“3 ee” ane i, rt. Pret a, ‘ ¥, be geal Pita sor Sire re a) iy, PP aad i ata - a etme eer a2 on rr on “ ax ow , ok res hah es = he oki Vs < cs < q ” Ps Sie << = os tha ye ~ ”~ wi aed : i. : a” * of your readers, that ay review ee that you may be pleased to |, Should mention their name and as publishers, and the price of k, which i is. 99.2.0) LE aS Po » Cat’ id ba ‘ Sr a e * 2 is * ‘ THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT THROUGH JUNGLE AND HESERT ren BLS IN EASTERN APRICA BY Wie Ta VipsAS TOR (CEbANLERK AGNES 1CEIARY:.))) ullialkGas. HONORARY MEMBER OF THE IMPERIAL AND ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF VIENNA WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY THE AUTHOR AND MAPS “When I travelled I saw many things; and I understand more than I can express” ECCLESIASTICUS XxXiv. II Netw Bork KPAX CMILLAN AND CO. LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., LTD. 1896 All rights reserved CopyRIGHT, 1896, By MACMILLAN AND CO. a. } 5 Norwoood 4press J. 8. Cushing & Co. — Berwick & Smith Norwood Mass. U.S.A. W / 7A5 HS Bho CNH TO JUDGE CHARLES P. DALY PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY IN RECOGNITION OF MUCH KINDLY ADVICE AND ENCOURAGEMENT THIS NARRATIVE OF TWO YEARS’ WORK IN AFRICA IS DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR PRE EAC In giving this book to the press I gratefully acknowl- edge the help I have received in preparing it from numerous friends, and especially from the Hon. Theo- dore Roosevelt, to whose encouragement and advice its present appearance is largely due. THE AUTHOR. COMMENTS PAGE CHAPTER I . ; : : : : : : I CHAPTER II , : : ; é : : : . 40 @CHAPTER III ; : ; ; : : ; 3 «70 @CHAPTER IV : : : ; ; : . Ae ei) CHAPTER V . ; : : : : : asa CHAPTER VI : s , : : ! : 2 (208 CHAPTER VII ‘ : re : ; : . 266 CHAPTER VIIIl> . : : : : . : : ee) CHAPTER IX : : ! ; : : 375 CHAPTER X . : ? ' . : : . . 448 CHAPTER XI : : ; : : : : EA Se PNDEX . : : : : : : ‘ ; ey! cist OF TELUSTRA TIONS William Astor Chanler : ; : ‘ 5 frontispiece Lieutenant Ludwig von Hohnel . : : : : Pace Borassus Palm Outskirts of Lamu Type of Porter Whole Force of the Zanzibari Our Camp at Mkonumbi Somali Hut A Village of Mkonumbi Galla Girl . Our Pokomo Boatmen Vignette . Village of Kinekombe Scene in Camp on the Coast Pokomo Boat Builders at Work . Our Canoes Camels on the March. Camp at Hameye My Whole Force drawn up. Hippopotamus Hunt on the Mackenzie River Hippopotamus Hunt on the Mackenzie River Acacia and Thorn Scrub x1 PAGE xu LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Baobab Tree Dhum Palm and Acacia Chanler Falls Canyon above Chanler Falls Dead Rhinoceros The Author, with Vanguard of Soudanese Camp on the Plain near Lorian . Scene near Lorian Wamsara Elders Type of Landscape A Charge of Wamsara Mode of carrying the Sick . Porters on the March . Loading Camels — pile of ammunition in the foreground Unloading Camels — showing mode of carrying Berthon boat Scene on the Tana Native Huts of the Wa-daitcho Ant Hill Embe Girl carrying Wood . Our Camp at Daitcho Chief Natives of the Embe Embe Shepherds Liria, most Influential Man among the Embe An Embe Donkey Tent Boys . Oryx Beisa Dead Rhinoceros Unloading of Camels . Karscho Mahomet Aman PAGE 109 114 119 125 130 135 142 145 156 163 168 180 195 204 207 224 243 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Scene in Camp . Guaso Nyiro River, near where we found Rendile Type of Landscape Native Bridge— a chasm in the Guaso Nyiro River Men playing Cards in Camp Scene on the Guaso Nyiro River Some of my Men with Ivory Donkeys crossing Dry River-bed In Trouble with our Donkeys At the Head-waters of the Mackenzie . Native Village — wall and gateway Camp Scene at Daitcho Soudanese Guard at Gate Daitcho Dancing Daitcho Dancing The Leader of the Dance Daitcho Ladies in Full Ball Costume . Beri-Beri, Medicine-man and Poisoner of the Daitcho . Cervicapra Chanleri Scene on the Tana Scene on the Tana Country near Guaso Nyiro River Large Baobab ‘Tree Wakamba Warriors Bridge across the Tana Vignette Wakamba Medicine-men Dick’s Grave at Mwyru Megundu Ramazan and Mgundu XIV LIST, OF TEL OSTRATLONS PAGE © Cocoanut-oil Mill ; : : ‘ ; ; . 5OE Variety of Porters’ Habitations . : ; : 5a Niemetie es: : : : : : ~, 50 Map of Tana District and Northeastern Kenya Region. General View of East Africa, showing the Route of the Expedition. LUDWIG VON HOHNEL ‘I TENAN LIEU THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT ——-0f900—_ CEVACE IE Rea) THE journey the description of which will be found in the following pages was one planned and undertaken by me in cooperation with Lieutenant von Hoéhnel, for the purpose of adding something to the world’s knowledge of that portion of East Africa hitherto unexplored, lying between the Tana and Juba rivers. Lieutenant von Hohnel, my companion upon this journey, 1s an officer in the Imperial and Royal Austro- Hungarian Navy. In the year 1888 he accompanied Count Teleki, an Hungarian nobleman, upon an expe- dition into East Africa, which lasted nearly two years, as a result of which much was added to the scientific knowledge of this portion of that continent, especially by the discovery of the great lakes Rudolph and Stephanie. The wonderfully exact map made by Lieu- tenant von Hohnel-attracted the attention of all geog- raphers to his work; and the book descriptive of that journey added greatly to his fame, and conveyed a vast amount of new and interesting information... My journey was undertaken purely in the interest of science, and, such being the case, I esteemed myself B I 2 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. most fortunate in securing the codperation of Lieu- tenant von Hohnel. What he accomplished for geog- raphy will be seen from an inspection of the maps accompanying this volume. But one other white man accompanied us; this was my servant, George Galvin, an American boy nineteen , \ . (Es wy Ely SEN aS ST) / Gy Wey Y Ni ie! Ky \ q) . =F: ty yf \ « M, BORASSUS PALM years of age. He had accompanied me upon my first expedition to Africa, at which time he was but sixteen years of age, and had not only proved himself capable, in an astonishing degree, of withstanding the hardships incident to African travel, but had also developed marked capability in the work connected with the DSI I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 3 caravan. Throughout the narrative, I shall speak of him as George; and as the story progresses, the reader will be able to judge of his behaviour. The expedition of Count Teleki and Lieutenant von ‘Hohnel determined the northern limit of the Masai race, and penetrated almost to the regions inhabited by the Galla. Between Lakes Rudolph and Stephanie and the Indian Ocean there lies a large area of country, which until our journey had resisted attempts at explo- ration. The natives inhabiting that portion of the j \ ; ih y weld "4 VAR SIALG oo ey Y 1 HE SUS “ee te XN NY fe Ape ‘ OUTSKIRTS OF LAMU coast are Somali, and they proved in every way hostile to Europeans. Baron Vanderdecken had met his death at Bardera, a few miles from the coast, in the year 1867. Since that time few efforts had been made, and they were attended with anything but success. Both Lieutenant von Hoéhnel and I had had some experience in African travel, and we decided that an exploration of this part of the country was feasible, provided entrance was made south of the region over which the Somali held sway. The River Tana, which flows from Mount Kenya to the Indian Ocean, had been proved by the journeys of Denhardt, Peters, and 4 THROOGH JONGLE AND DESERT CHAP. Dundas to be navigable for more than 200 miles from the sea; and, in consequence, it seemed to us a suitable point at which to commence our journey. It was our intention to ascend the river, and, upon reaching the limits of navigation, to strike to the north, and penetrate as far as possible into the interior. From information received, we had come to the con- clusion that the Somali tribes did not extend their wanderings many miles from the coast lying between Kismayu and Lamoo, at the mouth of the Tana River, and that the Juba River formed the southern boundary of the wanderings of the Somali inhabiting the country immediately south of Berbera; so that, by taking the Tana route, we should effect an entrance into the country without coming into contact with the Somali. Of the tribes inhabiting the country between the Juba and the Tana rivers we had no definite knowl- edge. Lieutenant von Hohnel and Count Teleki, on their former journey along the eastern shore of Lake Rudolph, saw signs and gathered intelligence of a large tribe called Rendile. The exact habitat of this tribe was unknown, but they were supposed to range from Lake Stephanie, in the north, to some point near Mount Kenya, in the south. They were said to be possessed of vast herds of camels, horses, donkeys, sheep, goats, and cattle. This wealth had made them the object of attacks from the Somali on the coast, and from the Masai and other tribes lying to the south and west of them. Owing to this fact, it was said, they were con- tinually on the move — stopping but long enough in one place to exhaust the pasturage, and then moving on again in search of food and water for their flocks. I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 5 The presence of this tribe in the part of the country to which I have referred we took for granted; and the fact that they were possessed of beasts of burden, suitable for the purposes of a caravan, entered largely into our calculations. In the make-up and personnel of our caravan we had so arranged matters that, upon meeting this tribe, we might renew our means of porterage (sure to be weak- ened and reduced by the journey); we hoped that our caravan, strengthened by this means, would be enabled to proceed without difficulty for a great distance and length of time in search of fresh fields for exploration. Both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had come to the conclusion, that the use of men as a means of porterage was not only troublesome and costly, but, from the very exigencies of African travel, cruel in the extreme. Our ideas then turned in the direction of obviating, as far as possible, the necessity of using men; but not knowing whether the climatic conditions of the country lying be- tween the coast and the Rendile (from whom we hoped to purchase cattle, etc.) were suited for beasts of burden, we were forced to employ, at least for the outset of our expedition, men for the transportation of our goods. To these we added fifteen camels, fifty donkeys, and tem oxen. the porters~used in East Africa are the people called “Zanzibari,” and made famous by Stanley and other travellers. Few of these people are natives of Zanzibar — being mostly slaves bought by the Arabs from the numerous tribes in the interior, and leased out by their masters as porters to any European making up a caravan. As is to be expected, their intelligence is not of a high order, and they are accustomed to but one 6 LHROO GH JVONGLE VAND DES hee CHAP. sort of work; namely, bearing burdens upon their heads and shoulders. We hoped, however, should we be fort- unate enough to reach the Rendile, and purchase camels from them, to instruct our porters in the care of these beasts, and, further, to use them, should necessity arise, as an armed force. For the management and care of the beasts of burden I engaged seven Somali. These people possess camels, flocks, and horses of their own at home, and conse- quently are well fitted for such work. Owing to the warlike nature of the tribes through which we expected to pass, we engaged twelve Soudanese soldiers from Mas- sowah. Thus my caravan was composed of three dis- tinct peoples. These we hoped to weld into one efficient whole, notwithstanding the fact that we had been warned that their cohesion was not to be expected in an African expedition, particularly when it is borne in mind that their customs as well as characters differ in a great degree. As the narrative of our journey progresses, it will be found which view was the correct one. The Tana River enters the Indian Ocean near the town of Lamoo, and we pitched upon this place as the starting-point of our journey. The preparations for a journey of exploration in the interior of Africa cannot possess great attraction to the general reader, and, there- fore, little stress will be laid upon the detail. All the material which it was possible to procure in Europe had been purchased and packed either in Lon- don or in Vienna; and from these points we shipped them directly to Lamoo. There yet remained, however, the enlistment of men, the purchase of beasts of burden, with their pack-saddles, etc., and a thousand and one I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 7 little things which are procurable only on the coast of Africa. Through the kindness of the Italian authorities at Massowah, we were enabled to procure the Soudanese ; and it is not the fault of our kind friends there that the quality of these men was not better than it later proved. The Somali were engaged at Aden; there, likewise, we purchased the saddles for our camels and two horses. This portion of the work was attended to by Lieutenant von Hohnel —I going to Zanzibar to engage porters. I could not have chosen a more inopportune time for the enlistment of porters at Zanzibar. The British East Africa Company, bent upon the retention of Uganda, had practically exhausted the supply of porters, and a missionary caravan was on the point of starting to the interior. Apparently, a porter was worth his weight in gold, and almost as difficult to procure as is that precious metal. However, I brought excellent letters to the au- thorities at Zanzibar, and my friend, Sir Gerald Portal (since deceased), was at that time the British Agent and Consul-General at this place. This gentleman offered -me every assistance in his power, and instructed General Sir Lloyd Matthews, the efficient Prime Minister to the Sultan of Zanzibar, to throw the great weight of his local influence into the scales in my behalf. Moreover, the American Consul, Mr. Jones, procured me an audi- ence with His Highness the Sultan, Seyd Ah, who kindly permitted me to enlist porters in my service. Although permission had been granted me, yet, in order not to excite the jealousy of others in search of por- ters, the enlistment of the men was carried on in a more or less secret manner. Runners were sent out to the neighbouring plantations with the news that an expedi- 8 TRO GH. JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. tion having the sanction of the Government was about to be formed; and soon, by twos and threes, men came to my agents, received three months’ wages in advance, and signed onas porters. Each man brought with him, as sponsor, some responsible person, who was held answer- able for his appearance on the day set for our departure from | Zanzibar. It may have interest for some to state thie wages paid these por-. ters — each man re- ceived twelve rupees per month. At this time the rupee was low, and the equivalent of twelve rupees was somewhat less than $4.00, a sum which is there considered very good pay. If the porter is a free- TYPE OF PORTER man, he retains the entire amount received; if a slave, he must give one-half to his master. In the course of one month I secured 130 men— though “man” is a term which could be properly ap- plied to but few; for, owing to the scarcity of material, in many instances I was compelled to accept mere youths and men of inferior physique. I IRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 9 As all readers of African travel are aware, the most important of the porters of a caravan is the headman. I had hoped to engage the headman of my former jour- ney, who had also accompanied Royal Phelps Carroll upon his shooting expedition to Masai Land. Unfortu- nately, he, being a slave, was at that time away upon a trading journey up-country in the service of his master. I deemed myself fortunate, however, in being able to se- cure the man who had performed the duties of second headman on my former journey—by name, Hamidi. He was a young and intelligent native of the Comoro Islands; he had served in many up-country expeditions, and had behaved, as far as my experience and the testi- mony of others went, in an efficient and trustworthy manner upon all occasions. To him I left the choice of three under-headmen. As his first lieutenant he chose one Mohamadi, who had been second headman on the unfortunate expedition which resulted in the death of Captain Stairs. The other two headmen were unknown to me, but I was assured by Hamidi that they were capable and trust- worthy. | I succeeded in getting but one porter who had accom- panied me on my former journey, but was more fortu- nate in the matter of tent-boys, employed as body servants. Two of these are worthy of some mention — I refer to those attached to my own person, Sururu and Baraka. Sururu had served with Mr. Stanley three years on the Congo, and had been engaged in any num- ber of missionary caravans. He had on one occasion seen his master shot before his eyes during an Arab up- rising, had travelled more miles on foot than I care to fo) THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. state, and carried with him testimonials of good conduct from every one he had.served. In temperament ite showed but few negro traits— he appeared to be actu- ally fond of work, and, until his allotted task was com- pleted, never allowed himself to rest. He was silent and attentive; somewhat stern with his fellow-servants during work time, but when work was over, and he was stretched at ease among his companions, he was one of the most garrulous talkers it hds been my lot to hear. He had a round bullet-head, supported on the slightest possible frame; round, but intelligent, eyes; scarcely any nose; and lips full, to be sure, but firmly pressed to- gether. The other boy, Baraka, was an absolute contrast to his companion, being strong and sturdily built. His ex- perience 1n caravan work was nearly as great as that of Sururu, but of a very different sort, for Baraka had been employed in every capacity, from that of donkey-boy to porter. His disposition was cheerful and even, and re- sembled in greater degree that of an American negro than any other native African I have met. For Lieu- tenant von Hoéhnel I was able to procure one of the ser- vants whom he had employed on his former journey. Lieutenant von Hohnel and I sailed from Europe on the 12th of June, 1892. On August 14 we reached Lamoo with all of the men and some of the beasts of burden. There we met George, who had arrived some days before with the goods from Europe. Town-life in Africa is not well suited to the native members of a caravan. Temptations, small to the civilized European, surround the native at every turn; so that it was with all speed that we shipped our men I TRAVELS [NV EASTERN AFRICA II and goods upon small native dhows, and transported them to a village called Mkonumbi, twenty-three miles from Lamoo and its dangerous allurements. Here we pitched our first camp. We had already ascertained that it was possible to buy camels at Kismayu, a little over 100 miles north of Lamoo. Shortly after our arrival at Mkonumbi, Lieutenant von Hohnel, attended by four of our Somali, set out by steamer for Kismayu in order to procure the camels. During his absence I devoted my time to put- ting the camp in order, and arranging everything for our departure into the interior. Mkonumbi, till within a few years of our arrival, had been a portion of the Sultanate of Witu. The Sultan- ate of Witu consisted of the territory lying between the Tana River and the town of Lamoo. Its autonomy was not recognized by the Sultan of Zanzibar, who had at many different times sent expeditions thither for its subjugation; none of which, however, proved successful. In 1886 the Germans established a protectorate over this sultanate; and, following upon the protectorate, a number of Germans settled in the neighbourhood of Witu as colonists. In 1889, eleven of these settlers were murdered at the instigation of the Sultan, Fumo Omari by name. By treaty, dated 1890, Witu was transferred by the Germans to the British, who at once sent an expedition for the punishment of the natives who had murdered the eleven Europeans. This expedition was crowned with the usual success of such undertakings. The town of Witu was totally destroyed, and the Sultan, Fumo Omari, together with most of his followers, fled to the I2 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP TE forests of Pumwani, in the immediate neighbourhood, where he made a stand. At the time of my arrival he was said to have 1000 guns at his command. His followers, thus armed, he employed for the most part in ravaging the neighbour- ing Arab plantations and native villages. What plunder, such as slaves, etc., he managed to acquire by these raids, he exchanged with the Somali for ivory, guns, caps, powder, and lead. The Somali with whom he traded came from points as far north as Kismayu. One of their number, Bar- falatta by name, finding the business engaged in by the Sultan of Witu profitable, attracted to himself a number of runaway slaves and renegade Arabs. With these he established himself at a point not far from Pumwani, called Jongeni. Both of these places, Pumwani and Jongeni, were in the neighbourhood of Mkonumbi, where I pitched my first camp. The British East Africa Company, as a check upon these raids, had established upon the site of the old town of Witu a garrison consisting of 150 Indian soldiers, under the command of two officers. This force had had several engagements with the raiders established at Pumwani and Jongeni; but had been unable, owing to their small number and the difhcult nature of the country, to drive the raiders from the territory. My arrival at Mkonumbi, with a respectable force at my command (160 men), was construed by the rival chiefs (Fumo Omari and Barfalatta) as a demonstra- tion of increased hostility on the part of the Europeans; and, perhaps in consequence, the raids during my stay at Mkonumbi became fewer and upon a smaller scale. IUVAIZNVZ AHL AO AUOY AIOHM LIE: SZ Za) bs 2 ta ) LZ Z BDL a= <= SF ae wet ” fae : Ss rs F nbrigy 2} 5s in” oan 1, ge TC Te Rit = Z 4 v, Hi TAU US t Z PEE . “a UY \) a i + Bor Ms, \ \ ; \t. h ‘ N hI S i yay i Re . TN 5 i = IT Hn Cy weed Mi ne fal AG 6 "ANA VAR EHS A Wad J: Wh ) ty. MUL ly iy 4: Ta, } I - i HH 4 Oy { / fay YY fy) reek f ’ : Y f Fi / yh MAL , > 4 YY YY sipe WY Wo YI GELZ reg y Byssy i, Dy Y YJ YY S Zo f y. 72g Ga CEL? CHAP. I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 15 The town of Lamoo is situated about twenty-three miles from Mkonumbi, on an island bearing the same name. It is inhabited by a people very different from the Arabs of Zanzibar. While it is true there are some pure-blooded Arabs among them, yet most of the people are the product of union between Arabs and natives of mae islands of Lamoo, Manda, Patta, and Siu. It is un- certain whence the natives of these islands originally came. They are lighter in colour than the inhabitants of the coast, more intelligent, and, in a degree, their life is more civilized. In the native manufactures they ex- cel; and the caps and sandals of better manufacture worn in Zanzibar all come from these islands. ‘They are a light-hearted and treacherous race. They carry to a much higher point than the natives of any other portion of the coast of East Africa ideas of organized amusement. As far as it went, they had a keen idea of sport. On certain days of the year they had boat races, foot races, and matches of all sorts, in which both sexes took part. It is needless to add that their morals were of the lowest possible order. The governor of the town of Lamoo was a cousin of the Sultan of Zanzibar, by name Abdullah Ben Hamed. The British East Africa Company had leased the trading rights of the coast from the Sultan of Zanzibar. At the town of Lamoo this company was represented by two officials, who, through the influence of the Arab governor, and by his assistance, managed to preserve some sort of discipline and order there. Be- side these two representatives of the British East Africa Company, two other Europeans resided there, Germans, named Teide and Denhardt, engaged in trade 16 THROUGH JONGLE AND YDS CHAP. with the natives, and in the management of several plantations. Gustave Denhardt, in company with his brother and the late Dr. Fischer, had been the first to ascend the Tana River. At this time he had been a resident of that portion of the country about twelve years; during which period he had endeared himself to the natives, and had acquired a considerable influence over them. Both Messrs. Denhardt and Teide proved of the great- est assistance to our expedition, and we are much indebted to them for their kind offices. Having decided to make use of the Tana River as a means of transporting a portion of our goods a distance of 200 miles into the interior, it became necessary for me to engage canoes and boatmen for the purpose. Shortly after my arrival at Mkonumbi, Mr. Denhardt and I set out for Kau, on the banks of the Tana River, to arrange our little river column. We engaged eight large dug-outs; and, through Mr. Denhardt’s relations with the natives inhabiting this portion of the banks of the Tana, I was enabled to engage twenty boatmen. These people are called Pokomo. They arem@here small cultivators, and derive most of the means for their subsistence from their canoes, which are much in demand to convey the produce (such as rice, corn, etc.) grown near the banks of the Tana at inland points to the coast, whence it is shipped to Lamoo. Living, as they do, in small, ill-protected villages, they are an easy mark for the raiders from Pumwani and Jongen1; who, when the crops are ripe, swarm down upon the Pokomo, and force them to cut their crops and carry them away to these two towns. In physique, as a I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 17, result of their canoe labour, these people are wonder- fully developed. I placed in charge of the Pokomo, as captain of the fleet, a native of Kau, Zanzibari in race, named Sadi. He was a suave, good-mannered, and at the same time trustworthy negro, who had accompanied Messrs. Den- mardt and Fischer upon their first trip up the Tana, and had since then been engaged in many trading expeditions. He spoke the language of the Pokomo, and was loved and respected by them. He was par- ticularly proud of his birth, and with great satisfaction did he mention the fact that his sister had at one time been a concubine of the former Sultan of Zanzibar. Having arranged for the presence of the canoes and their crews at Kau upon a date in the near future, we returned to Mkonumbi. Surrounding Mkonumbi is an undulating plain, covered, for the most part, with high grass, the conti- nuity of which is at a few points broken by small groups of dhum palms. Here and there, bordering upon swamps and small streams, were found forests composed of tall sycamores and other trees, whose branches, burdened with trailing vines and creepers, were filled with hordes of small monkeys and birds of gayly coloured plumage. The appearance of the country as a whole would not be called tropical, at least at the time of the year when I visited it; namely, the middle of the dry season. Owing to the raids of the Pumwani and Jongeni people, cultivation of the soil was carried on but in a meagre manner. In former days, when the Sultan of Witu held sway, the whole country was covered with c 18 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. I plantations devoted to the cultivation of Indian corn, millet, and tobacco; and before the herds of the people were destroyed by the cattle plague, which occurred in 1889, many thousands of cattle, sheep, and goats were raised. At that time this country was one of the richest on the east coast of Africa. In the midst of this vast plain, now covered with tall grass, may yet be found stalks of wild millet and stunted Indian corn, which lend their testimony to the fact that what is now but a prairie had once been the scene of considerable agri- cultural industry. Along the banks of the Tana, and for some distance to the eastward, dense forests are to be found, where the rubber plant is plentiful. Our camp at Mkonumbi was 200 to 300 yards from the shore, along which were scattered fifty or sixty palm-thatched huts. These comprised the village of Mkonumbi. . In the centre of our camp rose two large mango trees, whose thick branches afforded a grateful shade from the tropical sun. Under these trees