difficult to remain inactive as the time dragged on and no move was made -against us. I kept the men at work, strengthening the fort, and while -they were thus engaged word was brought to me that the chief, Karkerrie, -had been seen, fully armed, going to join a body of the natives who were -collected some distance away. Acting on the spur of the moment, I called -a couple of men, and made my way quietly out of the fort, with the -object of intercepting him, if possible. I was just in time to waylay -him before he moved off, and jumping on him before he was aware of my -presence, I made him a prisoner, and carried him back to the fort. This -was a piece of rare good-fortune, and my spirits rose in consequence. -Waiting for the attack, however, was weary, monotonous work, so I went -round to each man separately, to give him a word of encouragement, and -especially to pass away the time. It was then that I found that one of -my men was missing from his post, and it was soon evident that he had -deserted. In the morning this man had been on guard over my tent, and I -had then noticed that his bearing was careless, and had taken him to -task for his lax appearance. I had trained all my men to do things in a -soldierly manner, and the leisurely way in which he was moving about had -attracted my attention. On my speaking to him, and telling him to walk -about properly, and not to go slouching along as he was then doing, he -smiled in a way that annoyed me, so I took his rifle away from him, -telling him that he would have to carry a load, as he was not fit for a -soldier. It was the memory of this incident that made me think of the -fellow, and miss him when I was going the round of the sentries, and -though I made inquiries, no one seemed to know where he was. I thought, -at the moment, that he had deserted on account of my taking his rifle -from him, and gave no more thought to the matter. - -The night dragged on, without any attack being made, and about four or -five o’clock in the morning we could tell, by the different noises -heard, and the sound of whispering that frequently reached us, that we -were surrounded by Karkerrie’s people, who were only waiting for the -first peep of dawn to blot us all out. It was evident that the critical -moment was at hand, and that it was time for me to act in some way; so I -spoke to Karkerrie, telling him that we were surrounded by his people, -and that immediately they attacked us, or even fired into the camp, he -would be the first man to die. To further convince him that I was -thoroughly in earnest, I placed my revolver to his head, and told him -that at the first sign of an attack I should fire. The chief had a -pretty good regard for his own skin, and, being quite satisfied that I -should carry out my threat, he at once shouted to his followers, and -told them of the position he was in. Fortunately, his words, to all -appearance, had the desired effect, though the Kikuyu were at first -considerably surprised to find that their chief was inside the fort, and -were, no doubt, badly at a loss to account for his presence there. He -had, however, evidently sufficient power over them for his orders to be -respected, and they gradually drew off, and things quieted down once -again. When daylight came, we could tell by the spoor on the ground, and -the way everything had been trodden down, that the fort must have been -surrounded by thousands of natives during the night. - -Karkerrie having assured me that no further attack should be made, and -repeated his professions of friendship, I set him at liberty, and things -resumed their normal aspect. To see the natives going about as usual -made it difficult to realize that I and my people had been so nearly -wiped out. Nevertheless, I did not trust the chief, and had spies -secretly watching his movements, and ready to warn me of the slightest -sign of treachery. This same Karkerrie, soon after the country was taken -over by the Government, finding that the new Administration were -apparently unable to cope with the raiding of Wagombi and some of the -other chiefs, took advantage of the apparent slackness of the -Administration to attack a safari belonging to some Indian traders, and -looted their goods. But in this instance he had gone a little too far, -and an expedition was sent up to capture him, and he was deported to -Kismayu, a hot, unhealthy spot on the coast. He did not long survive the -effects of the climate, and the change in position in life from a -powerful autocratic chief to a closely guarded prisoner. There is now a -fort and Government station at his old place at Nyeri, where I had first -come across him. - -Although the clock had undoubtedly played a great part in provoking the -natives to attack me, yet it must be remembered, in the first place, -that they were very much averse to any white man coming into their -country; and, further, being boundary natives—that is, natives living on -the boundary of the country—they were naturally much more warlike than -the tribes farther in the interior. They were used to fighting -practically every day of their lives, and accustomed to resent the -coming of any strangers into their country. The manner of my coming -among them, so quietly, with the chief Katuni, and Muga-wa-diga, the -witch doctor, had made them, for the moment, overlook their natural -antipathy to a stranger, and they hardly knew how to attack me. They -probably regretted having allowed me to come into the country so -quietly, and the incident of the clock gave them the excuse for which -they were looking to vent their natural enmity towards the stranger on -me. This uprising had also happened before I had been able to get -thoroughly acquainted with them, and consequently I had acquired no -influence over them. I found that they had actually arranged a plot to -kill me, which was to have been started by the man who had deserted from -my camp. How it was to have been carried out I never learned, but it is -most probable that he was to shoot me, and the fact of my having taken -his rifle away upset all their plans. Certainly they had sufficient -inducement to wish to get me out of the way, as many of them, no doubt, -had cast covetous eyes on the quantity of trade goods and cattle I had -with me. They would not have hesitated to kill me for such a store of -loot, as they were accustomed to kill Arab traders passing through the -country. I had not omitted to show them everything I had for trade, as -an inducement to them to bring in the ivory. They naturally all took a -great fancy to my possessions, but they had not all got ivory to trade -for them, and an attack would have given a splendid excuse to loot the -whole outfit. - -I pitched my camp again as usual, and went about as if nothing had -happened, and the natives came to trade, and mixed with my people as -before; but I was never off my guard, and always carried my revolver -with me wherever I went. - -Going on with my trading, I sent two or three cows out in different -directions to be exchanged for sheep. It may have been a foolish thing -to do, but I let the cows go out of my camp without sending any of my -own men with them. I had done the same thing before, and the sheep had -always been brought in, and it never occurred to me that it might not be -so again; but on this occasion it happened otherwise: the sheep did not -come in, and the natives refused to return the cattle. I was rather at a -loss how to act, I had such a lot of ivory in the camp. I did not know -whether it would be best to leave the camp and go after the cattle, or -what to do. Whatever I did, however, must be done quickly, so I decided -to leave a few men in camp—about ten askari and fifty Kikuyu—and go -after the cattle. The most remarkable thing about the affair was that -the cattle had been taken to exchange for sheep in charge of Karkerrie’s -own men, and his son, and some of the men who went with him, had come -back wounded, saying that they had lost the cattle. It was therefore now -for me to find out what had really happened, and to recover the cattle. - -The wounded men were not fit to go out to show me the place where the -fight had taken place, but another of Karkerrie’s men offered to come -with me and do so, so I saddled up my mule, and started off ahead of the -main body of my men to the scene of the fight. On arriving there I found -the place absolutely deserted, but, standing on a hill some little -distance away, shouting and defying me, was a crowd of natives, who, -however, did not attempt to come any nearer. As my own temper by this -time was pretty well worked up, I pushed on till I got pretty close to -them. They did not shift, so I slackened my pace to allow my own men to -come up, and then advanced together to within about one hundred paces of -them. Seeing, from their attitude and gestures, that they were preparing -for a rush down on us, we fired a volley into them; several were killed, -and a good many others must have been wounded. This apparently satisfied -them, and they did not attempt to put up a fight, but ran away, shouting -for their friends to help them to kill us. Realizing that it was useless -to try to get the cows back from these people, and feeling rather uneasy -about my own camp, I thought it advisable to return and see what was -going on there; so I hurried back, and on nearing the camp I heard a lot -of shouting and row going on. Being on my mule, I was able to push on -quicker, and got ahead of the rest to see what was the matter, my men -following as fast as they could. At the same time, I kept a sharp look -out as I went on either side, in case there might be an ambush, and at -intervals I fired my revolver into the bushes. On getting in sight of -the camp, I found it was besieged by a crowd of howling savages, who, I -soon discovered, were not Karkerrie’s men, but some natives from another -tribe. Seeing me approach, and hearing my shout to encourage my men, -they ceased the attack, and cleared off promptly into the bush. I found -that two or three of my men had been slightly wounded by arrows, but -none had been killed; while the other side had suffered pretty severely, -quite a number of them having been killed. It appeared that these -natives had heard of my absence, and thought it would be a good -opportunity to attack the camp and get some loot. They had come upon it -in a solid mass, and my men had only just managed to keep them at bay -till we came up; in fact, the camp was practically surrounded when I got -there, and it was impossible for the defenders to have held out much -longer. Fortunately, I returned in time to prevent the enemy entering -the camp, or all would have been lost. - -The unfriendly natives having made themselves scarce, we settled down -into camp again, and once more things began to go along in the old -routine, as if we had had no unusual happenings. - -That day the long-expected rain came, and with it a remarkable change in -the manner of the people towards me. The day after they came in with -lots of ivory and brought me presents of sheep and goats, telling me -that I was a very great man, as I could fight and also make rain. They -firmly believed that I was responsible for the coming of the rain, and -asked me to live there altogether, offering to build a house for me and -do anything I wished if I would only stay among them. Of course, I told -them that I could not stay with them, and soon after brought my visit to -Karkerrie to a close. - -Having a lot of ivory, which I did not want to carry about the country -with me, I secretly buried it at the edge of the forest, my intention -being to go on to Wagombi, the big chief living at the foot of Mount -Kenia. Before I left all the natives were on the best of terms with me, -and said that they were willing to Pigasangi, while the chief Karkerrie -expressed his willingness to make blood brotherhood with me. Katuni and -Muga-wa-diga had returned to their villages some time previous to my -departure from Karkerrie’s, and I learned afterwards that news of the -happenings at Tato had reached my headquarters and that we had all been -reported as killed. - -I had heard a lot of talk about Wagombi, and was very anxious to visit -him and, if possible, make friends with him, as my aim was to get all -that country under control and put a stop to the fighting and bloodshed, -so that it would be safe for caravans to pass through it and trade. The -natives were beginning to see that I had their interests at heart and -were beginning to like me. All the way along I had made friends, and I -had hopes that, by means of the Pigasangi and blood brotherhood, I might -get all the chiefs friendly and at peace with one another. The three -ruling chiefs at that time were Karuri, Karkerrie, and Wagombi, and I -felt that if I could once get these three to make friends I should soon -be able to make the petty chiefs stop their squabbling. I had already -got a friendly understanding with the two first-named chiefs, but -Wagombi was by far the biggest and most influential of the three, and if -I could get him to come in the matter was settled and the country too. -My success, so far, was undoubtedly due to my having Kikuyu natives with -me as my followers. Without them I should probably never have achieved -anything at all, but the fact of my having what were practically their -own people with me gave the chiefs I met confidence in me. - -I parted on the best of terms with Karkerrie, and set out for Wagombi’s -country. The country we were now passing through was much more sparsely -inhabited, and we camped the first night at the headwaters of the Tana -River, where, although no natives came to see me, I took the usual -precautions for guarding the camp. Very shortly afterwards these -precautions were amply justified, and I was made to realize that I was -by no means in an entirely friendly country yet. Some of my men, going -down without a guard to fetch water, were attacked by natives, and three -of them speared to death. They had evidently been ambushed while going -through a shamba by some natives who had immediately cleared off, and, -though I made inquiries and found traces of a good many feet in the -shamba, the murderers themselves were nowhere visible. We buried the -three bodies that afternoon, and had no more disturbance during the -night. The next morning we had struck camp for the final stage of the -march to Wagombi’s when we saw a lot of natives doing a war-dance and -shouting. Going to inquire what it was all about, I found that they had -dug up the bodies of the three men we had buried the previous day, and -were having a war-dance over them; so, turning away from such a gruesome -spectacle, we resumed our march. - -I had, of course, already sent messages on to Wagombi, to let him know -that I was coming, and the news had spread among his own people that I -was on the way to pay him a visit. Wagombi himself had come out a -considerable distance to meet me, about ten miles from his own village. -I found him a fine, tall fellow, in his bearing and appearance every -inch a chief, and in his speech a good deal more brisk than any other -Kikuyu I had met. He greeted me very heartily, shaking hands in the -usual Kikuyu fashion—first spitting in the palm—and had quite a lot to -say about himself and the country. He had with him quite a young lad, -about ten years old, whom he introduced as his son and successor, and -who seemed a very bright little fellow, of whom the chief appeared to be -very proud. This lad is at the present time the chief of that district. - -Wagombi brought no other followers with him but two or three old men. He -himself wore a robe of monkey-skins, and was without any head-dress, -while he carried a huge spear. As we proceeded towards the village he -told me that he had heard a lot about me, and was very pleased to meet -me. He said that he knew he had a very bad reputation for his treatment -of people passing through his country, but that he was anxious to make -friends with me, and was pleased that I had not brought any Arabs or -Swahili with me, as he did not want any people of that sort in his -country, and would kill the lot of them. Being some distance ahead of my -party, and noticing that we were meeting large numbers of warriors as we -went along the road, I sent word back to my people to keep a sharp look -out, and told the chief about my men having been murdered at the last -camp. He said that it had been done by his people all right, but that -they had been acting absolutely on their own; in fact, he had sent -messengers along our road to tell them not to interfere with us in any -way, so that what had happened had been entirely against his wishes, and -he meant to find out who had done it and punish them. - -By the time we had got to his place we had quite a big following, and -one old man who joined us by the way must have been the chief’s medicine -man, as when he first met us he killed a sheep on the road, and at every -stream we crossed he sprinkled a little of the dung taken from the -sheep’s intestines on the river bank and in the stream. (This practice -figures largely in the superstitious rites of the Kikuyu.) He also -sprinkled some on the road as we went along, at the same time shouting a -lot of gibberish. He had previously cut two rings out of the skin of a -sheep, and given them to the chief and myself to wear on our right arms, -a custom which, it seemed, was a sign of friendship. - -Wagombi’s kraal was right at the top of a smaller mountain which rises -at the foot of Mount Kenia, and from this vantage-ground a splendid view -could be obtained of the country for many miles around. The morning -after our arrival I had an opportunity of taking in the full beauty of -the scene from our lofty situation. Spread out as far as the eye could -reach was a panoramic view of the Kikuyu country through which I had -travelled, showing the glittering streams threading their way through -deep valleys, the hills on either side being clothed with trees, and -dotted here and there with villages; while, where the country was more -open, cattle and sheep could be seen quietly grazing, and the cultivated -clearings could be seen at intervals. Viewed as a whole, the landscape -presented a rugged appearance, with deep clefts between the mountains, -innumerable streams, and thick forest land; while between the mountains -on the right could be dimly made out the edge of the Laikipia Plain. We -were on the lower slopes of Kenia, and for a considerable distance up -the mountain is clothed with a thick forest, so dense that, except in a -few places, it is quite impenetrable. - -The most careless mind must be awed by the majesty of Mount Kenia, as -the eye ranges over its huge bulk, from the wooded slopes near the foot -to its summit, rising many thousands of feet in the air, crowned with a -circle of perpetual snow, glistening in the rays of the sun. Surrounded -by Nature in her grandest form, Wagombi might be pardoned for a -conscious pride in his magnificent heritage, which, owing nothing to the -art of the landscape gardener, yet far surpassed the beauties of any -estate to be found in the civilized countries of the world. - -I found that Wagombi had a number of rifles, and ammunition for them as -well, and all the rifles were in good order. He told me he had got them -from the Wakamba, Arabs, Swahili, and that class of people. Describing -the Swahili as a foolish lot of people, who attempted to come through -his country without taking any precautions, he made no scruple of -killing them, and of taking anything they had. One thing I liked about -the chief was his absolute straightforwardness about everything. He made -no attempt to hide anything, but would tell you quite frankly about all -his affairs, contrary to the usual practice of the nigger. - -While we were camped there thousands of warriors came to see us, and -they came stalking into the camp in such numbers that it was absolutely -impossible to try to keep them out, as it could not have been done -without using force, and that would have upset everything. Previously in -travelling through the country I had always kept men on guard to prevent -any one coming into the camp unless first disarmed, but here they came -in by hundreds, and I could not keep them out. Knowing Wagombi’s -reputation, I thought he might be trying the confidence trick on me by -appearing so friendly, and took steps accordingly. - -I told Wagombi that I should like to build a camp, as it was rather -cold, and asked him to get some of his people to help me. He said he -would be only too pleased, and the next day his men started bringing in -wood and grass; and I then got a lot of them started building a house, -and told the chief that it was the white man’s custom to put a fence -round. As he made no objection, I marked off a big open space round the -house, my real intention being to build a kind of small fort; but it was -more politic to say that I wanted to build a house, as it roused no -suspicion as to my real intention. I had it all planned out in my head, -and first of all had a big circular fence built, just high enough to -stand and shoot over. I then told the chief that I had not built this -fence high enough, and should have to build another inside it, and as he -raised no objection again, I built another, seven or eight feet high -inside the first, so that I now had a double fence all round, the -entrance to the first being at quite a different point to that of the -second. This form of structure would be a great advantage in case of -attack, as it would be necessary, after entering the first fence, to -walk some distance round before coming to the entrance to the second, -and it would give us a chance, in case of a rush, of shooting the -intruders before they had a chance of getting into the inner circle of -the fort. I also built a tower about thirty feet high, which made an -excellent look-out, and had the advantage of enabling the defenders to -cover any portion of the fort with their rifles. The plan aroused no -suspicion, and they probably thought that it was the way white men’s -houses were usually built. - -I was rather proud of my tower, and a brief description of it may -interest the reader, so I will give it. It was, of course, constructed -of wood. Taking four strong poles for the corner-posts, I lashed -cross-pieces between them, diagonally, on each side with bark or -fibre-rope, which is very strong and lasts for years, and on the top of -this framework I built a platform, and above the platform I repeated the -process, so that the tower was really a double-storied building, with an -arrangement of ladders to reach the upper portion. Wagombi thought that -the way I had built the house was quite a good idea, and remarked in a -quiet way, “What a good thing it would be to keep a rush of the savages -out!” Curiously enough, by “savages” he meant his own people. I expect -he tumbled to my object, as he was a fellow who had all his wits about -him, but he made no further comment. My rule had always been never to -neglect any precautions, whether the natives were friendly or otherwise; -and so far I had pulled through all right. Experience had taught me that -to do things in a dilatory or careless fashion was to put temptation in -their way, so I never took the risk. - -I camped at Wagombi’s for a considerable time, and he told me that they -had some ivory, and on my expressing a wish to trade the ivory came in -plentifully, while the price was quite different to what I had paid at -Tato, being very much cheaper—almost given away, in fact, in comparison. -In the meanwhile I frequently invited Wagombi to my place, and taught -him to drink tea. His headman also came to see me, and we got to be on -very friendly terms. After a time the chief mentioned blood brotherhood, -and asked me if I was agreeable to join him in the ceremony. I said I -thought it would be a very good thing, and then told him about -Muga-wa-diga and Karkerrie, and suggested that it would be a grand thing -if we could all make blood brotherhood together. I particularly wanted -to pull this off, as it would make all the chiefs friendly with one -another, and I should then have them under my control. - -Later on I managed to arrange the ceremony of Pigasangi, which, as I -have explained, is much more of a national affair. Of course, I first -suggested this to Wagombi, but did not manage to get his consent without -a lot of trouble, and after going very fully into an explanation as to -why I was so anxious to bring it about. He had a very strong objection -to blood brotherhood with Karkerrie and Muga-wa-diga, and took a lot of -talking round; in fact, I only managed the matter eventually by the aid -of presents. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - -The Wanderobo—Visit from the Wanderobo chief—Native bartering—A grand -meeting of surrounding tribes for blood brotherhood under my -auspices—Dancing frenzy—Native ideas of a future life—Again trek for the -unknown—Attacked by natives—Chief’s admonition—Decide to visit the -Wanderobo chief Olomondo—Wanderobo gluttony—The honey bird—Wanderobo -methods of hunting—Massacre of a Goanese safari—My narrow escape—General -uprising of hostile tribes—Rise of the Chinga tribe against me—My -precarious position—Successful sally and total defeat of the enemy—My -blood brother, the Kikuyu chieftain, comes to my aid with thousands of -armed men—Total extinction of the Chinga people - - -During my stay at Wagombi’s another chief turned up, who proved to be a -man named Olomondo, chief of the Wanderobo tribe. The Wanderobo are a -race of hunters, who live entirely by hunting, and inhabit the country -round Mount Kenia and on the great plain adjoining Wagombi’s country, -down towards the Guasa Nyero River. Olomondo came to see me, and, -according to the custom of the country, brought me a present of honey. -It is always customary when making a visit to a stranger to bring a -present, and the recipient is himself expected to return the compliment -by giving a present of at least an equal value to the one he has -received. This man was plainly quite a different type of native to -Wagombi’s people, being rather sharp-featured and practically the same -as the Masai. I found out, in the course of conversation, that his clan -numbered about six hundred men, besides women and children, and that -their kraal was about two days’ march to the north-west of us. He -mentioned the Maswatch-wanya, and told me that in the course of his -hunting he had seen these pigmy people, but had never got into -communication with them. It was Wagombi’s boast that Mount Kenia -belonged to him and the Wanderobo were his people, and joined him if -there was a fight. I afterwards found that they were a very timid -people, but, judging from the quality of their weapons, I should imagine -that they could put up a good fight, Olomondo’s bow and arrows being -much larger and stronger than those of the Kikuyu, which were like toys -in comparison, while as a proof of their ability to use them, I saw -Olomondo put an arrow clean through an antelope as big as a sheep. He -invited me out to his camp, saying that he had some ivory for sale, and -also saying that there was any amount of game out on the plain, and -asking me to go hunting with him. This I promised to do later on. -Incidentally, he complained of the Kikuyu getting his ivory, as many of -the elephants his people wounded strayed away and died in the forest, -and the Kikuyu would find their bodies and take the ivory. I told him -that I was afraid I could not do anything in the matter, as it was quite -impossible to trace the ivory. The Wanderobo knew the commercial value -of ivory, and had sold it to the Arab and Swahili traders. - -After some discussion it was arranged that Olomondo should make blood -brotherhood with me at the same time as the other chiefs, and the -difficulty then arose as to where the ceremony should take place. -Wagombi, being the biggest chief, naturally wanted it to take place at -Mount Kenia, but on messages being sent to Karkerrie and Muga-wa-diga, -they refused to come to Wagombi’s, saying that they were enemies of each -other, and that they had no guarantee that they would not be murdered on -the way. I then suggested to Wagombi that he should send them each a -present of a goat or a sheep, but he said that he would sooner eat them -himself. He was a bigger man than either of the other chiefs, and it was -for them to send him a present first. For some time there was a -deadlock, but I finally got out of the difficulty by asking Wagombi if -he would give me the presents. He replied, “Certainly, you can have a -hundred if you like. My place is yours, take anything you want.” I said -that I did not want anything out of the ordinary; if he would give me -one or two sheep, that was all that I wanted; so he had the sheep -brought in. I then said, “All right, you have given me these sheep, I -can do anything I like with them.” He replied, “Yes, they are yours, I -have given them to you.” So I then told him that I intended to send one -sheep to Karkerrie and one to Muga-wa-diga, telling them that they were -presents from him and myself, and I also arranged with them that we -should meet about half-way, and selected a place for the ceremony. -Eventually they all agreed to this and the day was fixed. - -The site I had chosen formed a natural amphitheatre, and was a spot I -had noted on my way to Wagombi’s from Tato. It was an open space, which -I was told was used at certain times as a market-place, and I had an -opportunity later on of seeing one of these markets held. On that -occasion hundreds of natives collected there for the purpose of -exchanging their various goods. The noise of haggling and bargaining was -terrific. One thing I noticed was that there was no livestock in the -market, but all other kinds of produce were to be seen, and it was -amusing to watch a couple of old women arguing as to how many sweet -potatoes ought to be exchanged for so many beans. One crowd would have -loads of calabashes, while another would be selling piles of -cooking-pots made of a sort of clay, only to be found in certain parts -of the country, which was especially suitable for that purpose; while in -another part of the market large quantities of the red ochre—or -_siriga_, as it is called—which the natives used for painting their -bodies was to be had. Another peculiar thing I noticed was the selling -of the native drink njohi, in exchange for a hornful of which I saw a -native pay over a hornful of beans. Having no money, everything was -bought and sold by means of a system of barter, which was not -accomplished without much arguing and haggling, everybody gesticulating -and shouting at once. - -[Illustration: A GROUP OF WA-KIKUYU PORTERS AND THE AUTHOR] - -It was on the site of this market-ground that the ceremony of blood -brotherhood was to take place, and it was looked upon as a great event -in the country, and the occasion for much feasting and rejoicing. -Thousands of the natives attended, each chief bringing a large crowd of -followers, while all the tribes in the neighbourhood were fully -represented, but no women or children were present. Wagombi took quite a -large number of his people, and I took the bulk of mine, leaving only a -few in charge of the camp; while Olomondo, the Wanderobo chief, had -about ten of his men with him. An immense crowd had already gathered -when we arrived, Karkerrie and Muga-wa-diga—each attended by hundreds of -warriors—having got there in advance of us. It was a stirring spectacle -to see these thousands of warriors gathered together in all their savage -glory, their bodies elaborately painted and oiled, and each man armed -with spear and shield, while their dress of skins added to their savage -appearance. The natives were for the most part standing about, but a few -of the older men were sitting down talking matters over, and our arrival -was greeted with shouting and singing. Such an event as this was, of -course, entirely new to them, nothing like it having ever taken place -before in the Kikuyu country, and as it was through my influence that it -had been brought about, I was naturally the centre of interest. I had -the Union Jack with me as usual, and as we advanced there was a lull in -the conversation, and all became quiet and expectant. - -Noticing that some had already begun drinking njohi, I advised the -chiefs that it would be much better to leave the drinking until their -return to their homes, because, as all these natives had previously been -hostile to each other, and knowing the native character, I was afraid -that they would be getting drunk and starting to quarrel, which would -spoil everything. The chiefs readily fell in with my suggestion, and at -once put a stop to the drinking. At my suggestion also, all the weapons -were placed on the ground, the warriors depositing their swords and -spears in heaps, which four of my men were told off to guard. - -When all the people were grouped round in a circle, with the chief -actors in the middle, I addressed them through an interpreter, and -explained the object of the gathering, telling them that they were met -together on friendly terms to make blood brotherhood with the chiefs of -the country, and that it was for this reason that they had been asked to -lay aside their weapons. While this was going on a fire had been -lighted, and a sheep was brought in and killed. Each chief supplemented -what I had said with some words to the same effect—the old witch doctor, -Muga-wa-diga, being the most loquacious, and taking full advantage of -the opportunity thus afforded him of indulging his vanity—and then the -chief orators of the tribes voiced their opinions in turn. During the -speech-making the chiefs and myself were grouped round the fire talking -together while the process of cooking certain parts of the sheep was -going on. The heart and liver were taken out and cut into little pieces, -which were then roasted separately on a skewer, carefully cut and shaved -clean before the meat was put on, the result being something like the -Oriental mutton kabobs. - -When the cooking was finished the orators ceased talking, and all -attention was turned on us. Olomondo, the hunter chief, was the first to -take a prominent part in the ceremony. Taking one of his sharp arrows, -he made an incision in the flesh of each one who was to be joined in -blood brotherhood just above the heart. When this had been done the meat -was passed round, each one receiving a piece, which he first rubbed in -the blood from the wound made by the arrow, and then handed it to his -neighbour, who had already done the same with the meat he had received. -The meat was then eaten, and this went on until each one had eaten the -blood from each and all in turn. This completed the ceremony, and every -one turned to dancing and rejoicing, sheep and goats being killed and -roasted, and a big feast was held. In the excitement some of my men lost -their heads and started firing their rifles in the air, an incident -which nearly precipitated a fight, and threatened to undo all the good -that had been done. As soon as I heard the firing I rushed up, and at -once realized what had happened; but some of the natives thought there -was an intention of foul play and began hunting for their spears, and in -spite of my explanation things looked ugly, and it was some time before -all were reassured and things calmed down. - -I advised the chiefs not to delay too long before returning to their -homes, as the temper of the people might change, in which case there -would probably be trouble. The natives get very excited when dancing, -and work themselves into hysterics, when they are not responsible for -what they may do. Among my own people I had put a stop to that sort of -thing by putting any man who showed signs of getting into that state -under restraint at once. Before taking these steps I had seen as many as -twenty men at one time all mad with excitement, first one and then -another going clean off his head. They would gradually work themselves -up into a perfect state of frenzy, until they trembled from head to -foot, and after jumping up and down would draw in their breath in great -gulps and suddenly grip their spears and run amok. The other natives -thought they were possessed of a devil,[14] and their method of treating -a man so affected was to bear him to the ground by sheer force, and then -half a dozen or more would sit on him. I found, however, that a little -salutary punishment very quickly cured them of that sort of thing. - ------ - -Footnote 14: - - This devil, whom they called Ngoma, appeared to correspond more to the - Christian idea of the devil than is often the case with the deities of - savage tribes. The Kikuyu were monotheists, regarding Ngai as a - benevolent deity, from whom all benefits came, and to whom they - offered sacrifices and paid homage, with a view to favours to come; - while Ngoma, on the other hand, was a deity who brought only evil and - disaster upon them, and to whom they offered no sacrifices and paid no - homage, wherein they would appear to be a good deal more like - consistent Christians should be than the majority of the modern - professors of that faith, including a good many native clergy, who, in - spite of their orders and profession of Christianity, still practise - in secret the heathen rites and superstitions of their ancestors. - - The Kikuyu are also firm believers in a future life, though possibly - from a somewhat materialistic point of view. Their belief is that - their “heaven” is situated under the earth, while the abode of Ngoma - is above it, and that when they die their spirit goes to the world - below, where they will lead a similar life to that which they have - left on earth, possessing the same herds of sheep, cattle, and goats - as they then had, and being joined again by their wives as they die. - ------ - -It was pretty late in the afternoon when we left the camp to return to -Wagombi’s, after seeing that all the others had started for their homes. - -I prolonged my stay at Wagombi’s for some time, and continued to trade -in ivory, which, as I have said, I bought at a very cheap rate. I -happened to have the right sort of trade goods, and the natives were -very anxious to deal. I remember that they took a particular liking for -one special fancy cloth that I had, and there was quite a run on it. It -was a very gaudy material, in a variety of colours, and after they had -wrapped a piece loosely round them, they would run about like children, -being delighted to see it fluttering in the wind as it streamed behind -them like a huge blanket. - -I was told that some natives living more down towards the coast had -quite a lot of ivory, and that the trade goods which I had still left -with me—chiefly iron and brass wire—would be very suitable for trading -with them. I also gathered that these people were living in the part of -the country where Gibbons’s safari had been cut up, and that if I went -there I would have to take every precaution, as I should probably find -them hostile. Wagombi agreed to provide me with guides and gave me all -the information in his power. - -As I was anxious to see the country, and to get into touch with the -people with whom Gibbons fared so badly, I arranged to make the journey, -and proceeded to get my expedition together. Having buried the ivory I -had bought at Wagombi’s, as I had done that at Tato, when all was in -readiness I said goodbye to the friendly chief, and once again trekked -off to parts unknown. - -The country was very much the same as that through which I had already -passed, being very hilly and thickly wooded, but the natives had heard -of my coming and had evidently no desire to meet me. They had deserted -all their villages, and I could not get into touch with them at all, -although at different times I got glimpses of some of them on the tops -of the hills, and though we shouted to them that we were friends, they -would not come near us. As their attitude was threatening, I came to the -conclusion that they were enemies of Wagombi, and each night when we -camped I took the precaution of erecting a boma, and would not allow any -man outside the camp unless it was absolutely necessary. The first -trouble came when the men went out to get water. We were camped on some -high ground at a considerable distance from the river, so I sent a good -guard with the party going for water, and as they were returning up the -hill I suddenly heard a lot of shouting. Taking some more of my men, I -rushed down to see what was happening, and found that the party was -being attacked by a big crowd of savages, who were shooting at them with -arrows. In this part of the country they use bows and arrows more than -spears, and I actually saw some women armed with these weapons and using -them as well as the men. Some of the savages had got up in the trees and -were firing on my men as they passed beneath, and before we managed to -clear them out and drive them away, one of my men had been killed and -another wounded by the arrows. Getting back to the camp, we found that -it was surrounded by another howling mob of niggers, and we had great -difficulty in fighting our way through and getting in. Once safely in -the camp, we turned and poured a steady fire into the mass. This -fusillade eventually drove them off, though several very ugly rushes -were made before they finally gave up the attempt to overpower us. - -From the height on which the camp was pitched we could see dozens of -villages all round us, and it was very evident that the country was very -thickly populated; but feeling absolutely safe as long as we stuck -together, we were not alarmed at the hostile demonstrations on the part -of the natives, who still threatened us from a safe distance, so we -slept there that night, nothing happening to disturb our rest, but of -course a strict guard was kept. - -The next morning the natives again gathered round us; but it was a very -half-hearted attack that they made this time, however, as they chiefly -contented themselves with shouting insulting remarks at us from a -distance, only now and then making a combined rush, which we easily beat -off. Not that my men did very much damage, as the native has no idea of -shooting straight, and it is very difficult to make them understand the -sights of a rifle. My men were all right up to a hundred yards, as I had -taught them always to aim low, whereas the native is apt to fire high; -while the ordinary native who has had no training with a gun is -absolutely useless, generally turning his head the other way when he -pulls the trigger. - -The natives kept up their hostile attitude for some days, occasionally -creeping up and dropping arrows into the camp, while we waited, -expecting that they would either make friends or put forth a big effort -to wipe us out altogether. Our great difficulty was that food was -beginning to run short, our supply having been only a small one to start -with; so feeling that it was useless to hope to make friends with these -people, and that therefore nothing was to be gained by staying there, I -decided to trek back to Wagombi’s. Breaking camp, we started back, and -although the natives shouted at us from a safe distance, as usual, they -made no attempt to cut us off, so we got safely back to our old camp. -When Wagombi had heard my account of what had happened, he said that, if -I liked, he would muster his people and, as he expressively put it, “go -and clear up the whole country.” I thanked him, but declined his kind -offer, as I felt that it was taking on too big a job, and I was also -anxious to get back to my old quarters at Karuri’s, from which I had now -been away about six months. During the time I had been away I had heard -no definite news of what was going on there, but it was reported that we -were all killed, and that long ago they had given up all hope of seeing -us again. - -When I declined Wagombi’s offer to make war on the tribe that had -attacked us, I told him that my idea was to get on friendly terms with -the natives without any shooting or anything of that sort, and after I -had explained this to him he was rather disappointed with me, and said, -“Why all this humbug? The country is yours. What’s the use of humbugging -about like a woman?” We had a lot of talk about it, and after a time he -gave in and seemed to be convinced, remarking that I was a white man and -must know better than he what was the best thing to do. - -Olomondo, the hunter chief of the Wanderobo, was still staying at -Wagombi’s, but he and his people were getting restless, and wanted to -get back to their families. He was anxious that I should accompany him, -promising me plenty of ivory and hunting if I would go with him; so, -thinking the opportunity of making friends with his tribe, and at the -same time securing more ivory, was too good to be lost, I decided to -defer my return to headquarters until after I had paid him my promised -visit. I had left some good men in charge at Karuri’s, who would be -still buying food in my absence, and as I had taken a good supply into -the Government stations before I left, I had no fear that they would be -running short. I also took into consideration the fact that I was making -more money by ivory trading, and this partly influenced me in deciding -to accompany Olomondo. In addition to all these reasons I had a strong -desire to get more into the wilds and out amongst the game. I was not -feeling too well, as the strain of the past few months was beginning to -tell on me, and I felt that the change from the thickly-populated -district to the practically uninhabited country which was the -hunting-ground of the Wanderobo would be very welcome. - -We had to take a lot of food with us, and every man had to carry a load, -as no flour was to be bought from the Wanderobo, who live entirely upon -flesh. I also got a few of Wagombi’s people to carry some flour and -other things that we should require, but they were to return home when -we had decided upon the site for our headquarter camp, as we should make -a food station there. Of course, I could have shot plenty of game, but -the Kikuyu would not eat it, being in most cases vegetarians. - -Having got everything ready for the expedition and said a lot of -farewells—Wagombi being very sorry that I was leaving his part of the -country—we started off. The first part of our journey led through forest -country, and at the end of the first day’s march all signs of human -habitation had disappeared, and we camped that night at the edge of the -forest, while before us stretched a beautiful park-like country, open -plain with patches of forest here and there, which struck me as an ideal -district for farming. The change from the thickly populated Kikuyu -country and the absence of native villages was most refreshing, and I -slept very comfortably that night, with the thought of the prospect -before us, and awoke to a cool, fresh morning and a beautiful sunrise. -Going out of my tent, I revelled in the beauty of the scene spread out -before me, and once more experienced the exhilarating feeling of -gipsy-like freedom, the liberty to roam where I would at will, hunting -the wild game which could be seen in plenty from the door of my tent. - -Watering the rich pasture-lands of the plain were numerous cool streams -coming down from the mountains, and flowing through the valley to form -the Guasa Nyero. All around were the virgin forests, while out on the -open plain were many most inviting spots for camping. The whole country -was free for us to go wherever we wished, without any fear of -interference. One felt that one was in a different world, and wondered -how any one who had experienced this sense of freedom from the trammels -of civilization could ever wish to go back to the crowded cities, or be -cooped up within the four walls of a house. At that moment of -exhilaration I certainly did not envy the civilized citizen at home. - -After breakfast we set out again on the march, and continued until the -heat of the sun began to be oppressive, when we rested for lunch, -continuing our journey afterwards through further stretches of most -beautiful scenery. Three days’ march from Wagombi’s we came to the -village of the Wanderobo, who had been warned of our coming by -messengers sent on ahead of the caravan. They gave us a friendly -welcome, but it was evident that they were a very timid people, and I -was convinced that, had Olomondo not been with me, I should never have -come in contact with them, as they would certainly have kept out of my -way entirely. They seemed a bit scared at seeing so many of my -followers, but the chief assured them that there was no cause for alarm. -Their kraal was a very primitive affair, being simply a lean-to shed, -without the slightest attempt at privacy—all the married men and their -wives occupying one portion, and the young men and girls another—while I -found them the laziest and dirtiest people I had ever met. They will not -go out hunting until they are absolutely starving, and when they have -killed some big animal, they simply gorge themselves on it, sitting -round it, and never leave the spot until every scrap of the meat has -been devoured. I was to have an early example of this practice. I had -brought with me ten big bullocks, and, as these people had a fair amount -of ivory, they were able to buy the whole lot. To my surprise, no sooner -had they got the bullocks into their possession than they killed the -whole ten at once, and fires having been lighted, a circle of savages -gathered round each bullock, and, as it cooked, cut off huge strips of -the flesh and ate them, not moving away until each bullock had been -absolutely disposed of. A more disgusting spectacle I never witnessed. -They live entirely on meat, but have a drink which they make from the -wild honey. A remarkable thing in connexion with this honey is that they -are often shown where to find it by following a bird, which they call -the honey bird. One day, when out hunting, I noticed a small bird of a -brownish colour, not much larger than a sparrow, which was twittering on -a bush close at hand. Presently it flew towards me, twittering overhead, -and afterwards alighted on a tree, still twittering, and the Wanderobo -began to talk to it. I had heard of the honey bird before, but this was -the first time that I had seen one, and I was very much interested. The -natives continued to talk to it, and when it began to fly again, they -followed it as it went twittering along, keeping just a little in -advance of us, for perhaps a couple of miles, until we came to a hollow -tree, where it stopped, and the Wanderobo, saying that we should find -some honey there, began chopping the tree away until they found a -considerable store of wild honey. After taking the honey out, they gave -a certain quantity to the bird—or rather, left some in the tree for it, -as they said that if they did not do that, the bird would, on another -occasion, lead them on to a dangerous animal or a big snake. Of course -this was simply a piece of native superstition, which I satisfactorily -proved to have no truth in it, as I took the trouble to test it one day -when I had followed the honey bird, by taking every bit of the honey to -which it led me, without leaving any for the bird. After flying round -two or three times, it went twittering on again for another two or three -miles, and when it finally stopped, fluttering round a tree as before, I -found that it had simply led me to another store of honey; so I disposed -of one native belief. - -The Wanderobo women were fairly well dressed—in skins—but the men wore -hardly any clothing at all. When necessity compels them