we pitched our three tents. A space of three acresiim extent was cleared of grass and brush, and fenced in by a strong thorn hedge. Around the inner side of this enclosure we placed the huts, thatched with straw or palm leaves, for the use of the porters. Two gates, one on the side toward the river, and the other on the opposite side of the camp, were guarded by my Soudanese. In front of our tents, in a space left open for that purpose, were placed the tents in which were stored the ammunition, trading-goods, and provisions. In one corner of our camp was placed a square, box- like edifice, constructed from camel saddles. This was the habitation of the Somali. ITDWONOWW LV dNVD ANNO / / ie 4, pli ip a i Ly a NU Whifffn (by PALE Veh WA gh Ly ; MD Z cts) “rors am PM salah ee = ‘iy WN Se 4 ‘Wy 5 Ge ; 4 Wg Ly Dy “p 8 if a aUE CHAP. I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 21 Upon arriving at Mkonumbi, I had the roll called and arranged the men in alphabetical order, giving to each a number. This number I had stamped upon the outfit given to each man. The outfit consisted of a Werndl carbine, a belt, cartridge-box, bayonet, and water-bottle. The Soudanese I armed with Mannlicher repeating rifles of the latest pattern. Moreover, they were clad in a species of uniform, which, though it may sound ridiculous in civilization, was the pride of the Soudanese, and the envy and admiration of all behold- ers. This uniform consisted first of baggy trousers of Turkish pattern made of white cotton drill; putties, such as are worn by the Indian army, encasing their calves; a long, blue, butcher’s jumper, reaching nearly to the knees, and a bright red fez placed on their heads. They were particularly pleased with the fez, which was identical with the headgear of the Egyptian army. Wearing it once more made them forget that they had ever revolted against His Highness, the Khedive, and consider that in some way I was connected with his government. Most of my twelve Soudanese, as I after- wards discovered, were ex-Mahdists, some of whom had taken part in the battle against General Hicks, while others boasted of having slain British soldiers at Abu- klea, and in the fights about Suakim. The Soudanese were tall, martial-looking men, wild- eyed and savage, to be sure, but in appearance, at least, accustomed to the discipline of a soldier. In a short time, however, I learned that their martial bearing was more the result of a defiant spirit than of any concep- tion of soldierly obedience. The chief of the Soudanese gloried in the title, Balook Bashi. He had seen service 22 LHROSGH JON GEE AND OES ail CHAP. with the Italians, and, as I afterwards learned, had been dismissed for continued drunkenness and chronic ineffi- ciency. His name was Mahomet el Hussein. He had been placed in command of the men at the time of their engagement in compliance with their expressed wish; and they had sworn to obey him and, through him, the Europeans connected with the expedition. It was soon made manifest why he had been the choice of the men as their officer. He disclosed won- derful capabilities for incessant importuning, never, as he persistently declared, in his own behalf, but in the interest of his devoted followers. Day after day, when I left my tent in the morning, I would find him seated near its valance with an expression of modest depreca- tion upon his face. Upon seeing me, he would rise, salute in the most approved military fashion, and then, in a low, whining voice, he would proceed to unburden himself of a long lst of complaints. His part of the conversation was carried on in the only language with which he was familiar— Arabic. At that time I was totally unacquainted with this tongue; so it became necessary at these recitals to call in the assistance of an interpreter. The interpreter to whom we had recourse was another of the Soudanese, named Ramazan, who, having seen service in German East Africa, spoke Swa- hili fluently —a language with which I was well con- versant. The difference between the Balook Bashi and his interpreter was very marked. Ramazan stood six feet two, without his sandals, was as black as coal, possessed fierce eyes and a smooth, round face. The Balook Bashi was the shortest of my Soudanese. His complexion was I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 23 of a chocolate colour; he carried his head forward, as though in the act of avoiding a blow; his eyes were furtive in expression, and the slightest movement of his hands seemed to lead to a deprecating shrug of his shoulders. He alone, of all my Soudanese, lacked the martial bearing of a soldier. During these interviews, Ramazan translated fluently and, as far as possible, with dignity the ridiculous com- plaints of his superior. After a short experience I came to the conclusion that, although it would be impol- itic to check these complaints, it was a prodigal waste of time to listen to them. So, at the end of a long harangue, I,would dismiss Mahomet el Hussein with as pleasant a smile as I could conjure up, and an assur- ance that I would look into the matter. This method of dealing with the complaints achieved the result antici- pated and intended.’ The men, discovering that their choice of Balook Bashi was an unsatisfactory one, treated this officer with all the contempt he deserved, and paved a way toward a change of my relations with them. Find- ing the complaints made through their chief officer were unheeded, the Soudanese began to come individually to make their statements, and by this means I was able to gather a more or less clear knowledge of the indi- vidual character of each. One among the Soudanese, Juma Moussa by name, I soon discovered was at the bottom of every complaint made, no matter by which of the men it was presented. This man was a native of Wadai,a kingdom situated in the very centre of Africa, and lying between the province of Bahr el Ghazal and the kingdom of Bornu. In early youth he had wandered with a caravan to 24 LHROCGH JONGLE AND DESERT CHAP. Suakim, where he had been promptly sold as a slave, and sent to Jiddah. There he spent many years as a soldier in the body-guard of one of the chief Arabs, acquiring, as may be supposed, all the habits and man- ners of a soldier of fortune. He eventually made his escape from Jiddah, going to and settling in Massowah, over which place the Italians exercised a protectorate. He there learned the trade of a stone-mason, at which, it was reported, he was an adept; but his lawlessness and drunkenness were such that he spent much of his time in prison, and was finally dismissed from the town by the authorities. He, how- ever, made himself useful to them by stealing guns from the Mahdists, who at that time were stationed in the immediate neighbourhood of Massowah. As can well be imagined, this was an occupation which required the utmost daring and address; for, had he been captured, his life would have been forfeited. When engaged by Lieutenant von Hohnel, he had just completed a term in prison. He had enlisted with us only for the purpose of get- ting the advance money and promptly deserting. This resolution on his part, I am sorry to say, he was pre- vented from carrying into execution. He now longed to return to Massowah, and spared no pains to cause all the trouble and discontent possible among the Soudan- ese, with such end in view. In appearance, he was about forty years of age, tall and powerfully built, with small, ferocious eyes, a straight nose, a fierce moustache which would have brought pride and credit to ‘any dragoon, and a sharply pointed beard. His voice was harsh, and his manner of speech that of a braggart. I Wit BES MN MGASTERN ARICA 25 Being voluble in conversation and cheery in manner towards his companions, he soon established an ascen- dency over them. Among the other Soudanese but two seem worthy of mention. Herella, a native of Darfertit, a country to the southward of Wadai, was about twenty-four years of age. He had served as a Mahdist, and was present at the defeat and death of Wad el Nejumi, who was one of Mahdi’s most trusted Ameers. Unlike the rest of the Soudanese, he made no pretence of being a Mohamme- dan, but frankly admitted that the people of his country ate pig (which means death to the followers of Islam); and added, with cheerful insistence, that a hungry stom- ach knew no law. He was one of the most perfect sav- ages I had then met. His bearing was at all times that of a wild animal, and his hatred of discipline was made manifest at every turn. Hussein Mahomet was the other; and he, perhaps, was the most serviceable type of any of my Soudanese. Born a Hadendowa (a tribe found near Suakim), he had from the first followed the fortunes of Osman Digna, his chief, in the wars of the Mahdi. Until the continued defeats which Osman Digna suffered at the hands of the English, and the death of the Mahdi, he had been thor- oughly convinced of the divine mission of the Mahdi, and the wickedness of all Europeans. When, however, his tribe was almost destroyed by incessant war, and his chief a fugitive, he decided to give up his allegiance, and trust himself to whatever treatment the Italians would accord. I found him stupid in the extreme; a fanatical Mohammedan, never so happy as when at prayer, but obedient and trustworthy to the last degree. 26 TAROGCGH J(ONGLE AND WEST, CHAP. The men who proved the most useful in my caravan were the seven Somali. Two of these had served with Count Teleki and Lieutenant von Hohnel in the years 1888 and 1889; their names were Mohamet Aman and Karscho, The former of these I placed in command of his compatriots, and the latter I made my gun-bearer. Mohamet Aman was a very black fellow, some thirty years of age, with the well-developed head of his race, and very large, intelligent eyes. As a worker he was practically untiring. He was able to read the numerals SOMALI HUT on my boxes and loads, and capable of carrying in his head many details which a European would find it nec- essary to transmit to paper. His special province was the charge of all the goods. Karscho was tall, light in colour, possessed of really beautiful features of abso- lutely Caucasian type, and active and lithe as a panther. He was devotion itself, but lacked the qualities of pa- tience and self-control, which are so necessary for a leader. Another of the Somali was Achmet Dualla. He had been employed as a soldier with Dr. Peters’ expedition. He was very stupid, but willing and un- tiring in his work. The other four Somali lacked I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 27, distinctive characteristics, and need have no special mention. On August 24, 1892, Lieutenant von Hohnel arrived by steamer from Kismayu, bringing with him 15 camels and 10 fine oxen capable of bearing burdens. He had found Kismayu and the natives thereof in an excited state, and the reception accorded him was anything but friendly. The cause of this was soon made manifest. A Somali named Jama Yusuf, who had formerly served Count Teleki and Lieutenant von Hohnel, but who was at this time employed as court interpreter at Mombasa, had sent a letter to the chiefs at Kismayu, warning them against us, and advising them to hinder our entrance into the country as far as lay in their power. Lieuten- ant von Hohnel, however, allayed their fears, and besides the purchase of the animals above mentioned, acquired some interesting information in regard to the country lying to the westward of Kismayu. Before the return of Lieutenant von Hohnel, life in camp at Mkonumbi had begun to assume a busy as- pect. I divided my porters into three companies, and, in order to render them accustomed to the word of com- mand, put them through simple drills daily. After a few days of this work I set about giving them instruc- tion in the use of their rifles, as but few had the slightest conception of the nature and purposes of the weapons. It took days before I could teach most of them the use of the sights. At the beginning many were actually unable to close but one eye; for, after closing one, the eyelid of the other invariably drooped until that eye too was shut; and to the very end of the expedition some two or three were forced to do their shooting with both 28 LAROOCGH JONGLE AND DESERE CHAP. eyes open. Day after day I took them to a level spot near camp, and instructed them to load and raise their rifles to their shoulders, and aim at the word of com- mand. After two weeks of this sort of work I put up targets, and gave each of the men three shots. By this I learned that but a small number of them had derived any profit from the hours of toil which I had spent daily in their instruction. I discovered, nevertheless, that some thirty of them could hit a large packing-case at a distance of eighty yards, if given sufficient time to take aim. After the expenditure of 2000 rounds of ammunition I was compelled to satisfy myself with this result. The Soudanese, needless to say, were soon all excel- lent shots, and took a certain pride in their weapons. The Somali likewise readily acquired a good knowledge of shooting. I will outline a day of our life while in camp at Mko- numbi. At 5.30 A.M. the tomtom beat, and the porters fell in, drawn up in two companies. The roll was called by George, and he examined the rifles, pouches, water- bottles, and bayonets. Each man had a number, and all his outfit bore the same; so inspection was quickly made. Then I summoned the Soudanese, inspected their rifles, and told them the hour they were to drill. At 6 a.m. we had breakfast, consisting of eggs, bacon, coffee or tea,and jam. At 7 the Soudanese were drilled for two hours, and then one of the companies of porters was taken out and exercised until noon, when we had luncheon. This consisted of chicken and curried rice, with a bottle of mild beer, followed by a small cup of strong coffee and a cigarette. After luncheon we took I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 29 a short siesta, and then again to the drill-ground, where I gave the men a little target practice. In this work I was assisted by Lieutenant von Hohnel, and sometimes by George, when he was not engaged in arranging the boxes and loads. At 2 p.m. the tomtom was sounded, and the men again fell in for their rations. ‘They were then mustered in companies by George, and each man was given a quart measure of millet and a bit of fish, or a measure of rice; and once a week I gave them tobacco. The Somali and Soudanese received a little better food than the porters. At pocho (ration) time the punishment due the men was meted out. For the first few days many cases of insubordination occurred, but promptness and severity soon taught the men that it was better to avoid giving offence. At 5 p.m. the cry of “Watu wa gonjwa’” (sick men) was heard throughout the camp. At this cry all the lame, the halt, and the blind assembled round the tent of Lieutenant von Hohnel, and received treatment for their several ailments. Many had ulcers, and a number of them had pulmonary complaints. We had a wonderful medicine chest, and Lieutenant von Hohnel proved a really good physician. One of the greatest dangers incident to African travel is an outbreak of small-pox in one’s caravan. To ob- viate this dreaded disease, we had taken with us a large quantity of vaccine. With this we vaccinated one and all of our men; but without producing the slightest result. During our stay at Mkonumbi one of our por- ters died of some loathsome skin disease. His friends refused to have anything to do with him, saying that he 30 THROOGH JONGLE AND DESL CHAP. I had small-pox. Although we Europeans feared such was the case, we were forced, in order to restore con- fidence to our people, to treat this man ourselves; and, happily, with no ill result. If there is one thing a native African likes more than any other, that thing is sympathy, be its form of expres- sion what it may; and in order to excite it, he will adopt any means, and go to any length. When our men first caught sight of the medicine chest, and the different-coloured medicines, the list of sick and ailing was enormous. A few doses of the most nauseous drugs, however, soon reduced the list of applicants to reasonable proportions, which saved our stock of medi- cine from premature exhaustion. As the day set for our departure from Mkonumbi drew near, I sent sixty loads of millet and forty-one loads of my trading-goods to Kau, the point at which it had been arranged the canoes should be in readiness. I placed in charge of these Mohamet Aman and four Zanzibari. These men I instructed to convey the canoes to Kinakombe, distant up the Tana some eighty miles. At specified points along the route they were to deposit with the natives stores of food for my caravan ; and upon reaching Kinakombe they were to await my arrival. Reports had reached me that the inhabitants of the Tana district were starving, and would therefore be unable to sell food; for, owing to the repeated raids of the Pumwani and Jongeni people, they had not been permitted to devote the usual time to the culti- vation of crops. To obviate this we sent these canoe- loads of food. TAWONNOMY AO FOVTTIA V = Ss OEE Myf L444] ey ; ‘ yp, ple Wats iy We ( i hig FX / VW bil SOAs) Ws Sy \ WAY NY NS SOON NSS 7 Ay + =: 4 PAS Hi; “3 2 SAB ac -. * / \ Van) i} S PD " f ~ ’ N Z Wy; oN mn YS WS \ é . \ i ta 5 ~ “ 72, 4 SS X WY ~ ” 9 é e Si am $e Rew pcs : B My a AWE & AAS Dy) ZB ‘ h } ENA ANYES ENS © La, " \ AYRES. SENS “2 Be oo F'% a of . , y : & are A Ly i Z ZN: Y} Ly / Vee gy * 4 be 2 2 be Le Ly gs Ne \ ll ] : CHAP. I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 33 All the goods purchased in London or Vienna had been packed in serviceable and easily opened wooden boxes. The material purchased in Zanzibar was sewn in strong canvas, the average weight of a load being sixty- five pounds. On the march, a porter beside this load carried his rifle, whatever clothing he had for the journey, and rations for from three to six days, as occasion demanded. This brought the total weight of the burden borne by each man to about eighty pounds. To the European it may seem beyond the power of the ordinary man to bear this any length of time; but these porters, having been from earliest youth accustomed to bear burdens upon their heads and shoulders, were capable of bearing in this manner a much greater weight and for a much longer time than would at first be supposed. The day preceding my departure, the Arab gov- ernor visited my camp. I took advantage of his pres- ence to ask him to give an address to my men, warning them against desertion, and threatening them with direst punishment, should they neglect his warning, or refuse to accept his advice. He made a speech which the porters received with impertinent grins, much to the chagrin of the Arab governor, and upon its conclusion they gave three loud and boisterous hurrahs. Abdul- lah Hamed, the governor, was much irritated, and the return of his accustomed good humour was delayed until after he had quaffed several glasses of sherbet and uncounted but numerous cups of coffee. At Lamoo I purchased a number of goats and sheep. These, added to my donkeys, horses, and camels, gave the camp a quite pastoral appearance. D 34 THROCGH JONGLE AND DESPRE CHAP. We had brought with us from Europe two long-haired retrievers, and at Aden Lieutenant von Hohnel had bought a little, bright-eyed fox-terrier. For the two weeks immediately preceding we had been drilling our men in loading and unloading the camels and donkeys. The camel saddles consisted of two heavy mats; the one placed next the animal’s back being made of long, soft grass, and the other, placed over this and next the load, of coarser text- ure. Over these mats four poles were placed, tied together at the upper end, each of which was six feet in length. The fastening at the upper ends of the poles was about one foot from their tips. The poles were then paired, one pair being taken forward, and securely tied to the rear of the fore-legs, and the other pair being carried back, and tied just in front of the hind legs, thus forming a skeleton pyramid. Upon these sticks the loads were bound. A camel can easily carry from 300 to 400 pounds; so we fastened from four to five loads upon each animal. The donkey saddles consisted of two bags made of untanned ox-hide joined together, and falling like pan- niers on each side of the beast’s back. In order to prevent friction and the consequent soreness of the animal, a pad of soft grass was placed between the donkey and the saddle. A breast strap and a breech- ing retained the saddle in proper position; and equal weights being placed in each pocket of the saddle, and the gait of the donkey being even, equilibrium was maintained, and their positions rarely had to be rearranged while on the march. I placed in charge of the donkeys three men well I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 35 accustomed to the care of such animals. These men had been, from earliest youth, traders of ivory and slaves in Masai Land, and were one and all thor- oughly conversant with the Masai language. We expected to fall in with tribes familiar with this tongue during our journey, and their acquaintance with it was considered an advantage by us when we engaged them. mies oclock, on the morning of September 18, the resounding tomtom broke the stillness of our camp. Soon the air was filled with cries; some of the porters shouting joyfully to one another, “ Safari! Safari!” (Journey! Journey!); others, “Haya! Haya! Tuta fuata bwana baranai.” (Hasten! Hasten! We will follow master to the desert.) Even the laziest of the porters seemed glad we were to make a start, for to them a life on the coast without the pleasures of towns, coupled with the hard work incident to the preparation of a caravan for the march, had been te- dious in the extreme. Others feigned joy; for they but looked forward to the departure from Mkonumbi, and the march through the tall grass and_ thick coverts, as a means of happy deliverance from an expedition of whose outcome they were in total igno- rance. All the loads and pack-saddles had been laid out in orderly arrangement the night before; so that in little more than an hour all was ready for marching. The governor of Lamoo came to bid me God-speed, but in the hurry and bustle I fear he failed to have the courtesies offered him which his official dignity seemed to demand. He eyed the loads, however, with a longing expression. To him it seemed very ludicrous that any 36 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. one should venture into the interior with what appeared to him to be vast wealth. He had, before this time, questioned me as to the contents of my boxes; and, despite the fact that I assured him they contained either food or supplies, he exchanged sly glances with his staff, and doubtless was fully convinced that they contained gold and precious stones. Having bade him farewell, I ordered the tomtom to sound again; and with one long resounding cheer my men seized their loads, and the expedition was under way. The order of marching was as follows: I in the lead with six Soudanese; then the second headman, Mo- hamadi, and the long single line of porters — some sing- ing cheerily, others stolidly silent, while yet others, even at the start, groaning and shrinking beneath their bur- dens. Lieutenant von Hohnel and George brought up the rear with six Soudanese, while immediately in front of them were placed the camels, donkeys, sheep, and goats. All the animals gave much trouble the first day, and necessitated many delays. Lieutenant von Hohnel had a bad foot and slight dysentery, and so he rode -one oi the horses. The camels were wonderful animals, fourteen of them carrying fifty loads and doing it well; and thirty of the donkeys were carefully loaded, each with two full loads. We reached our camping-place at 1 p.M., and gradu- ally, by threes and fours, the men straggled in; for it is not until several weeks have elapsed, and the men have become hardened to their labour, that anything resem- bling order can be maintained in a caravan composed of porters. Just before reaching camp we forded a small stream, which the camels had much difficulty in doing. I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA ay) It is three days’ march from Mkonumbi to the Tana River, and the country passed through is similar in topography to that surrounding Mkonumbi. At a point one day’s journey from the river we reached a small Galla village. The Galla here are an insignificant and impov- erished race, far differ- ent from their brethren who inhabit the country lying to the west of Ab- yssinia. It is estimated that throughout the en- tire length of the Tana River there are not more than 1000 Galla. These people have had a sad history, and their story is as follows: Many years ago, two brothers reigned over a large Galla tribe, located at a point several hun- dred miles to the north Wy AWW a f the Tana — presuma- ANNIE ee me bly the Aroussa. These Se brothers quarrelled, and concluded they could not inhabit the same country. The younger set out with half the tribe, and, after wandering many years, arrived at the upper regions of the Tana River. At that time they possessed cattle, camels, sheep, and goats. They had with them, so the legend runs, a sacred book, which they called “ kitab,” GALLA GIRL 38 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP: an Arabic word for book. What this book was, it is, of course, impossible to say; but it is not altogether improbable that it was a Bible; for, since we know the Abyssinians had accepted Christianity many years ago, it is not unlikely that they had communicated some knowledge of it to the Galla, who inhabited the country adjacent to Abyssinia. Whatever this book was, they guarded it with most jealous care; but one day, while repelling an attack of some hostile and marauding natives, the book disap- peared. It was thought by the Galla that it had been eaten by one of their cattle. From the disappearance of the book evil fortune has followed them till now, and to this day they continue search for it, as their talisman. Whenever a cow is killed, they search within its stomach in the hope of finding it. From this habit of searching the intestines of a cow, they have adopted the old Roman custom of foretelling the future by the appearance of the entrails. At present there is not the least indication displayed by these people that they possess Christianity. On the neck of one, however, I saw a white shell, with a cross rudely carved upon it. On September 23, we reached the Tana River at a place called Merifano. At this point the Tana is quite a respectable stream, being about 150 yards in width, and flowing with rapidity between steep clay banks, which are surmounted with tall sycamores, heavily laden with festooning creepers. Here we fell in with the Pokomo. These people we found to be a simple and kindly race, eager to please, and delighted beyond expression when they discovered that our intentions were peaceable. The day we I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 39 reached the Tana one of our camels died, and was greedily eaten by our men, who considered meat in any form a luxury. From our arrival at the Tana dates the real beginning of our journey, for at this point we left behind all thought Co, agit ty as Yf oath Zi = = ZS — yi) M ih Wy, "Me i iN tlh Wh pili, ' WU VA Ble i THN le Wy ly se A\\ Wee UV [LEG lll { //, Wes th a BM OUR POKOMO BOATMEN of even the partial civilization of the coast. It was with more than curiosity that Lieutenant von Hohnel and I gazed at the swirling, muddy stream at our feet, wonder- ing whence it came, and seeking to interpret its loud murmur into words of cheer and welcome to the new- comers upon its banks. CHAPTER II On the morning of the 24th many Pokomo came into camp, bringing small presents, consisting of Indian corn, a few fowls, and a bushel or two of millet. They prayed for my protection against the raiders. I told them I would drive the raiders back if they made an attack dur- ing my stay along the river, and that they could rest assured that in a short time the English would drive these people forever from their neighbourhood. At the time of writing (1895) this result has been happily ac- complished, and peace reigns once more along the banks of the Tana. | The Pokomo are undoubtedly of Bantu origin, and their language is very similar to that of the Zanzibari. They clothe themselves in waist-bands of cheap cotton, and the men, one and all, carry long spears, which con- vey a warlike impression, but which are used more as paddles, or as poles for their canoes, than as implements of war. The length of these spears is about eight feet, and the blades are short and trowel-shaped. Our camp was pitched among the ruins of a village recently destroyed by the raiders. As the natives be- came more accustomed to our presence, they swarmed into camp, bringing small parcels of grain for sale. The trading-goods taken by the Pokomo in exchange for their products are rods of soft lead, having a thick- 40 CHAP. II TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 4I ness of one-fourth of an inch and a length of fourteen ‘inches. These are used as ornaments — either as brace- lets or anklets. The cheapest of cotton goods finds a ready demand, and salt, ghee, and spearheads are much asked for. Upon the day of our arrival at the Tana it was ascer- tained that one load of ammunition was missing; and upon calling the roll of the men we found that one ot our porters had disappeared. I sent runners back to Witu to report the matter to Captain Rogers, who had charge of the station. I succeeded in getting the load, but heard nothing more of the man. The march from Marefano to Kinekombe was un- eventful; we journeyed along, at times close to the river bank, and at times prevented from so doing by the thick 42 THROUGH JONGLE AND DESERT CHAP. undergrowth, and forced to take a line some distance from the river, where the country was more open. We usually broke camp about 7 a.m., that is, an hour after dawn, and took up the march. As it was our invariable custom to camp near the river, our path at first led through very tall grass and over plantations. While on the march, from my horse’s back I could just see the heads of the tall spears carried by the Pokomo guides, which danced and gleamed in the light of the rising sun. Presently we emerged from the grass and were confronted by a tangled and impassable grove, which called for the use of axes and machettes. These came at a call, and soon the forest rang with the re- sounding blows of the axes, the cracking of broken boughs, and the shouts of the workmen. In three- quarters of an hour a path was made; and where but a short time before all was noise and disorder, the cara- van wended silently and smoothly on its way. There was something imposing in the picture pre- sented by the caravan, when viewed from a short dis- tance. The camels swayed gracefully and majestically onward beneath their high-piled burdens, followed by a winding line of men, made tall and imposing by the massive loads borne upon their heads. Following the men, were the cattle and donkeys, which added solidity to the column; and, bringing up the rear, as a fitting finish to the whole, rode tall Lieutenant von Hoéhnel on his white pony. As a rule, not a sound was to be heard. Occasionally, however, some porter, bursting with vitality unsuppressed by the eighty-pound burden he bore, car- olled forth some simple lay, such as: “Vily vily, sawa sawa, pocho!”