to move they are -fairly good hunters, and will creep up to within ten yards of an -elephant, to spear it. The spear is fashioned something after the manner -of a harpoon, the head being fixed to the shaft in such a way that, on -striking the elephant, it becomes detached, and remains in the wound, -while the shaft falls to the ground. It would not, of course, be -sufficient to kill an elephant but for the fact that it is poisoned; and -even then the elephant will often travel a considerable distance before -succumbing to the poison. Singularly enough, the poison used appears -only to affect the part immediately in the neighbourhood of the wound, -and when this has been cut out, the natives eat the remainder of the -flesh with perfect safety. Of course, as I mentioned before, the -Wanderobo do not get the benefit of all the elephants they wound -fatally, as many of the wounded animals manage to wander too far away -into the forest to be tracked before they die, and any one finding them -gets the benefit of the ivory. - -[Illustration: A DEAD RHINO] - -The Wanderobo are very skilful with the bow and arrow, and can easily -send an arrow right through a buck at fifty yards’ range, while their -method of hunting these animals is distinctly novel. Taking a donkey, -they fix a pair of horns to its head, and having carefully marked it -with charcoal, to make it look as much like an ordinary buck as -possible, they then crawl up on the lee side of it until they get close -up to the game, which falls to an easy shot. The donkey seems to know -the business, and is a very clever decoy. - -I learned during my stay that some of the Wanderobo had once mustered up -courage to attack some Swahili, whom they had murdered, some of the -tribe giving my men the details of their treachery; but, as a rule, they -were much too timid to engage in anything of the sort. - -One peculiar point about these people was that they all seemed to have a -cast in the eye, which I was a good deal puzzled to account for. Whether -the meat diet on which they lived so exclusively had anything to do with -it, or whether it was owing to their dirty habits—and they certainly -were most abominably dirty—I cannot say; but the peculiarity seemed -almost universal in the tribe. - -I made my camp at a good distance from the village, to escape the -unpleasant odour of the decaying meat which was left about, and to -escape the vermin, as their huts simply swarmed with fleas, and I well -remember the first time that this was brought to my notice. I had been -going through the village, and found my clothes covered with what I at -first took to be grass seeds; but what was my disgust to find, when I -attempted to brush them off with my hand, that I was literally alive -with fleas! - -Like all the natives, the Wanderobo are very superstitious, and if, on -one of our hunting trips, we should happen to come across the carcass or -skull of an elephant, every one of them would spit on it, at the same -time plucking a handful of grass, and placing it on the animal’s head, -and saying “Ngai” as they did so. This they believed would bring them -luck in their hunting. They also were firm believers in the power of -human beings to make rain, and in this connexion I had a rather amusing -experience. Going down to the river one day for a bathe, I noticed some -quartz, which I thought was likely to carry gold; so, selecting some -pieces, I was pounding them up and washing them, to see if there really -was any gold in it, when, chancing to look up, I saw quite a number of -the Wanderobo, hidden in the bush, peering at me in a very curious -fashion. I paid little attention to the incident at the time, and after -my bathe went back to the camp, as usual. Some few days afterwards we -had a shower of rain, and Olomondo and some of the other natives came to -thank me for making it rain. I was, naturally, surprised, and said: “You -need not thank me; I know nothing about it”; but they said: “Oh, yes, -you do; you can’t deceive us, as we saw you making the rain the other -day, in the river.” It is just the same if you do anything which appears -to them to be out of the ordinary—they at once think that you are -“making magic.” - -I had a splendid time hunting with these people, and nearly every day, -towards evening, I went out to shoot food for them, the country being -like a large zoo, simply full of every kind of African game you can -think of, including huge herds of zebra, giraffes, elephants, lions, -hartebeest, eland, waterbuck, and occasional herds of buffalo—enough, in -fact, to delight the heart of the most enthusiastic hunter. I shot -several elephants, besides innumerable smaller game, and two lions—which -animals the Wanderobo do not kill, since, as they cannot eat the meat, -they do not consider them worth the trouble of killing. During our -hunting together they killed some elephants, and it was agreed that when -an elephant was killed, they should take one tusk and I the other, and I -eventually used to get both by trading. - -One of their methods of catching elephants and other animals was by the -use of pits, which were dug wedge-shaped, so that when the animal fell -in, it could not turn round or move, and therefore had no chance of -getting out again; while, in some cases, sharp stakes were placed, point -upward, at the bottom, with the object of impaling any animal that -should fall in. These pits were so cleverly concealed that one had to be -very careful not to fall into them oneself: the mouth being generally -covered with sticks laid crosswise, with dry grass on the top. They had -quite a lot of these pits, and caught a good deal of game by means of -them. - -While out hunting one day, I heard shots fired at a distance, and -thinking it might be some white men, I sent some natives to find out, -and gave them a note to carry to the strangers. They came back saying -that they had seen two white men, and given them the note. As there was -no answer, my own idea was that my messengers had got close up to the -strangers, and then become afraid—possibly at the men themselves, but -most likely on account of the note, which they regarded as some kind of -fetish. I found out later that the strangers were two Germans, a Dr. -Kolb and a Lieutenant, who were out hunting. Dr. Kolb was afterwards -killed by a rhinoceros, and his grave, right away on the Guasa Nyero, is -marked by huge heaps of stones. I passed it on my trip to Abyssinia, at -a later period of my travels. - -I stayed some months hunting with the Wanderobo, and so fascinating was -the wild, free life, that I could scarcely tear myself away from it; -while my followers, who shared the same feeling, had become so friendly -with the Wanderobo that some of them had fallen into the habit of eating -meat, a thing which they had never done before. This caused a lot of -chaff in the camp, and some of their comrades began to call them -Wanderobo, which is a term of contempt among the Kikuyu, as the word -means a man without anything, a wanderer without any possessions—which -fairly describes the tribe in question. - -The incident of the note sent to Dr. Kolb was recalled to me some days -later, when Olomondo presented himself at my tent, and said that if I -would give him some “medicine,” he would give me some ivory; as he -believed that, if he got the medicine, it would enable him to kill more -elephants, while he himself would be safe from being killed. When I -asked him what sort of medicine he wanted, he said “the same as I had -sent to the white men.” I gathered from him that, before I sent the note -to them, they had had bad luck, but that afterwards they had killed a -lot of game: so I gave the chief a piece of paper, but he was not -satisfied until I had written something on it. Not knowing what to -write, I lapsed into rhyme (?), and Olomondo departed the proud -possessor of a poetical effusion, of which the following is a sample:— - - “I am chief of the Wanderobo hunters. - Olomondo is my name, - Elephants I kill by the hundreds, - And thousands of smaller game. - I am up in the morning so early, - With my bow and arrows so sharp; - Over rivers I glide like a fairy, - Over mountains I fly like a lark.” - -There were a number of verses in this strain, but this specimen will -suffice. Olomondo took the paper, and after wrapping it up carefully, -put it in a skin pouch, which he tied round his neck. I may say that it -must have been very good medicine, for after that Olomondo had much -better luck with his hunting than before—possibly he had so much faith -in its powers that he went about his hunting with greater confidence. -Later on, it so happened that a Government official got hold of this -production, and it created a lot of amusement. I don’t know how it came -about, but doubtless the chief met the official when out hunting, and -asked him for some medicine, at the same time showing him the paper. As -I had not been heard of for about twelve months at the Government -station, it was reported that I had been killed; but when they saw this -paper, the joke went round that I was not killed, but was living -somewhere around Mount Kenia, writing poetry for the savages. - -At last I absolutely had to get away, as I had bought all the ivory the -natives had, and I was getting anxious to see how things were going on -in the Kikuyu country; so, after many goodbyes, and promising to come -back, I left my blood brother and his friends and started for Wagombi’s -country. - -Arriving at Wagombi’s village without any special incident on the -journey, I received a very friendly welcome from the chief, and found -that nothing serious had happened in my absence, while the natives all -seemed to be on friendly terms. Having picked up the ivory I had buried, -I was soon on the march again for Tato, and it was quite a pleasure to -see my people and Wagombi’s all shaking hands like brothers instead of -flying at one another’s throats. This friendship was soon to be put to -the test, though we had as yet received no warning of the impending -trouble. - -The same friendly feeling was shown when we arrived at Tato, and it was -difficult to believe that only a few months before one tribe was -fighting against the other and both were the bitter enemies of my -people. I had persuaded Wagombi to send a present of sheep to Karuri, -and got the chief Karkerrie, at Tato, to do the same, knowing that the -exchange of presents was the surest way to maintain a friendly -understanding between the different chiefs. Then, collecting the other -ivory we had buried there, we were soon on the march again. - -Just after leaving Tato the rumour reached me that three Goanese had -been murdered and all their safari wiped out. I gathered that it was a -trading safari that had started out from Nairobi, headed by three -Goanese, who had with them about forty Kikuyu natives from among some -living near Nairobi. They had entered the Kikuyu country, and had been -well treated by the natives whom I had got under control, having a -really good time until they had entered the Chinga country. It will be -remembered that these were the only natives I had never really got into -touch with. We had passed through their country just after leaving -Karuri’s, and for the most part they kept out of my way. As I mentioned -previously, some of these people came into my camp, and I had intended -to make blood brotherhood—or rather Pigasangi—with them on my way back. -The Goanese, having had a good time at Karuri’s, had, perhaps, not -reckoned on the other natives being different, and consequently had not -taken proper precautions. They were well armed—about fifteen of the -natives carrying rifles, beside themselves—but in spite of this the -Chinga people had for some reason attacked them and murdered the whole -party. This was the disquieting rumour that reached me soon after -leaving Tato, though I must confess that I did not put much faith in it, -as so many similar rumours had been spread about myself having been -killed, and I had learned not to trust every report that I heard. I -thought, however, that the Goanese might be in some difficulty, and -perhaps had some of their men killed; so I hurried up to see if I could -give them any assistance; but the nearer I got to the scene of the -alleged massacre the more convincing were the statements of the natives -as to the truth of the stories which I had heard. - -I did not call at Muga-wa-diga’s, as I had done on my outward journey, -but took a shorter route to Bartier’s, and when nearing his village did -a very foolish thing, which might easily have cost me my life, and, -indeed, probably would have done so, but for the extraordinary instinct -of my mule. - -Being anxious to meet Bartier to get confirmation of the statements I -had heard from the natives, and as it was getting late in the afternoon, -I left my men and hurried on ahead. I had never done such a thing -before, but it must be remembered that I was carrying with me an immense -quantity of ivory—practically every man being fully loaded up with -it—and my anxiety about the Goanese had shaken me out of my usual -caution. Taking with me only one askari, my gunbearer, an interpreter, -and the boy who looked after my mule, I went on, telling the rest to -follow me as quickly as possible to Bartier’s. My men knew what had -happened, and I told them to be very careful; but still, being in a -friendly country, I thought that there could be no harm in pushing on -ahead by myself. The path ran between two hedges, which separated it on -either side from the cultivated patches of the natives. Suddenly, as I -galloped forward, all at once my mule showed a disinclination to proceed -along the path, and seemed to want to get off the road into the -cultivated patches. This curious behaviour would at any other time have -roused my suspicions, but though puzzled to account for the mule’s -peculiar conduct I did not attach any special reason to it; and, finding -that it would not go along the path, I let it have its own way, and -turned into the shamba, when it ran along without any further trouble. I -galloped along in the gardens for some distance, near the footpath, and -had not gone more than a mile when the mule, of its own accord, returned -to the road, and I arrived at Bartier’s without further incident about -five o’clock. The whole village was in a state of excitement, and I -quickly received confirmation of the murders, the natives being full of -it and appearing terribly afraid that the Chinga people would attack -them immediately because I was there. The Chinga people were their -neighbours, and the Goanese who had been murdered being, to the native -idea, white men, were said to be my brothers. Hitherto many of the -natives had believed that it was impossible to kill a white man, and -this idea had, to a great extent, kept me free from attack. But now they -said that they had killed my brothers, and were only waiting for an -opportunity to kill me as well. - -Bartier and his people assured me that they were absolutely friendly to -me, and that I could rely upon them. It was the Chinga people, with the -natives from a part called Mahigga, together with some from a district -lying more to the east of us, under the control of my old enemy, the -chief rain-maker, who had joined their forces against the Goanese, and I -had no doubt that the rain-maker had had as much, and more, to do with -the matter than any one else. From what I could make out there must have -been some thousands of natives in the business, and they had completely -wiped out the traders’ safari and taken everything they possessed—trade -goods, some cattle they had with them, and everything that was worth -looting. - -Whilst Bartier was explaining all this to me, two of the four men who -had started out with me ahead of the main body of my followers arrived -in the village. I had outdistanced them on my mule, and had been feeling -some anxiety for their safety. When I saw that there were only two of -them, I immediately inquired what had become of the others. It was -evident from the state of excitement they were in that something had -happened, and they at once told me that their two companions had been -killed. Their story confirmed the suspicion which had been growing in my -mind that an ambush had been set for me at the place where my mule had -refused to keep on the road, and it was no doubt due to the animal’s -instinct that I had not been killed myself, as my men had kept to the -road and so fallen into the ambush. They were going along, they said, -when a number of men rushed out on them, and before they knew what was -really happening two of their number had been killed. The two who had -escaped could only tell me that they had been attacked by a number of -Kikuyu on the war-path, who, rushing out on them, had speared the others -and then cleared off, while they had picked up the rifles of the -murdered men and come on to Bartier’s as fast as they could. - -I saw that things were looking pretty bad, and quickly concluded that -the men in ambush were some of the party who had taken part in the -murder of the Goanese; but whether they were merely a scouting party, -spying out my movements, who had got a bit excited and started too -early, or whether they had planned to kill me and throw suspicion on -Bartier, I could only guess. Bartier assured me that it had not been -done by any of his people, and I was quite prepared to believe him, -being fully convinced in my own mind that it was the act of some of the -Chinga people. - -As soon as I had gathered all the details from my two followers I asked -Bartier to send out a few of his people to meet my caravan coming along, -to tell them of what had happened, and to warn them to be very careful; -also, if the two men who had been ambushed were not dead, to bring them -in with them, and this he readily agreed to do. My men were not very far -behind, and the caravan shortly afterwards arrived, bringing with them -one of the men still alive. He had had two or three spears thrust right -through his back. He was not yet dead, and I did all I possibly could -for him, but he was past human help, and, after confirming the story -which the others had already told me, he died in an hour or two. - -As soon as the caravan arrived we at once set to work to build a boma, -and I realized that I was now in about the tightest corner I had ever -been in. With all these men of the Goanese safari murdered, the country -was in a state of ferment, and thousands of armed men on the war-path -all round us, so that the prospect was not the most cheerful, and I -could see that I was in for a rough time, and how I was going to get out -of it I could not imagine. As I have already said, I had such an immense -amount of ivory that I could only just get along, and it was not likely -that I should be disposed to abandon it, after all the months of trouble -and worry it had cost me to collect—living entirely among savages, and -never seeing a white face for twelve months. At any rate, I meant to -make a good fight for it, and determined, if it were at all possible, to -win my way out, though I knew that these people, who had already dipped -their hands in the blood of my white brothers—as they imagined them to -be—would do their utmost to blot me out, if only for the sake of the -quantity of loot which they would get. - -The next step to building the boma was to bury the ivory, and having -made this as secure as possible for the present, I cheered everybody up -by telling them that we should get through all right—that we had not -been travelling in the country for so long to be afraid now. - -It was soon evident that information of our arrival had spread through -the hostile tribes, whose war-cries could be heard on every side, while -bands of warriors could be seen gathering all round us, and the whole -country was soon alive with armed natives, yelling their war-cries and -shouting what they would do to me when they got me. They looked upon the -Goanese, who wore European dress, as being the same as myself, and, -having had a comparatively easy victory over them, they confidently -expected to dispose of me without very much trouble, announcing that -they were fully determined to kill me as, they said, they had killed my -brothers. Some of the natives had dressed themselves in the clothes of -the ill-fated Goanese, and proudly paraded themselves in front of my -camp, while others were firing off the guns they had taken in the loot. -For the time being, however, they kept at a respectful distance, and we -went on strengthening our defences; but it made my blood boil when I saw -that they had cut off the heads of the murdered men and stuck them on -poles, which they were carrying about as trophies. I knew what my fate -would be if I were unlucky enough to fall into their clutches, while my -anxiety was increased by the fact that our stock of ammunition was -running very low, as we had been away from headquarters so many months -and hunting so much that we had used it nearly all up. - -As far as I could learn, the Chinga people could muster about five -thousand fighting men, reckoning in the other tribes who were standing -in with them, and the only course open to me was to stand on the -defensive. Bartier promised to give me all the help he could, but I -could see that his people were terribly afraid, and I could quite -understand their feeling, as, if they befriended me, and it should so -happen that the Chinga people wiped me out, then they would be in for -it. Bartier did, however, give me all the information he could, and -assisted me as much as I could reasonably expect from him under the -circumstances. At the same time, I could see that he was badly -frightened, which, perhaps, was only natural, seeing that the other side -were so strong, and seemed quite determined to carry things on to the -bitter end. They had already commenced hostilities by murdering my two -men, and, fired by their success in wiping out the other safari, were -burning to get at me. Since the wholesale murder of the Goanese and -their followers they had been rejoicing and feasting and drinking a lot -of njohi, and now they were dancing about in paroxysms of mad fury, all -alike being possessed with the war fever and ready at any moment to -break loose upon us, while we could only wait their first move and take -every precaution we could think of. - -We were camping right on the boundary of the two countries, and could -plainly hear them shouting, so I sent out some of Bartier’s men, with -some of my own, to scout, with orders to hang about in the bush and in -the shambas and try to find out what the plans of the enemy were. About -midnight news was brought in that a large force of natives was gathered -in one of the clearings about a mile from camp, where they usually held -their war-dances, and were drinking and feasting and discussing how they -should attack us. This threw all the people about us into a state of -panic, expecting every minute that the crowd assembling in the clearing -would be rushing down on us, though I knew that this would be a most -unusual thing for them to do, as savages very rarely rush a camp at -night, usually reserving their attack till dawn; still, having had such -success before, and having been drinking, I thought that there was a -reasonable possibility that they might depart from their usual rule on -this occasion. Of course, sleep was out of the question, and everybody -had to stand to arms. A large number of Bartier’s people were in my -camp, and every one was in a state of nervous expectancy. Eventually a -dead silence reigned, the effect of which, when surrounded by a host of -armed foes, I have endeavoured to describe before. I had experienced the -same feeling during the night we were surrounded by the natives at Tato. -The feeling of depression was almost unbearable, and was not lessened by -the loneliness of my position, out in the midst of a wild country, far -removed from any white man, waiting in momentary expectation of the rush -of a frenzied horde of yelling savages thirsting for the blood—and -loot—of the white man who had so far defied all attempts to blot him -out, and seemed only to gain fresh power in the country after every -attempt that was made against him. The situation was nerve-trying in the -extreme, and after an hour or so of waiting in this horrible silence I -wanted to shout in sheer desperation or do anything rather than endure -the inactivity any longer. I felt the responsibility for the safety of -the followers I had brought into this position and the risk of losing -the whole fruits of my twelve months’ trying experiences, and could not -sit still, but had to keep moving about. Even the movement did not serve -to relieve the tension, and I felt that if I did not do something -quickly I should be getting hysterical, so I quickly decided to put into -action an idea which had been gradually forming in my brain of giving my -friends the enemy a surprise, instead of waiting for them to try to give -me one. - -I at once gave orders for big fires to be made up and for everything to -be done which would give the appearance of the camp being occupied by -the whole of my force, and then, leaving only a few men in charge of the -camp, I mustered the remainder and stole quietly out, my men being fully -armed, to pay a visit to the meeting in the clearing where the enemy -were said to be holding their consultation—my object being to teach them -such a lesson that they would hesitate to make war on me again. The -enemy had evidently never imagined that we should venture to attempt to -turn the tables on them in this manner, and in the darkness we managed -to creep right up to the edge of the clearing without being discovered, -as they had not thought it necessary to put any sentries out. Here we -found the warriors still drinking and feasting, sitting round their -fires so engrossed