—the burden of the song being of food II TRAVELS IN EASTERN APRICA 43 just partaken of, or looked forward to with expectation. Occasionally an obstacle was encountered by the cara- van, and then the even, and I might say almost solemn, movement was at once broken. The camels were forced to kneel, bellowing forth the while their displeas- ure at such an indignity; the donkeys ran hither and thither among the loads thrown down by the men; shouts, curses, and blows from the ever-ready stick filled the air, and the pandemonium continued until the diff- culty—whether river, hill, thicket, or forest—had been surmounted and passed, when the caravan again swung into its accustomed smooth and noiseless movement toward its goal. At times the guides proved very poorly informed as to the route, and led us through tangled masses of mimosa, aloes, and creeping vines. In such cases the axes were in constant requisition; and in consequence, often for hours at a time, our progress was dismally slow. During the afternoon of this day we encamped on the banks of the river. As it was customary to pitch our tents under tall trees in the cool of the evening, with the knowledge that a certain portion of the distance had been covered, our minds were filled with pleasant thoughts (despite the fact that Lieutenant von Hohnel was suffering greatly from his feet), when turned to the distance yet to be accomplished before reaching Kine- kombe—the point at which we were to find the canoes. One of the canoes contained what we regarded as pre- cious freight,—ninety-six bottles of Tennent’s Pilsner beer,—the thought of which acted as a tonic to our spirits, and lent energy to our tired feet while on the march. 44 THROGCGH JONGLE AND VDES Eile CHAP. Asa rule, the Pokomo were friendly and easily con- vinced of our good intentions; but at times we met with difficulty in procuring guides. Along the banks of the Tana, except at points where the natives had made clearings, the forest growth was really picturesque and imposing. The Pokomo have a slight knowledge of irrigation, and in their little openings in the forest an idea can be had of the productiveness of the soil, and what might be accomplished by cultivation of the soil, if European methods were in vogue. This, however, is only in the immediate neighbourhood of the river; for at distances varying from 100 yards to one mile from the banks of the river, the aspect changes into that of a sandy desert, gleaming here and there with mica. Such trees as are found on this desert are stunted mimosa and aloes. Continued march brought us on September 30 to a point on the river bank opposite the village of Kine- kombe, which is the largest Pokomo village on the Tana. The village contains about 500 conical-shaped huts, covering a space of not less than forty acres. It is surrounded by a strong hedge on the landward sides, as a protection from attacking parties; while the steep clay banks of the river afford protection on the water side. This is the only town of the Pokomo which is able to repel the attacks of the raiding tribes; in consequence, cultivation of the surrounding planta- tions is carried on extensively, and food is cheap and plentiful. Here I found Mohamet Aman with my river column, which had arrived in safety a few days before. Think- ing we would follow the right bank, he had built a nice II TRAVELS [NV EASTERN AFRICA 45 camp. I crossed to the camp and at once opened a bottle of beer. What nectar it seemed! Seven hours in an arid desert turns water into wine, and beer into a drink for the gods. The Pokomo employed in my canoes, after greeting me pleasantly upon my arrival, expressed an ardent desire to return to the coast. A few words and a small present changed their purpose, and they were eager with protestations of devotion, and expressed a willingness to follow me to the ends of the earth. kif, a () \ G be VILLAGE OF KINEKOMBE The chief of the village was named Kula; he brought me a present of unshelled rice and a lot of Indian corn. Up to this point the route had been a good one, as regards supplies. The deposits of millet left by my canoes at points along the route proved unnecessary, for the natives even in the poorest districts had sufficient to supply the wants of my people. With modern means of agriculture and intelligent irrigation, the banks of the Tana should yield abundant rice and corn. This is by far the richest country I had yet seen. At Kinekombe I remained several days, for the pur- pose of allowing the backs of the donkeys, which had 46 THROOUOGH JUNGLE, AND DESERIs CHAP. become sore, to heal; and to give the camels a much- needed rest. On the road to Kinekombe I had four deserters, only one of whom I succeeded in capturing with his load. On the day after my arrival there some of my men took their rifles and went to the village; whereupon, all the natives fled. It was only after pro- longed effort that I was able to reassure them and bring them back. I placed one of my headmen on duty to prevent outrage, and limited the number of my men permitted in the village at one time to thirty. One day during my stay at this place the Soudanese appeared in front of my tent, and expressed themselves as dissatisfied with everything connected with the expe- dition. They asserted, among other things, that their food was insufficient and of poor quality. As these men had before boasted to me of the fact, that during the campaigns of the Mahdi they had for weeks lived upon grass, I gave little heed to their complaint; but in- formed them that if they were dissatisfied with the quantity of food, the only change possible would be a reduction in it. They, thereupon, wished to depose the Balook Bashi. As they had sworn to obey this man, and as I had not yet pitched upon one of their num- ber suitable to succeed him, I told them they must keep their oath. They then returned sullenly. to their quarters. Lieutenant von Hohnel’s feet became worse, instead of better, so that we decided it would be advisable for him to travel, at least a portion of the distance up the river, in a canoe; and on October 2, he, in charge of the river column, left Kinekombe. As soon as the canoes dis- appeared around a bend in the river, I began to feel II TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA 47 ; badly and took to bed. In the afternoon fever set in, and my temperature rose to 103. I took phenacetine, and it fell to 101. At 9 P.M. my temperature again rose, and reached 104; phenacetine and castor oil brought it down to io1, and oft-repeated doses of quinine kept it where. On the following day I attempted to resume my jour- ney, but found myself too weak (I suffered from slight dysentery); so that I spent the day in bed. ve Lf “Lon Kf b, 4 d WE Yh, oy Wags. ss Lt, | nail : SCENE IN CAMP ON THE COAST The next day, October 4, I felt slightly better, and with effort was able to sit my horse; so we set out upon our way. We lost another deserter that day. On October 6, the road on the left bank of the river was so full of thick growths as to be almost impassable; so, upon reaching a village called Subaki, we crossed to the other bank. In this crossing we were greatly assisted by the natives, who provided ten canoes, and in a few hours all my loads were transported across the river. The cattle gave no trouble, and swam across almost of their own accord; but the crossing of the camels, don- keys, and horses was a more serious matter, and required 48 THROUGH JONGLE AND EDES ERA CHAP. nearly twenty-four hours for its completion. It was effected in the following manner. One of my men sat in the stern of a canoe, and held the head of an animal (camel, horse, or donkey) above water; two natives in the bow propelled the canoe across the stream. By this means all my animals were transported in safety. The exercise incident to the superintendence of this cross- ing did not improve my dysentery; nevertheless, I was forced to push on. Another deserter that day. The following day I reached Massa, opposite which Lieutenant von Hohnel and the canoes were stationed. Again one man deserted. This time the runaway took with him a valuable load consisting of flannel and blankets, which made a serious loss. Lieutenant von Hohnel seemed to improve and do well in the canoes, and reported that the natives were thoroughly friendly. I sent two Somali and twenty-four men under Hamidi back to our last camp to search on both sides of the road for the lost load of flannel and blankets, which I thought might have been thrown into the bush. I sent this force, as rumours had reached me that a large war- party was in the neighbourhood. The Pokomo at Massa are different from their breth- ren inhabiting the lower portion of the Tana; they are smaller in stature, and speak a different dialect. From all I could observe and learn, they have few character- istic customs. Their fear of tempting Galla or Somali raiders forces them to make it a rule never to keep live- stock: if by chance they get a sheep or goat in trade, they at once slay it. They cultivate their plantations sufficiently to provide for their wants, and have, more- over, stores of grain hidden away to avert famine, in II TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 49 case of a bad crop. Their method of dividing labour is as follows. The inhabitants of the village, at least those that are able-bodied, are divided into two parts, each taking its turn on alternate days at the cultivation of the plantations. This keeps them employed but one- half of the time — the other half they spend in sleep and idleness. The canoes here are smaller than those used lower down the river. At Massa my men took it upon themselves to raid a plantation of the Pokomo. I promptly punished the raiders and restored the stolen property. This action filled the natives with surprise and pleasure, and it appeared to be the first time that such an event had happened to them. Upon leaving, owing to the non-appearance of the guides, we were compelled to make a late start. When they at length arrived, I arranged with them to guide us to a point called Dukuli, said to be about twelve miles up the river. The sun was very hot, and my retrievers appeared to suffer intensely; I gave them all the water I could spare from my bottle, but it seemed to afford them no relief. We marched on and on until 2.30 P.M., and my guides seemed either knaves or fools. They insisted that the camp lay still farther to the front, although I was confident that had it been the distance they stated we must long since have passed the place. But I was too weak and ill to initiate a search for the camp, which might after all prove fruitless, and so I struggled on. My men, with their usual thoughtless- ness, had neglected to put water into their bottles, and in consequence they all suffered from thirst. Owing to my dysentery I still suffered from weakness; and, E 50 THROOGH JONGLE AND DESLETs CHAP. finally, at four o'clock, I fell from my horse, and was compelled to le under a tree for some time ‘beforemm could recover sufficient strength to move on. I sent the camels on in front, and the donkeys followed. The porters were not in sight, and my poor retrievers had long since fallen to the rear. At 5.30 | Started atter my camels, and found them lying in a thick under- growth, surrounded by the donkeys and their drivers. Where were the guides? It seemed, one of my Soudanese (Herella) felt thirsty, and upon asking the guides for water, and being told by them that it was still some distance in front, flew into a passion and began beating them; whereupon these gentle creatures fled. This had not been reported to me, or perhaps I might have caught them and brought them back. The question now presented was: Where were we to get water? and its early, if not immediate solution was fast becoming an important necessity. I sent a Somali to look for it, and he soon returned with the welcome intelligence that it was not far distant. The tangled mass of undergrowth, in which my camels and donkeys were found, was so thick that I found it necessary to cut a road for them. All the available men were set to work with axes, and by 6.30 a road was completed. At 7 we managed to reach.a pool of water formed by the back-wash of the Tana dur- ing the rainy season. There the camels and donkeys, together with twenty men, formed the only visible por- tion of my caravan. I sent the twenty men back, laden with water, to my struggling porters. This done, I threw myself down to rest, but not to sleep. All through the night the men straggled in by twos and II : TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 51 threes; I had the tomtom beaten, and guns fired at intervals, to inform them of my whereabouts. At 1 a.m. George reached me, and reported that the dogs had died at a point far in the rear; also, that Mohamadi, the second headman, and eight of the men whom I had sent back with him in search of the flannel and blankets, were not far away. He also reported a rumour that one of my men had been drowned in crossing the river, and that shots had been fired at the Pokomo, re- sulting in the death of one or two of them. This was sufficient for one day, so I went to sleep, thoroughly worn out. When I awoke in the morning, all the men had arrived. I called Mohamadi, and questioned him as to the rumours of trouble with the natives. He said that he with his eight men had searched along the road for the lost load, and, not finding it, had crossed ine tiver to the village of Sissini, to search there. During the search his men had been attacked by the natives; and, as his force had but six cartridges in all, they were soon driven out, and in crossing the river one of my men and five rifles had been lost. Upon cross-questioning him, it appeared to me that his story was false. Knowing, as I did, the peaceful charac- ter of the Pokomo, and the lawlessness of the Zanzibari, I had no doubt that, instead of searching for the cloth, they had devoted their time to raiding, and had at length forced the poor natives to resistance. I punished Mohamadi sufficiently for his breach of discipline. Lieutenant von Hohnel was at Tuni, and I learned that that point was but a short distance from our stopping-place. Accordingly, as rain was expected, and 52 LTHROOCGH JONGLEVAND DESEiGs CHAP. as my caravan was much fatigued by the long marches we had lately taken, I decided to rest there for some time, at least until the rains were over, and our beasts of burden had put on a little flesh,—they by this time being mere skeletons. The autumn rains were then due, and during the rainy season the country on the banks of the Tana is absolutely impassable, its soft, loamy soil becoming one vast swamp. Bearing this in mind, we made preparations for a more or less prolonged stay at Tuni. In the course of a few days we had a quite respect- able camp built. The porters were exceedingly clever at building huts. Given some poles, plenty of grass, and an axe or two, in half a day they will erect a cool and water-proof habitation. Instead of nails, they use withes and vines, of which they make excellent rope. In Tuni the weather was excessively hot, and the ther- mometer never fell below 88° Fahrenheit, even at night; while in the daytime the rays of the sun were scorch- ing. We spent three weeks there, waiting patiently for the rains, while our men distinguished themselves by attempting on several occasions small raids on the natives. For this they were invariably punished; but, notwithstanding all my efforts in their behalf, the natives persisted in holding aloof from us, so that it was difficult to purchase food. At length, however, I managed to lay in a supply sufficient for my wants. The rains, although due at this time, and expected by the natives as well as ourselves, amounted to practically nothing; not more than three showers fell, and they were very light. Our stay did the beasts a great deal of good; not such, however, was its effect upon the II TRAVIS TN EASTERN APRICA 53 Somali, Soudanese, and Europeans. There was con- tinuous suffering from fever, and some of the men had really sharp attacks. The porters seemed proof against the attacks of fever and climatic influences, and in fact were greatly benefited by our stay, in appearance at least. One evening during our stay at Tun: six elephant- hunters appeared in our camp. These men were na- sedition AUS GAMaUMUA NWS GUA TN A || TR CRM TAPIA AAAN MATAR Alt | i rome o\ if as | | i ! p al ag HIERN \ MN POKOMO BOAT BUILDERS AT WORK tives of Giriama, a country lying.a little to the north of Mombasa. They stated that they had been away seven months hunting ivory, and had managed to get seven tusks. On their way down the river they had been attacked by the Somali, who killed two of their number, and robbed them of their ivory, at a point about two days’ march above our camp. I questioned them closely as to the whereabouts of the Somali, and then persuaded them to act as guides to the point. Early the next morning I set out with seventy men, and after crossing the river marched quickly along 54 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. the left bank. At the end of two days mareh “ae guides said we were then but a short distance from the point where they had been attacked. Upon first telling their story, they had described the attacking party of Somali as consisting of several hun- dred men, and stated that these, with large flocks and herds, were camped near the river. Now, however, upon being questioned, they changed their story to the effect that the Somali were few in number, and like themselves were elephant-hunters. We pushed on the next day, sending out Somali scouts to reconnoitre. In a short time they returned with the intelligence that they had seen Somali tracks leading to the river. It is easy to distinguish from the appearance of the im- pression made in the soil by a sandal, whether it is made by a Somali, or by a member of some of the other native tribes. The sandals of the Somali are made with much greater care (often consisting of as many as four or five thicknesses of leather in the sole), and have a well-defined shape. Those worn by the other tribes consist of but a single thickness, and have no defi- nite shape. Upon receiving this intelligence from the scouts I had sent out, I halted the caravan, and sent four Somali to reconnoitre the neighbourhood, and bring back intel- ligence as.to the force I was likely to encounter “Tu less than one hour these men returned, bringing with them a small, ill-fed negro with a head covered with a veritable bush of hair, dyed by some means to a yel- lowish colour. This colour of hair I had noticed among the Somali I had met at Aden. The man proved tobe a Midgan; that is,a member of a tribe held in subjec- II TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 55 tion by the Somali, and used by them as hunters, scouts, and herdsmen. The account of his capture given to me by my men was as follows: On taking up the trail leading from the river they had suddenly come upon a small zeriba. This, at first, they thought to be empty; but upon entering it they were startled to see their present cap- tive spring to his feet with an arrow strung in his bow. Before he could find time to discharge his weapon, however, he was knocked down by a blow with the butt-end of a gun in the hands of one of my men, and after a scuffle was bound and brought into my presence. Upon being questioned, he admitted he was one of the party who had robbed the Giriama. He said the party consisted of eight men belonging to Hassan Burgan (a Somali ruling over a portion of the coun- try between Kismayu and the Tana). He and his party had been sent out by their master to hunt ivory, but had secured none; and they were surprised and de- lighted to find the Giriama, and had taken their ivory from them. The captive insisted that at present he was alone, and that his companions had gone to the coast with their plunder. I went to the zeriba, and found it full of Somali utensils. It looked as if it had been occupied by a larger party than our captive had told me of. All around were bits of giraffe meat drying in the sun, and, when surprised by my men, the Midgan had been engaged in making sandals from a piece of the giraffe hide. The presence of prayer mats disclosed the fact that they were Mohammedans. I gave the captive a good lecture, and told him to inform his master, Hassan 56 THROUGH JSONGLE AND DESERie CHAP. Burgan, that raiding along the banks of the Tana must cease. I doubt if he ever delivered my message. After this little experience I returned to my camp at Tuni, having acquired but little satisfactory informa- tion, and a sharp attack of fever. While at Tuni two of my men deserted. One of the most difficult phases of African travel is the desire, latent in nearly every porter, to desert at one time or another during an expedition. There are but few porters em- ployed on the east coast of Africa who have not at some period in their career tasted the sweets of French leave. I have questioned many of them, but they, themselves, could give no reason for their desertion. Generally, if closely pressed, they would laugh, shrug their shoulders, and say: “ Nimechoka, bwana” (I was tired, master). Sometimes a porter will work in a cara- van an entire year, and then, without apparent cause, when perhaps hundreds of miles from his home, will desert; not only forfeiting all the pay he has earned, but running a very considerable risk of not reaching the coast alive. During my first journey into Africa I had but four desertions from my caravan; which I attribute to the fact that my porters were, for the most part, Wanyan- wezi, a tribe inhabiting a section of the country about 300 miles south of Victoria Nyanza. ‘Those men made the best possible porters, and rarely, if ever, deserted. In this expedition, however, I had succeeded in secur- ing but one of this tribe, and he proved one of the few who remained faithful to the end. A traveller explor- ing an unknown portion of Africa is dependent for the safety and success of his expedition upon the fidelity ae II TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA Bo) of his men. The first instinct, therefore, is to humour them as much as possible, and thereby firmly bind their affections to the interests of their master. But I had found to my extreme disgust, upon questioning my men after enlistment, that but twenty-three of them had been on an expedition before. With this rabble of youths which I had at my command, such was their lawlessness and wanton abuse of the natives, that I was forced to adopt more severe measures than I liked. In the short period intervening between our start from Lamoo and our departure from Tuni we had lost nine men and two valuable loads by desertions. I had discovered from the behaviour of Mohamadi at Sissin1, when he went back in search of the runaways, that I could not trust even my headmen to treat the natives with consideration, when not under my eye. On the march my Soudanese were required to prevent the porters from deserting, and my Somali had their time fully occupied with the camels; so that I had no trust- worthy means for the apprehension of deserters while on the march. We left Tuni on November 7, Lieutenant von Hohnel again going with the river column. We ar- ranged to meet at a point three days’ journey up the river. On this day two men deserted, and three others made repeated attempts to do likewise. My porters were all armed, and from this point carried ten rounds of ammunition per man. In one instance, the would-be deserter, upon finding himself tracked to his hiding-place by George and the Soudanese, slipped a cartridge into his rifle, and aimed it at the chief of the Soudanese. He was disarmed by a man crawling behind him. That 538 THROCGH, JONGLE ANDVDESE ie: CHAP. II night, upon coming to a halt, I called the men of the caravan together, and explained to them that desertions must cease. I asked them if they had any complaints to make, to which they of course, as is customary with the negro, replied, “No; bwana Ngema” (Master is good). I then said that all the porters who wished to return to the coast had my full permission to do so, provided they took advantage of this permission at once. No one volunteered. I then told them™ thar should any further desertions be attempted, the deserter would do so at the peril of his life. I little thought that this threat, made for the purpose of strengthening their fidelity, would have a serious result. On the third day from Tuni, after a brisk march, I reached Lieutenant von Hohnel and the canoes shortly after noon. An hour after I arrived, George and the last of the caravan appeared. George came direct to my tent, bringing the Balook Bashi with him; and with the aid of the interpreter, Ramazan, I gathered the fol- lowing story. It appeared that one of the porters who attempted to desert on the day of our departure from Tuni had, during this day’s march, again made repeated efforts with the same end in view. He had been deprived of his load, and placed in front of the Balook Bashi, who had been told to drive the man along in front of him, and watch him. The man feigned fatigue, and his pace was very slow; the Balook Bashi endeay- oured to hasten the man’s movements, whereupon the porter bolted into the bushes as fast as he could run. The Balook Bashi chased him for some distance, and being unable to catch him, fired a shot, with the hope of frightening the culprit and bringing him to a halt. _———a SHONVD wAO ——— AN = cz, = == aS Fy By) = OD OTT Ri a : Z A ig Bia : f tf YA Wp a iy 1! i} ye: d oy) LEE ; Ys CHAP. II TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA 61 Unfortunately the rifle was too well aimed, and the man fell to the ground, shot between the two shoulders. I was forced to accept the Balook Bashi’s statement, though unsupported