in their plans for my downfall that they entirely -failed to notice our approach; so, stealthily creeping up till we were -close behind them, we prepared to complete our surprise. The moment had -come to deal them a crushing blow. Not a sound had betrayed our advance, -and they were still quite ignorant of our presence almost in the midst -of them. The echoing crack of my rifle, which was to be the signal for -the general attack, was immediately drowned in the roar of the other -guns as my men poured in a volley which could not fail to be effective -at that short range, while accompanying the leaden missiles was a cloud -of arrows, poured in by that part of my force which was not armed with -rifles. The effect of this unexpected onslaught was electrical, the -savages starting up with yells of terror in a state of utter panic. -Being taken so completely by surprise, they could not at first realize -what had happened, and the place was for a few minutes a pandemonium of -howling niggers, who rushed about in the faint light of the camp fires, -jostling each other and stumbling over the bodies of those who had -fallen at the first volley, but quite unable to see who had attacked -them; while, before they had recovered from the first shock of surprise, -my men had reloaded, and again a shower of bullets and arrows carried -death into the seething, disorganized mass. This volley completed the -rout, and, without waiting a moment longer, the whole crowd rushed -pell-mell into the bush, not a savage remaining in the clearing that -could get away, and the victory was complete. For the time being we were -masters of the situation, only a number of still forms and a few wounded -being left of the thousands who had filled the clearing a little while -before, and we returned jubilant to our camp. - -As may be imagined, our success was a great relief to me, and I reckoned -that I had taught them a lesson which would make them hesitate before -interfering with me again: so leaving my buried ivory, I started off the -next morning in an attempt to get through to my headquarters, feeling -sure that Karuri must, by this time, have heard of my position, and -would send out a force to meet me. Our advance was made with the utmost -caution: halting every few minutes to search with our eyes the scrub on -either side of the path for any signs of a lurking foe, and keeping our -guns ready to fire at the sight of an enemy, we went slowly on until we -entered the Chinga country. Skirting the edge of one of the hills, our -way led through a large patch of thick grass, some seven or eight feet -high—an ideal place for an ambush—and I felt that if we got safely -through this there was little else to fear. Step by step we proceeded, -going dead slow, and making scarcely a sound; but we had not gone far -before we instinctively felt that our enemies were hidden in the long -grass around us, and our suspicions were soon confirmed. A black form -was seen for a second, and instantly disappeared. Then shots were fired, -and spears and arrows began to whizz about our heads, and before we had -gone many yards farther, the grass around us became alive with savages. -Whenever one showed himself, we fired, and then suddenly, the grass -became animated on all sides, swayed and parted, and the horde of -yelling black demons was on us. We were fighting at close quarters, and -soon every man had his work cut out to defend himself. I was loading and -firing from the hip, as fast as I could throw out the empty shells and -shove fresh cartridges into the breech. It was a critical moment, and it -looked very much as though it was all up with us. So closely were we -being pressed that one of the savages had his spear poised over my head, -and the muzzle of my rifle was pressed against his body when I fired. My -first shot seemed to paralyse him, for while he had plenty of time to -plunge his spear into my body he failed to do so, and I had plumped two -or three bullets into him before he gave a jump into the air, and -toppled over dead. My followers were all equally hard pressed, and on -all sides was a writhing mass of black forms, all fighting like devils. -We were in a valley, closed in by rugged hills, and chancing to look up, -I saw that the top of the mountain above us was black with niggers, who -were evidently only waiting to see how those below fared before making a -final rush, which must have swamped us; so I immediately shouted to my -men to charge up the hill, thinking that if we waited much longer they -might suddenly decide to sweep down on us, when our last chance of -getting away would be gone. We had by this time stopped the rush of -those in the valley, and now, taking the offensive, we fought our way -through them up the mountain-side; but when the force on the top saw us -coming, they at once turned and bolted, rushing helter-skelter down the -other side of the hill. We had had a marvellous escape, and though we -had had several casualties, we had come out of the affair with much -smaller loss than might have been expected. I saw that it was useless to -try to get through to Karuri’s now, as we should have had to fight every -foot of the way, and had practically no chance of winning through; so we -returned to Bartier’s. - -By this time the news had spread through the country, and Wagombi and -Karkerrie had heard of my trouble, and had sent some men to help me, -with a promise of more if I needed them. The whole country was thrown -into a state of excitement: the war fever was at its height: but my -blood brothers had rallied nobly to my help, and big forces of armed -warriors were coming in every hour from the different friendly chiefs to -support me, until I had a force of several thousands of the finest -fighting men in the country camped at Bartier’s. - -I was considerably alarmed at the turn events had taken, especially as -the chiefs were determined to have it out, and threatened to clean up -the whole Chinga country: while the hostile natives had, in the -meantime, collected more followers, having received reinforcements from -some of the other tribes living to the east; so that I could see that it -was absolutely useless to try to make peace until they had had a tussle. -The people who had come to help me were also red-hot for war, and scenes -of the wildest enthusiasm prevailed in the camp of my force. Giving way -to their savage nature, they danced themselves into the wildest passion, -numbers of them going into hysterical fits, and jabbing their spears -into the tree-trunks in imitation of killing their enemies, while their -breath sobbed out in great gulps. It was a remarkable outburst of -savage, uncontrolled passion, which I was helpless to check. - -When the time for action came, this army of warriors swept through the -Chinga country from one end to the other, destroying the villages, and -wiping out of existence all who opposed them. It was some time before -peace could be restored, and when that time came the Chinga people, as a -force to be reckoned with in the country, had ceased to exist. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - -My control over the whole country now complete—Get back with my ivory to -Karuri’s—Recover all the property of the murdered Goanese—My position -recognized by all the chiefs—Violent death of my enemy, the -rain-maker—Peaceful rule—Try to improve the agriculture of the -country—Imitators of my schemes cause trouble in the country—Troubles of -a ruler—Outbreak of smallpox—Famine—My attempts at alleviating the -distress misunderstood—Daily routine in a native village—"Sin -vomiting"—Native customs—Native hospitality among themselves—Adventures -with lions - - -The trouble being thus settled, I got my ivory through to headquarters, -being met on the road by Karuri, bringing a force to my assistance, my -messengers having acquainted him with the state of affairs. From this -time on I had complete control of the country; everything that had been -stolen from the Goanese was given up, while their murderers had received -such punishment as they were not likely to forget in a generation. - -When matters had quieted down again, and I had time to review the -situation, I took the first opportunity of sending messengers through to -the Government, with a full report of the recent occurrences; while I -also communicated with the relatives of the murdered Goanese, two -brothers who, I heard, were living at Nairobi, sending through to them -the whole of the stolen property which I had recovered. I found out -later that, through some misunderstanding or other, the heads of the -murdered men—which had been found after the fighting was over—had -likewise been sent in to Nairobi; which, while serving as proof to the -officials that the reports I had been sending in from time to time as to -the character of the natives were not without foundation, was a most -regrettable occurrence, and must, I fear, have given much pain to the -relatives. - -The fighting being now over, and the Chinga people—such as remained of -them—having given assurances of their desire and intention to live at -peace with their neighbours, the country now settled down into a -condition of quietness such as had never been known before. My mission -through the country had served to produce a spirit of friendship -between the different clans and tribes which effectually put an end to -the petty quarrelling and constant fighting which had hitherto gone -on; and from this time I was looked upon as practically the king of -the country, all matters in dispute being referred to my judgment, and -I was constantly being called upon to give counsel and advice upon -every conceivable subject which affected the welfare of the people. -The three most powerful chiefs in the country—Karuri, Karkerrie, and -Wagombi—acknowledged me as their leader, and chiefs and people were -now entirely under my control. As proof of the altered condition of -the country, I could now send messengers to any one of the chiefs or -headmen without any fear of their being attacked or molested on the -way. - -The reader will remember that I have several times mentioned an -individual who was known as the chief rain-maker, a man who was by no -means well disposed towards me, on account of the fact that my influence -in the country greatly weakened his position. He went out of his way, on -every possible occasion, to cause me as much trouble and annoyance as he -could; while, in connexion with this Chinga trouble, I found that my -suspicions as to his having had a large share in the matter were -perfectly correct. In fact, he had engineered the whole business, both -with regard to the murder of the Goanese traders and the subsequent -attack on my safari, the former being really a sort of preliminary to -the latter, intended to convince the natives that it was quite possible, -as well as profitable, to attack and murder a white man, as he carefully -explained to the people that the Goanese were white men, and of the same -kind as myself. This attempt having failed, like all his other efforts -to remove me, he was not content to accept defeat and let the matter -rest, but continued to scheme for my removal until his persistence was -the ultimate cause of his own death, which occurred in the following -manner. - -Some time after the Chinga business, reports were brought in to my -headquarters at Karuri’s of serious tribal fighting and raiding in a -district some twenty miles to the east of Karuri’s, and after a council -of the principal men had been held, it was decided that a force should -be sent to reduce the offenders to order. Consequently I set out with -Karuri, and about a thousand warriors, for the scene of the disturbance. -Soon after we had passed the boundary of the disturbed district, which -lay partly in the chief rain-maker’s territory—for he was a tribal -chief, as well as the principal rain-maker—he came out to meet us, with -every sign of friendliness, and said that he had brought some of his -people to help us to put matters right. Being fully occupied with the -matter in hand, and quite ready to welcome any friendly advances from my -old enemy, I met him in the same spirit, and told him to let his -following of some three hundred warriors fall in with the rest of the -expedition, and we continued our march. All went well until we reached -the first of the offending villages, where we met with strong -opposition, and had to advance our force in extended order to attack the -enemy. The order to advance had just been given, and the force were -crossing the brow of the hill which stood between them and the enemy, -Karuri and myself, together with some of the principal headmen, -following them more leisurely up the hill, when I suddenly heard a shot -fired immediately behind me, and, turning round, saw the chief -rain-maker lying on the ground, while one of the four askaris who formed -my personal escort was just reloading his rifle. On my asking what had -happened, I was told by Karuri and the askari that the chief rain-maker -had posted an ambush of men with poisoned arrows in the bush near, and -was just signalling them to shoot me down from behind, when my escort -caught him in the act and fired. Going over to where he lay, I found -that nothing could be done for him, as the heavy Snider bullet had gone -through his sword—which these people wear rather high up on the right -side—and entered his body just above the hip, so that the case was -hopeless from the first, as he himself recognized. When I spoke to him -he made no complaint about his fate, but begged that five blankets which -I had given him at various times might be brought, and that he might be -wrapped up in them and buried, instead of being thrown into the bush for -the hyenas to eat, as was the usual Kikuyu custom. Having received my -assurance that his last wish should be carried out, he died, without -saying anything further. Although the man had undoubtedly brought his -fate on himself by his treachery, I very much regretted his death, as I -thought we were getting on better terms, and he was one of the finest -specimens of the intelligent savage—physically as well as mentally—that -I have known. Had he been content to run straight and work with me for -the good of his people, he would have been able to do a great deal for -them. - -But we had little time to spare for regrets, for although his death took -a great deal of the heart out of his people who had been set to ambush -us, they still attempted to carry out his plan to wipe us all out, and -as our followers were by this time well over the brow of the hill, we -had as much as we could do to hold our own. I managed, however, to get a -couple of messengers through the warriors surrounding us, to summon some -of our men back to our help. On the arrival of reinforcements, those of -the rain-maker’s people who were not prepared to give up their weapons -and surrender cleared off as rapidly as possible. - -Strangely enough, in the course of the same day’s operations I was able -to do my old friend Karuri a good turn by saving the life of his eldest -son, a boy of about eighteen, named Cachukia, who had only recently -attained to warrior rank, and was out on his first expedition. We were -returning from the reduction of a village where we had met with -considerable resistance, and lost rather heavily, when I noticed that -Cachukia was not with us, and on inquiring what had become of him, I was -told that he had been killed in the final assault on the village. Not -wishing to take any chance of the boy having been simply badly wounded -and left to bleed to death, I took a few men with me and made my way -back to the scene of the fight, where I found the unfortunate youngster -still living, but very seriously hurt, having two bad spear wounds in -the chest, both of which had penetrated the lung. Although the case -seemed pretty hopeless, I could not leave him there to bleed to death, -so getting the men to make a stretcher with a blanket and a couple of -young saplings, I had him carried back to his father’s place, where he -gradually recovered, and to-day he is as strong and healthy a man as any -in the tribe, of which he should be the chief on his father’s death. - -It may be worth while mentioning that the man who shot the chief -rain-maker was so overwhelmed with what he had done, and the possible -consequences to himself if he remained anywhere in the neighbourhood of -the late lamented’s district, or even where his people could easily get -at him, that he cleared out of that part of the country altogether, and -no one knew where he had gone. I met him some years afterwards on the -road in the neighbourhood of Naivasha, when he recalled the incident to -my memory, telling me that he had never ventured to go back to his own -district. - -Soon after my return to headquarters I organized a big safari to take -the food and ivory I had collected down to Naivasha, and on this journey -I took about a thousand loads of food into the Government station, which -they were very pleased to get. I was told that I could take in as much -food as I could possibly collect, as some of the flour was required for -the other Government stations up-country, where their supply of food had -fallen off locally. - -During my absence an Indian store had been opened in Naivasha, and -having sold my food and ivory, I was able to buy everything that I -required for trading at this store, and among the other things I -purchased to take back with me were a lot of seeds, including some of -the black wattle. - -[Illustration: WA-KIKUYU WOMEN POUNDING GRAIN FOR MAKING NATIVE DRINK] - -Returning to my home in the mountains, I settled down at Karuri’s with a -prospect of calmer days before me than I had experienced during the -previous twelve months, during which I had been getting the country -under control, and now I had time to set about improving the country -itself, and got the natives to work making better roads and building -bridges across the rivers, and generally increasing the facilities for -getting about the country. I also made a very large garden close to my -camp, in which I planted the seeds which I had bought at Naivasha, and -had the satisfaction of finding that almost every English vegetable -would grow well in that climate, while the black wattle I had planted -also flourished splendidly, and has, I believe, at the present day grown -into quite a little forest. - -With the opening up of the country by the railway, new difficulties -arose. My own success in the country induced many traders, Somali, Arab, -and Swahili, to try their fortunes with the natives, and so long as they -stuck to legitimate trading, all went well, but they adopted methods -which soon created a strong feeling of discontent throughout the -country. In many cases these traders, who had very little in the way of -trade goods, represented themselves as working for Karanjai—which was -the native name by which I was known—and instead of doing any trading, -billeted themselves on the natives, making them keep them, and would -often even steal the sheep and other belongings of the Kikuyu. The -natives repeatedly complained to me of the misbehaviour of these -so-called traders, and when I told them that they were not my people, -and that I had nothing to do with them, the natives sometimes retaliated -on these men who were thus robbing them. Wandering Swahili, and the -other rascals of their kind, came complaining to me. I told them that if -they could not get on with the natives the best thing for them to do was -to leave the country. - -Matters went on in this way for some time, incidents of the kind -becoming more and more frequent, until the whole country was in a state -of unrest, and as I was continually travelling about the country from -one chief to another, I was always hearing of them, and on one of these -journeys, I had personal proof of the imposition and robbery that was -being practised on the natives by these scoundrels. I happened to be in -the neighbourhood of Mount Kenia—where it was still necessary to have a -fair number of rifles to go about in safety—and two or three of these -Somali traders, who had not guns enough to venture alone, had been -following me on the journey, about a day’s march behind. It appeared -that at the last village at which they had stopped they had driven away -about sixty sheep from the native kraal, and had afterwards sat down -quietly to trade these sheep off for ivory in my camp. As soon as the -case was brought to my notice, I at once ordered them to return the -sheep, and told them that the best thing they could do was to get out of -the country at once, as they could not count on my assistance if the -natives attacked them. It came to my knowledge that they had made their -way down to Nairobi and there spread reports about my killing natives -and taking their sheep away from them. The officials were practically -ignorant of what was going on, and I knew that the reports of men being -killed and things of that sort would be believed by them, in all -probability—especially as I was a white man and the reports were brought -by natives. This meant trouble for me both ways, as unless I got rid of -these men they disturbed the peace of the whole country; while if I did -so they carried misleading reports to the Government—always ready to -believe anything to the disadvantage of a white trader—and so, between -the natives, the traders, and the Government, my position was no -sinecure. - -It was about this time that the smallpox broke out in the country, and -for the time being all my other troubles were relegated to the -background, in the face of the necessity for adequately dealing with -this awful plague. We were having a shauri, when I noticed in the crowd -an elderly man, a stranger to that part of the country, and a single -glance was sufficient to show me that he was suffering from smallpox. I -explained to the natives the significance of my discovery, and told them -that if he were allowed to mix with them they would certainly get the -smallpox and die. They immediately stood away from him and said that I -ought to shoot him, which to their savage mind was the most natural -precaution to prevent the disease spreading. I explained to them that -such a course was impossible, though in view of the subsequent events, -the forfeiture of this man’s life at that time would have meant the -saving of thousands of lives which were lost in the epidemic of which he -was the cause. I told the natives what they ought to do to avoid the -infection, and arranged for an isolation camp to be built in which the -man was placed, telling some of the people who lived near by to leave -food for him at a respectful distance, so that he could fetch it for -himself until he got better, and also instructed them to see that he did -not, on any account, leave the camp. Some days later I was travelling -through the country when I again saw the man in the crowd, and in great -alarm sent some of my own men back to the isolation camp with him. But -it was too late. The disease had already spread to others, and I saw a -lot of bad cases among the people, and though I tried to get them all -into isolation camps, it was practically no use. When an outbreak -occurred in a family they would not report it, but continued to live and -sleep together in the same hut, with the result that, in most cases, the -whole family took the disease and died. I sent into Naivasha for some -lymph and started vaccinating the people. They took the matter in the -proper light, and raised no objection, so that I was able to vaccinate -thousands of them, which must, undoubtedly, have been the means of -saving many lives; but in spite of all I could do, thousands died, many -whole villages being wiped out. - -One rather remarkable thing about this epidemic was that Karuri’s -village escaped entirely, not a single case occurring among the -inhabitants, which Karuri claimed to be due to certain precautions he -took to ward off the evil. He got some sticks and split them down the -middle, and then poured some black powder in the opening, afterwards -pegging the sticks down across all the footpaths leading to the village. -It did not keep people from coming in, and I could not see in what way -the sticks could do any good, but Karuri had great faith in their -virtues, and as no case of smallpox occurred in the village he took the -credit for keeping it away. - -Karuri told me that one of the reasons of the respect with which he was -regarded by his people was that he possessed a most wonderful poison. If -any one even looked at this poison it caused certain death. The secret -of this drug, he told me, had been handed down and preserved in his -family for two or three generations. The poison itself was kept buried -in the bush, one of the tribe being specially told off to guard it and -dig up the package when it was required for use; but I could never learn -anything about the way in which it was used, and was very much inclined -to believe that the whole thing was a legend, of which the old man made -use to strengthen his influence among the people. I certainly believe -that there was some box or package buried in the bush and carefully -guarded, but whether it actually contained poison or anything else I -question whether Karuri himself could have told any one. The old man was -always very anxious to possess samples of the poisons contained in my -medicine-chest, but although I gave him many medicines of various kinds, -I always refused to part with any of the poisons, as it is not -improbable that he might have taken an opportunity of testing my -immunity with some of them. - -While on this subject, some account of the native practice of protecting -their shambas, or rather the crops growing in them, from thieves may be -of interest. Of course this was done by playing on the superstitious -fears of the savage, the usual method being