by corroborative testimony of others. As it happened that this man had not only continually boasted that he would desert, but also had made repeated attempts to do so, and was in fact the man who had loaded his rifle on the previous day, I cannot say that my pity for the poor wretch was as great as it certainly would otherwise have been. However, I took this oppor- tunity to break the Balook Bashi to the ranks, and pun- ished him severely. I then made Ramazan chief of the Soudanese, in his stead. From this time on, Lieutenant von Hdohnel left the canoes and marched with the caravan. I put four of my best men with the river column, and arranged to meet them about four days’ journey up the river, at a place called Malkakofira — the first village of the Galla. The Tana River has on its shores three distinct tribes. At the coast, in the neighbourhood of Kau, there are some four or five hundred Galla; then for 100 miles the Pokomo inhabit both banks; then comes a reach of about sixty miles, uninhabited, with the exception of small and scattered bands of people, who live by hunt- ing and fishing. These people are called Wasania, and are not akin to either the Galla or Pokomo. From Malkakofira to the district of Korokoro, the country is inhabited by both Galla and Pokomo. The Galla inhabiting this portion of the river are a finer type than those who live near the coast, and much more numerous. They keep the Pokomo in a state of sub- jection, forcing them to give them a certain portion of 62 LHROGCGH JONGLE ANDY DESERT CHAP. their crops, and convey them up and down the river when they so desire. This state of affairs has evidently lasted for many years; for at present the Pokomo, ‘although preserving their racial characteristics, have not only adopted the language of the Galla, but have lost all remembrance of their own tongue. The distinc- tion between the two tribes is, however, clearly main- tained, and they never intermarry. In return for the tribute above mentioned, the Galla protect the Pokomo from the raids of the Somali on the left bank, and the attacks of the Wakamba on the right. In this neighbourhood, some miles from the left bank, Dr. Peters located on his map the Galla moun- tains and the Friedrich Franz range. These ranges were invisible to us, and most careful scrutiny failed to reveal anything with even the proportions of what we term a hill, in the direction indicated by Dr meters: Owing to cloudy weather for the last two days, Lieu- tenant von Hohnel had been unable to take observa- tions; but by dead reckoning we calculated we were near the point where the canoes were to meet us, — Malkakofiraa On November 15 we made a late start, thinking we should find the canoes near by. We were prevented from following the river by a dense growth of bush. About noon, fearing lest we had passed our canoes, we decided to cut our way through the bush to the river, cost what it might. From noon until seven o'clock at night every knife and axe in the caravan was at work; and after a ter- rible day we succeeded in reaching the river. Fortu- nately, there was a small open space of about half an acre at this point; so we camped there. TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 63 I had taken with me, for the purpose of crossing rivers, a canvas Berthon boat, capable of holding six men. On the following day I put this boat together, and crossed to the other bank, which I found to be,’ in this neighbourhood at least, fairly open desert, and consequently good for marching. We returned about luncheon time, and, in the hope of discovering a road on the bank upon which we were encamped, Lieu- tenant von Hohnel and myself, with ten men armed with knives, attempted to cut our way to Malkakofira, which we were convinced must be in the immediate neighbourhood. At the end of five hours’ hard work we had proceeded less than half a mile. The growth through which we cut the path was the most tangled jungle imaginable, and armed at every point with sharp thorns. Added to this, there were innumerable red ants, called by the natives “boiling water”; and the designation 1s just and appropriate. Before we had been in the bush fifteen minutes, we one. and all were covered with them, and bitten from head to foot. It was dark before we gave up the attempt to cut the road, and started to wend our way towards camp. To add to our misery, rain began to fall; so we took shelter under a large tree in an opening in the bush. We fired guns, hoping our men _ could hear us, and would send out guides. We rejoiced to hear them answer, and about eleven o’clock at night we were again in our tents, thoroughly worn out. The following day Lieutenant von Hohnel and I took forty-five men, crossed the river, and followed it for four hours, when thick bush again forced us to make a detour. We made camp, and sent men to the 64 THROCGH JONGLE AND DESE igs CHAP. river for water, which we found to be distant more than a mile. Up to that time there was no sign of a village. The next day we followed an elephant trail, which had become overgrown with bushes, and by the use of our axes, at the end of four hours reached the river. To our joy, we found an island in the middle of the stream, which was covered with banana trees. We sent two men to swim the intervening stream, who found a storehouse on the island with 3000 ears of Indian corn, but not a sign of natives. Our food supply being low, and not knowing when we should find our canoes which carried the grain for the men, we built a raft with our table, a chair, and some sticks, using the water-bottles of the men for floats; and by this means succeeded in getting all the food to our side of the stream. Late in the afternoon we again tried to force our way along the river, when we heard the splash of a paddle. Looking through the intervening branches, we saw two natives paddling a small canoe. One of our men understood the language of the Pokomo, and he shouted greetings to them, and asked them the whereabouts of the next village. Instead of making a response, the men threw themselves into the water on the far side of the canoe, which drifted rapidly past us, and was carried on down-stream by the cur- rent. I am afraid they were the owners of the food on the island. If such was the case, by their timidity they missed an offer of payment for their store. I suppose the poor creatures mistook us for Somall. Next day at noon the sun appeared, and Lieutenant von Hoéhnel was able to get an observation, which II TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 65 showed that we were still more than a day’s march south of our canoes. We returned to camp, and at once set to work cutting a road through the bush for the camels, donkeys, and men. During our absence from camp two of our camels died. These beasts seem to have the slightest pos- sible hold upon life. Upon this occasion, however, their deaths were not inopportune, as there was no food in camp, and the men were delighted to get the meat. With the corn we discovered on the island, we were able to give the men two days’ rations. Hp fl Hh “4 My v/)) : i "op Ne iy fA \Vh i i i a Wa) MAY JY ysPLA ee if Wi, I)! y wy pay An MWh Yy a, Kayo wil! Nei iN MMM LLL WY y) yy Uy Mh Wy Wo “de ‘yyy a YU f f Yih ia AT, hy YZ, LE Mp f] i y) yi ‘gh y ths iy jy WG py, / j Ly Ge GEL Z fg ZY tzu tL¢ LILA ify CAMELS ON THE MARCH The next morning we made an early start, but were again harassed by the thick undergrowth, and prevented from reaching the river. This time we could not get nearer than two miles from it. All the men were then sent to the river to get water, and some of them did not reach camp until the following morning. From the light rains the desert had become positively beautiful; the vicious thorn-bushes. were disguised in delicate shades of softest green, and their thorns hidden by blossoms, — veritable wolves in lambs’ clothing. One Oi the men deserted here. ‘I am sure he never reached the coast, and his death in that horrible bush was a terrible penalty for his stupidity. F 66 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. Through fear of encountering the thick bush, instead of pushing ahead the following day, I took two of my men, and set out for the river, in the hope of finding a Galla village, and there procuring guides. Four hours’ work brought me to the river; but when I reached it, there was no sign of habitation to be seen, not even a path along the bank. The bush was annoyingly thick, and my clothing was torn in many places by the thorns. My temper suffered also; and after resting an hour, I returned to my disconsolate caravan. The men looked at me with questioning eyes. They seemed to be losing their confidence in me; and certainly the preceding three or four days were likely to instil any opinion rather than that we were good guides. The,country is so covered with swamps here, that without a native guide it is positively dangerous to travel. A day or two without water would ruin the most perfectly equipped caravan; and this is a risk one runs. Late in the afternoon, after more cutting, we reached the desert, and at 6 p.m., much to our joy, found a large swamp filled with drinkable water. Soon after starting next morning, we came upon old trails, which indicated to us we were near habitations. On the road I killed a large and hideous puff adder about four feet in length, which was lying across my path. We made camp early, and I took George and 100 men to the river, distant half a mile. From this point on, we appeared to have left behind us the impenetrable bush. We divided into two companies; George went north, and I south. In my absence, Lieutenant von Hohnel went to a vil- lage which one of the porters had discovered, and there, =<" II GRAVELS SN EASTERN AFRICA 67 greatly to his joy, found one of our canoes with three days’ food. I joined them in half an hour. The village proved to be Benayo, inhabited by Pokomo. My canoes were safe, one day’s march farther up the river. This was good news; for I had feared that without a Euro- pean there might be danger for them among the Galla, as they were insufhciently manned. After our days of toil and worry in the bush, we hailed with delight the prospect of a little rest; so we Bemained here one day. During the night it rained continuously, and we congratulated ourselves on the good fortune which prevented the fall of these rains while we were in the bush. The following day we broke camp at 6 a.m., took two Galla guides, and marched steadily for seven hours, when we reached Tulu Kuleso, where we found our canoes safely moored. The sight of our canoes all safe and sound, and the hearty greetings of our men in them, rendered our meeting a pure delight; for the separation of the caravan from the river column for such a long period had been a point of great weakness in the expe- dition, freighted as the canoes were with twenty-five days’ food and many valuable loads. It appears that when the Galla first saw our boats, they threatened violence; but the eloquence of Sadi soon persuaded them of our peaceable intentions. After our arrival at Tule, we received word from the Galla chief that he would come to our camp on the morrow, and pay his respects. Accordingly, early on the following morning, we were not surprised to see two tall, good-looking natives appear, who announced through Sadi, our interpreter, that their father, the chief, 68 TAHROCGH JONGLE, AND DES Pigs CHAP. was on his way to our camp. Soon he appeared, an old man bowed down with years, with features quite Euro- pean, a short and ill-trimmed white beard, and a well- shaped head. While walking he supported himself with a stick, and he wore, thrown loosely over his shoulders, a square cloak, made of some rough, white cloth of native manufacture. He brought with him, as a present, a goat, two chickens, and some honey. By means of Sadi, I had a long palaver with him. We parted good friends, and I gave him notice that I would return his visit in the afternoon. We established trade relations, after which trade became very brisk. The natives were very timorous at the outset, but through the efforts of Sadi they soon gained confidence, and as the prices he gave them seemed very good, they were constantly offering to trade. For ten pounds of corn about fifteen inches of the cheapest cotton goods were given. The canoes were anchored just below our camp, which was on an open sandy ridge, about ten yards from the river. Sadi and his boatmen pitched their tents just on the brink of the stream, under a wide-spreading tree, which even at noon-time cast a deep shade. By twos and threes the Pokomo canoes came across the river, laden with produce, which they took to Sadi’s tent, where it was measured and its equivalent in cloth given for it. Soon a great pile of sacks was to be seen near the market-place, which gave an air of plenty to the camp. At 5 p.m. Lieutenant von Hodhnel and I, together with Sadi, went to the chief’s quarters with a present. After a little conversation we endeavoured to get some 1 | IRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 69 information concerning the Rendile and Galla tribes to the north; but these poor river people seemed to know nothing of their surroundings or neighbours. They spoke with fear of the Wakamba, and said that it would be only a matter of a few years ere these dreaded war- riors wiped the Tana Gallas off the face of the earth. I never saw a people so convinced of their evil fate. This hopelessness they attributed to the fact that they had lost their holy book, of which I spoke in a former chapter. The limit of navigation on the Tana is at a place called Hameye, a short two days’ march up the river. At this point the British East African Company had at one time erected a station, built by Commander Dun- das, who had ascended the river in a _ stern-wheel steamer. This station was now deserted, and we in- tended to make it our camp for some time. We sent our canoes on to Hameye, and two days’ leisurely marching brought us to a point on the river opposite the station, which we found to be in capital repair. It was defended by a strong log fence on three sides, the fourth being sufficiently protected by the river. Here a good building made of wattles and clay, and well- thatched with dry grass, stood ready for the Europeans, and there were a few huts for the porters. Hameye Station stands upon dry ground on the left bank of the Tana. The river at this point is dotted with many small islands well covered with tropical ver- dure. Up-stream it widens out into a large lake fringed with tall poplars, and literally filled with islets, between which the Tana quietly and pleasantly ripples. I can imagine few more charming places for a lengthened 70 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. II stay. It seemed healthy, food was abundant, but one day’s journey down-stream, and for those that do not long for hills it was certainly a most beautiful spot. On the march to Hameye I shot a fine specimen of walleri antelope. While buried in the woods, waiting until my men finished the road, I was startled by the crackling of bush; when suddenly a beautiful specimen of water-buck leaped past me, his horns lying along his neck, and his head thrown back. In a moment he was gone. Iam glad I had laid my gun aside, or I should have been tempted to shoot him. At 8 p.m. all the men reached the river, and we camped on the shore. The following day all the loads and beasts were safely ferried over the stream, and the place began to look as if it had been inhabited at all times, instead of having been deserted for more than a year. I gave the guides pres- ents, and sent them home. In contrast with the two weeks of work we had just finished, our life at Hameye seemed a Paradise. Our cup of happiness seemed filled, when we realized that we had a cool roof over our heads, a stream of clear water flowing at our feet, and meals consisting of good food served with regularity three times daily. Camps like the one at Hameye are welcome oases in the desert of African travel; but to yield to the attractions of any one spot does not subserve the ends for which an expedition into Africa is promoted. Onward! Onward! is the cry ever ringing in one’s ears; so after two days _of this delicious idleness we began preparations for the continuance of our journey. The canoes were returned to the coast, as we had agreed with Sadi and the Po- komo to return them as soon as we reached Hameye. AAANVH LV dNVOD CHAP. II IRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 7/8} We sent back in these canoes five worthless porters, our letters for Europe, the specimens we had up to that time collected, photographic plates we had used, and our third headman with four trustworthy companions. The latter were sent to endeavour to enlist fresh recruits from the coast, and procure some things we found to be abso- lutely necessary for the well-being of the caravan, which we had neglected to procure at an earlier date. We calculated that, as these men had the current with them to the coast, they should be able to transact our busi- ness and return in five weeks. This period Lieutenant von Hohnel and I decided to spend in a journey to the north. We intended to follow the Mackenzie River to its source, which at that time was supposed to be Lake Lorian. We also hoped to fall in with the Rendile, as Lieutenant von Hohnel had heard at Kismayu that they often pastured their flocks and herds in the neigh- bourhood of this lake. In order that we might cover ground as quickly as possible, we took with us but eighty picked men, with food for thirty days, trusting to find on the road sufficient game to supply us with provisions, should we be gone for a longer period of time. George we left at Hameye. The place seemed healthy for both man and beast. The camels were sorely in need of rest, as was also the case with most of the donkeys. Many of the men, too, seemed suffering from fatigue, and there was much work to be done, such as training the oxen to carry loads, and making up in proper parcels the goods which up to this point had been transported in the canoes. Food was cheap here, and we concluded that, if ever there was a place where 74 LTHROCGH JUNGLE AND DESERT, CHAP. a portion of our caravan could with safety and advan- tage be left behind, it was Hameye. Many of our men were sick before our arrival at Hameye. Within a few days after, three died from dysentery, and one who had been an opium eater, and had taken with him but sufficient opium for six weeks, died from the lack of it soon after the exhaustion of his store. At Hameye the Soudanese again attempted to assert their independence. One day some of the natives came to me, and complained that some of my men were plun- dering their plantations. Investigation discovered that the culprits were four of my Soudanese; these four men I promptly punished. After receiving their punishment they went to their quarters, but in a few minutes the whole body of them appeared, drawn up in line in front of my house. I went out to them, and was immediately informed by their new Balook Bashi, Ramazan, that he regretted to state that his brethren wished to return at once to Massowah. They said they were tired of the severe work they had been compelled to perform (up to this point their work had consisted of marching only — even their mats and extra clothing had been carried by the donkeys); they said they had signed on with the expedition in the expectation of fighting and glory, and they had imagined they would receive the treatment of soldiers. They also stated (and this I found to be the real cause of their irritation) that they could not stay in the same camp with the Somali. Undoubtedly there was a great deal of jealousy between these two races. The Somal were rigorous Mohammedans, but the Sou- danese, although they professed that religion, made no practice of it. For this laxity they had been twitted by II TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 75 the Somali; and from that small beginning their mutual feelings had grown to intensest hatred of each other. I felt the time had come when it was necessary to use prompt measures to teach these spoiled children of fort- une their proper position in the caravan; so there was first administered to each of them a sharp reprimand, and then a severe punishment. This little scene over, the spirits of the Soudanese appeared to rise; their faces were wreathed in smiles, and for the next few days they appeared the happiest people in the caravan. CHAr TER ii From the coast to Hameye there had been little occa- sion for using our rifles,—a few water-buck and one or two small antelope made up our game-bag, — but from this point onward game was much more plenti- ful, and our rifles were in constant requisition. Were it not for the rifle, the difficulty of provisioning one’s caravan in Africa would be much increased. It is not for sport alone that one shoots in that country; though it is safe to state that the desire to slay is gener- ally present in every fully developed and vigorous man. It has been the fashion of late years to draw a marked distinction between scientific travellers and sportsmen, and the comparison has not always been favourable to the latter. Many men who from physi- cal reasons or inexperience have not been qualified to use a rifle with success, have taken pains to dis- close this fact by saying they were no _ sportsmen; thereby seeking to imply that their lack of sporting instinct was more or less to their credit. On the other hand, there have been, unquestionably, many persons who, in the name of sport, have indulged in a wanton slaughter of God’s creatures. But, hap- pily, there is a mean between these two extremes. Both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had in our former African experience indulged to the top of our bent the 76 CHAP. III TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 77 desire for sport; but even then we had not been guilty of any unnecessary slaughter of game; for what we shot had been eaten by our men, so that the brute lives we sacrificed went to increase the vitality of human beings who stood much in need of it. Bearing in mind the necessity of being fully pre- pared not only to slay game for the pot, but also in self-defence, to check the rush of dangerous animals, we had expended much time and forethought on the formation of our battery. Upon his former journey Lieutenant von Hohnel had used with great success an eight-bore express rifle; and although I, on account of its weight and the poor results I achieved with large weapons, was prejudiced against the express rifle, we took with us one of these weapons, made by Messrs. Holland & Holland, of New Bond Street, Lon- don. We also had three .577 express rifles and one .500 from the same makers. During my former Journey George had achieved ex- cellent results upon antelope and thin-skinned animals with a .45/90 Winchester, and I had used this weapon, and found it perfectly satisfactory, upon a shooting-trip to the Rockies; therefore we took with us three Win- chesters. Having armed the Soudanese with the Mann- licher repeating rifles, we decided to equip ourselves with these also, in the hope that they might prove useful as sporting rifles; though, because of the size of the bullet, we had little faith that they would prove successful. All the bullets for the express rifles were hardened with a certain proportion of tin, and we took with us for use with the .577 express rifles I00 or more car- tridges having a steel core surrounded with soft lead. 78 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. The latter was purely an experiment, and did not prove a success; for upon impact the lead invariably left the steel core, the light weight of which prevented a suff- cient degree of penetration to prove effectual. On the march, for the first year at least, I invariably carried a Winchester —if on horseback, across my saddle-bow; if on foot, across my shoulder. From continued use, often under trying circumstances, I came to have the greatest confidence in this weapon. I had had my Winchesters sighted with the ordinary express sight by Messrs. Holland & Holland; and it is to this fact I in great measure attribute their accu- racy when used on running game. The ordinary Win- chester sight is very good when one has sufficient time for taking aim, but with it I found great difficulty in getting a bead upon an animal moving with rapidity across the line of vision. On this trip George invariably carried a Mannlicher, and from constant use acquired as great confidence in it as I in my Winchester. It is undoubtedly a fact that different rifles suit different men; but it is equally true that any one can, by constant use, become accus- tomed to a rifle of almost any pattern; so accustomed, in fact, that he will think, after a time, that his choice is the only weapon for him; and not only will he be satisfied with it, but also, because perhaps of some weakness in human nature, will become prejudiced against all others. It is impossible to lay down a fixed rule, and say which rifle is the best for general use. There is such a variety of weapons, that if one takes the slightest pains, he can, by experiment, pitch upon the rifle which ay. 1il TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 79 best suits him; and having found it, my advice is for him to stick to it, and not be moved from his position by theorists. A rifle which, on a shooting-ground in Europe. and from a rest, will do marvellgus work against a steel target, may, and most probably will, under the changed conditions of shooting in the field, particularly when such field is the tropical climate of Africa, prove a most treacherous object upon which to place reliance. At least, this has been my experience. Some military man has said: “It is not more the power or accuracy of the gun than the man _ behind the gun, which achieves satisfactory results.” Lieutenant von Hoéhnel, in the early part of his shooting experiences during this journey, used only his express rifle. It was not until he almost by acci- dent discovered the accuracy and power of the Mann- licher rifle, that he came to have confidence in that weapon. However, when once he had tried it, the express rifle was laid aside. During my stay in Africa I wrote a letter to the London Freld, stating what satisfactory results we had achieved with both Winchester and Mannlicher, and expressing our preference for these weapons over the express. This letter provoked a vigorous, and, in some cases, highly amusing correspondence. One would almost think that I had assailed the British Consti- tution, so bitter were some writers against me; but it was matter of extreme gratification to me, upon my return to Europe, to learn that the very gun-makers most ardent in their condemnation of my views, were turning out as many small-bore rifles as their work- shops could produce. 80 LHROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAT But one more word upon the subject of rifles and I have done. ‘There has always been a vast deal of talk about “shock,” and not only of its value in stopping the rush, of large animals, such as elephants and rhi- noceroses, but also of the means to adopt in order to ensure this quality ina rifle. I am afraid that I must frankly state that I am not an ardent believer in shock, at least as produced by a weapon which one is capable of carrying in one’s hands. Even the smallest bullet, provided it is possessed of sufficient penetration when directed against a nerve centre such as the brain or spine, will produce the same shock as a cannon-ball. But if the bullet does not strike a nerve centre, even though a four-bore and propelled by fifteen drams of powder, it will not give sufficient shock to either the rhinoceros, which weighs about two tons, or the ele- phant, which weighs in many cases five tons, to stun or disable it. To my mind, “shock” is a gun-maker’s phrase. A man of average weight, at a shooting ground, upon the discharge of an eight-bore, or even a .577 express, having felt against his shoulder the recoil of one of these heavily charged weapons, is in a fit frame of mind to absorb with facility and credulity the theory of shock, as expounded by the merchants desirous of selling him an expensive express rifle. ; In one word: As speed is the most necessary qual- ity in a race-horse, so is accuracy the first requisite of a rifle; provided that, when used against big game it is possessed of sufficient penetrative quality. This quality cannot be measured at a shooting ground by a comparison of the size or depth of holes made in a eg TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA 8I steel target by the impact of a bullet. Happily, even the mightiest pachyderm is not possessed of a steel hide; and if the bullet of a .45/90 Winchester is suff- cient to break the leg of a rhinoceros, it possesses sufficient penetration, at least to my mind, for all practical purposes. On December 5, Lieutenant von Hoéhnel and I, with eighty men and ten donkeys, left Hameye. We took all the Soudan- ese and four Somali, and, in order that we might travel as quickly as possible, we took only a few loads of trading-goods and ammunition. It is astonishing how even a slight rest from the fatigues of marching will throw one out of condition; and so for the first day we made but little progress. The rains had changed the appearance of the desert so much, that it then ap- peared almost a Paradise. What before dn NMVUYd AAO, AIOHM AJ had been a desert, with a scant sprink- ling of dried acacias, looking like the skeletons of giant umbrellas, had now become vividly green parachutes, every Jeaf and twig of which gave forth a deli- cious odour. Many little flowers peeped up out of the sand,—one like a small tiger lily, and others coloured white, blue, and red. Butterflies were everywhere, and from tree to tree stretched great spider- webs. The desert was a desert no longer. G 82 VHROGCGH JONGLE AND DESZieh CHAP. Shortly after leaving Hameye, the topography of the country underwent a distinct change. From the coast thus far the road had been almost level; but from this point onward it was marked with dried watercourses and ridges covered with broken quartz and gneiss. Although our feet suffered somewhat from the change, it was a great relief to encounter hills, however disagreeable their ascent, after having marched for weeks over a monotonous plain. Two days from Hameye we saw our first herd of game. Ina small valley, I saw at one time zebra, oryx beisa, walleri, and rhinoceros. ‘They got our scent, how- ever, and made off at top speed; so I did not halt the caravan to give chase. Some of the hills of this portion of the country are from 400 to 500 feet high, and it was impossible to ride, as the acacias became too thick, and stones in too great plenty. At this point the Tana loses its almost majestic appearance, and becomes a brawling trout stream. It is but 125 yards wide, and its course 1s broken with many stones and rocks. On the plain, one day, we passed an old native zeriba. There must at one time have been 400 or 500 people in it, and that less than a year before the time we saw it. On the same day, Mohamadi, whom I had taken with me, as I felt I could not trust him at Hameye, reported that he saw ten elephants on a hill half a mile away; but as he neglected to make this report until after we reached camp in the evening, I did not go in search of them. Every few miles the Tana changed in appearance. Now the rapids were at an end, and the river flowed sedately through narrow valleys and rocky hills. The III TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 83 hills on the right bank were bold and precipitous, of red sandstone, flecked here and there with green vegetation. The largest of these hills is called Saleh’s Hill, because a few years before a Somali of that name was slain there while raiding the natives. The country is now deserted, and but for a few unoccupied kraals gives no evidence of ever having been inhabited. On December 9, four days from Hameye, upon rising at camp just at sunrise, we saw from a small hill a long, blue range of high hills stretching in the far distance to the north. What could these be? Perhaps they were the southern parts of the General Matthews range. While I was gazing my fill, Karscho, my gun-bearer, cried out: “ Look, master; down there is a large moun- famee te think it is the Kenya.” He had seen this mountain on the former journey with Lieutenant von Hohnel. I seized my glasses, and unmistakably there stood forth, free from clouds, the snow-peaked rival of Kilimanjiro. I looked and looked; but while gazing, as if jealous of my eye, clouds gathered one by one, and piled themselves around the crest, until it was hidden from sight. At last we were in sight of new country; and my feelings were almost as joyous as those of Moses, when he viewed the Promised Land. We knew our route lay in the direction of that long range of blue hills stretched far to the north of Kenya; and beyond those we knew there lay a country as yet untrodden by any white man. On the following day miemwexpected to’ reach the Mackenzie River; and the thought that from that point onward our work would be wholly original filled us with pleasurable excitement. 84 LTHROCGH JONGLE AND DPSE KEE CHAP. I marched, as was my custom, at the head of the caravan, and behind me came six of the Soudanese. I had noticed, in the few experiences we had had with game up to this time, that these people made the worst possible shikaris. At the sight of meat in any form, their eagerness to possess it deprived them of all self-control; and they would burst into such loud shouts of pleasure that the animal became alarmed, and made off with all haste. Continued disappoint- ments, instead of teaching them a little wisdom and the advantages of silence, only added to their enthusi- asm upon the sight of game. On one occasion, when we were very much in need of meat, the sight of a water-buck within easy shooting range wrung from them such a chorus of enthusiastic yells that I not only missed the opportunity of getting meat, but finally lost my temper, and taught them, one and all, that at least one personal advantage would accrue from their silence. Shortly after that little incident I saw another water-buck, and the lesson they had just received gave me an opportunity of shooting it. It was standing too yards distant, broadside on, and I shot it behind the shoulder. It started off at full speed, and in a moment Karscho, my gun-bearer, was after it like a sleuth-hound. When I came up to hin, I found he had already gralloched a fine male. On searching for my bullet, I found it had penetrated the heart; but, notwithstanding this, the animal had been able to run a distance of roo yards. This will convey an idea of the vitality of these antelopes. We had now reached a part of the country where the hills were steep, and diffcult for the donkey to Ill TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 85 climb. Consequently our progress was very slow. In the thick bush we lost our donkey on this day. That night we camped at a sandy stretch on the river bank. The men were actually afraid to go for water, owing to the number of hippopotamuses heard snorting near the camp; yet we were unable to get a shot. During the night rain fell, and the next day it poured in torrents. Late in the afternoon of this day we reached the Mac- kenzie River, about 500 yards from its junction with the Tana. At this point the Mackenzie River is forty yards wide, and not more than three and one-half feet deep. Fortunately, the rain ceased before sunset, and we made our camp on a pebble-covered rise. On African expeditions the porters usually have but little protection against the weather, unless the country is sufficiently grassy to permit them to make their huts. If camp is pitched in a desert, on sandy or stony soil, they cover themselves with about four yards of Amer- ican sheeting, rigged in the shape of a lhittle A tent. This affords some protection against the weather, and in fact seems sufficient for these hardy people. The next day, Sunday, December 11, I recalled that it was six months since I left London, and I was filled with satisfaction by the thought that at last, after some trouble and difficulty, we were on the border of a hith- erto unexplored country. While encamped on the banks of the Mackenzie we had some excellent hippopotamus shooting. At one point along the bank of the river the bank rose to the height of forty feet above the stream, and formed a pre- cipitous cliff. On looking over into the stream from the top of this cliff, I discovered a pool formed by a 86 LHROCGH JONGLE AND DESERT: CHAP. III bend in the river, in which I descried the heads of four hippopotamuses. I shot one. He struggled to where the stream was shallower, and stood there snorting; another shot finished him. Lieutenant von Hohnel and I then set to work to kill the remainder; and after half an hour we had six stretched on the bank. The men were set to work cutting up the meat. Mean- while, one of the animals which I had shot, but which was not yet dead, rushed along the shore, and stood not more than twenty paces from my terrified men. Blood was streaming from his wounds, and he snorted with fury. My men seemed terribly frightened, and made off in every direction. Another shot, in the region of the heart, finished him. After considerable experience with hippopotamuses I have come to the conclusion that almost the smallest weapon is sufficient to reach the brain; this, however, being very small, accurate shooting is necessary. The best shot is in the ear. On many occasions I found the cartridge of the carbine carried by the porters, the cali- bre of which is .38, was amply sufficient to kill these ani- mals. A hippopotamus, if unaccustomed to being shot at, will expose his head for an indefinite period of time, and even permit one to take several shots at him; so it is not a difficult matter to kill him. But should the river in which they are be deep, as is often the case in the’ Tana, and the current strome, it 1s vem; aaibie cult to get them after they are killed) In fact igam sorry to state, we lost a great many by the force of the stream. On other occasions the slain hippopotamus was undoubtedly held down beneath the surface by his companions; for what reason, I am ignorant. MAAIY FIZ NAMOVIA FHL NO INNH SQOWVLOdOddIH - iS CHAP. III TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 89 All the members of my present caravan with the ex- ception of the Somali ate hippopotamus meat. Accord- ing to the Mohammedan religion, at least as interpreted by the Arabs at Zanzibar and the Somali, there are cer- tain beasts which it is unlawful for good Mohammedans to eat. I am not sure whether they are the same as those mentioned in the Mosaic Law, but, as far as I could learn, they are as follows: elephant, hippopota- mus, rhinoceros, horse, donkey, zebra, monkey, hawk, vulture, and any beast of prey, such as the hyena, jackal, or lion. The more devout of the followers of the faith conform to this command; but under the stress of hun- ger religion is often lost sight of, and all the men of a trading caravan, composed of Arabs and their slaves, have been known to subsist upon their own donkeys for weeks at a time. Although the Soudanese were pro- fessed Mahometans, I have yet to see them hesitate for a moment between religious scruples and the attrac- tions of a hearty meal; for they love fat, and the meat of a hippopotamus is as much covered in adipose tissue as that of a hog. We set all our men to work cutting the meat off into long strips. We then built platforms of small sticks, about three feet in height, upon which we placed the strips and then beneath them started a roaring fire. As the sticks were green, the platforms did not burn; and after the meat had been scorched and smoked for three hours it was thoroughly dried, and even in that hot climate would keep in good condition for several days. The quantity of this meat a porter is able to consume Seems incredible. On the road, these men ordinarily eat but once a day, their hunger being satisfied only at go LEROO GH JON GEE VAN DOD Sis ie CHABs night at the end of the march. They are divided into groups of from four to eight men. When camp is made, these groups throw together their store into a common stock, and appoint one of their number as cook; the others gather twigs to make the fire. After all prepara- tions have been made, they surround the pot, and take turns at dipping their hands into its contents until all is finished. But in a game country each man will carry with him as much meat as is allowed him. While on the march, from morning until night, they were busy devouring the flesh they had with them. At home, in Zanzibar, these people are accustomed to a fish and grain diet. Consequently, upon their entering into a game country and eating an unlimited quantity of meat, dysentery soon breaks out among them. We found great difficulty in checking the ravages of this ailment, but at length managed to devise a cure which proved effectual in almost every case. I very much doubt whether this cure would meet with the approbation of the medical profession; but, nevertheless, for the porters it proved of great service. When one of the men complained of pains in the abdomen, we at once gave him a strong purgative of castor oil, if we had it in stock; if not, three or four ‘“ Livingston rousers,” or several vegetable laxatives. Two hours later, we gave him twenty-five grains of ipecac and five grains of opium, pulverized and mixed with five drams of water. This dose we repeated every two hours, and I know of no case in which it proved ineffectual. However, it was not until after months of experiment that we discovered this cure; and in the meantime we had the misfortune to lose many of our best men from dysentery. III TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA gI We had decided to follow the Mackenzie, in the hope that it would lead us to Lake Lorian and the Rendile; therefore, after waiting one day for the drying of the meat, we set out, and pushed our way along the left bank of this river. The route lay over rough, rocky soil, covered to an irritating degree with acacias. In order that we might be able to march as lightly as possible, we had taken for private consumption only a few luxuries. We depended upon two loads for the sustenance of the Europeans. These contained dried beans and rice. On coming into camp after our first day’s march along the Mackenzie, what was our dis- eust to find that the two men carrying these loads had disappeared! We searched for them in vain; for, owing to the rocky soil, tracking them was impossible. From that time on we had to face the journey with the prospect of living upon the same food as the porters; namely, dried beans of the previous year’s growth and Indian corn of the same age. Thankful, indeed, were we that we had with us salt, pepper, and one bottle of Worcestershire sauce. When the latter would get low, we refilled the bottle with water; and by lively play of the imagination taught ourselves that the pungency of its flavour rather increased than diminished, as time went by, and water went in. As we ascended the Mackenzie, the stream became smaller and smaller, and after two days’ march one could almost leap across it. The water was clear as crystal, and deliciously cool. Owing to the dense bush through which we marched we could get but few shots at game, although at this point the country was undoubt- edly filled with animals of all sorts. Now, for the first 92 THROUGH JONGLE AND FOE SEG CHAP. III time since the expedition started, we came upon amor- phous, volcanic rocks; and as the sun was setting we got a magnificent view of the range of mountains we had seen some days before. These mountains were now but fifteen miles to the westward, and upon their slopes we could clearly distinguish the smoke of many fires. . What people inhabited them we had no infor- mation upon which to base a guess. It was at this time evident to our minds that, unless Lake Lorian lay between us and these mountains, the Mackenzie River could not derive its Source from) je ie country was much more open, and upon the march our eyes were continually greeted with herds of game, —walleri, granti, zebra, water-buck, and rhinoceros. On this day’s march I killed a fine rhinoceros. He was standing in the open, apparently asleep, and per- mitted me to approach him within 100 yards. One shot in the region of the heart caused him to spin around rapidly, as on a pivot, and then drop dead in his tracks. My men were delighted with this their first rhinoceros of the journey. The Soudanese im- mediately indulged in a violent discussion respecting the relative merits of rhinoceros and hippopotamus meats. Several of their number had determined to secure the heart, which they considered a tid-bit. This oneness of desire soon led to a difference of opinion, and in a few moments they were hard at it, fighting like hungry hyenas. They were soon quieted, how- ever, and the innocent cause of all this trouble was removed by my presentation of the heart to Hamidi, the headman of the Zanzibari. While the men were engaged in cutting up the rhi- MAATY FIZNAMOVIT AHL NO INONH SOWVLOdOdd!IH Grp), CG a oo i y roe ZN ley f : pis B) yd I ee ee ‘Nyy WEL LH Jy ee Uy yy. (ably YOY YY Yb gepyy “yy YZ J LE Cn Ui LEE; jy she | Z, Z Wiis YL pie Kee yy NG) ve i My Uh ‘Ay we y ig Laps en BAOBAB TREE We filled these water-bags, and on December 22 set out upon our journey. We made our camp two miles to the northwest of Kora crater, beneath a giant baobab, the girth of which was forty-eight feet. We were fortunate enough to find near this a little pool of stagnant water left by the rains. The mountain range proper ends at Kora, but for some miles to the north there are a number of craters of different sizes, mostly I10 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESEG CHAP. irregular in outline and broken down on the southerly side. After the rains they were, one and all, covered with green vegetation. Due north, as far as I could see, stretched a trackless desert, very arid and forbid- ding in aspect. Upon our arrival at this camp Lieutenant von Hohnel shot a male rhinoceros. While Karscho was engaged in getting out the liver for our table, he looked up and saw a female rhinoceros with a young one stand- ing within ten feet of him, and looking as if they were about to charge him and revenge the death of their rela- tive. He had barely time to make off in safety (with the liver), when the rhinoceroses appeared to alter their minds, and went off at a slow canter, soon disappearing. The nights at this time were deliciously cool, but the heat of the day was terrific. The following morn- ing we attempted to start shortly after five, but upon awakening we found the camp enshrouded in a thick, cold mist. This prevented our getting under way until some minutes after six. A few moments’ march, and the fog had shut out all trace of our camp, as if Nature sought in this way to warn us to make up our minds that we were not to see this place again. After a few hours’ marching we crossed a trail running to the eastward from the mountain range. Motio said it was the trail of a large band of Rendile, who visited the Embea few years ago. At noon we crossed the highest point in our route over the slopes, about 3500 feet above sea- level. We were then shut in on all sides by steep, grass-dressed hills of volcanic origin; no sight of the desert gave variety to the view; all was forbidding, confining, threatening. III TRAVELS [NV EASTERN AFRICA III Marching on, we came to a small water-hole, and while the men filled their water-bottles, I went forward alone into a great opening between many hills. There I saw about 400 yards away, what I took to be a small herd of oryx beisa. I raised my rifle to my shoulder, and fired into the midst of the herd; one sprang into the air, and then fell. Upon reaching it, I found I had shot a beau- tifully horned female. The herd made off, I after it. Mounting a slight rise, I saw them standing about 350 paces distant, all but one facing me. This one immedi- ately fell to my Winchester. Upon examination, I found the bullet had broken the animal’s shoulder and gone through its body diagonally, until checked by the thick skin on the animal’s further loin. The skin of the oryx beisa is very thick; so thick, in fact, that it is preferred by the Somali above all others for the pur- pose of making shields. We rested here for three hours, while the men cut up the meat and we had luncheon. After luncheon Lieutenant von Hohnel climbed a hill to take _ bear- ings, and I was sitting in a camp-chair, smoking a pipe, when my men shouted, “Nyama” (game). I called for my Winchester, and, Just as I got it, a herd of grantil ran past in single file, about 150 yards away. Without leaving my chair, I took aim at a point three feet in front of the shoulder of the leading animal, and had the good fortune to bring it down, shooting it through both hips. The scenery at this camping-place was grand. ‘There were but two openings between the high hills, and these permitted a view, far away across the desert, of the south- ern peaks of the General Matthews range, blue in the 112 LHROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT. CHAP. distance. We knew that at some point this side of the range the Guaso Nyiro flowed. The spot where we lunched brought to my mind the following lines from Browning’s poem, Childe Roland: The hills like giants at a hunting lay, Chin upon hand, to see the game at bay. From this point our route lay downhill and desert- wards. We found an excellent and well-beaten trail. This trail was made by the mountain people, who use it on their way to a crater distant six miles. It is called Ngombe (ox), from a fancied resemblance between its outline and that animal. In this crater there is a large deposit of sulphate of magnesium, which is used by the natives in lieu of salt; and it is much prized by them as a delicacy. Along the trail I picked up a native bag made of leather, which Motio said had been carried by a friend of his, who had gone in search of salt two weeks before. On his return journey he had been attacked by a lion, left by his friends, and, in consequence, eaten. I was glad the king of beasts was not a vegetarian, for in the bag were two yams, which proved a welcome addition to our beans and meat. We reached Ngome at five o’clock, and pitched camp half-way up the side of the crater. Near our camp I noticed that the side of the mountain was rent apart. Entering this opening, I pursued my way for some distance between high and jagged walls, when I found the gulch narrowed until it resembled the gateway of some ruined medizval castle. Beyond the gateway it again widened, and my eyes were resting upon a vast III TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA 113 amphitheatre at my feet. It is about 500 feet deep, and about its top runs a rim of rugged rocks, from which steep, grass-covered sides descend to the bottom far below. In the centre of this hollow, cup-like bot- tom there was what appeared to be a large rectangular slab of marble broken at one end. From a distance it bore a striking resemblance to such a stone as is placed on the top of a vault, suggesting the idea that it was the last resting-place of some giant king. This, upon closer examination, proved to be a deposit of sulphate of magnesium, and is what the natives prized as salt. Near this deposit were found pools of water, but their contents were undrinkable, and so my men went to bed thirsty. The following day we served out the water we had carried in the water-bags. It was sufficient to give each man about one quart; and this, I was careful to tell them, must suffice until the Guaso Nyiro was reached. Motio assured us that we should undoubt- edly reach the river before dark, but a careful examina- tion of the desert before us discovered not the slightest sign of tree or bush. When these are absent from the landscape in Africa, one has a right to be sceptical of the presence of water. The following day was Christ- mas, and the only gift we one and all prayed for on that occasion was the sight of a rushing river. Upon leaving the crater, although the native path had come to an end, the ground under foot was not very bad. The hilly region was now behind us, and we faced a plain covered with stunted, sun-dried grass. Here and there were scattered awkward bits of lava, which tripped unwary feet. We met several herds of antelope and zebra. I 114 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERIs CHAP. The severe marching of the preceding two days had told upon my caravan, and I was often forced to halt in order to allow the stragglers to catch up. On the march I saw five rhinoceroses, two of which were very white in colour, and at first both Lieutenant von Hodhnel and I took them for a new species; but closer inspec- tion disclosed the fact that they had wallowed in white iif i ANG Yi ‘A AMIR Mii DEK EKA Yicr , HP HY y 4 iy hi, 1b, vA eae a oy V \\ NY \\ Y H Wk NIN WAS f Me cy ae ' Hi ch a vy Hy a yh, gue iy Ndae7 Vy “fy, “ff Y math DHUM PALM AND ACACIA clay; hence their odd appearance. I knocked over a fine young male oryx, and we stopped for a few mo- ments to cut up the meat. The men, who by this time had finished every drop of their water, attempted to quench their thirst by chewing bits of the raw meat. From now on, the plain descended visibly to the northward, and keen eyes might detect the tops of palm trees. At sight of these the men seemed to Ill TIVAVI ES VIN OEASTERN: APRICA 115 become imbued with fresh vigour, and even the lame and the halt stepped forward briskly to where they knew they would find water. The ground here was absolutely white with sulphate of magnesium, so bright in the sunlight, indeed, that the eyes were pained by the glare. On our right there rose a cone to a height of 1500 feet, and to the southwest, in the far distance, we caught a glimpse of the sloping sides of Mount Kenya. In the rear towered the Jombeni Mountains; in front, and not far to the west, rose high hills. We were on the border of volcanic and aqueous formations, between which the Guaso Nyiro flowed. At this point the river had worn its bed deep below the level, so that our camp, pitched upon the river bank, was sheltered from the hot winds which blew across the desert. The river here is 100 feet wide and not more than six feet deep, but this depth is attained only in few places. Its current is swift, and the course is frequently interrupted by gneiss rocks, which in some spots are so large and numerous as to almost dam the river’s flow. My de- light upon reaching this river was truly great, but it was surpassed by the joy of Lieutenant von Hohnel. He, on his former journey, had been the first to dis- cover the source of the Guaso Nyiro, and had followed it to within about seventy-five miles of our present camp. Up to the time of our journey it had been asserted that the Guaso Nyiro emptied into the Tana. This we discovered not to be the case. So it appears there are at least three separate river systems having their sources at Mount Kenya, viz.: the Sabaki, the Tana, 116 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. III and the Guaso Nyiro. ‘These, with their affluents, are sufficient to drain the water of the melting snow at the top of this mountain. | We celebrated our arrival at the river by opening one of our two remaining pints of champagne. Our dinner on that day consisted of the German army soup, fish from the river, the liver of an oryx, steaks from the same animal, beans, biscuit, and jam, followed by a cup Ot Collee: CEUAe ER LV WE honoured Christmas Day by making it a day of rest; and although our surroundings were not such as are usually associated with this day, we at least were perfectly satisfied with them, and received what Provi- dence had given us with a thankful spirit. The rushing river assisted our minds in reverting to home and our people; and both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I uttered the hope that they were as contented and joyful on this day as we. Lieutenant von Hodhnel spent a portion of the day in working upon his map; while I passed an hour or two in questioning Motio about the neighbouring countries and peoples. He said that, at one time, the upper reaches of the Tana and the banks of the Guaso Nyiro had both been inhabited by a people called Mumoniot. Those on the Tana had been destroyed by the raids of the Wakamba, and those on the Guaso Nyiro had been so harried by the inhabitants of the mountains on one hand, and the Masai on the other, that all but a small remnant had been destroyed; and not many years ago this remnant had joined the people on the mountains, and became amalgamated with them. While strolling along the river in the afternoon, I came across a small native bridge spanning the stream, which at that point was not more than thirty feet wide, 117 118 THROUGH JONGLE AND =) ZS hele CHAP. as it forced its way between rocky banks. This bridge was made of withes and looked frail, but it was suff- ciently strong, and afforded room for the passage of a lightly laden native. We had exhausted our store of meat at dinner the night before, so that our Christmas feast