to hang some article, such -as an old earthenware cooking-pot, an old broken calabash, or best of -all, the cast-off earthenware nozzles of smith’s bellows, on a bush or -tree near the edge of the cultivated patch, and any one pilfering in -face of this warning to trespassers was supposed to fall sick, or even -die, as the result of his temerity. A similar practice prevails on the -West Coast, where a stick with a piece of cloth tied to it, or inserted -in a cleft at the top, may often be seen in the cassava patch; and it is -supposed that any one violating the protection which this ju-ju is -supposed to afford, will, at the least, suffer the loss of some portion -of his body, which will rot away and drop off. - -The old saying that “it never rains but it pours” was abundantly -verified in our case, only in a contrary sense to the literal meaning of -the proverb. The failure of the rains in two successive seasons—which -was attributed to the white man having brought the railway into the -country—brought about a famine, which still further depleted the -population. The country around Karuri’s, being mountainous, was not -affected so much as the part to the east of us, on the caravan road, and -more towards the coast. At our high elevation, surrounded by the -watersheds of Mount Kenia and the Aberdare Range, we could always rely -on a fair amount of rain, though we had had much less than usual during -these two seasons. The general famine in the country affected me, -inasmuch as the food which I was there to buy found its way out on the -borders of the country, and consequently my supplies were cut off. -Having occasion to go down to Nairobi about this time, I saw hundreds of -poor wretches dead or dying on the road, while some of my men heard -gruesome tales of men killing and eating each other in their desperation -at the lack of food. No case of this kind came under my personal notice, -but I have seen the natives sitting down and boiling the skins which -they wore as clothing in the effort to soften them sufficiently to -enable them to be eaten. - -Numbers of the starving people, when they heard that food was to be got -in the part of the country from which I came, started out to try to get -there, but were robbed and killed on the way by the Kalyera people. It -sounds rather paradoxical speaking of starving people being robbed, but -the statement is, nevertheless, perfectly correct; as, before starting -out, these poor vagrants collected all their household goods and took -them along with them, in the hope of exchanging them for food. A few, -indeed, had sheep and a few head of cattle with them. Thousands of these -people would start off together, and being weak and exhausted with -hunger, they fell an easy prey to the Kalyera. - -The natives begged me to take them out to Karuri’s, and pitying their -miserable condition, I agreed to do so, and got together a caravan of -several thousands of the starving wretches, among whom were a number of -natives who possessed a fair quantity of sheep—perhaps one man would -have thirty sheep, and another five or six head of cattle, while, of -course, there were numbers of others who had absolutely nothing. It was -pitiable to see these people staggering along, first one and then -another dropping out to die on the road. Before starting out I made it -perfectly plain to them that I would only lead them to the “land of -promise” on condition that they placed themselves absolutely under my -control and obeyed my orders in everything, and this they promised to -do. When I saw them staggering along, almost too weak to drag one foot -before the other, and dying at the rate of about fifty per day, I -ordered those who had cattle and sheep to deliver them up to me, and -each night when we got into camp, I had as many killed as were required -to give them just enough food to keep them alive. Niggers have -absolutely no feelings of humanity, and the owners of the sheep and -cattle grumbled loudly at my action in feeding the others with their -property, which they charged me with stealing. I felt perfectly -justified, however, in the course I was adopting, although I was pretty -certain at the time that these people would some day do their best to -make trouble for me, by misrepresenting the facts to the Government -officials, who, while always ready to accept any statements against -myself, were much less inclined to take the responsibility for their own -laxity in the performance of their duty. I never ate any of the meat -myself, nor did I allow any of my men to do so, so that it could not be -said that I had any personal benefit from my action. - -As I anticipated, when I took the sheep one or two of the natives -deserted from the caravan and went back to the Government station to -report that I had been looting their sheep. After much difficulty I got -the people through to the Kikuyu country, and distributed them to the -different villages, giving them plainly to understand that they must -behave themselves. - -Not being able at this time to buy any more food, I went about among the -natives and started improving my own camp, cultivating the land, making -roads, &c. On my visits to different parts of the country I talked with -the chiefs and took general note of what was going on, and at the same -time bought any ivory that I heard of. Eventually it was brought to my -notice that the people I had billeted on the different villages when -they were starving, being now healthy and well fed, were bullying and -domineering over the natives who had helped them in their time of -misfortune. These people I had brought in had previously lived on the -edge of the country, in touch with the white man and his civilization, -consequently they had different notions and ideas from those amongst -whom they had come to live, who had not, as yet, come in contact with -any white man except myself. They declined to acknowledge my authority, -and endeavoured to assert their power over the natives by taking charge -of the villages, and, in some cases, stealing their sheep and -interfering with their womenfolk. This led to all kinds of trouble, and -the people naturally became anxious to get rid of their unwelcome -guests, and they came to me saying that, as I had brought them in, and -they were now all right, they ought to leave the country. I explained -this to the intruders, but they absolutely refused to go. Amongst the -number were some Swahili, who would settle down in a village for a -twelvemonth, simply loafing about and living on the natives; and though -they called themselves traders, they were really deserters from some -caravans. There were also many who were wanted at the coast for -different offences, and had somehow or other managed to get mixed up -with the famine-stricken people. They knew that I was not a Government -official, and as they refused to obey my orders I could not get rid of -them. This gave rise to a lot of quarrelling, and a number of people -were killed on both sides; so that I could see that the only thing for -the peace of the country was to get rid of this bad element at all -costs. I therefore gave them three days’ notice to quit, informing them -that if they were found in the country at the end of that time I would -not be responsible for anything that happened to them. They took no -notice of my warning, and at the end of the three days the people took -matters into their own hands, and drove them out of the country, when, -although there was no really serious fighting, some of them got killed -and several were wounded. The evicted ones, as I expected that they -would, went straight to the officials and complained that I had robbed -them of their sheep and driven them out of the country. I was first -informed of this by a letter from Mr. Gilkinson, the Government official -at Nairobi, and at once sent Karuri and some of the other chiefs into -Nairobi to explain the true facts of the case, thinking that a personal -interview between the official and the natives would be much more -effective than any statement that I, a white man, could make. This idea -was apparently correct, as the explanation which they gave proved quite -satisfactory—at least, this was the impression which was conveyed to me -by the report which they made to me on their return. - -The country having been rid of the disturbing element of these alien -rogues, I now settled down once more to a peaceful mode of life, going -from village to village buying food, and sending in supplies at more -regular intervals to Naivasha, where they were very badly needed. There -was no further difficulty in finding porters, and a safari of from five -hundred to one thousand men went down to the Government station -regularly about once every month to take in the food. - -Some account of the ordinary routine of my daily life among these people -may prove of interest to the general reader. Everybody turned out, as a -rule, about six a.m., and while I had my morning cup of tea and -biscuits, or possibly a dish of porridge made from mawhali or umkanori -flour, with fresh milk, the men turned out and cleaned up the camp -thoroughly. This over, the men were formed up for a couple of hours’ -drill and rifle exercise—a training which every man, whether one of the -askaris or not, had to go through, so that, in the event of my losing a -few askaris, I always had trained men ready to take their places. At -first, of course, I had to undertake this daily drill myself, but after -a time the native sergeant and corporal became proficient enough to -relieve me of everything but superintendence of the parade. Drill was -over about ten o’clock, and then I held a court for the trial of any -serious cases of crime, or met the chiefs and elders in consultation -with regard to measures for the general welfare of the people. By the -time this was over it was time for lunch, which was my first real meal -of the day, and generally consisted of a dish of mutton—and the native -mutton is some of the best in the world. This was sometimes varied by -European tinned provisions, of which I always kept a fairly good stock -at my headquarters. The afternoon was spent in overseeing the work of -the men in my shamba, attending to the repair or rebuilding of any of -the huts that were in need of attention, or carrying out improvements in -the camp—unless any of the chiefs had come in to see me, in which case -the afternoon would be given up to interviewing them. Dinner was served -about seven o’clock, in European style, as I had been fortunate enough -to get a really good Swahili cook, who could turn out a most appetising -meal at very short notice. Of course, I had to dine in solitary state, -being the only white man in the country, and about eight or nine o’clock -I would turn in for the night. This, of course, was the day’s programme -at headquarters, though when out on safari I made a point of following -the same routine, as far as the circumstances allowed. One day in each -week I had a big dance at my place; and this day was practically a -holiday, the dance taking precedence of all ordinary work. - -The daily life of a chief in times of peace does not present much -variety, and the following account of a day out of the life of my friend -Karuri is a fair sample. He was not quite such an early riser as myself, -usually putting in an appearance to count his cattle and other stock -when they were let out to graze, which, owing to the fogs and damp -generally prevailing at that elevation in the early morning, was not -generally done until about eight o’clock. There was no regular morning -meal among these people, who were in the habit of indulging in a sweet -potato or a few bananas whenever they felt hungry. Having finished -counting his stock, the greater part of the day would be spent in -settling disputes and hearing minor cases, which, owing to the native -love of argument, were often of interminable length. The old gentleman -took no interest in the working of his shambas, which he left entirely -to his wives, of whom he had some sixty or more. As the hearing of the -cases was accompanied by much drinking of njohi, both judge and -litigants were apt to be in a somewhat foggy condition by the time the -Court adjourned for the day, which did not generally take place until -the time for the evening meal, which, as I have mentioned, is really the -only regular meal of the day for Kikuyu. Sometimes the cases were not -even closed then, but as soon as darkness came on judge and litigants -would adjourn to a hut, and continue the discussion over the sweet -potatoes, until it was time for them to turn in, which they usually did -about nine o’clock. - -One not infrequent interruption to the ordinary routine of Karuri’s day -was the sacrificial meal of a sheep, in honour of their god, Ngai, which -took place sometimes as often as twice or thrice a week. Whether the old -chief’s fondness for roast mutton had anything to do with the frequency -of his offerings I cannot say, but he certainly never seemed to neglect -any opportunity which served as an excuse for one of these meals. As I -was present on some of the occasions, it may be worth while to give some -description of the ceremony, for which no extra preparations were made -on my account, as is sometimes the case when white men are to be present -at any of their functions. - -At the time appointed, Karuri, accompanied by any others who were to -take part in the ceremony, went out into one of the “sacred groves” in -the bush, taking with them a sheep, which, on arrival at the spot where -the sacrifice was to take place, was killed by strangling, its throat -being cut directly it was dead, and the blood caught in a calabash, and -put on one side. A sort of wooden gridiron was then made, by planting -four upright sticks in the ground and laying others across them, under -which a fire was lighted, and the sheep, having by this time been cut -up, was roasted on this. While the cooking was going on, the blood, -which had been put on one side, was put into the stomach, thus making a -sort of black-pudding, which was then roasted, and eaten after the meat. -The meat was eaten in the Abyssinian fashion, each man taking up the -joint, and biting hold of as much as he could get into his mouth, the -mouthful then being severed from the joint with his sword, and the joint -passed on to his neighbour, who did the same. I managed to introduce one -or two slight modifications into the manufacture of the black-puddings, -by getting them to cut up some of the fat, and mix it with the blood, -and boil the ingredients, instead of baking them. No women or children -were ever allowed to be present on any occasion when the men were eating -meat, as, like the Masai, the Kikuyu do not allow their women to touch -meat, and therefore, to keep them out of temptation, never allow them to -see the men eat it. - -How much religious significance this ceremony had I should not like to -say: the fact that it was always held in one of the sacred groves would -seem to imply that it had some connexion with their religion, but, as -there was no further ceremony than I have described, I always had a -lurking suspicion that it was simply an excuse for a good meal of roast -mutton, and that the groves were chosen for the meeting-place as being -more likely to be secure from interruption from the women and children. - -While on the subject of sheep-eating, it may be worth while to mention -another of their peculiar superstitious practices, much encouraged by -the medicine men, which was known by the somewhat unpleasant name of -“vomiting sin.” When a man was sick, and went to the witch doctor to be -cured of his illness, he was very often told that his illness was due to -the anger of God at some sin he had committed, and that, if he wished to -recover, the only thing to do was for him to go through an extremely -unpleasant ceremony, which I will describe. If he agreed to do so—and I -do not think that the man who refused would enjoy much good health -afterwards—he brought a sheep to the witch doctor, who, having killed -it, wound portions of the entrails round the patient’s neck, wrists, and -ankles. Then, taking out the dung, he emptied it into a calabash, and -mixed it with water, until it was quite liquid. Taking his place -opposite the patient, who squatted on the floor with his mouth open, the -witch doctor took a couple of small bundles of twigs with the leaves on, -and commenced beating the mixture in the bowl with them, and splashing -it into the patient’s mouth until he was violently sick, when the sin -was supposed to be got rid of, and the patient would go away expecting -to be quite well in a short time. - -On my asking one of these old frauds what became of the sheep, he -explained that he would eat it himself, as if any one else ventured to -touch the meat, he would die at once. When I said that I should have no -objection to eating a leg, and was certain that no ill consequence would -follow, he replied: “Of course you could eat it quite safely. You are a -great witch doctor like myself; but if any of these savages ate it, they -would die at once!” - -In the meantime, I made friends, by Pigasangi, with those natives with -whom I had tried, on my first journey through the country, to make -arrangements for that ceremony, and who said at the time, it will be -remembered, they would wait. This enabled me to open up fresh food -stations, and altogether my enterprise in that direction was progressing -very satisfactorily. The only people who now caused me any trouble were -the Kalyera, with whom I had always to be cautious when passing the -borders of their country, as they were continually on the war-path, and -I heard that they had lately extended their operations into close -proximity to the railway, where they had been giving a lot of trouble by -robbing and killing the Indians engaged on its construction. - -Living, as I did, in close touch with the everyday life of the natives, -I became well acquainted with their manners and habits of living, and I -also managed to learn a good deal of their genealogy. I found that the -Kikuyu tribe was divided into a number of clans, or _mahirriga_, each of -which bore a distinctive heraldic sign on their shields. The origin of -these clans was wrapped in mystery, none of the natives with whom I -discussed the question being able to tell me how they originally came -into existence, or what was their real purpose. The word “clan,” as we -understand it, suggests unity and combination, but this certainly was -not the interpretation of the term accepted by the members of these -Kikuyu clans, the members of which were mixed up indiscriminately, and -scattered all over the country. They all knew to which of the clans they -belonged, and there the connexion seemed to end, so far as I could -gather. The only similar instance of such “clans” that I can call to -mind is the “clan” system which formerly existed among the Red Indians -of North America, where men of different, and often hostile, tribes -might belong to the same “clan,” the clans being known by the names of -various animals, such as bear, wolf, fox, &c. - -All the Kikuyu worship a god called Ngai, and I was given to understand -that they had also another god, whom they called Ngoma, though this -latter appeared to correspond more to our idea of the devil; for -example, when a native went into a fit of hysterics at one of their -war-dances, as I have previously stated was frequently the case, they -said that it was Ngoma who had entered into him and caused it. - -I noticed, in various parts of the country, quite a number of large -trees which had been left standing alone, and which I took to have been -left as landmarks when the ground had been cleared for cultivation. They -were usually to be found on the top of a hill, and stood out prominently -in the landscape. I found on inquiry, however, that these trees were -looked upon as sacred, and had some religious or superstitious -significance. The natives had many other curious beliefs and practices, -and had many ways of seeking the favour of their god Ngai. Some of the -chiefs, when things did not go right, were in the habit of killing a -sheep, which they then took into the bush, and left there as a sacrifice -to Ngai; and when a sheep had been sacrificed in this way, none of the -natives would go near it, for fear of offending the god. When I remarked -that Ngai did not eat, and therefore did not require food, they replied, -“Oh, yes, in the morning everything is gone.” I took the trouble to find -out what became of the sheep, and, as I expected, saw that the hyenas -came during the night and ate it; and, to prove this, I shot a hyena one -night while in the act of devouring the sacrificial sheep. But when I -told them that this was the Ngai for whose benefit they were making -these sacrifices, it did not alter their belief. Some of them told me -that Ngai lived on the top of Mount Kenia; but others said that his -habitation was on a mountain in the Kedong Valley, not far from Lake -Naivasha. This mountain, on the summit of which is the crater of an -extinct volcano, called Longanot, is known by the name of Kilemongai, -which means “the mountain of God”; and it was said by the natives that -any one going up this mountain would never come down again, as they were -bound to die up there. This piece of superstition probably originated -when the mountain was active, and there was every probability that any -one going up would have but a poor chance of getting down alive. - -When going down to Naivasha I had on various occasions noticed that the -natives when they crossed certain streams used to leave a little food at -a particular place, generally a few sweet potatoes broken up—sometimes -it was left in the bush; and when I asked why they had done that, they -gave me to understand that they were performing some religious rite, but -I never managed to get any satisfactory explanation of it. - -Still more curious, to my mind, were some huge heaps of stones to be -seen at certain places as we passed along the caravan track. When we -came within sight of one of these heaps a native would pick up a stone, -or he had, perhaps, been carrying one for some time in anticipation of -coming to the spot, and cast it on the heap, at the same time muttering -some prayer to Ngai, as it was on these occasions that he would ask Ngai -for anything that he was in need of. It struck me as very remarkable -that in my later travels in Abyssinia I should come across the same kind -of heaps of stones, while some of my Abyssinian followers went through a -similar performance of adding to the heap. When I questioned an -Abyssinian as to the meaning of the performance, he would reply by -pointing in the direction of a church, which stood on the top of a hill -away in the distance, and tell me that, not being able to go to the -church to make his devotions, he threw a stone on the heap as a -substitute for the performance of his religious duty; and I noticed that -while putting the stone on the heap he would bow towards the church. The -Abyssinians are, of course, members of a branch of the Coptic Church, -and it struck me as possible that the idea had in some way travelled -from them to the Kikuyu, who copied it, not knowing precisely what it -meant, but understanding that it was some form of worship of Ngai. - -I have already mentioned that the practice of spitting plays a large -part in many of the Kikuyu customs, and I also found that the same thing -prevailed among the people in the district up towards Lake Rudolph, and -in fact it was the custom with the majority of the people up towards the -north, as I found when I came in contact with them in my later travels. -It might seem to Europeans a vulgar thing to enlarge upon, but it was by -no means regarded in the same light by the inhabitants of East Africa, -amongst whom it was regarded as the highest compliment you could pay a -man if you spat on him, or, better still, on his children. On my first -introduction to the big savage chief Wagombi, he asked me to spit on his -children; and among both the Masai and Kikuyu a friendly introduction -was not complete unless spitting had entered into it. They very seldom -speak of their children without spitting, and I concluded that the -practice denoted respect. - -The Kikuyu had a great variety of dances; some were for men only and -some for women only, while there were some in which it was the custom -for both sexes to take part. There was also one particular dance, which -was danced by all the young boys before they were circumcised, in which -all who took part were painted white from head to foot, while each wore -a kind of toy shield on the left arm and carried, in place of the usual -spear of the warriors, a white wand, decorated with white goat’s hair. -This band of whitewashed young savages went from village to village -performing their dance, which they did very well, keeping remarkably -good time, and as the postures were gone through each time in exactly -the same way and in precisely the same order, it was evident that they -had some recognized rule and method in their dancing. - -[Illustration: RIVER SCENERY] - -Although the Kikuyu are fearless fighters when their blood is up and -will slay their enemies without the slightest compunction, they have a -most extraordinary fear of the dead, and would not on any account touch -a corpse, for which reason they never bury their dead. I have known a -few instances of particularly wealthy or important natives being -accorded the honour of burial, but, as a rule, when a native dies, if he -happens to be in his hut, the body is left there, and no one ever enters -the hut again. If a poor man, or a man of no particular standing, -happens to fall sick, and they think he is likely to die, he is carried -into the bush at some distance from the village, a fire is lighted, and -a pile of wood placed