consisted of soup, fish, and beans. The next day we made an early start, and pursued our way along the bank of the river, which at this point ran nearly due east. From what Motio told us, we hoped to reach Lake Lorian in three days. As we advanced, the current of the Guaso Nyiro became swifter, and flowed so deeply below the surface of the surrounding country as to form a canon more than 100 feet deep and about 300 feet wide. Ihe soil on our side ef) the siieam was composed of lava dust, strewn with innumerable blocks of the same material. The other bank, however, eleamed with mica, showing that the formation there was gneiss. Toward noon, just as I began to think of halting for our mid-day meal, a dull, roaring sound reached my ears. After going a half-mile further, the noise increasing all the while, we reached a point where the plain fell to the level of the river. There we found explanation of the roaring sound. The Guaso Nyiro, meeting a wall of black lava in its course, flows over it, and has a drop of | sixty feet. Even at the season of the year when we visited it, and when the autumn rains had been very slight, the falls presented an imposing appearance. The wall of lava, being higher in the middle than at the sides, divided the river into two streams. Below the falls these two streams again met, and forced their way between oO IV TRAVELS INi EASTERN APRICA 119 two precipitous walls of black Java; foam was churned and thrown high into the air, and the leaping, tumbling, frothing stream had a really wild and savage aspect. This place we named Chanler Falls. We pitched our camp five miles below the falls, at which point the river again peacefully wended its way between rows of tall palms. My ul \ Gri ON Rau Wg A . yf WIZ liz ys oat CHANLER FALLS While the men were building a camp, I went in search of meat. We were sorely in need of it; and as Lieu- tenant von Héhnel had fallen and injured his knee so badly as to incapacitate him for hunting, all prospect of satisfying my hungry men centred in the presence of game and the accuracy of my single nfle. I found game plentiful, but the country was too open to get within range of it. I walked three miles, led along by 120 LHROOGH JSONGLE AND DESERKTa CHAP. a herd of oryx beisa, which would in the most tanta- lizing manner remain standing until I could get within 500 yards from them, and then wheel in their tracks like a regiment of cavalry, and charge briskly on. However, they proved good guides, for they led me to a mass of thick bush, where they disappeared; but shortly after entering the bush, from a small rise, I saw at a distance of 300 yards, two rhinoceroses. The soil at this point was of a reddish colour, and from rolling in this the rhinoceroses had assumed its tint. As I descended from the rise, I lost sight of them, but proceeded cau- tiously in the direction in which I had seen them. At length I caught a glimpse of a reddish body in the bush, not more than forty yards in front of me. I took careful aim and fired at what I supposed to be a shoulder (I saw but a portion of the beast’s body), and the animal fell. The smoke of my shot had scarcely cleared away, before crashing through the bush came another, and I had but time to fire a snap-shot, owing to the close quarters. The animal changed its gait and direction at once, coming down from a gallop into a trot; and I followed after it. -In my eagerness I almost stumbled over the rhinoceros I had first shot. He was far from dead, having been hit not in the shoulder, but in the quarter. Upon seeing me, he staggered to his feet, and with a savage snort rushed at me. A lucky shot brought him to the ground, dead. This was a most fortunate circum- stance, for my gun-bearer had allowed me to leave camp with but three cartridges in my magazine, all of which by this time I had fired; so that, had I failed to bring the animal down, I should have been placed in a most unpleasant predicament. IV TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 121 I returned to camp, tired out with my day’s work, and sent Karscho with some porters back to bring in the meat. On the way they came across the second rhinoc- eros, which Karscho found limping slowly along on three legs, my snap-shot having broken one shoulder. I had given Karscho my .577, for use in case he fell in with dangerous game; and two shots from the rifle despatched this my second rhinoceros of the day. The meat of these two animals was sufhcient for three days’ food for my men. After passing Chanler Falls all mountains seemed to be left in our rear, and the river flowed between dry and arid deserts. While in camp, Lieutenant von Hohnel and I spent most of our time in conjecture as to the whereabouts and size of Lake Lorian. When Lieutenant von Hohnel was at Kismayu to purchase camels, he met a Somali, who said he had visited this lake. This man told him it was many days’ journey in length, but that in parts it was so shallow that it was possible to drive cattle and camels across it. He also said that the Rendile had their home upon its shores. Motio added his assurance, that from: what he had heard the lake must be very large; and that he had no doubt that the Rendile lived in its neighbourhood. He said that none of the people on the mountain ever had the courage to visit the Ren- dile, but that in former times, when they had raided the Mumoniot (who had inhabited the banks of the Guaso Nyiro), they had often fallen in with small bands of them. He said that they were a very warlike people, and that invariably upon meeting them conflict had ensued, in which the mountain people were generally 122 THROOGH JUNGLE AND DESERGE CHAP. worsted. The Rendile, however, at least once a year, sent trading parties to the Jombeni range. These always consisted of aged men and women; for, had young men been sent, they would have met with a hos- tile reception from the mountain people. He also said that the articles taken for barter by the Rendile con- sisted of goats, sheep, and the partly tanned skins of these animals. Motio’s wanderings along the Guaso Nyiro had taken him but little farther than the point we had by that time reached. He assured us, however, that after one long day’s march to the eastward we should reach a high plateau, and said he had been told by his fellow-tribesmen that from the top of this plateau the vast expanse of Lake Lorian could be seen. With all this information at our disposal, the hopes of both Lieutenant von Hohnel and myself rose to a high pitch, and we felt that we were about to make a great geograph- ical discovery. As we advanced, the going seemed to become worse and worse. The surface of the soil was almost paved with sharp, jagged lava blocks, and our feet were fast becoming swollen and painful from continued march- ing over such material. The desert on our side of the river gleamed to such a degree that the eyes suffered in consequence; and the only redeeming feature to be found in the landscape was the narrow strip of verdure, from which sprang palm trees and acacias, stretching along and following the river. The course of the Guaso Nyiro is ever-changing, and the character of the soil through which it flows pre- sents a great variety. At times the stream forces its way between impeding rocks, while at others it winds IV TRAV ES WIN VEASTHRN APRICA 2) smoothly and broadly over a shallow bed. Game was fairly plentiful; yet, as we were pressing on in the hope of reaching the lake, we rarely stopped while on the march, but contented ourselves with supplying our men with what game we could procure after camp was reached. For a few days the fish of the Guaso Nyiro proved a welcome addition to our diet, but at last we were forced to give them up. We had usually eaten them after dark, from a table illumined by the flame of a single candle; so that in judging of their quality we employed but taste. One morning, however, a large and fine- looking fish was put before us. Upon cutting it open, we found, to our disgust, that its flesh was filled with small worms. Needless to add, we discontinued eating fish from that time. All along the Guaso Nyiro, not only were the mos- quitoes troublesome, but we suffered great annoyance from flies. These were black in colour, shaped like the ordinary house fly, but with heads of a bright carmine colour. A bite from one of these insects was a disagree- able matter; for they inserted the proboscis not so much for the sake of securing food as to deposit and hatch their offspring. A few days after the bite was inflicted the flesh swelled considerably, and a little later the part bitten would open, and disclose a well- developed larva, with a black head, about the size of its progenitor. Up to this time we had lost but few of our donkeys; and none of these, so far as we knew, had died on account of fly-bites. Our horses, however, appeared to be ailing, particularly Lieutenant von Héhnel’s, which, 124 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. IV being unable to bear any burden, was driven listlessly along behind the caravan. On the 29th we had reached a point where the coun- try through which the Guaso Nyiro flowed was park- like in appearance; groves of tall dhum palms were seen extending 500 yards from the river bank, and here and there were groups of magnificent acacias. The going became delightfully smooth and easy. We seemed to have reached the end of the lava flow from the Jombeni range. In the branches of these trees innumerable birds had their nests. Some of these birds have sweet voices, the notes of one or two sounding purely liquid to the ear. In shaded places, flowers like our morning- glories peeped up from the soil, mostly of a pale purple with red centres. Small herds of zebra and antelope wandered about, or fed placidly beneath the trees. The soil appeared to be extraordinarily rich, and with irri- gation this portion of the country should yield large crops of rice and millet. On this day I shot a beautiful lesser koodoo, the only one we saw upon this journey. On the following day’s march we came to a point where the river made a sharp bend to the north. It flowed eight miles in that direction, and then abruptly turned to the east upon reaching the foot of a high plateau. Motio told us that this plateau was called Marisi Alugwa Zombo; and from its top we expected to see (lake Lorian: We cut across the plain to the eastern end of the plateau, and reached it about half an hour before sun- set. Near camp I shot a fine female oryx beisa and two pallah. I also killed a fine female antelope, of what I considered a previously unknown species. We took a , yy, CANYON ABOVE CHANLER FALLS 7 4 CHAP. IV TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 127 photograph of its head and neck, which will convey an idea of its peculiar appearance. Just before sunset Lieutenant von Hohnel and I crossed the river, and climbed the plateau. It rises to a height of nearly 500 feet above the plain, with sides as steep as the glacis of a fort, and covered with large blocks of lava. After a difficult climb, we reached the top, which we also found to be covered with these jagged blocks of larva, between which, at intervals, could be seen a stunted euphorbia, aloe, or cactus forc- ing its way. The top of the plateau is almost level, but there is a perceptible rise to the westward. The sun was just setting as we reached the top, so that we were not permitted to gaze for any time at the panorama spread out before us. However, we could trace the course of the Guaso Nyiro for twenty miles further, between the plateau and the desert, which stretched indefinitely to the westward. Fortunately, there was a full moon shining as we descended, so that we were able to reach camp without much difficulty. In this portion of Africa, as is well known, there is no twilight, and within half an hour after sunset the darkness of night has covered all. During this night we had a curious adventure. About midnight Lieutenant von Hohnel woke me up with a vigorous shake. I leaped to my feet and found the whole camp in an uproar—the men all rushing to and fro and shouting: “Zayar¢/ Tayari!” (“Make ready! Make ready!) in terrified tones. In the moon- light the trees cast weird shadows, and it was difficult to make out at once what was going on in camp. Sud- denly a loud laugh was heard, and then the men imme- 128 THROOCGH JONGLE AND DESER CHAP. diately burst into mirthful shouts. We learned that the Soudanese night-watch had been suddenly startled at what they took to be a large body of men crawling towards the camp for the purpose of making an attack. They shouted to the men, and at once every one sprang to his feet, loaded his rifle, and screamed with excite- ment and fright. When all hands were fully aroused, it was then seen that the attacking party of savages consisted of a horde of monstrous apes, which had probably been attracted by our fires, but, terrified almost as much as my men, made off at once upon hearing the uproar. Some of these creatures weigh more than sixty pounds. We crossed the Guaso Nyiro the following morning, and marched four miles along the foot of the plateau. Upon reaching its end we made camp, and Lieutenant von Hohnel and I at once ascended it, this time climb- ing its northern face. We were rewarded by getting a view of the boundless desert, stretched on all sides to the horizon. Across this desert flowed the Guaso Nyiro, enshrouded in dhum palms and acacias. In the northeast our eyes were greeted by the sight of what appeared to be an enormous sheet of water, dis- tant about thirty miles. Lieutenant von Hoéhnel and I turned silently to one another, and with deep feeling clasped hands, delighted to think that the stories of the size of the lake had not been exaggerated. I at once set about guessing the number of days required to reach it, and Lieutenant von Hohnel, taking its bearings with his compass, decided and announced that it must be nearly sixty miles in length. On both sides of the green strip which marked the IV TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 129 course of the Guaso Nyiro stretched the desert, dazzling white, and level as the sea. At the point on which we stood the face of the plateau made a sharp turn west- ward, and in that direction continued as far as the eye could see. After three days’ march over the desert in a direction parallel to the river we came to a spot where on all sides roamed herds of zebra, oryx beisa, ostrich, and grantii, and standing here and there was the huge black body of a rhinoceros. One marvelled how these ani- mals could sustain life on such a desert; for with the exception of a few low, parched bushes there was scarcely any vegetation. Here and there a few strag- gling blades of grass forced their way through the soil; but at no place was there apparent a growth sufficient, in one’s opinion, for the sustenance of such vast herds of game. On one occasion while in this part of the country I had a narrow escape from a rhinoceros. It was toward evening, and we intended to soon make camp; when, at a point about 400 yards in advance of the column, I saw a small herd of zebra and two giraffes. I halted the caravan, and unaccompanied set out to stalk the game. While so engaged I noticed to my right, at a distance of about 200 yards, a solitary rhinoceros placidly feeding. We had sufficient rhinoceros meat, so I did not disturb him. The wind was blowing from where I stood toward him, in short and irregular puffs. I had approached to within 200 yards of my quarry and was about to take aim, when a shrill whistle from my men reached my ears. I turned around, and just in time, for the rhinoceros upon scenting me at once made K 130 THROCGH JONGLE AND DES CHAP. for me. The soft soil had deadened the sound of his approach, and as I was at the time thoroughly engrossed in the stalk, I had not heard him. The whistle from my men, warning me of my danger, gave me just a mo- ment in which to leap to one side and avoid the rush of the animal. As a rule the rhinoceros snorts when it charges; but this one had not made a sound. Needless to say, I failed to get a shot at either the zebras or giraffes. However, while the men were pitching camp, they were charged by another rhinoceros, which paid the death Y ie AN a _ ZZ “yy , aK | wg Te WON A ANNE a AY bul ke) i fey Ny -, ve Wi Wh ma Vy Wii ae sa DEAD RHINOCEROS penalty for its temerity. We did not cut this animal up at once, and during the night it was visited by a hyena. One may form a conception of the thickness and toughness of the hide of a rhinoceros from the fact that, although the jaws of the hyena are very powerful, the beast had to satisfy itself with the ends of the ears and the tip of the tail, being unable to make any impression upon the other parts of the body. Near this portion of the river we saw several large zeribas. In these were unmistakable signs that they once held camels, sheep, donkeys, and goats. Judging IV TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 131 from appearances at that time, they had been unoccu- pied for more than a year. On the third day after leaving the plateau we entered a thick forest of acacias. This forest was literally alive with rhinoceroses, which charged the caravan at almost every turn. We also saw many giraffes at this point. There one of our porters died of dysentery, and was buried by his companions. They made a shallow grave with their axes and machettes, and wrapping him in about four yards of sheeting, left him as silent evidence of our visit to this part of the world. After another day’s journey we emerged from the forest, and entered upon a treeless plain covered with coarse grass, which grew to a height of eight feet. The river at this point was much narrower — not more than forty feet wide — and flowed between steep banks. At intervals along its shores were little sandy strips, on each of which we would find a monstrous crocodile lying. Upon our approach, these saurians would noise- lessly slip off and disappear in the water. Along both banks of the river elephant trails were to be found, but for which it would have been impossible to trav- erse the jungle. These trails did not afford the very best paths for travel, having been worn in the rainy season, and in consequence filled with deep holes made by the ponderous feet of these animals. At noon we reached a small, solitary group of poplars. My men climbed some of these trees and reported that across the river in the jungle, at a distance of 1000 yards, there was a herd of twenty-two elephants. The grass was so tall we knew it would be impossible to get them, so we contented ourselves with gazing at 132 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. them. At that time they were not feeding, but ap- peared to be enjoying a sun-bath. As the wind was then blowing from them toward us, we hoped they would come to the river to drink, thereby giving us an opportunity for a shot. In this we were disap- pointed. All that day and the next succeeding we plodded over this elephant trail, always but a short distance from the river bank. Shortly after we left camp a hippopotamus, disturbed by our approach, suddenly emerged from the tall grass and plunged into the river, crossing our path not more than four feet in front of where I stood. Although my men wished me to shoot him, I refrained from so doing, and amused myself in watching his furious antics in the water, which at this point was so shallow that he could not conceal his body beneath the surface. Like the ostrich, he endeavoured to conceal his head, but the shouts of the porters so terrified him that he raised it again, and splashed along by the side of the caravan, every now and then opening his cavernous mouth and then bringing his jaws together with a vicious snap. At length he reached a deeper “portion! “of ithemngern into which he plunged and disappeared. Many times during the morning we heard the snort of rhinoceroses in the tall grass on our left, and at length, toward noon, we heard a violent snort not more than forty feet distant. In a moment we heard the dull thud of his feet, but the grass was so high and thick that we could catch no glimpse of the animal, yet all the time knew he was coming in our direction. Soon he reached the trail at a point about twenty feet behind where I stood. I had my rifle ready, but could not IV TRAVELS IN EHEASTERN: AFRICA 133 shoot, as my boy, Sururu, was between me and the onrushing animal. In an instant he caught Sururu, and with horror I saw the boy’s body flying through the air, and had just sufficient time to throw myself to one side into the bush, ere the animal thundered past me and disappeared in the long grass. When I reached Sururu I found him lying on his side, groaning. At the time of this adventure Sururu was wearing an old canvas coat of mine, much too large for him. In a lower pocket of this coat he kept my compass and a heavy silver watch. The horn of the rhinoceros, after passing between his legs from the rear, broke the compass to bits, dented the thick case of the watch, and glancing off, inflicted a dangerous-looking wound in the groin. Had it not been for the thick canvas coat, the compass, and the watch, I think the blow would have been attended with fatal results. After a few minutes Sururu recovered sufficiently from the shock to be placed upon my horse, when we started on our way with any but pleasant thoughts and feelings. As before stated, the grass was so thick that it was impossible to see a rhinoceros until the animal was actually upon one, so that avoiding the rush of one of these animals in this thicket was more a matter of good luck than good judgment. Fifteen minutes after the accident to Sururu we reached a small open space in the tall grass. At this point there was lying across our path the trunk of a small, dead tree. Here my attention was arrested by a disagreeable sight only ten feet away, but on the other side of the fallen tree. There stood a rhinoc- eros facing me. It was impossible for us to turn back, 134 THROCGH JONGEE AND DESERT. CHAP. IV and, as the fallen tree hid the animal’s shoulder, I could see no vital spot exposed at which to aim. I gazed at it— fascinated. Its small eyes appeared to look into my very heart, and I could distinctly hear the grinding of its teeth as it fed. The wind was blowing in my direction. For some moments we stood facing one another. Almost unconsciously I raised my rifle to my shoulder and ranged my eye along the sights. Still no move- ment on the part of the animal. After remaining in this position for, say, thirty seconds, the animal appeared to become restless and swung its horned snout to one side, thereby giving me an opportunity for a good shot at its neck. In an instant my rifle was discharged; then through the smoke rushed the rhinoceros. In- stinctively I leaped to one side, and, as it passed me, I gave it a second shot, almost without taking any aim.. It fell—dead. Beyond doubt this was the same rhi- noceros which had tossed Sururu, for upon the tip of its forward horn blood was plainly to be seen. I partly account for its utter unconsciousness of our approach from the fact that in the bright sunlight a rhinoceros is quite blind; but how to explain why it had not heard us forcing our way through the tall grass I am unable to say. It could not smell us, for the wind blew in our direction, so that I am forced to the conclusion that the rhinoceros depends more upon its sense of smell than upon either its sight or hearing. By this time the faces of my men wore solemn and frightened expressions, and many of them muttered that I must be bewitched to follow such a path, and through such a dangerous country. But had not Lieutenant ASAaNVGNOS AO GUVNONVA HLIM ‘YOHLAY FHL "i @ ) AN MENS Nan (J t Cy /, WNT CHAP. IV TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 137, von Hohnel and I seen from the top of Marisi Alugwa Zombo plateau the wide expanse of the waters of Lake Lorian? That was sufficient, and no thought of turning back could enter our minds until we had reached this aise, “We then thought we must be near it, and we expected that an early hour would find us encamped upon its shores. That night we were forced to cut a small opening in the tall grass so that our men could sleep. Knowing that it was unlikely that we should fall in with more trees, upon leaving our last camp we took with us a few dry twigs. These sufficed to make a fire upon which to roast a little meat. After sunset the air became dank, and noisome vapours rose from the sluggish stream. We welcomed the coming of the following day with joy, and in order to hearten my men I as- sured them that a few hours’ more marching would certainly find us in the open country. This proved to be the case; the grass was lower, and occasionally a stunted acacia could be seen above it. On this day the members of my caravan presented a most doleful appearance. Lieutenant von Hoéhnel and I were both stricken with fever; Sururu groaned from the back of my horse; one porter, borne in a hammock by two of his comrades, was dying of dysentery, and one of the Soudanese staggered along with the aid of a stick, his eyes wildly staring, and his lips muttering senseless phrases: he was unconscious from fever. Onward we silently and doggedly pressed. About noon we passed close to a herd of seven elephants, but looked at them with absolute indifference. Our minds were bent upon the single purpose of getting out of this dreadful coun- 138 THROUGH JONGLE AND DES iis CHAP. try, and resting from our labours upon the shores of the lake. The soil was becoming moist under foot, and the grass wore a greener appearance. Where can the lake be? was our thought. At one o'clock, seeing a tall sycamore tree across the river (at this point not ten yards wide), we stopped the caravan, crossed the stream, and climbed as high as pos- sible up the tree. From this vantage point we took one long look, and then with half-suppressed curses de- scended to the ground. There is no Lake Lorian! It is but a vast swamp, overgrown with papyrus and water- grass. [he narrowness and shallowness of the river at this point (it was but a foot deep) proved to us that it could not continue beyond the swamp —at least, in the dry season. Here, then, was the end of high hopes and incessant effort —no lake, no Rendile. The vast sheet of water we had seen from the top of the plateau had been a mirage. We felt that we had been tricked and duped by Nature at every turn. Our feelings of dejec- tion were shared by every member of the caravan. They, too, had lived in glad hopes of reaching the lake. Time and again I had promised them that upon reach- ing it they should have their fill of camels’ milk and goats’ flesh. The burden of their muttered and in- cessant refrain was: “Wapi?” (“Where?”) © Wapi bahari? Wapi ngamia? Wapi mbuzi? Wapi maziwa? Hapana kitu hapa! Gehennam tu!” (“ Where is the lake? Where are the camels? Where are thewgoarcr Where is the milk? There is not a thing here! It is simply hell!”) Our sympathies were with them, but it was unwise to allow them to remain long in this state; so they were at IV DAVES WIN. LASTERIV, AFRICA 139 once set to work getting grass to strew upon the damp ground, while some were sent off in parties to collect what few dried sticks they could find. This work was soon accomplished. Each group of porters had a tiny fire, over which they were able to warm slightly their strips of meat. Lieutenant von Hohnel and I retired to bed, ill with fever. Our spirits were still further depressed by the night’s experience; mosquitoes in myriads swarmed about us. Even the thick skins of the negroes were not proof against the attacks of the tiny denizens of the swamp. No one was able to sleep. Curses and impotent yells echoed throughout the camp. Lieutenant von Hohnel and I each had mosquito cur- tains ; which, however, proved of no service as barriers from the pests. Throughout the long night we turned over in our minds but one project — how to get out as quickly as possible from this abode of pestilence and death. From the tree we had seen that the swamp stretched for several miles to the eastward. On both sides of the small stream the grass rose to a great height, and we knew that we had to march close to the river, in order to be able to procure water; so that there was nothing now to do but to return over the route by which we had reached the place. Our food supply was well-nigh ex- hausted, but we calculated that by making vigorous marches we should be able to reach the Jombeni Moun- tains before it gave out. On the following day, ere the break of dawn, all was in readiness for our departure, and at sunrise the wearied caravan started on its march. It is highly probable that during