handy so that he can replenish it, and he is then -left to die. - -The Kikuyu, like nearly all other African tribes, are polygamous, and -the general rule seems to be that any ordinary individual may have three -or four wives, though, as marriage is simply a question of paying so -much for the woman, the number is apt to vary with the man’s wealth, -some of the bigger chiefs having as many as twenty or thirty. They do -not, of course, regard women in the same way that we do, but look upon -them more in the light of slaves, the value of a wife being reckoned at -about thirty sheep. The women have to do all the work of the family and -house, the man himself doing practically nothing. They build the huts, -cultivate the shambas, and do all the field work, though at certain -times of the year when new ground has to be cleared for cultivation the -men condescend to take a share in the work. Each wife has her own -separate hut, where she lives with her family, and, if her husband is a -big chief, he may have a hut for his own individual use, but, as a rule, -he resides with his different wives alternately. They have very large -families, and the children begin to take their share of the work at a -very early age—the little girl of three years of age relieving her -mother of the care of the baby of one year, and, as they grow older, -their share in the work increases in proportion. The very young boys -have their share in the work too, and may be seen at a very early age -tending the herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. This practice, prevalent -almost throughout Africa, of making the woman support the family, while -the man does little but loaf or fight, is at the root of the often -openly expressed desire of the (so-called) Christian natives that the -Church should allow polygamy among her African converts—a desire which -has been quite as strongly expressed by the “civilized” and educated -natives on the West Coast as among the more primitive tribes of the East -and the interior. - -On the whole, the people seemed to lead a very happy and contented life. -They are almost vegetarians in their manner of living, their staple food -being sweet potatoes, although they include a variety of other articles -in their diet, such as yams (which they call _kigwa_), matama, beans, -Indian corn (or maize), and a smaller grain called _mawhali_, besides -bananas, sugar-cane, &c. They also have a very small grain like -canary-seed, called _umkanori_, which they grind into flour by means of -a hand-mill, composed of two stones—a large one at the bottom, on which -they place the grain, and a smaller one on top, with which they grind -it, after the fashion of the mills described in the Bible as being in -use in the East thousands of years ago. With the flour made from the -umkanori-seed they make a kind of porridge, which I found very -palatable. The natives call it _ujuru_, and it combines the properties -of both food and drink, being left to ferment until it somewhat -resembles _tywala_, or Kafir beer, and is very nourishing. When the -natives are going on a journey which takes them any distance from their -homes, or out to work in the fields, they take a calabash of ujuru with -them, a smaller calabash, cut in half, being used as a cup, into which -the liquid is poured for drinking. - -The Kikuyu appeared to have no regular hour for eating, except in the -evening, when the day’s work is over. Then everybody, men, women, and -children, could be seen sitting round a huge calabash, cut in half to -form a kind of basin, all helping themselves from the contents of the -vessel, which would, perhaps, consist of sweet potatoes, or Indian corn, -or perhaps bananas, roasted. In connexion with this custom of the -evening meal, I may here make mention of the open-handed hospitality -which is the rule rather than the exception among all the native races -of Africa; in fact, I make bold to say that any man who is willing to -work at all cannot possibly be stranded in Africa, unless, it may be, in -one of the larger towns. I have often noticed a native come into a -village at the time of the evening meal, walk up to the circle, and sit -down and help himself to sweet potatoes or whatever there might be; and -on my remarking to the headman on the number of his grown-up sons I have -been told, “Oh, that is not one of my sons; he is a stranger.” When I -asked where he came from, I was told that they did not know; they had -not asked him even his name, and knew nothing whatever about him. He -would settle himself by the fire for the night, and go on his way the -next morning without his host being any the wiser as to his name or -where he came from. - -This is only one of the points in which the ignorant heathen so often -set an example worthy of imitation by some of the so-called civilized -Christians. - -They grow a calabash which serves them for almost every household -purpose, such as storing liquid, carrying water, or as a drinking -vessel. For carrying grain or other purposes of that kind they make a -bag from the fibre which they obtain from certain trees, and which -varies in size according to the purpose for which it is required; while -for cooking or for storing large quantities of water they use -earthenware pots, which are made in certain districts of the Kikuyu -country in practically the same way as pottery was made in the early -days in our own country, being fashioned out of a particular kind of -clay and then burnt to harden them. The method of cooking is very much -the same throughout Africa, a small fire being made within a triangle, -composed of three large stones. An old camp may always be recognized by -these three stones, which show where the fire was made for cooking, -although all other traces of the camp may have disappeared under a -luxuriant growth of grass, several feet high. - -The Kikuyu make all their own weapons—spears, swords, and arrows—from -the iron which is found in various parts of the country, and which they -smelt in the old-fashioned way. I found that the style of bellows used -by them was the same as those I had seen in other parts of Africa, being -made out of a sheepskin, fashioned to a pointed bag, which, when opened, -admitted the air and expelled it again when pressed down. Two sets of -bellows were worked together, one with each hand. The native blacksmith -uses a large stone as an anvil, and possesses a variety of hammers, some -of them being simply ordinary pieces of stone, while others are in the -form of a dumb-bell, which he grasps in the middle when striking with -it. Singularly enough, the tongs which he uses to hold the heated iron -are practically the same as those used by the English blacksmith. As the -smith is, of course, paid for his labour in kind, he charges one sheep -for a spear, while a sword may be had for the same price. I found that a -lot of the iron-wire which I brought into the country was worked up into -swords and spears, possibly because it entailed less labour than the -working up of the native iron. In addition to the fighting weapons, they -made iron rings and chains, which were worn as ornaments. - -Speaking of ornaments, one very characteristic feature of Kikuyu -adornment is the enormous size of their ear appendages—they cannot be -called earrings. When the children are quite young a hole is made in the -lobe of the ear, similar to the fashion in Europe of piercing the lobe -for earrings. But they are not content with the comparatively small -ornaments that satisfy the vanity of European women: their ambition is -to have the ear ornament as large as they can possibly manage; so the -hole in the lobe of the ear is distended by means of a series of wooden -pegs, gradually increasing in size until it is large enough to allow of -the insertion of a jam-jar or condensed milk tin, which are by no means -unusual ornaments for a native to be seen wearing in the ear. And very -proud they are as they go about wearing these extraordinary adornments, -which one would think must be decidedly uncomfortable for the wearers; -they certainly appear so to European eyes, but the natives do not seem -to consider them so, and are quite satisfied with the effect. - -I do not think that I have mentioned that the Kikuyu cultivate a large -amount of tobacco from which to make snuff, for, although they do not -smoke, all the men take snuff. Many of the other tribes grow tobacco, -but not to such an extent as the Kikuyu, who know better how to cure it -than any of their neighbours; in fact, the Kikuyu tobacco has such a -reputation in the country that to my surprise I found that the natives -about Lake Rudolph, and even right round as far as Abyssinia, were -inquiring for Kikuyu tobacco. - -The most striking incidents of my life at this time while I was living -among the Kikuyu were occurrences which took place on some of the -journeys down to Naivasha with the caravans taking in food. On two -occasions while marching down I had people killed by elephants, which -were fairly numerous in the bamboo forest at certain times of the year. -With a safari of a thousand men the long line of porters extended for -about five or six miles, winding through the forest like a huge serpent -and tailing away into the distance; and occasionally, when an elephant -crossed the path, one of the stragglers in the rear would find himself -suddenly encircled round the body by an elephant’s trunk and hurled -several feet in the air, to be trampled to death under the ponderous -brute’s feet when his body crashed to the ground again. The porters -nearest to him would then set up a shout, which was repeated all along -the line until it reached me, when I would immediately rush back as -quickly as possible, only to find, when I at length reached the spot, -that the elephant had been lost in the forest long before I got there, -the bamboos growing so thickly that it could not be seen for any great -distance. Incidents of this sort happened on two occasions on the road -to Naivasha. - -The forest was full of animal life, including a fair number of bushbuck -and some specimens of a very rare kind of buck known as the bongo. The -bongo has horns like those of the bushbuck, but very much larger, -curving backwards with one or two spiral twists, and ending in a point -tipped with white. The hide is reddish in colour, with very narrow white -stripes. There are a few of the species to be found at the Ravine. Among -the other inhabitants of the forest I have seen wart hogs and wild pigs, -while the colobus monkey makes his home in the bamboo forest, and is -regarded as sacred by the natives, who, as far as I could understand, -were in the habit of placing sacrifices in the forest, which these -monkeys came and ate. The skin of the colobus monkey is greatly prized, -the hair being very long, while the upper part of the body is jet black, -with a white stripe down each side, widening towards the tail, which is -also white, the result of the peculiar arrangement of the two colours -being to give the animal a very curious appearance. Guinea-fowl were -very plentiful, and I also saw some partridges, but was never tempted to -shoot any. At times we had great difficulty in getting through the -forest, in consequence of the elephants having pulled down a number of -the bamboos and thus blocked the path, and we frequently had to make a -new path before we could proceed on our journey. - -I had some personal experiences with animals in the forest, which added -a little excitement to the journeys. On one occasion as we were going -along some of the boys pointed into the bush, saying, “Yama,” which is -the Swahili word for meat, and is applied indiscriminately to any -animal. It was getting dusk, and, peering into the bush, I could see -something dark moving, but not being able in the half-darkness to see -what it was, I thought that the best thing to do was to try the effect -of a bullet on it. I had no sooner fired than the animal charged out on -me, and I saw that it was a huge rhinoceros. Having only soft-nosed -bullets, my shot had not injured it, and as it was only about ten paces -from where I was standing I had only just time to spring out of the way -before it blundered past me. Immediately every man dropped his load and -sprang up the nearest tree, while the rhino, after passing me, slowed -down and began sniffing about among the loads which the porters had -thrown to the ground in their hurry to get to places of safety. Although -I knew that unless I could hit him in a vulnerable spot it was no use -firing, I gave him a few shots at random, which had the effect of -driving him off. - -One night we had a peculiar experience with a lion. With such a number -of porters it was impossible to provide tents for all the men, so we -used to bivouac at nights either on the edge of the forest or in some -deep ravine where we were sheltered from the wind. On the particular -evening of which I am writing we were settled for the night in a ravine, -and I was suddenly aroused from my sleep by shouting, howling, and the -waving of firebrands, while at the same moment a huge boulder came -crashing through my tent. Thinking that it was at least an attack by the -Kalyera or Masai or some of the other natives, I rushed out of my tent -to find that what had really happened was that a lion had come prowling -round the camp, and was in the act of springing on some man sleeping -below when he dislodged a boulder from the overhanging ledge on which he -was crouching for the spring, which had dropped on my tent. The noise -made by the porters and the stone slipping from under its feet must have -scared the animal, as he made off just as I came out. There were quite a -number of lions on the Kinangop Plain and near Naivasha, so we always -made big fires at night to guard the camp, and never had the bad luck to -have any one taken. One day a Masai reported that a lion had been into -the kraal and had killed thirty sheep, every one of which had been -killed by a tap of his paw, but none of them had been eaten. - -I was told of a remarkable occurrence which had taken place at Naivasha. -One of the officials there had a white horse, and one night a prowling -lion sprang on its back. Hearing the noise, one of the soldiers fired, -and, although it was too dark to take an accurate aim, he was fortunate -enough to hit the lion, which dropped off the horse’s back dead, while -the horse was none the worse, save for a few scratches from the lion’s -claws. Of course, it was purely a chance shot, as it was much too dark -for the man to see clearly, and that was probably how he came to kill -the lion—niggers being, as a rule, atrocious shots with a rifle. - -When going into Naivasha, the country around there being considered -practically safe, I often used to gallop on ahead of the caravan on my -mule, taking only a couple of boys with me, to let them know that the -safari was coming and to make arrangements for it on arrival. On one of -these occasions, when crossing the Kinangop Plain, I had a rather lively -experience with a leopard. After being cooped up in the hills for so -long it was a pleasure to get a good gallop over the open plain, and I -was riding along, thoroughly enjoying the exercise, when, chancing to -look round to see how far my gun-bearer was behind, I saw a leopard -following me at a distance of about thirty yards. I at once pulled up, -when the leopard immediately followed my example, and, after looking at -one another for a minute or two, the animal began walking slowly up and -down, swishing its tail about, and looking for all the world like a big -cat, but it did not offer to approach any nearer. This went on for some -time, until I at last saw the boy come into sight, carrying my gun; but -directly he saw the leopard, which was between us, he was afraid to come -any farther, and though I waved my hand to him to make his way round to -me, he would not move. The leopard still continued to march up and down, -until presently it saw the boy and appeared to hesitate, as if wondering -which of us to attack, though my mule had evidently been the first -attraction. The animal seemed to be puzzled at seeing me on its back, -and apparently did not quite know what to make of it. Seeing that the -boy was too scared to come to me, I made a detour—the leopard still -following me at about the same distance—and as soon as I reached the boy -I dismounted quickly, and, taking my gun from him, fired at the animal, -and evidently hit him, for he gave a bound and cleared off. Whilst he -was making off as fast as he could go I managed to get two more shots -in, and followed him until he disappeared into some bushes. Knowing that -one does not stand a chance with a wounded leopard in a bush, I -hesitated to follow, but I did not like to leave it; so I tried, by -throwing stones and in other ways, to find out whether it was still -alive and likely to be dangerous or whether I had actually finished it. -Hearing no movement, I plucked up courage, after some manœuvring, to -go into the bush. Moving as stealthily as I could, not knowing whether -the animal might not spring out on me at any moment, I worked my way -cautiously in, but I had not gone many yards before I found it lying -stone dead. - -A wounded leopard is one of the most dangerous animals in the world to -tackle, and two of my friends were lamed for life as a result of -following up leopards which they had only wounded. One was a man named -Hall, and the other a hunter named Vincent. The latter had wounded a -leopard, and was following it into the bush when the animal sprang at -him suddenly and tried to seize him by the throat, and a hand-to-hand -fight ensued. Vincent managed to throw the animal off and fired at it, -but it flew at him again, and the struggle went on until he had emptied -his magazine into the brute’s body, having fired ten rounds into it. The -leopard had managed in the struggle to fasten its teeth in his knee and -to bite him very severely. As the result blood poisoning set in, and -Vincent was laid up for several months and was lamed for life. - - - - - CHAPTER X - -Government send an expedition into my country to take over the -administration—Go with my followers to meet the Government officials—Am -asked to disarm my followers by the Government officials, who are in a -state of panic—Consent to this to allay their fears, and am then put -under arrest—Am charged with “dacoity”- -Am sent down to Mombasa to be -tried, and placed in the jail—Am released on bail—Tried and acquitted—I -am appointed intelligence officer, and guide to a Government expedition -into the Kikuyu country - - -I had been living and trading in the Kikuyu country for something like -two and a half years now, and during the whole of that time had had no -white visitors in the country, when one day the news was brought in that -some white men had come into my neighbourhood. News of an event of this -sort of course spreads very quickly, and the natives reported to me that -at Mberri, about thirty miles to the east of my headquarters, two white -men were camping with a lot of troops, and had commenced to build a -fort. When I had made a few inquiries, I found that they were Government -officials, who had come out to take over the country, and when I was -satisfied of this, as soon as I could spare the time, I called all the -chiefs together and told them that these two white men were evidently -officers of the Government and had come to take the country over, and -that as it had hitherto fallen to my lot to settle quarrels and disputes -and generally manage the affairs of the whole country, so now, I -explained, these new-comers had been sent for that purpose and to take -my place. I gave the chiefs some days’ notice to be ready to go up with -me, and said that I would take them up and introduce them to the -officials. - -When the time came to start for Mberri all the chiefs did not turn up, -but I found that a good number of the thirty-six who at that time looked -to me as their head were ready to accompany me. Each chief brought some -of his followers with him, and we started off with about one thousand -men, and, as it was too far for a day’s march, I camped after travelling -about three-parts of the way to the fort. Resuming our journey the next -morning, we had nearly covered the remaining portion of the distance, -when it suddenly struck me that if such a large body of armed natives -were seen approaching the fort without any notice of their coming having -been received, they might easily be mistaken for a hostile force coming -to attack the new station, so I called a halt about two or three miles -from the fort, and, leaving the natives behind, went on ahead to report -their arrival. - -On reaching Mberri I met one of the officers in charge of the fort, a -Mr. Hall, who turned out to be a man I knew very well, having met him -previously at Fort Smith, when he was in charge of that station; while -Captain Longfield, who was with him, was also known to me through my -having been in communication with him on several occasions respecting -certain happenings in the Kikuyu country. The two officials received me -in a friendly way and invited me to have some breakfast with them. -Having reported to them that I had brought in a number of friendly -chiefs to introduce to them, and explained my mission, I sent a man back -to my people to tell them to come on in, and was still at breakfast when -I heard a lot of shouting and talking, and went out to see what was the -matter. On asking what the fuss was about, I was told that my askaris -were being placed under arrest, and when I inquired what they had been -doing, was told that they had no right to be in uniform. As a matter of -fact they were not wearing a Government uniform, but as they were all -dressed alike in khaki, this was made a pretext for a display of -officiousness on the part of the officials, and the officer proceeded to -cut some buttons off their tunics, and the rank badges off the arms of -the sergeant and corporal, which, as I alone was responsible for their -dress, was a needlessly insulting piece of red tape. I had previously -ordered my men to disarm, and they submitted very quietly to the -insulting disfigurement of their clothes. My greatest crime of all in -the eyes of these officials, however, was the fact that I was flying the -Union Jack, which my men carried with them, as they were accustomed to -do on all their expeditions. I mildly put the question to the officer as -to whether he expected me to fly the Russian flag, or any other except -that of my own country, but it seemed that, to the official mind, it was -a most serious offence for an Englishman to display the flag under which -he had been born and for which he had fought, unless he held some -position in the official oligarchy which ruled, or was in the habit of -thinking it ruled, the country. - -In the meantime a fearful row was going on amongst my people and the -other Kikuyu who lived near Mberri, who had joined them. Mr. Hall and -Captain Longfield were in a terrible state of panic. They asked me why I -had brought all those men there, saying that there was bound to be a -fight, and no end of trouble. I told them that there would be no trouble -with my men, as I could manage them all right. They asked me to disarm -them, and I agreed to do so, provided that they would be responsible for -their weapons, and on their undertaking to do so, I explained to the -chiefs that it was the white men’s wish that they should disarm. This -they very reluctantly consented to do, and gave up their weapons on my -assuring them that they would be restored to them. - -When my men were all disarmed, and their weapons had been safely stowed -in a tent, under the care of a sentry, the official announced that I was -to consider myself a prisoner as well. To this I merely replied, “All -right,” feeling that if I were to express the feelings of utter contempt -I possessed at that moment for these two gallant specimens of British -officialdom, it would be the worse for my people and would only give an -excuse for ill-treatment. I could see too much unpleasantness ahead for -them as it was, if these two gentlemen were fairly representative of the -class to whom the future administration of the country was to be -entrusted, if I acted with precipitation and gave way to my natural -feelings against the mean trick that had been played on me. I was told -that I should be allowed to retain my cook and personal servants, and -that no restraint would be put upon my movements, provided that I would -give my word of honour not to attempt to clear out. As my real offence -was that I had brought into a state of order a country which, previous -to my coming, had such a reputation that no official would set foot -across the border if he could help it, I had no cause to fear the -results of an investigation into my conduct, and I made up my mind to -await calmly the termination of this comedy. Besides, I thought that my -personal influence might very likely be needed to prevent some -“regrettable occurrence.” Both the officials were in such a state of -unreasoning fear of the natives that it was more than likely that they -would be guilty of some piece of foolishness which might set the whole -country in a blaze. So I retired to my tent and amused myself for a -great part of the day with a gramophone which I had brought with me. Of -course, my men could not understand what had happened, and, fortunately, -none of them knew that I was under arrest. - -In the meantime my men were being questioned as to what had happened in -the Kikuyu country during the time that I had been there, and the -following day an askari came to my tent and presented me with a lengthy -document, written on blue paper, which proved to be a summons to appear -that day before the officers in charge of the fort. The summons read -something after the following style: “I, Francis George Hall, charge -you, John Boyes, that during your residence in the Kenia district you -waged war, set shauris, personated Government, went on six punitive -expeditions, and committed dacoity.” I must confess that I read over -this formidable list of charges with some amusement, though I was well -aware that any one of them, if proved, meant capital punishment. There -was one item on the list that I could not make out, and I took the first -opportunity of inquiring the meaning of the word “dacoity,” which was a -term I had never heard used in the country before. I remembered reading -a book called “The Last of the Dacoits,” and it struck me that either -the title of the book was wrong, or that the official, in his anxiety to -fulfil his instructions to pile up as heavy a list of crimes against me -as possible, had allowed his imagination to run away with him. It was -explained to me that “Dacoit” was an Indian term, meaning a native -outlaw. - -At the time appointed I presented myself at the “court-house,” which was -a primitively-constructed mud-hut, furnished with two chairs and a -table, and as the two former were occupied by Mr. Hall and Captain -Longfield, there was nothing left for me but to make myself as -comfortable as possible on the corner of the table, which I did, much to -the scandal of those two important officials. The charge having been -read over to me, I was cautioned in the same manner that an English -bobby cautions a prisoner, that anything I might say, &c., and then I -was asked what I had to say. I told them that I certainly had nothing to -say to them one way or the other, and would reserve my defence, and the -proceedings—which were of a purely formal character—were then over and I -returned to my tent. - -The next four days were spent in collecting evidence against me, and as -nobody could be persuaded to go to my headquarters to collect evidence -against me on the spot, Captain Longfield himself finally went, taking -with him the whole of his troops, while during his absence Mr. Hall -gathered all the information he could from the chiefs and other natives -at Mberri. - -When they had, as they thought, satisfactorily arranged for sufficient -evidence to secure my conviction, the Kikuyu who had come in with me had -their arms restored to them, and I and my personal bodyguard, together -with about two hundred native witnesses, were sent down to Nairobi under -charge of an escort of about ten native soldiers, commanded by a black -sergeant! The situation was ludicrously Gilbertian. Here was I, a -(so-called) dangerous outlaw, being sent down to be tried for my life on -a series of awful indictments, through a country in which I had only to -lift a finger to call an army of savage warriors to my assistance. I was -accompanied by a personal following twenty times as numerous as the -guard of ten natives who kept me prisoner, and who trembled every time -they passed a native village lest the inhabitants should rush out and -wipe them out of existence; while on the first day out the humour of the -situation was considerably increased by the sergeant in charge of the -escort handing me the large blue envelope containing the statement of -the evidence against me, with a request that I would take charge of it -for him, as he was afraid he might lose it! I must say that I thoroughly -appreciated the humour of the whole affair. I was the only mounted man -in the whole outfit, still having my mule, and it struck me as -distinctly amusing that I should be practically taking myself down to -Nairobi, to be tried for my life, with the whole of the evidence under -my arm! - -During the journey, which, though only sixty miles in a straight line, -took us five days, as we had to pick a path—there being then no road—and -to avoid several swamps, some of the soldiers tried to make my men carry -their loads; but I thought that this was going a little too far, and -would not allow anything of the sort. We saw plenty of game along the -road, and also some lions, but as I was, of course, without my rifle, I -could not do any shooting. - -When we arrived at Nairobi I presented myself at the Government -headquarters, which were then in a little tin shanty, now used by some -Indian coolies as a wash-house, while the remainder of the party sat -down outside whilst I went in to see the official. The Goanese clerk who -inquired my business told me that the Sub-Commissioner was very busy -just then and I could not see him. It was quite remarkable how very busy -these officials always were when any one, not of the official or -missionary class, wanted to see them. I had always experienced the same -difficulty in getting an interview, and no doubt the clerk thought that -I had come to make one of my usual complaints. On this occasion I did -not happen to be in a hurry, so telling the clerk that I would call back -in about an hour’s time, I went for a stroll round the town, and took -the opportunity of having a look at Nairobi. On my return I was received -by the Sub-Commissioner, who asked me what I wanted, so I handed him the -packet containing the statement of evidence, and when he had looked -through it he said that he would make arrangements at once to have me -sent down to Mombasa. - -Things were done in a different way here, and I quickly realized the -change when I got outside the office and found myself surrounded by a -guard of six Indian soldiers with fixed bayonets. - -That same day I was taken by the afternoon train to Mombasa, under -charge of the escort of Indian soldiers, with a white officer in -command, and on arriving there I was handed over to another white -official. After some considerable delay, the papers apparently not being -in order in some respect, I was duly admitted to the Mombasa jail, which -was the old Portuguese fort—a massive building, whose frowning walls -rise sheer above the cliff commanding the entrance to Mombasa. Many a -time, in days gone by, has the tide of battle rolled around these grim -walls, the many sanguinary conflicts in which it has figured having -earned for Mombasa the title of the “Isle of War.” Looked at from the -outside, the fort is a gloomy-looking place, with its huge entrance -gates guarded by sentries; but its extent is best judged from the -inside, and I found that there was plenty of room within its massive -walls; while the apartment allotted to my use proved to be much more -comfortable than I had expected—being, in fact, quite on a par with, if -it did not surpass, the accommodation which the only hotel in Mombasa at -that time could provide. I found that I was perfectly free to roam about -the fort at will, though, of course, I was not allowed to pass outside -the gates. - -I had been incarcerated in the fort for some weeks before any of my -friends got to know of my arrest, and then one of them, Mr. Claude -Smith, also a trader and hunter, like myself, hearing of my position, -came down to Mombasa to see me. After having paid me a visit, he got the -only lawyer in the country, who was a Parsee, to conduct my defence; -while a few days later these two managed to secure my release, on a bail -of 10,000 rupees, and I left the fort and went up to Nairobi. - -The bare statement that Claude Smith came down to Mombasa to see me, and -secured my release on 10,000 rupees bail, will probably not convey the -idea to the general reader that he did anything calling for special -notice. But, when the facts of the case are taken into consideration, it -will be seen that the comradeship which existed among us early pioneers -in that wild, official-ridden territory, was of a kind which does not -usually flourish among the stay-at-home, arm-chair critics who, from the -comfort of the club fireside or the smug atmosphere of the Exeter Hall -platform, condemn the traders and settlers as irredeemable blackguards -or, as one complacent official described them to a gathering of -uneducated natives, as _washenzi Uliya_, the translation of which is -“the savages of Europe.” In the first place, although I had no claim on -him whatever, he came down some four hundred miles from Naivasha, where -he was hunting, leaving his expedition for the purpose, and found the -10,000 rupees bail—which had to be actually deposited—from his own -pocket, and remained with me until the case was dismissed—thus -sacrificing many weeks of valuable time in my interests. Further than -all this, he incurred the bitter enmity of the official who had -instigated the whole business against me, and who never rested until he -had fabricated a similar charge against my friend, needless to say with -the result of triumphal acquittal for both of us. - -When my trial came on, I found that all the charges against me, except -the one of dacoity, had been withdrawn; which fact only served to -confirm the information I had received—were any confirmation needed—as -to the origin of, and reason for, the whole conspiracy against me. The -trial was by judge and jury, and after hearing the evidence against me -the court acquitted me, and I left the court-house, as the judge said, -without a stain on my character—the judge even going so far as to say -that he did not understand why the case had been brought at all, and, -finally, apologising to me for the waste of my valuable time! - -As to why the case had been brought I could have given the judge a good -deal of information which would have enlightened him considerably, but -as I had come so triumphantly out of the matter, I did not see that I -had anything to gain by stirring up the mud. At that time there were not -more than a dozen independent white men in the country; all the rest -were Government officials, missionaries, or men engaged in the -construction of the Uganda Railway, and, for some reason or other, the -governing class were always bitterly hostile to the commercial and -hunting element, and took every occasion of impressing upon us that we -were not wanted in the country. Further than this, the class of men -holding the Government appointments at that time were by no means -representative of the best elements even of officialdom; being, in many -cases, unsuccessful traders with a little backstairs influence, or the -least useful class of Army officer, with absolutely no experience of the -people or the country and no administrative training.[15] This state of -affairs is by no means peculiar to British East Africa, but has been -experienced in most of our other African Crown Colonies, and, indeed, -prevailed in many of them up to quite recently, and may do so yet for -all I know. Fortunately, so far as British East Africa is concerned, -there are now good prospects of the carrying out of a saner and more -intelligent policy under the guidance of the new Governor, Sir Percy -Girouard. If the colony is ever to become anything more than a happy -hunting ground for official inefficients, every assistance must be given -to those who are willing to invest their money in the country, and petty -officialism must be put in its proper place in the machinery of -government. - ------ - -Footnote 15: - - It must be remembered that the administration of the country was just - starting. The Government had to put up with what officials they could - get. - ------ - -In my case there were many mixed motives underlying the conspiracy to -get me ousted from the Kikuyu country, and if possible from the -dependency, but it is perhaps better that I should be silent about all -this. One reason, perhaps, for desiring my removal was the apprehension -that existed out there that the authorities at home might think that -after all the man who single-handed had reduced to peace and order a -country into which no white man had ever successfully entered before, -might not be a bad one to entrust with its future administration in the -interests of the Empire. Of course, such an intrusion into the sacred -official class by a common trader, who actually understood the -natives—as far as a white man may—and was able to exercise a kindly -influence over them, was to be prevented at all hazards, even at the -cost of the said trader’s life if need be. - -For my part, although no man likes to give up practically supreme power, -even among savages, I had always recognized that the day must come—and -had been at some trouble to prepare the natives for it—when the -administration of the country would be duly taken over by the official -bureaucracy, and my only aim was to assist the officials as far as -possible when that day came, so that the change might be brought about -with as little disturbance to the existing state of order as possible. -Unfortunately, the petty spite and official arrogance and inefficiency -of certain individuals defeated my object, and within a comparatively -short period I was grieved to find that my old friend and blood brother, -Wagombi, irritated at the tactless way in which he was treated by the -new officials, was carrying fire and sword through the whole country, -and raiding almost up to the walls of the boma where the new -Administrator lay trembling and afraid to venture a quarter of a mile -outside his own camp. - -However, as I have already said, all those who have the true interests -of British East Africa at heart are hoping for a better state of things -under the experienced and enlightened administration of Sir Percy -Girouard. - -After the fiasco of my trial, I returned to Karuri’s, and continued my -food-buying, taking the supplies into Naivasha as before. I still -experienced the same trouble with the Kalyera natives on the way down -with the food for the Government stations, and finally the matter was -reported to the Governor, Sir Charles Eliot, who resided at Zanzibar, -which was then the headquarters of the Government. As a result of these -representations, an expedition was sent out under Captain Wake, of the -East African Rifles, with Mr. McLellan as civil officer, and I was asked -to accompany them as guide and intelligence officer. I was only too -pleased to have this opportunity of proving to the Government my -readiness to help, and I willingly agreed to go with the expedition. - - - - - CHAPTER XI - -Origin of the Kikuyu—The family—Circumcision—Marriage—Land -tenure—Missionaries - - -It may be of interest to the general reader if I give, in a single -chapter, a brief account of the manners and customs of the Kikuyu -people, and some description of the country in which they live. It must -be borne in mind that the information contained in this section is not -the result of direct questioning of the people, as it is well known to -all who have any _real_ knowledge of the African native that to ask -directly for information of this sort from him simply results in the -acquisition of a large amount of information which, however interesting -it may be to read, contains the smallest possible proportion of actual -truth. Therefore, the account of the Kikuyu and their country given in -the following pages is the result of my own personal knowledge and -observation during the period of my residence among them. It may not be -as picturesque as some other published accounts, but I am prepared to -vouch for its accuracy. - -Owing to the fact that no accurate map of this part of Africa has yet -been prepared, it is a matter of some difficulty to give exactly the -boundaries and dimensions of the Kikuyu country; but, roughly speaking, -it is bounded on the north by a line which almost coincides with the -Equator; on the west by the Aberdare Range, a range of bamboo-covered -hills, uninhabited by any tribe; on the south by a kind of debatable -land, forming part of the Athi Plain, extending from Nairobi to Fort -Hall, to the south of which lies the Wakamba country; on the east, for a -considerable distance by the Tana River, beyond which it only extends -for a short distance towards the north-east. These boundaries may have -been somewhat modified since the opening up of the country by the -Government of British East Africa, but in the main they are still -correct. The area of this district would be about four thousand square -miles. - -As I never attempted to take any sort of census during my “reign,” I can -only give approximately the population, but I should say, as far as I -was able to ascertain, that the total number of the tribe would be about -half a million—rather more than less—of whom the women outnumbered the -men considerably, the constant warfare tending to keep the number of the -male population at a fairly steady figure. - -The accounts given of the origin of the Kikuyu tribe vary considerably, -and the nigger’s talent for fiction, and his readiness to oblige any -one—particularly a white man—who asks for a legend, make it extremely -difficult to distinguish where truth ends and fiction begins; but I will -give the two principal accounts as they were given to me, and my own -opinion of the credibility of both, and let the reader judge for -himself. - -The first story is that given me by Karuri, the chief who was my first -friend among these interesting people, who was certainly one of the most -intelligent natives I have ever come in contact with. His account was -that the original inhabitants of the country, a tribe called the Asi, -were hunters who took no interest in agriculture, and that the Kikuyu -were a tribe who came into the country, and purchased tracts of land -from the Asi for purposes of cultivation. Gradually more and more of the -Kikuyu came in until they had cleared most of the forest land of which -the country originally consisted, while the Asi were gradually absorbed -into the Kikuyu tribe by marriage, or wandered farther afield in search -of the game which the increasing population and the clearing of the -forests had driven away to new retreats. Karuri himself based his -strongest claim to his chieftaincy on the fact that he was a direct -descendant of these Asi. - -The other account, which was given me by a headman named Kasu, now a -powerful chief under the new regime, reminds one somewhat of the story -of Ishmael. The legend runs that a Masai warrior, living on the borders -of what is now the Kikuyu country, but was then a vast forest, inhabited -by a race of dwarfs, of whom the Kikuyu speak as the Maswatch-wanya, was -in the habit of ill-treating one of his wives to such an extent that she -used from time to time to take refuge among the dwarfs, returning to her -husband’s kraal after each flight. Finally his treatment became so bad -that she fled to the dwarfs and remained there, giving birth to a son -shortly after her definite settlement among them. Later on, the story -runs, she had children to her own son, which children intermarried with -the Maswatch-wanya, and from their offspring the present Kikuyu race -derive their descent. - -Of the two accounts, my observation would lead me to look for the truth -rather in the direction of the latter than the former. In the first -place, as I think I have before pointed out, a strong physical -resemblance exists between the Kikuyu and the Masai; the former, indeed, -might almost be taken for a shorter, more stockily built branch of the -latter race, while I could easily pick out a hundred Kikuyu who, mixed -with an equal number of Masai, could not be told from the latter, even -by an expert. Again, the weapons and war-dress of the two races are -identical—a fact which to any one who is aware of the unique character -of the Masai weapons is a strong point in itself. Further, when actually -on the war-path—and _only_ then—the Kikuyu are in the habit of singing a -Masai war-song, in the Masai tongue, referring to a former noted warrior -chief of the Masai named Bartion. Again, their manner of circumcising -the young men is exactly the same as that practised by the Masai, which -differs from the custom of any other race, as I shall show later on. The -name for God, Ngai, is the same in both peoples, and they both have a -similar custom of retiring to a so-called “sacred grove” in the bush, -where they slaughter a sheep, which is afterwards roasted and eaten in -honour of their god. - -These points, to my mind, all go to show a connexion between the Kikuyu -and the Masai, rather than, as some inquirers argue, between the Kikuyu -and the Wakamba. Of course, in the districts bordering on the Wakamba -country, where it has been customary for the two tribes to seize one -another’s women in their frequent raids, many of the Kikuyu show traces -of Wakamba blood, while on the Masai border the traces of Masai -influence are stronger than in the districts more remote; but I am not -arguing on the basis of the border districts, but from the race as a -whole. Again, the Wakamba, though not now known to be cannibals, still -follow the practice prevalent among cannibal tribes of filing the teeth -to a sharp point—a practice unknown both to the Masai and the Kikuyu. -The Wakamba also are eaters of raw meat, while the Masai, though -blood-drinkers, always cook their meat, and the Kikuyu are practically -vegetarians. In the manner of dressing the hair, too, the Kikuyu follow -the Masai fashion of plaiting strands of bark fibre into the hair, which -is then done up in a sort of pigtail, while the Wakamba wear the -covering provided by Nature without any fancy additions. - -Another custom common to both the Masai and Kikuyu, though not practised -by the Wakamba, is that of wearing the most extraordinary ear ornaments, -which, as mentioned earlier in the book, are sometimes as large as a -condensed milk tin, and are worn passed through holes specially made in -the lobe of the ear. The practice is to pierce the lobe of the boys’ -ears some time in early childhood, and from that time onwards the -aperture then made is gradually enlarged by the wearing of a succession -of wooden plugs or discs of graduated sizes, until an object as large as -a large-sized condensed milk tin can be easily passed through it. This -operation extends over some years, and the natural result is to convert -the ring of flesh into what looks like—and as far as feeling is -concerned, might as well be—a leather loop, which sometimes hangs down -far enough to touch the shoulder. It is the great ambition of every -Kikuyu youth to be able to wear a bigger ear ornament than his -neighbour, and, in order to attain the desired end, I have known them to -pass a straight stick of wood through the hole in the lobe of one ear, -across the back of the neck, through the lobe of the other, thus keeping -them both constantly stretched. - -[Illustration: WAKAMBA WOMEN] - -The country itself is very rough, and it is often a matter of difficulty -to find a level piece sufficiently large to pitch one’s camp on. It is -situated at an elevation of some six thousand feet above sea-level, and -consists of a series of ranges of low hills, divided by deep valleys, -through most of which flows a stream of greater or less magnitude, none -of which ever seem to become quite dried up, even in the driest of dry -seasons. On account of the comparatively temperate climate, due to the -elevation, and of the extreme fertility of the soil, the country is an -ideal spot for the native agriculturist, who gets his two crops a year -with a minimum of labour. Consequently the country is very thickly -populated; in fact, I do not know any part where, on raising the tribal -war-cry, I could not, in an extremely short space of time, gather at -least a couple of thousand fighting men. The principal crops are the -sweet potato, _kigwa_ (a kind of yam of very large dimensions), and -_ndoma_ (a vegetable something after the fashion of a turnip, with -leaves from three to four feet long and about eighteen inches wide at -their widest part). Bananas are the only fruit that I ever came across, -but they grow large quantities of sugar-cane, beans of various kinds -(from my fondness for which in preference to sweet potatoes I got my -native name of Karanjai, or “The eater of beans”) , and another -vegetable, which seemed to be a cross between a bean and a pea and which -grew on a bush; of grains they have several, of which the principal are -maize, _matama_, which is the same as the Indian dhurra and is found all -over Africa, _umkanori_, which resembles canary-seed in appearance, and -_mawhali_, a somewhat similar seed to the umkanori, from which the -fermented gruel known as ujuru is made. The Kikuyu seem to be possessed -of a perfect mania for cultivation, their practice being to work a plot -of ground until it begins to show signs of exhaustion, when it is -allowed to lie fallow or used only for grazing stock for a period of -seven years, new ground being broken to take its place in the meanwhile. -All the Kikuyu keep stock of some kind, either sheep, cattle, or -goats—sometimes all three—which are principally used as currency for the -purpose of paying fines and buying wives, the quantity of meat eaten -being very small. - -The system of government is somewhat peculiar, but appeared to be a form -of the feudal system, based on the family. A village generally consists -of members of one family, the headman being the father, who had -originally settled in that particular spot with his wives. Each wife has -her own hut, her own _shamba_, or allotment for cultivation, and her own -storehouse, in which the proceeds of her labour are kept. Each woman -lives in her own hut, with her family round her, until the boys are old -enough to marry, when they set up their own hut, or huts, according to -the number of wives in which they are wealthy enough to indulge. The -headman or patriarch of the family, in my time, ruled the village, and, -within bounds, had the right of punishing any breach of discipline—even -to the extent of killing a disobedient son and burning his huts. The -women are well treated, and, as they perform all the work of the family, -with the exception of clearing new ground for cultivation, prefer to -marry a man with two or three other wives rather than a bachelor, as the -work