the rainy season Lorian Swamp may have the 140 LHROCGH JONGLE AND DES Tiga CHAP. appearance of a lake; and it is possible that after con- tinued and heavy rains there is an outflow in an easterly direction. The altitude of the bed of the swamp is about 500 feet above sea-level; but for all intents and purposes Lorian Swamp can be called the end and limit of the Guaso Nyiro River. Nine days of severe marching brought us once more to the Christmas camping-place. Shortly after we left the environment of Lorian Swamp, the Soudanese who was ill with fever, and the porter who had been suffering from dysentery, died and were buried by the banks of the muddy stream. It was with feelings of the greatest relief that we found ourselves once more in open country. Those six days spent in that tall grass were, indeed, terrible. The river, dark, muddy, and listlessly flowing between clay banks, was filled with large crocodiles; and occasionally from its waters there would rise some hideously shaped water-bird. These lent a gloomy air to what we were permitted by the tall grass to see. The charging rhi- noceroses and fierce hippopotamuses added an element of danger. All this, with the atmosphere heavily laden with malaria, increased our feelings of bitter disappoint- ment at our failure to discover either a great lake or the Rendile. Upon reaching the open desert Lieutenant von Hohnel and I recovered our spirits once more; and, de- spite the fact that for more than a month our diet had consisted of beans, corn, and what game we had been able to shoot (not the best food for a convalescent), we ~ were able to march eight or nine hours each day with- out excessive fatigue. IV TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA I4I On this march game seemed to be in greater plenty than it had been for the two preceding weeks. We killed many zebras, of a variety called grevu. The Guaso Nyiro seemed to be the dividing line between the country abounding with that species of animal and that roamed by the chapmani and burcheli. We found the two latter species very plentiful in the neighbourhood of the Jombeni range, but as soon as we had crossed the Guaso Nyiro, only the grevii were met. The latter make capital food; their flesh is tender, and they seem to carry much more fat than the other species. ‘This, when boiled down and allowed to cool, does not congeal, and so makes excellent cooking material. The flesh of the chapmani and burcheli, however, is tough and taste- less, and possesses very much of what I imagine to be the flavour of horse-flesh. One day, while passing the foot of the Marisi Alugwa Zombo plateau, I came across a herd of twelve buffalo. They appeared to be much smaller than the buffaloes | had shot on my former journey in Masai Land. I think Iam right in stating they were not the Bos Kaffr, as those found in Southern Africa and Masai Land are called, but the Bos Orientalis, which roam the upper regions of the Nile. I had a curious adventure with these buffaloes. Upon reaching them I had but four cartridges in my Winches- ter; and, the cover being good, and the wind blowing in the right direction, I was able to knock down four, ere they broke into a run. Seeing the bodies lying upon the ground, I sent my gun-bearer back to hurry forward the men, in order that they might cut up the meat with as little delay as possible. He had scarcely left me, 142 THROCGH JONGLE AND DESEikae CHAP. when, much to my astonishment, I saw them, one after the other, stagger to their feet, and, slowly at first, but quickly enough in a moment or two, set out after the rest of the herd. I can account for this only upon the supposition that each one of my four bullets had just grazed the spine, and simply stunned the animals, which upon recovering from the effects of the shock were able to get up and run away. We searched for them several We A HAA |S fg Wem ee a YY CN ae hi ‘HI r Hh if Zi il Waele Uy Nyy AN Wied f TS NNT i ty et “ ly | Wales. @ SVN WU [t f 2 L__ Zoo CAMP ON THE PLAIN NEAR LORIAN hours, but were unable to find them. In the spot where each animal had lain there was blood in plenty, but that was the only evidence that the sighting and shooting of these animals had been other than a dream. On several occasions, both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I killed zebra at distances varying from 600 to 800 paces. This only happened where the country was so open that we were unable to get closer to the game. The weapon used in these cases was, of course, a Mann- licher, the far-carrying properties of which, during our IV TRAVELS MIN PASTERIN AFRICA 143 entire journey, never seemed tested to their utmost. The trajectory of a bullet fired from one of these rifles seemed to be perfectly flat for any distance at which the eye could see the object. After we had crossed the Guaso Nyiro I had an inter- esting adventure with a lion. It had rained during the morning, and in consequence the soil had become a sea of clinging mud. I was some distance in front of my caravan, and had just shot a grantil, when my gun-bearer and I heard some curious, whining noises in the bushes to our left. He (KKarscho) said he thought there was a hyena about; so we approached cautiously in the direc- tion from which we had heard the noise. Suddenly Karscho seized my arm, pointed to the right, and whis- pered in an excited manner, ‘‘.Szwzda” (“lion”); and there I saw, standing and gazing calmly at us, a full-grown animal, maneless, hence probably a female. I had fool- ishly entrusted my gun to Karscho, and before I could take it from his hands the lion wheeled and was off through the bushes. We were after it at once. Its great paws left prints in the mud as large as saucers, so that pursuit was easy. It would run too yards or so, and then hide in a bush, waiting our nearer approach, when it would again break cover and be off once more, but always on the opposite side of the bush from where we stood, so that we never got a sight of the animal. In this way we chased the lion for nearly half a mile, until at length we came to a circular clump of bush, some sixty feet in diameter and very dense. We circled this clump, and found that the tracks of the animal led into, but not out of it; so I stationed myself down-wind, and sent Karscho back to bring on my porters, with the 144 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESEG CHAP. intention of having them beat the bush, alarm the lion, and drive it down in the open toward me. In half an hour he returned with the porters. While he was away, I fired two shots into the bush in the hope of dislodging the animal, but without this result. Upon the arrival of the porters I instructed them to advance slowly into the bush in a line, keeping close together; and each one was to shout as vigorously as possible, and beat his tin water- bottle. The porters entered into the spirit of the game, but the Soudanese refused to risk their lives. They said that in their country the lion was feared as the very devil, and no one with the slightest intelligence thought of venturing to close quarters with one. As they seemed so fearful, I allowed them to become spec- tators of the beat. The din made by my porters could have been heard for a great distance; their advance into the bush was slow, but steady. For nearly five minutes no result attended their efforts; but when they had almost got quite through the bush, a loud, short roar was heard, and like a flash of yellow hght the lon darted from its hiding-place, and once more disappeared behind a neigh- bouring bush. During its flight I had but time for the quickest of snap-shots, and must have missed the animal by many feet. For more than half an hour we followed its trail, but finally were forced to give up the chase. Thus ended the lion adventure. On another occasion we had just made camp, and were resting in our chairs before our tent, when one of the men came up and told us a rhinoceros was ap- proaching at full speed in our direction. Lieutenant von Hohnel seized his Mannlicher, and shot the animal IV TRAVELS [NV EASTERN AFRICA 145 when at a distance of eighty yards from him. The bullet entered the chest of the rhinoceros and raked the entire length of his body, passing out through his quarter. As soon as it received the shot, the rhinoceros fell dead. Many ostriches were seen, but they were so wary, and kept at such great distances from us, that we had not the good fortune to shoot one. Along the banks of the river we found several small zeribas which had been inhabited by the Wanderobbo. Wis Ml, = 1a We! Rey Gace, N/m \ yj \ Harv La, Y y AY f LNG Mf EY eM YY \ So yy, Z a Lip Ce y Ze es Ge AE ZY Zio Z 4 WY EF iy 4 ey ty ic. eee et al “oe ie Neh AMM hie GY Ve Wail Mh IN NG Uinta wf pees TAHA AMC a Cl ee rec Mt Bey: a We AG ei \ Ae ca ANIC wet s ! Ws \ ty ALLIES aN “ NS i we Wah | \\ . 2 i LS aa tettra “\ ‘ ey (A\s MW IN aN \ ewe Re Sa wae aK el a HI al ia SCENE NEAR LORIAN These people I shall hereinafter speak of at greater length. Let it suffice here to say that they are a tribe living entirely upon game and wild honey. - Wherever we found signs of a camp which had been inhabited by these people, we also discovered in its vicinity many small, carefully erected blinds, in which it was evidently the custom of these people to lie in wait for game. Late on the evening of January 18, we reached our Christmas camping-place on the Guaso Nyiro. The then most pressing question was, how to make our store L 146 THROCGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. of food last until we could reach the Jombeni range. The long marches of the last nine days had told severely upon the strength of my men, and they one and all presented a wofully emaciated appearance. Moreover, Lieutenant von Hodhnel and I, not more from the excessive marching than from the coarseness of our fare, seemed in great need of rest and better diet, but to stop where we were was out of the question. In camp we had food for two days. Motio, our guide, told us that owing to the drought it would be impossible for us to take the route via the Ngombe and Kora craters to the mountains, but he assured us that there was a tribe inhabiting the western portion of the range. These people, he said, were called Wamsara. ‘They were pos- sessed of food in plenty, and as they were rarely visited by traders, he felt sure they would give us a good recep- tion, and gladly exchange their products for what trad- ing-goods we had with us. We rested at our Christmas camping-place one day, and on Friday, January 20, set out for the Jomben1 Mountains and food. The whole of the western side of this range, with the exception of the portion inhabited by the Wamsara, is bare of trees and wears a most forbidding aspect. From the eastern slopes many small streams flow either into the Mackenzie or Tana. From the western slopes, however, no streams flow into the Guaso Nyiro, but the water shed by these mountains silts through the soil, and rises to the surface again in the form of springs (for the most part strongly impregnated with sulphate of magnesium) only in the immediate neigh- bourhood of the Guaso Nyiro. Motio told us that from this point it would take IV TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 147 four days’ marching to reach the Wamsara. We were delighted to find that in the neighbourhood of these springs game was fairly plentiful, as this enabled us to save our small store of grain-food for emergencies. On mieevening of the 22d we camped at the foot of a high gneiss hill, called by Motio Chabba. At the foot of this hill we found a spring of cool and delicious water flowing, and near by sported large herds of zebra, oryx beisa, and granti. ‘They stood within 100 yards of of our camp, looking with curiosity at us, who prevented them from getting to their accustomed watering-place. The cry of a zebra much resembles the short, sharp bark of a dog; and when excited, these animals invari- ably give vent to this cry ere making off at top speed. We always felt uncomfortable at having to shoot a zebra, but when hungry men are tobe fed, too nice feelings have to be sacrificed. Zebras are so numerous upon both banks of the Guaso Nyiro, that I feel sure, should a party go there well equipped for the purpose, it might in a few months succeed in capturing a large number of these animals. They seem to be entirely proof against the ill effects of fly-bite; and the plague, which had lately ravaged the country from Lake Rudolph on the north to Kilimanjiro on the south, although it had exterminated vast herds of buffalo, and had even destroyed a large number of antelope, had apparently left the zebra untouched. The greatest difficulty in connection with beasts of burden in this portion of East Africa is, that they are much too susceptible to the ill effects of the climate and flies. Should zebras be substituted in the stead of the animals at present used, these difficulties would 148 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. not be encountered, and travel in this country would thereby be much facilitated. I have heard it stated, that in South Africa zebras have been tamed sufh- ciently to be harnessed to a coach. If such is the case, I see no reasons why, with proper methods and patience, they could not be broken to become excel- lent pack animals. I hope the British government, which appears to have at length decided. to open up East Africa, will, ere it is too late, and sportsmen have exterminated the zebra, give this matter the attention which it deserves; for I feel convinced that intelligent efforts made with this end in view will be amply re- paid. In my opinion, the sum of $5000 would be suf- ficient for such an experiment. The zebras could be captured, either by building stockades near their drink- ing-places, into which they could be driven and secured; or, perhaps still better, by horsemen provided with lassos. The zebras in this part of the world are so tame, that I think there would be little difficulty ex- petienced im them scapture, Near Mount Chabba, I saw for the first time what I might correctly term a herd of rhinoceroses. I counted six feeding close together. Usually these animals are met with singly, or at most in pairs; and when two are found together, they are usually a mother and offspring. At this camp I examined the rifles carried by my men, and found them in a very unsatisfactory condition. I served out a bit of rag and some melted zebra fat to each man, and informed the men that in three hours I would inspect the rifles, and I expected then to find them thoroughly cleaned. The result gives a fair idea of one IV TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 149 phase of the character of the Zanzibari — carelessness. My Soudanese and Somali set to work, and soon had their weapons in very good condition. But at least half of the porters ate the melted fat given them, and threw away the rags, yet were much surprised and pained upon learning my displeasure. On leaving Chabba the next day, we ascended a small ridge, from which we got a beautiful view of the contour of the northern side of Mount Kenya. Viewed from the north, this mountain presents the appearance of a vast pyramid, whose sides slope gradually to the plain. On the eastern slope, near the apex, the regularity of outline is interrupted by a rounded, knob-like projection. The snow-capped peak gleams white against the blue sky. Extending to a distance of twenty miles from the base on the northern side, there runs a range of hills which form a narrow ridge. This ridge gradually slopes away until it ends in the plain near the Guaso Nyiro. From. its supposed resemblance to a queue, in which fashion the Masai warriors wear their hair, these people have called the range Donyo Loldeikan (Queue Mountains). Motio assured us that between Mount Chabba and the country of the Wamsara we should find a river, which, having its source in the Jombeni range, flowed into the Guaso Nyiro. He told us we should reach this river early in the afternoon; so we carried no water on this march. In the neighbourhood of Chabba the formation of the soil was gneiss, but a few miles beyond, our way was once more over lava-strewn plains. We marched steadily from seven o’clock in the morning until after sunset, but found no water. I then pitched camp, and 150 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. sent men out in search of water. They returned about nine in the evening, with the news that they had found a smal] hole containing liquid mud in sufficient quantity to suffice for the needs of our caravan. Mohamadi, the headman of the porters, did not reach camp until nine o'clock. The illness of one of the porters on the march had delayed him. This porter seemed to have lost the use of his limbs; he was wofully thin, and, owing to the fact that he had suffered from dysentery, had been unable to subsist upon a meat diet. The meagre rations we were compelled to allow him seemed insufficient for the recovery of his strength. The following day, within one hour’s march from our camp, we found a pool filled with excellent water. Had we known the night before of the existence of this pool, we should have been saved a deal of trouble and worry. We then had three men suffering from dysentery, and Sururu, although his wound was healing nicely, was unable to walk. Two of the sick men rode donkeys, but Sururu and the porter suffering from exhaustion were carried in hammocks. This number of sick greatly retarded our progress, and we made but five miles on that day. At every point of our route Mount Kenya could be seen. The beauty and grandeur of this mountain seemed to grow upon us. From our view- point, the greatest apparent width of the mountain extended from the northwest to the southeast. Its irregular, snow-capped peak seemed to be many miles away. Its sides declined to the northwest in a_ well- defined ridge, until the mountain at length blended and was lost in the Donyo Loldeikan. In a north- easterly direction from the summit, and about half-way i TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA Ist down the side of the mountain, there was a series of extinct craters and cone-shaped hills, which extended to the plain below. The northern side of Mount Kenya is very barren- looking, until an altitude of go00o or 10,000 feet is reached, at which height one may see a narrow belt of forest crossing the northwestern slope, gradually widening until it reaches the southwestern side, which appears to be covered with a dense, forest-like growth. January 29, at 10 A.M., we arrived at the river prom- ised by Motio the preceding day. At the point where we reached the stream it was a mere brook; but Motio said that another stream, coming from Mount Kenya, flowed into it, and that jointly they made a good addition to the Guaso Nyiro. Rhinoceroses were plen- tiful here, and we saw further signs of elephant. At noon we reached a dense growth of acacias and other bushes, where we rested for a moment by the side of a deep ditch formed by the rains. Here, with the aid of our glasses, we could see on the slopes of the Jombeni range, about five miles distant, the huts of the Wamsara. The soil is a bright red. A few hours after we crossed the ditch and resumed the march, the occasional cries of men were heard. At length we emerged from the bush, and entered a beautiful forest glade about thirty acres in extent. In the centre of this glade bubbled a clear mountain spring fringed with reeds, near which an unsuspecting and naked savage was pasturing some cattle. I was riding on my white pony in front of my men, and when I appeared on the edge of the glade, aie -tetrified negro left his cattle and fled. He had 152 LHROOCGH JONGEE VAN DDE Shas CHAP. never in his life seen even a horse or a white man separately, and when the two appeared simultaneously, the sight proved too much for his nerves. In an incredibly short time a large band of fully armed warriors arrived, and endeavoured to persuade me to fall in with their ideas of a suitable camping- place. I waved them off, and pitched my tent under a tall palm tree. Through Motio we told them we wanted food, and were friends. They seemed incredu- lous, but after much talk we succeeded in purchasing a few potatoes, which Lieutenant von Hoéhnel and I had cooked, and later ate with avidity. These were the first fresh vegetables we had partaken of since leaving Hameye. Immediately after my arrival the able-bodied men were set to work, and in less than half an hour the camp was fortified by a strong thorn zeriba. As this work proceeded, the natives eyed us with suspicion; and once or twice several elderly men actually ventured to seize some of the thorn bushes, and break down a portion of the zeriba already made. They sullenly with- drew, upon being told by Motio that the white man objected to their interference. We were one and all rejoiced at having reached people, and the prospect of food in plenty. [he countenances of my men soon lost the appearance of fatigue and anxiety they had worn during the previous month, and even the sick and ailing raised their heads, and showed signs of interest in what was going on about them. It is characteristic of the sick African to give up all hope of recovery; and this, together with the hardships they were forced to undergo while on the march, and the IV TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 153 meagreness of their diet, made it a really difficult matter to restore one of them to health after being taken ill. On this day we served out the last of our supply of beans and corn. By the use of our rifles, we had been enabled to make the thirty days’ supply of food which we had taken with us when leaving Hameye last exactly fifty days. Had we gone unprepared, to take advantage of the presence of game, we should long before have been forced to turn back. For the preceding ten days both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had suffered all the tortures of indigestion resulting from our coarse diet. With eagerness we questioned Motio as to the products of the country of Wamsara. He said the natives grew two kinds of millet, Indian corn, tobacco, squash, pump- kins, and three varieties of beans. The thought of this variety watered our mouths; and we went to sleep soothed with the thought that on the morrow market would open, and we should revel in the luxury of fresh vegetables. CEA TR. WE were up with the dawn of the following day, and made haste to display our supply of trading-goods in the most tempting manner. These consisted of two loads of heavy American sheeting, several bolts of bright scarlet cotton goods, coils of iron, copper, and brass wire of varying thicknesses, and a great variety of beads — red, white, pink, and blue—of all sizes and -shapes. We felt confident that our wares would arouse the mer- cantile instincts of the Wamsara; for had not Motio assured us that they were rarely visited by traders? We knew that what traders had reached these people had brought with them as articles of barter only the most inexpensive materials, and a limited variety of even such. The night just passed had been very cold. Our ther- mometer at sunrise registered 54 Fahrenheit. When one bears in mind that the temperature at midday was 120 F., the severity of this cold may be imagined. Our poor men, although they had built great fires, shivered so that they had scarcely been able to sleep, covered as they were with but a thin cotton sheet. It is surprising what a degree of cold negroes can bear, provided they are well nourished. Their thick, oily skins seem to retain the natural heat of the body, when exposed to variations of temperature which would prostrate a 154 CHAP. V TRAVIZEES TIN PASTERN AFRICA 155 white man. When cold, the negro invariably covers his head and ears, and often sleeps with his head to the fire; while between him and the ground, no matter how cold and damp, is spread but a single thickness of straw matting, though most of the porters preferred the skin of an animal, when procurable. This custom of covering the head and exposing the nether extrem- ities is practised by all inhabitants of hot countries I have ever met. The Arabs have a saying, “If you cover your head warmly and expose your feet, health will ever remain with you.” Of course, a European is forced to wear shoes and stockings, which, while they protect his feet, are very uncomfortable in hot countries, and often cause the feet to swell. It has been my experience that the thicker and warmer one’s head covering in the tropics, the cooler one’s head seems to be. For the first six months of this journey I had worn a white turban, similar to those worn by the Arabs, but had been forced to discard it, as its conspicuousness rendered it difficult for me to stalk game with success. Upon laying aside the turban, I made use of a double-felt Terai hat, and had in- creased its weight and thickness by adding a band consisting of many folds of cotton sheeting. I found that the top of my head did not need nearly as much protection as the temples and nape of the neck. Many travellers prefer the cork helmet; but both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I found them not only very cumber- some and awkward (particularly when forcing our way through bush), but also not nearly so great a protec- tion against the rays of the sun as thick felt. Motio had told us that owing to the cold the natives 156 LHROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. of the mountains rarely ventured from their huts until the sun was well up in the sky; so we were not surprised, even at eight o’clock, at not seeing the natives we ex- pected; but when ten and eleven had passed, and noon arrived, finding the neighbourhood of our zeriba still deserted, we began to feel anxious and to think that evil was brewing. We called Motio and questioned him. He said: “Have patience; the Wamsara will surely come and Lz Z Z ‘ ; ( pice ; a iy gi ft WZ Vy y i) oy ie Be PE Kd pest Wi GED) ay ES a ay wh if Weis Cas i LLG Clg hee f AY. WHY (t a ee ES ae a a TV Yoyffiu > unl ee y Mf hy Lue bly ee ny Y iy ij ~ i rave Vi Ze i, We Ss YA, / Y i i yy ny A suet A Yj 4 hy; My Ne AL, a : Ul yb eg e MM CAA WAMSARA ELDERS bring food.” While Lieutenant von Héhnel was mak- ing his midday observation, we heard shouts from the forest, and there soon appeared a motley band of na- tives, numbering some hundreds. There were about fifty old men among them; the rest were warriors. All were armed. The old men carried long spears with short, trowel-shaped heads, short bows, and arrows whose tips we could see were covered with a black substance, which we knew to be poison. They were clad in long V RRAVEBES UN EASTERN, APRICA 157 half-tanned cowhide, fastened with a loop over one shoulder. Their heads were shaven. The young men presented a much more warlike ap- pearance. In their right hands they carried spears nearly seven feet in length, in shape similar to those carried by the Masai. These spears had a blade three feet long, about five inches wide at its base, from which it tapered to a sharp point. Fitted into a socket at- tached to the blade was a short piece of wood, which was grasped by the hand. Joined to this latter was a heavy iron rod, of sufficient weight to give impetus to a blow. This, likewise, was sharpened to a point. While en- gaged in conversation the warriors drove their spears into the ground. Around the waist they wore a belt, between which and the body was stuck a short sword in a sheath, and a war-club. The latter are three feet in length, very slender where grasped by the hand, but end- ing in a round knob as large as a baseball. On their left arms they bore large oval shields, upon which, painted in three different colours (red, white, and black), were curious decorative designs. The warriors were clad in short cloaks of untanned goatskin, looped over the right shoulder by a strip of hide, thus leaving the right arm free. These cloaks do not fall lower than the stomach of the wearer. The Wamsara wear their hair dressed in the Masai fashion. From their foreheads and down almost to the eyes falls a thick mass of hair cut square like a bang. This is trained in small cordlike ringlets, dyed with red clay, and covered with grease. The hair at the back of the head is twisted into a queue, which is bound about by a strip of sheepskin. Many of the warriors painted 158 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. both their upper and lower eyelids red, and several had adorned their cheek-bones with round red spots. In appearance they were very warlike, and their bearing was graceful and fearless. Upon nearing our zeriba, the crowd of natives grew silent. They passed without deigning to favour our camp