of keeping their lord and master in comfort is thus rendered -lighter. - -Marriage is, as in most savage tribes, by purchase, the usual purchase -price of a woman being thirty sheep. There is no marriage ceremony in -vogue among them, but after the handing over of the girl by her father -in exchange for the sheep a feast is usually held to celebrate the -event. Occasionally the husband is allowed to make the payments on the -instalment plan, but this is not encouraged, as it is apt to lead to -quarrelling and disagreements. The youthful marriages common among such -tribes do not prevail among the Kikuyu, as no man is allowed to marry -until he has been circumcised, which operation usually takes place about -the age of seventeen or eighteen, and he does not generally take a wife -until two or three years later; while the usual age for marriage among -the women is eighteen, though the operation which corresponds to -circumcision in their case is performed as soon as they reach the age of -puberty. - -This practice of circumcision of the males at such a late age appears to -prevail only among the Masai and Kikuyu, all other African races, so far -as I can learn, following the Jewish custom and performing the operation -during infancy. The method of performing the operation in vogue with -these two tribes also differs from that in use elsewhere, so that a -description of it may be of interest. On the day fixed for the ceremony -the boys all turn out some time before daylight and are taken down to -the river, where they have to stand for half an hour up to the waist in -the ice-cold water until they are absolutely numb with the cold. They -are then taken out and led to the operator, who nearly severs the -foreskin with two cuts of his knife, then, folding the severed portion -back, secures it on the under side with a thorn driven through the -flesh. The boy then returns to his village and rests for a few days -until the wound is healed. No boy is supposed to utter a sound during -the operation, and it is probable that the numbing effect of the icy -bath prevents their feeling any or very much pain. In the case of the -girls also the bath in the cold river is a preliminary to the operation, -and neither boys nor girls ever seem to suffer any serious consequences -from this rough-and-ready operation. In the case of the girls the -operation, which consists of the excision of the clitoris, is performed -by an old woman, whose special duty it is to perform the operation with -one of the razors used for shaving the head. - -The various sections of the tribe are ruled by chiefs, of whom the -principal during my stay in the country were Wagombi, Karkerrie, and -Karuri, but in addition to these there were innumerable petty -chieftains, many of whom owed no allegiance to any higher authority in -the country. Kingship, or chiefship, seemed to be decided mainly on the -principle that might is right, though it was of great advantage for a -candidate for the headship of any section of the tribe to have a -reputation for magic—or medicine, as they call it. Wealth and -intelligence also counted for something, and a chief who had proved -himself a brave warrior and good administrator would generally be -allowed to retain his headship of a district so long as he lived, though -it did not follow that his son would succeed to his honours unless he -were capable of taking hold of the reins of government with a firm hand. -In spite of the apparent uncertainty of succession, there is seldom any -trouble with regard to it, as it is generally pretty well known some -time before a vacancy takes place who the next chief will be, although I -never found that there was any sort of election to the office. - -The chief, once accepted, is autocratic in the ordinary details of -government, trying all cases himself and pronouncing sentence, from -which there is no appeal; but in matters of moment affecting the general -welfare of the people he is aided in coming to a decision by the -counsels of the assembled elders of his district, a body something after -the fashion of the old Saxon Witan. - -For ordinary infractions of the law, or offences against his authority -as chief, he pronounced such punishment as his discretion and judgment -dictated; but for cases of wounding or murder a regular scale of fines -was laid down—fining being the usual punishment, except in cases of open -rebellion. Open rebellion generally entailed a descent on the offenders -by the chief’s warriors, and the wiping out of the rebellious villages -and their inhabitants. For an ordinary case of wounding the fine was ten -sheep, while for the murder of a woman it was thirty sheep—the price -which her husband would have had to pay for her on marriage—and for a -man a hundred sheep. The tenure of land is very simple, the freehold -being vested in the man who takes the trouble to make the clearing, and -as there is plenty of space for all, and the wants of the people are -few, anything in the shape of agrarian agitation is unknown; in fact, -during the whole of my stay in the country I never knew any instance of -a dispute over land. - -It must be borne in mind that many great changes have taken place in the -Kikuyu country, and in British East Africa generally, since the period, -some ten years since, covered by this book. In the days when I started -on my first contract for the conveyance of food to the troops engaged in -the suppression of the Soudanese mutiny, the spot on which Nairobi, the -present capital of the colony, stands was simply a patch of swampy -ground on the edge of the plain which extends to the borders of the -hilly Kikuyu country. Here the railway construction people pitched one -of their settlements and put up a station, and from this has risen the -town of some fifteen thousand inhabitants, of whom fully one thousand -are white, a larger proportion than can be found in any settlement of -the same age on the continent of Africa, while I may add that everything -points to an increased rather than a diminished rate of progression! - -Nairobi is no bush settlement, where one expects to “rough it” as part -of the ordinary daily routine. On leaving the train one can engage a -cab, or even a motor, to drive one to a good hotel; if you know any one -in the town, you can be put up for an excellent club; while one’s -commercial requirements are met by a fine post-office, banks of good -standing, and stores where one may obtain anything that the most -fastidious European or savage tastes can require. - -Undoubtedly the colony of British East Africa has everything in its -favour and, given ordinary luck, has a great future before it. The -climate is everything that the European settler could desire. Being -about six thousand feet above sea-level, the country is not subjected to -the extremes of heat and wet which prevail in other parts of the -continent, but has merely a good average rainfall, while the temperature -seldom exceeds 75° in the shade, even in the hottest weather. The soil, -particularly in the Kikuyu district, is extremely fertile, and will grow -almost any European vegetable, and most European fruits, in addition to -wheat, coffee, cocoa, tea, sugar, and tobacco, as well as cotton, -rubber, sisal hemp, sansovera fibre, and, of course, on the coast, the -ubiquitous cocoanut. On the whole, British East Africa presents as good -an opportunity to the man of limited capital, with a capacity for work, -as any spot to be found in the length and breadth of the British Empire. -In addition to agriculture, such industries as cattle-farming, -sheep-farming, pig-breeding, and ostrich-farming are already being -carried on with great success. Under the wise administration of the -present Governor, Sir Percy Girouard, the prospects of the country are -improving by leaps and bounds. This is principally due to two important -factors: the encouragement given by the Governor to capitalists willing -to invest money in the colony; and his full and frank recognition, for -the first time in the history of the colony, that the future of this -valuable dependency lies in the hands of the settlers, rather than in -those of the official caste. - -The value of land is rapidly increasing, and estates which, ten years -ago, could have been bought for 2s. 8d. an acre are now fetching 20s. an -acre, though grants may still be obtained from the Government land -office. - -In the Kikuyu country itself vast changes have, of course, taken place -in the ten years which have elapsed since I was supreme there. Four or -five Government stations have been established, roads have been opened -up in various directions, while many white settlers have come in, and -are doing well, in addition to the swarm of missionaries of various -sects who have settled all over the country; in fact, I gave my own -house to one of the first, I think I may say the first—a Roman Catholic -priest—who came into the country. The people themselves have settled -down quietly under the new conditions, and pay the hut-tax regularly, -which is a by no means inconsiderable item in the annual revenue of the -colony. The Kikuyu are excellent workers, and are now to be met with in -every part of the dependency, and in almost every trade, while the -chiefs have taken to building stone houses in place of their native -huts, and riding mules. In my opinion the Kikuyu will ultimately become -the most important among the native races of this part of the continent, -owing to their greater intelligence, industry, and adaptability. - -Of course, at the present day, my name is little more than a legend -among the Kikuyu, around which many wonderful stories have been built up -by the people. In the nine years which have elapsed since I left the -country many of the older men who knew me have died, while the rising -generation, who, as children, only knew of me as the most powerful -influence in the province, have only vague memories of actual -happenings, which they have gradually embroidered until I should have -great difficulty in recognizing some of the occurrences myself in their -present form. - -A book of this sort will probably be looked upon as incomplete without -some expression of opinion as to the value of missions and the -missionary influence. It must not be inferred from the various remarks -scattered through the book that I am one of that fairly numerous body -who, with considerable experience to back their opinion, profess to -regard the missionary as the worst curse that can fall on a newly-opened -country, but I do say that the whole system on which these missions are -conducted requires to be thoroughly revised. The primary mistake, from -which most of the trouble springs, is the assumption, to which all -missionaries seem to be officially compelled to subscribe, that the -African negro is, or can be made by education, the moral and -intellectual equal of the white man, and that by teaching him to read -and write and say the Lord’s Prayer by rote the inherent characteristics -resulting from centuries of savagery can be utterly nullified in the -course of a year or two. The deliberate and considered opinion of those -best qualified to know, the men who have to live among these people, not -for a year or two, but for a lifetime, brought into constant and more -really intimate contact with them than the great majority of -missionaries, is, that education in the narrow meaning of the term is a -very doubtful blessing to the average negro compared with the enormous -benefits to be conferred by a sound course of industrial training. As an -instance in point, let us take the case of Uganda, where the missionary -has had a free hand, such as he has probably had in no other part of the -world, for the last twenty years. Yet, after all this time, there is -hardly a single Uganda artisan to be found—and those of poor quality—in -Uganda itself; British East Africa has to look to the native of India to -find the skilled artisans required for the service of the community. And -it must be borne in mind that the Waganda are undoubtedly the most -intelligent of all the native races of East Africa, so that the settler -may fairly consider himself justified when he charges the missionaries -with neglecting, practically entirely, one of the greatest aids to the -civilization of the native that he could possibly use. The native, -properly trained to handicrafts, and able to understand the advantage of -skill in his particular line, would be much more likely, as his means -increased, to see the advantages of civilization, and to appreciate the -benefits of that education which, as often as not, now lands him in -jail; while the civilized negro, become a really useful member of the -community, would also be much more likely to prove a satisfactory -convert to Christianity than the material at present paraded as such, of -whom the average white man with experience of Africa will tell you that -he would not have a “mission native” as a servant at any price. - -Let the missionaries turn their minds and funds to the industrial, as -well as the moral and religious, instruction of the natives, and they -will find every settler in the land prepared to support their efforts, -while the Empire will, undoubtedly, benefit enormously in every way. - -Finally, one of the greatest difficulties which hampers the development -of our African colonies, and renders the task of the administrator who -really _does_ know something of the work he has taken in hand a -heart-breaking one, is the utter inability of the good people at home to -realize the absolutely irrefutable truth contained in Kipling’s -statement that “East is East, and West is West, and never the twain -shall meet.” The average missionary and new-comer to Africa generally -arrives with his mind stored with the statements contained in the -reports of missionary societies or the books of well-to-do -globe-trotters, and is firmly convinced that he knows all there is to be -known about the country and its people. When he has been a year or two -in the country he will, if he has any remnants of common sense left, -begin to realize that it is about time he began to try to learn -something of the people among whom his lot is cast; while at the end of -ten, fifteen, or more years he will frankly confess the utter -impossibility of the white man ever being able to, as an able African -administrator once put it, “get inside the negro’s skin,” and really -know him thoroughly. I question if there have ever, in the history of -the world, been twenty pure-bred whites altogether who have really known -the native of Africa, and if you hear a man boasting that he “knows the -nigger thoroughly,” you may safely put him down as a man of very limited -experience of the negroid races. - -The ultimate solution of the negro problem lies, not in the “poor -coloured brother” direction, but in training him in handicrafts, and -thus making him a useful, productive member of the community; and as -soon as this fact is recognized, and carried to its logical result, so -soon will the “colour problem”- -which at present weighs heavily on the -mind of every thinking white man who really realizes what it means—cease -to be the ever-present bogey of our African Administration. - -And here for the moment I will end my story. It was my intention, when I -first started to write this account of my experiences among the Kikuyu, -to have extended the period of this book to the times of my more recent -adventures on the African continent. I found, however, that space would -not allow me to include all I wished to put down in writing in one small -volume. I have, I think, much more to relate which might be of interest -to the general reader. I have spent the last ten years of my life either -exploring in the wilds of the Dark Continent or have been occupied as a -professional hunter of big game, and should this book of mine find any -favour with the public, I hope in a short time to recommence my labours -as an author again. - -My next experience immediately after the facts related in this book was -to take the Governor of British East Africa, Sir Charles Eliot, on a -personally conducted tour to the scenes of my adventures and throughout -the wilder parts of his domain. Later, many stirring adventures with -lion and elephant have been my lot. My wanderings have led me across the -desert from British East Africa into Abyssinia, into the Congo territory -and elsewhere. I hope some of the adventures which befell me in these -travels may, in the future, prove interesting to the public. - -[Illustration: - - MAP OF THE - WA-KIKUYU LAND -] - - - - - INDEX - - Adcock, 21 - Africander Corps, 27 - Animal life, 272-8 - Ants, plague of, 130-1 - Asi, the, 297 - Askari, the, 40 - Athi plain, the, 47 - - Baden-Powell, General Sir R. S. S., 30 - Bamboo forests, 78-9, 122, 272 - Banana growing, 302 - Bartier, 134, 154-5, 217-21, 224 - Bartion, 299 - Bee-keeping, 161 - Bongo, the, 273 - Boyes, John, early days, 2; - goes to sea, 3-4; - first adventure, 4-5; - escapade at Heligoland, 5-6; - Hull to Liverpool, 6-7; - Rotterdam escapade, 8; - sails as A.B., 9; - illness at Laguna, 9-11; - joining the R.N.R., 12; - West Africa, 12-15; - disappointment regarding certificate, 15; - Africa, 15, 16; - work on the railway, 18, 19; - bound for Bulawayo, 21-6; - joins Matabeleland Mounted Police, 26-7; - work with Africander Corps, 27-30; - first stores, 31; - holiday at East London, 32; - goes on the stage, 32; - goes to sea again, 32; - bound for Mombasa, 33-6; - transport caravans, 38-41, 44-5; - adventures with lions, 44, 59, 60, 69, 70, 274-5; - loss of stores, 55-7; - end of the journey, 60; - desertion of natives, 61-2; - Rice transport, 71-4; - into the Kikuyu country, 76-91; - trading, 87-90, 137, 142-7, 163-4, 198-9; - settling of native quarrels, 93-5; - cementing relationship, 97-9; - teaching the natives self-protection, 106-8; - precautions against attack, 108-9; - a second house, 111-12; - attacked by natives, 112-14; - his standing with natives, 118-20, 126-9; - trouble with natives, 137-42; - his death prophesied, 145; - tricking the natives, 166-7; - plot and attack, 167-74; - disappearance of cattle, 174-7; - rain at last, 178; - desire to establish peace, 179, 216; - camp in Wagambi’s country, 185-6; - into hostile country, 199-202; - the Wanderobo country, 203-15; - help for the Goanese, 217-24; - fight against the Chinga, 224-32; - its effects, 234-5; - stores taken to Naivasha, 240; - settling down, 240-3; - taking starving natives to Karuri’s, 248-51; - life in a native village, 253-4; - adventures with animals, 273-8; - interviews Government officials, 280-3; - summons of, 284-7; - in Mombasa jail, 288-9; - on bail, 289-91; - his trial and acquittal, 291; - officialdom, 291-4; - a post under Government, 294; - general survey, 295-315 - “British Mission to Uganda” quoted, 49-52 - Building a house, 90-1 - - Cachukia, 238-9 - Caranja, 132 - Chinga, the, 152, 216-32, 234 - Circumcision, practice of, 304-5 - Clock, native wonder at, 166-7, 173 - Colonial fruit and produce stores, Bulawayo, 31 - Cooking customs, 268-9 - Coptic Church, the, 263 - Cow, value of the, 163 - - Dances of natives, 104-5, 264-5 - “Dead Donkey Camp,” 74 - Dhow, the Arab, 33-6 - Dick, Mr., 56 - Drinking, _see_ Njohi - Drought, _see_ Rain-famine - Durban, 32 - - East London, 32 - Eating customs, _see_ Food - Eleminteita, Lake, 58-9 - Elephants, natives killed by, 272; - hunting of, 165-6 - Eliot, Sir Chas., 294, 315 - Elliott, G. F. Scott, quoted, 52-3 - Elstop, 30-1 - Engelfingin, 2 - Equator Camp, 60-1 - - Famine, 247-50 - Findlay, 116-17 - Fire-stick, the, 89, 90 - Flour, bartering of, 87-8, 114 - Food of the Kikuyu, 267-8 - Food stores, 142, 146, 240 - Fort Smith, 50 - Frielich, 31 - - Gibbons, 39, 46, 53, 60-1, 66, 71, 116-17, 144, 199 - Gilkinson, Mr., 252 - Girouard, Sir Percy, 292, 294, 308 - Goanese, the, 216-24, 234 - Gorges, Captain, 77, 88 - Government, the Kikuyu system of, 302-3 - Grant, 23-5, 27 - “Great Rift Valley, The,” 52 - Gregory, Professor, 52 - Guard-keeping, 106-7 - Guasa Nyero River, 189, 205, 213 - - Hall, 278 - Hall, Mr. F. G., 281-2, 285-6 - Hand-shaking, native custom of, 128 - Heligoland, 5 - Henga, 154-5 - Hicks Pasha, 66 - Honey-bird, the, 207-8 - Hospital arrangements at Laguna, 9-11 - Hubner, 42 - - Industries of B. E. Africa, 308-9 - “Isle of War,” _see_ Mombasa - Ivory, trading for, 144, 146, 163-6, 178, 187, 198, 203, 212, 233 - - Juganowa Makura, 133-5 - - Kalyera, the, 122, 124-5, 132-5, 136, 149-50, 248, 259, 294 - “Karanjai,” 126, 127, 132-3 - Karkerrie, 144, 160-3, 166-7, 170-3, 179, 191-4, 231, 235, 305 - Karuri, 81-2, 85-8, 92, 94-5, 145, 150, 179, 229, 233, 235, 237-9, - 245-6, 255-6, 297, 305 - Kasu, 297 - Katuni, 161-2, 173, 178 - Kedong Valley, 54, 77-8, 88 - Kikuyu, the, 49-53, 74-5, 76-99, 102, 127, &c., 152-5, 183, 259-60, - 264-71, 295-315 - Kikuyu tribe, origin of the, 92-3, 296-300; - chiefship of, 305-6; - punishments of, 306-7 - Kilemongai, 262 - Kinangop plain, 75, 78-9, 276 - Kipling quoted, 313 - Kismayu, 173 - _Knight of St. John_, 7 - Kolb, Dr., 212-13 - - Laguna, 9 - Laikipia plain, 183 - _Lake Simcoe_, 9, 11-12 - Leopard, adventure with a, 276-8 - Lions, coolies, fear of, 42; - audacity of, 42-3; - adventures with, 42-4, 48, 59, 69-70, 274-6 - Liverpool, 7 - Longanot, 262 - Longfield, Captain, 281-2, 285-6 - - Mabrook Camp, 71 - McLellan, Mr., 294 - Mahigga, 219 - Majuba Hill, 18 - Maklutsi, 22-3 - Man-eating lions, 51, _see_ Lions - Market, native, 192-3 - Marriage customs, 265-6, 303-4 - Martin, 51-2, 60 - Masai, the, 49, 54-7, 65, 73, 93; - attack on the Kikuyu, 112-14; - their relation with the Kikuyu, 298-300 - Maswatch-wanya, the, 92, 160 - Matabele, the, 26; - first war, 28 - Matabeleland Mounted Police, 26-7 - _Matama_, 302 - _Mawhali_, 302 - Mberri, 279-83 - Measurements, native standard of, 164-5 - Medicine, 159-60, _see also under_ Poisons - Menzini, 78-9, 149 - Miles, Sergeant, 76 - Milk, superstitions about, 135-6 - Missionaries, 309-14 - Mombasa, 36-7, 288-9 - Monkey, the Colobus, 273 - Mount Kenia, 108, 143, 183-4, 159-60, 242 - Mud-fish, 24-5 - Muga-wa-diga, 156-8, 161-2, 173, 178, 191-5 - Mule, native astonishment of, 150 - Music of the Kikuyu, 102-5 - - Nandi, the, 61 - Nairobi, 47-8, 148, 287, 307-8 - Naivasha, 74-5, 88, 114-5, 122, 125, 240, 275 - Naivasha, Lake, 58 - Nakuru, 60, 71 - “Naturalist in Mid-Africa, A,” quoted, 52-3 - News, transmission of, 66-7 - Ngai, 92, 127, 133, 197, 260-3 - Ngoma, 197, 260 - Niekerk, Captain Van, 27 - Njohi, drinking of, 142-3, 161-2, 193-4 - Njora River, 62 - Nyeri, 173 - - O’Hara, 42 - Olomondo, 189-90, 193-6, 203, 206, 213-15 - Ornaments of the Kikuyu, 270-1 - - Paget, Colonel, 28 - Perenti, 42-3 - Pigasangi, 97-9, 178-9, 187, 191-8 - Poisons, native, 118-20 - Poisons of Karuri, 245-6 - Population of the Kakuyu, 296 - Portal, Sir Gerald, quoted, 49-52 - Prophesying by natives, 159-60 - - Rain-famine, 247-8 - Rain-maker, chief, 219, 235-8, 239-40 - Rain-makers, 155, _see_ Witch-doctors - Rain-making to order, 166-7, 210-11 - Ravine, Fort, 60 - Religious observances, 197-8, 255-8, 261-3 - Rial, 42-3, 65 - Rudolph, natives of Lake, 263 - - Salisbury, 23 - Salt, native liking for, 129; - method of obtaining, 129-39; - substitute for, 130 - Selous, F. C., 30 - Shangani Patrol, 27-8 - Shimoni, 36 - Sin-vomiting, 257-8 - Smallpox, outbreak of, 243-5 - Smith, Claude, 289-90 - Smith, Major, 60 - Somali traders, difficulties with, 239-43 - South Africa, 17 - Spitting, custom of, 263-4 - Standerton, 19-20 - Superstitions of natives, 135-6, 143, 182, 207-8, 210, 213-14, 245-7, - 262 - Swahili, the, 39-40, 65, 184, 209, 251 - Sword, method of wearing the, 90, 127, 237 - - Tato, 109, 110, 144, 163-77, 216 - Tea, native liking for, 129 - Teck, Prince Alexander of, 28 - Thieves, native method of protection from, 246-7 - Thompson, Joseph, 52 - Tobacco-growing, 271 - Trading, difficulties of, 240-3 - Trading stations, 124 - Trading with natives, 87-90, 137, 142, 146-7, 163-4, 198-9 - Treachery of natives, 90-1, 127 - Turkana country, 106 - - Uganda Railway, 36, 38, 41, 54, 71 - _Umkanori_, 302 - Umvunga Drift, 30 - Uwini, 28-9 - - Vegetation in Kikuyu country, 301-2, 308 - Vincent, 278 - - Wagombi, 108, 143, 160-1, 178-88, 190-8, 202-4, 215, 231, 235, 294, 305 - Wakamba, 45, 119-20, 299-300 - Wake, Captain, 294 - Wa-Kikuyu, _see_ Kikuyu - Walsh, Mr. and Mrs., 114-15 - Wanderobo tribe, the, 165, 189-90, 203-5 - Water, locating of, 72-3 - Wattle, planting of Black, 240-1 - Weapons of the Kikuyu, 269-70 - Wilson, Major, 28 - Witch-doctors, 143-5, 159-60, _see_ Poisons - Women, protection of, 275-6 - Wunjaggi, 125, 127-8 - - Yorks and Lancs Regiment, 28 - - Zanzibar, 32 - Zebra, the, 73 - - UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM PRESS, WOKING AND LONDON - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Transcriber’s Note - -The author refers to Laguna, Brazil, as ‘Laguña’. However, the index -correctly removes the tilde. To avoid confusion, the text was corrected. - -The Index entry on p. 316, for John Boyes, garbles two subentries on -line breaks: ‘join- the R.N.R.’ and ‘disappointment regards -ing -certificate’. It seems probable that the ‘-ing’ was simply misplaced. -The entires have been corrected to appear as ‘joining the R.N.R.’ and -‘disappointment regards certificate’. - -The references here are to the page and line in the original. - - 9.21 and on arriving at Lagu[ñ/n]a Replaced. - 92.12 conversations with Ka[r]uri Inserted. - 316.25 join[ing] the R.N.R. Added. - 316.27 disappointment regards[ ing] Removed. - - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WHITE KING IN EAST AFRICA *** - -***** This file should be named 61342-0.txt or 61342-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - https://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/3/4/61342/ - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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