with so much as a glance, but continued their march to a point about 200 yards beyond us, where they halted, and having seated themselves, engaged in excited parley. The speakers were always old men, and but one spoke at a time, while the others, gathered about him in a circle, sat on their heels. In his right hand the speaker invariably held a war-club, by wildly bran- dishing which he added emphasis to his harangue. Motio listened attentively to what they said, and his face fell. He told us that he was afraid that the Wam- sara would behave badly, and explained that they did not seem to recognize any difference between our cara- van and those of the Zanzibari, which occasionally vis- ited them. He added, moreover, that no Zanzibari caravan would dream of venturing into the Wamsara country, unless several hundred in number; and that the last caravan (numbering 200) which had visited these people had all their goods stolen, and were cut to pieces to aman. We asked why he had delayed in telling us this; to which question he made an evasive reply. We told him to explain to the Wamsara that our intentions in visiting them were of the most peace- ful nature; that we had journeyed a long time in the desert, had exhausted our food supply, and had come to them for the simple purpose of purchasing from them a sufficient quantity of grain to enable us to return to r V PRAVEES TING BASPERN: APRICA 159 Sar camp at Hameye. He told this to the old men, ‘ and presently returned with a request from them for a present. As it is customary to begin one’s acquaint- ance with a strange tribe with gifts, we sent a quantity of beads and wire to them by Motio. He returned with the intelligence that they were dissatisfied with the present. This I had expected; so I told him to inform them that the present I had given them was but a small beginning of what would be theirs, should they behave properly toward us; and to assure them that not only would we give liberal prices for food, but that, as soon as we had bought all we needed, we would dis- tribute the remainder of our goods among the tribe, as a proof of our friendship and liberality. Motio said that they refused to bring food on that day, but that on the following day their chief medicine- man would come, and make blood brothers with the white man; and then trade would begin. We were much disgusted at this turn of affairs, but decided to make the best of it; and so sent word to the Wamsara that we would expect their medicine-man early the next morning. Thereupon, the natives marched away, shout- ing what Motio told us was a war-chant, and during the afternoon no natives appeared. That night there was a good moon, and about mid- night my gun-bearer, Karscho, awoke me with the intelligence that there was a rhinoceros drinking at a spring not more than sixty feet away. I leaped from my bed, and seized a rifle; knowing that if I succeeded in bringing down the rhinoceros, the question of food supply would be solved for a period of at least two days. But I was destined to disappointment; for ere I was 160 THROOGH JONGLE AND DEST CHAP. able to get a sight at him, he had quenched his thirst and disappeared in the bushes. That night my poor men went supperless to bed, and during the night the porter, who had been suffering from exhaustion and the effects of dysentery, died. We were careful to bury him in such a manner that his grave would not be noticed by the natives; as these people do not bury their dead, but throw them to the hyenas, being much averse to the interment of a corpse in their territory, as they consider it will have an evil effect upon their crops. The next day Lieutenant von Hoéhnel and I went to a neighbouring hill and surveyed the Wamsara territory. We found that we were encamped near the edge of a forest. From the forest to the highest peak of the Jombeni range, quite ten miles away, all was cultivation. Between us and the peak there stretched a wide valley, surrounded by low, red-clay hills. The available surface of the valley seemed to be covered with half-grown millet. On the hillsides we counted a large number of beehive-shaped straw huts. On this morning we had been awakened by the cries of men, instead of the barking of zebra or the howl of the hungry hyena. Warriors and old men came in parties of twenty and thirty, until at length about 300 were in sight. No women came. This we knew to be a bad sign, as the natives invariably show their peaceful intentions to a caravan by permitting their women to visit it. Then, too, almost all trading is done by the women; so from their absence we apprehended another day of no market. After a great deal of talk, Motio succeeded in pur- chasing three yams and a package of tobacco. We found the tobacco of the Wamsara to be very strong, Vv URAVIGES TIN EASTERN APRICA 161 but of fair flavour. Their preparation of it was curious. When dried, they tear it into small pieces and soak it in water. They next knead it into a ball, and wrap it up tightly, covering it with a banana leaf; then they hang it up in their huts for several months, until it has become quite dry. Its flavour is not disagreeable, but owing to this method of treatment it is very strong. One and all of the natives chewed tobacco, most took snuff, and a few smoked pipes. Their pipes have small stone or clay bowls, with long reed stems. After assembling, the natives took themselves off to a shady spot, and again indulged in a long harangue. Accompanied by Motio, I went to them, and said that our patience had become exhausted; that my men and myself were actuated by the kindest impulses towards the Wamsara, but that unless food was at once brought, and the market opened, we should be forced to take strong measures to supply ourselves with the neces- saries for existence. While I was speaking, Lieutenant von Hohnel was making his noon observation; and I took pains to explain to the people that Lieutenant von Hohnel was a very great medicine-man; that he was then engaged in making a medicine which would frustrate any evil intentions which the Wamsara might have formed in regard to their treatment of us, and that at the same time it would imbue my caravan with such enormous strength that we should be absolutely irresistible. I told them to think over the matter, and come to a quick decision to bring food and open market. They received these words with incredulity; so after reiterating my statement I returned to camp; whereupon M 162 LHROOCGEH JONGLE AND DESE Tals CHAP. the natives rose in a body, grasped their arms, and in- dulged in a war-dance. Motio explained that it was use- less to expect any good behaviour from the Wamsara; and added that his advice was for us to return at once to the desert, and endeavour to find some other road back to. our camp at Hameye. The shortest route to Hameye lay across the Jombeni range, and Motio assured us that our march across this range in our present condition would consume at least three days. He added that, as the mountains were densely populated, it would be absolutely impossible to push across them with our small force, should the natives prove hostile, and that they would so prove he declared himself fully convinced. Up to the time of our arrival at Wamsara the behaviour of Motio was all we could desire, hence we were loath to suspect him of treachery; but the fact that he did not warn us of the possibility of a hostile reception at the hands of the people on the mountains forced us to think that whatever were his intentions, his judgment, at least, was not the best in the world. Our first duty was to our caravan and ourselves; so Lieutenant von Hohnel and I both came to the con- clusion that but one road was open to us, and that it led across the mountains, and through the territory of the Wamsara. With the caravan in its then weakened state, it would be impossible to make a long detour in the desert, and trust to our rifles alone for our supply of food. We weighed the matter carefully, and went to rest that night with our minds fully made up. At two o'clock in the morning I had my men awakened, and all preparations were silently made for V TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 163 our departure. I served out twenty rounds of ammu- nition to each of the porters, and provided each of the Soudanese and Somali with fifty. This well-nigh exhausted the store of cartridges we had taken with us. Owing to the amount of shooting I had done while on this journey, I had at that time but fifty-five rounds left a o. + ae fa ng Signs? +4, @ aN vs, hh Al V4 x ey = Aare we ae > nay Api N ey ok . Sait ny for my Winchester, and Lieutenant von Hdéhnel had sixty-four left for his Mannlicher. After serving out the ammunition to the men, we discovered that we had 300 rounds as a reserve supply in case of emergencies. TYPE OF LANDSCAPE It was a bright moonlight night, and strict watch was kept, lest the natives should attack us; for Motio had told us that the Zanzibari caravan, which had been 164 TAROUGH JONGCLE ANDY) PS ica CHAP. destroyed by the Wamsara a few years before, had been attacked in the night; but no sign of natives could be seen. The Somali spent the night in prayer and sing- ing of religious songs, as is their custom upon the eve of a dangerous enterprise. By five o’clock in the morning all was ready in camp, and we started on the march which we hoped would lead to food, but feared would in all probability be attended with many difficulties and no little danger. My men, to stay the pangs of hunger, one and all tightened their belts around their bodies. Lieutenant von Hohnel and I fortified ourselves with a cup of coffee, and placed in our pockets a few handfuls of corn. These handfuls of corn were the only food in the caravan. Our order of marching was as follows: I was in the front accompanied by five Soudanese, Karscho my gun- bearer, my tent-boy Baraka, and Motio our guide. To guard against treachery on the part of Motio, he was securely bound about the waist with a rope, the end of which was held by a stalwart porter, who bore in his other hand a small American flag. Behind the little advance guard came half of the able-bodied porters, bearing on their heads loads of trading-goods and trophies of the chase. Following these porters (some eighteen in number) came the sick; two were carried in hammocks, and one rode a donkey. ‘Then came the donkeys which had been used to carry our. food while it lasted. Their empty panniers rattled against their sides, and gave noisy but unassailable evidence of the desperate straits to which we were then reduced for supplies. Following the donkeys Vv TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 165 ame the remainder of the porters. The rear of the caravan was brought up by Lieutenant von Hdéhnel, his tent-boys, five Soudanese, the remainder of the Somali, and Hamidi, the headman of the porters. Through the forest there lay a well-beaten path, and the rays of the setting moon enabled us to make our way over it without difficulty. Half an hour’s march, and we began to enter the bordering planta- tions of the Wamsara. The path then became better. On both sides millet rose to the height of two feet, and the plantations were dotted here and there with what in the weird moonlight looked like watch-towers. Such they proved to be. The natives had raised wooden platforms to the height of fifteen feet, on which fires were burning, and around these fires we could just descry the forms of warriors. Our advance was made as silently as possible; but we had not entered the cultivated portion of the Wamsara terri- tory a quarter of a mile, ere from tower to tower were exchanged fierce cries, and the brightening dawn enabled us to distinguish large bodies of natives hurrying on to some point in front of us. Soon it was daybreak, and, as our approach had already become known to the natives, I gave the order for the tomtom to sound. The first rays of the rising sun illumined the stars and stripes carried at the head of my little force, as with flying colours and sounding tomtom we advanced briskly into a country which we felt convinced was inhabited by people in every way hostile to us. When Lieutenant von Héhnel and I had ascended the hill near the camp which we had just left for the 166 LHROOGH JONGLE AND DESERT. CHAP. purpose of getting information as to the contour of the territory of the Wamsara, we had noticed that the valley inhabited by these people was wider at its centre; hence our endeavour was to reach this portion of the country, if possible, ere we were attacked by the natives. At 6.30 we crossed a little stream, and by seven had halted upon a small knoll commanding a good view of the surrounding country, and _ inter- sected by many broad paths. Near us (in fact, not more than 200 yards distant) in several places were scattered groups of native huts. These appeared to be deserted by the male inhabitants, but were thronged with women and children, who eyed us curiously for a short time and then made off. Upon reaching the knoll, I placed at its centre our sick, with the loads of trading-goods and donkeys, and with my men formed a circle around the stores. We had scarcely taken our position ere I noticed at one of the villages near by a man past middle age, who was clad somewhat more luxuriously than any of the Wamsara I had seen before. About his head was bound a wide strip of red cotton, and from his shoulders depended a cloak made from the skins of monkeys. Through Motio I entered into conversa- tion with this man, but could learn nothing from him; so by a quick movement I succeeded in seizing and binding him. I then brought him to our hittle knoll, and explained to him that even then our intentions were purely friendly. We had waited long enough for the Wamsara to bring us food and open trade with us. Under the circumstances we felt justified in seizing food, but in order to prove our good inten- V TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA 167 tions I was willing to wait until the sun reached a certain point (which I indicated — about nine o’clock), to afford the Wamsara ample time in which to bring us food and open trade. Should they not avail them- selves of this opportunity, but one course remained for us—to seize sufficient food to supply the imme- diate needs of our caravan at all hazards. If they wished to attack us, well and good; but let them first get our trading-goods by barter; then, if they considered themselves sufficiently strong, they could attack us and deprive us of all the food they had sold us. The old man listened to my remarks with stolid countenance, and at their conclusion a shadowy smile lit up his features. Motio shook his head and said: “Master, there is no use in waiting any longer; the Wamsara will attack us in a moment.” With these words he waved his hands to the surrounding hills, then black with warriors, and ringing with their savage shouts. | The eyes of my men were all centred upon me. They seemed to lose sight of the danger in which they were placed, as if their minds were imbued with but one idea—food. They murmured: “In these villages near at hand there is food in plenty; we must fight soon, but before fighting let us eat.” Some one has said that Scotchmen fight better when they are hungry; but my small experience has con- vinced me this is not the case with negroes. The numbers of the natives upon the surrounding hills momentarily increased, and I felt the necessity of striking an immediate blow, before the courage of my 168 THROOCGH JONGLE AN DED EST Kee CHAP. men should be dampened by the onrush of hordes of shouting savages. I made four divisions of my force: one consisted of Lieutenant von Hohnel and myself, the sick, and six able-bodied men — this party remained on the knoll; the other three parties I sent to the neighbouring villages with instructions to bring such food as they could find, sufficient for the day’s needs. They cheerfully set out upon their errand, and in a few moments had driven a few head of cattle, some goats, and a few sheep to our knoll, and brought with them a few loads of beans and millet. They had scarcely reached the knoll, ere with loud shouts a body of warriors, at least 200 in number, sprang from the plantations where they had been in hiding, and dashed toward the knoll by a road. Advancing in column, they presented a front of but five or six men. - I placed six men across this road to repel their attack, and when the attacking force had reached a point about 100 paces distant they received the first volley. The aim of this volley was bad, and had no deterring effect upon the advance of the savages. The command, “Aim lower!” was given, and when the second volley rang out, the advancing column was seen to waver. At the third and fourth volleys the natives in the front of the column scattered and broke; but those in the rear came pluckily on. This was the opening of the ball. Soon we were engaged upon all sides, and for two hours our atten- tion was directed to stemming the onrush of hundreds of natives. Upon seeing them weaken, we would charge the retreating column with a small force, and endeavour by excessive punishment to prevent their we \ my Ws \ ‘ ae wi Seas AN \\ REE ~ \: iy SS a: S| . JS A \ Nt . vy \ AY ; "y x \ NO Sy a RAN V WN \\ \ ts WR Pan \ \Y NN ‘ ; SUNK CREERCRN GZ AN . NS cane Ase NY \ + NN \ \ ANY MY a SN EN % a WS OSS X wy a MAS \ Dh. Whar aS = TSK, CAN aera ‘Ne iN ANY \ KAS so AVY \ AN Le ae WR \ “ aN ANS Ne WN ie Nt \ \ we ate Ae AY \\ Ws A mis \\ 8 uN is \ ANY “ee ae ‘ . io ~~ , \\ wy WUE ASS \ . ‘s Ss ANS ev \ a A CHARGE OF WAMSARA GHAP.V TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 170 return. For the first hour of the engagement our fire seemed to daze the natives, and they would retreat to a point beyond range. They would there reassemble, and after being harangued by their chiefs would again charge us, only to be beaten back again. We, however, did not get off scot free. There were many hand-to-hand combats between my men and the natives. Three of the porters were stretched upon the ground. By 11 a.m., when the natives left us in peace, we discovered that twelve more of our band were wounded, some so seriously as to be unable to walk, and all seemed to suffer acutely from pain. Two of my men had been shot through the leg by poisoned arrows, which throughout the combat had rained over our little knoll; but in most cases the aim was so bad, that the natives overshot their mark. Fortunately the poison placed upon the arrows with which my men were wounded had not been freshly applied, and did not dissolve in passing through the flesh. In each of these two cases the arrow-head passed through the leg, leaving the shaft transfixed ; so we had to break off the feathers and pull out the arrow-stems. However, we then had but little time to devote to the treatment of the wounded, as we knew not when the natives would return in greater numbers, and resume the attack. So we gathered such supplies of food as we could, with the intention of continuing our march. By noon we had secured a number of goats and cattle, and cereals sufficient for eight days’ rations for our men. At the start we had great difficulty in driving the cattle and goats— they were as wild as hawks; but I soon discovered, to 072 THROUGH JONGLE AND VDES is CHAP. my great satisfaction, that the Somali and Soudanese appeared to be accustomed to the cattle-punching business, and were able to drive the wildest cow along with comparative ease. Before setting out on the march I released the old native I had captured, and sent him to a large band of warriors I had noticed upon one of the surrounding hills, with the following message: “Tell your people that they have now learned the futility of harassing the white man and his caravan upon the march; that they must be convinced of our power and strength, and of the further fact, that our medicine was better than theirs. That we felt we had inflicted sufficient punishment upon them for their ill-treatment of us, and for the dastardly manner in which they had massacred the Zanzibari cara- van some years before. That we were unwilling to de- stroy any more of their tribe; and, as we had already supplied ourselves with sufficient food for the journey, they could rest content that we would no longer remove even a single grain from their plantations, or one head of cattle from their kraals. That it was our intention to march peacefully through their territory, and so it would be wise for their warriors not to harass us upon the march. However, should they prove deaf to this warning, again make use of our mighty medicine, lay waste their and repeat their attacks upon us, we would country, and wipe the tribe of Wamsara off the face of the earth.” | The old man was delighted to escape, and set off in the direction indicated. From subsequent events I doubt very much whether he delivered the message. Our condition at the time of sending this message J Vv TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 173 could not have struck the casual observer as sufficiently satisfactory to warrant its confident tone. The caravan did not number sixty men, all told. Of this number twelve were wounded, and all but twelve of the able- bodied were heavily laden. Moreover, we were ham- pered with the flocks and herds we had captured. From the little knoll on which we had taken our stand Motio had pointed out to us, winding up the side of the range and passing near the summit of the highest peak, the road over which our route must lhe. This path was bright red in colour, and was distinctly outlined by the verdure bordering thereon. Motio assured us that between our position and the peak the way was intersected by many deep ravines; and that shortly after leaving the knoll it would lie between masses of dense undergrowth, well suited for ambush and surprise. There was no time to be lost, as the peak which was the limit of the Wamsara territory was more than ten miles distant, and noon had already passed. Beyond the peak lived the Embe; would they receive us in a friendly manner? It seemed unlikely, but Motio assured us such would be the case. However, our hopes were not high, as he had failed to give us the best information regarding the treatment we should receive at the hands of the Wamsara. To remain where we were was impossible. So, reflecting that suff- cient unto the day is the evil thereof, we hardened our hearts; I gave the command to fall in, and our little force moved slowly toward the peak. On both sides of our line of march great numbers of natives followed, at distances varying from 100 to 300 174 THROUGH JONGLE AND DES Eig CHAP. yards. Occasionally an arrow, discharged by some one in ambush near our flank, would whiz over our heads, or fall harmlessly on the path in front of us. Then again, stones as big as Dutch cheeses would come hur- tling in our direction. These stones were discharged with great force, and with the slings with which they were thrown the natives were capable of sending them a distance of 100 yards. ‘The arrows came with greater velocity, and had a flight of 150 yards. The forces of the Wamsara appeared to be divided into three parts: first the old and middle-aged, who confined themselves exclusively to the use of the bow; then the young men, armed with spears, swords, and war-clubs; then lads of sixteen years and under, who employed themselves with slings. At one time and another during this day’s fighting the Wamsara had from 2000 to 3000 men in the field sufficiently brave and active to have annihilated a force four times as great as mine, though armed with rifles; but their lack of organization and their ignorance of the first principles of warfare enabled us, as the event proved, to be more than a match for them. Our progress was necessarily slow. Upon reaching the ravines in our path the caravan had to be halted, scouts sent across them to discover whether or not natives were lying beyond them in ambush, and then, having seized that point with toil and difficulty, our heavily hampered caravan was led across it. On sev- eral occasions the natives crept up in the bush to close quarters with us, and then made quick flank attacks. ‘These attacks were made by small numbers, however, and we invariably managed to beat them off. V TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 175 Had they attacked us in these places with large par- ties, we would have been unable to use our rifles to advantage, and undoubtedly should have been cut to pieces to a man. These attacks occurred only dur- ing the first two hours of our march. The Wamsara then appeared to change their tactics, and having convinced themselves of the direction in which our route lay, they took advantage of the formation of the country, and attempted to block our way by ambush and surprise at the ravines. In one of the ambushes I had a very narrow escape. The path ascended to a narrow gully, which crossed it at right angles, and beyond the gully the path changed direction and ran parallel with it. Before entering the opening in the neighbourhood of this gully, I halted the caravan. In company with Motio and two men I advanced to its edge, and examined the nature of the surface beyond, to ascertain the feasibility of crossing. We had just reached the bank, when my attention was arrested by an old man standing alone on the other side of the gully, and waving a war-club while he shouted to us. Motio listened attentively to what he said, and translated it as follows: “ The Wamsara recognize the might of the white man and his people. They wish for no more war. From now on the road will be free from attack. I am a friend of the white man and his people, and I tell him this. Let him lave no more fear.” I instinctively distrusted the words of this prophet, and raised my rifle to my shoulder. Hardly had I done so when thud! thud! upon the hard path around me fell a dozen arrows, with such force that 176 LTHROOGH JONGLE, AND DESERT CHAP. after striking they remained fixed upright in the soil. I had just time to leap behind a neighbouring rock with my two men, when a volley of arrows struck close by us. Upon raising my head I distinguished about 100 men at work with their bows, discharging arrows with such rapidity as they could in my direction. At the same time, under cover of this thick fire, 200 warriors were approaching us as silently and rapidly as possible. A few well-directed shots dispersed the bowmen, but the spearmen were almost upon us ere I could devote attention to them. They came on very pluckily, but were unable to resist the effects of my Winchester and Karscho’s Mannlicher. Throughout the marching, owing to the looseness of our formation caused by the attention we had to give the flocks, Lieutenant von Hohnel and I rarely caught sight of one another. His presence at the rear of the caravan was made known to me, however, by the familiar sound of his Mannlicher, which rang out every now and then, and convinced me that he, likewise, was very busy curbing the impetuosity of the natives in our rear. Throughout the engagement I found my Winchester most service- able, but Lieutenant von Hohnel was convinced of the superiority of the Mannlicher. Its accuracy of fire, with its extremely long range, enabled him not only to disperse those parties immediately upon him, but also to break up bands of warriors forming at a distance of 500 yards, for the purpose of making concerted attack. Had it not been for him andjgiis Mannlicher, I am convinced that this story would never have been written. Vv TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 177 On one occasion he was able to save one of our men by a hair’s breadth. Through some means this man had become separated from our column, when suddenly he appeared, running at full speed after us. Behind and close to him chased four natives with their gleam- ing spears almost in contact with his back. When he sighted the caravan, he pluckily stopped, dropped to a kneeling position, and fired at the nearest native; but he missed him. He at once sprang to his feet and away, but with only a few inches separating his back from the pursuer’s spear. Lieutenant von Hoéhnel had just time to kill two of the enemy, whereupon the others abandoned the chase, ere the man’s foot caught in some obstacle and he was thrown to the ground. At four in the afternoon the peak appeared to be within easy reach, but between it and us stretched a ravine 100 feet in depth, the sides of which were very steep. Here the natives made a determined stand, and it was only by sharp fighting that we were able to force our way across. At six o’clock we had crossed the ravine, and camped in the shadow of the peak. There was no thorn with which to make a zeriba, and we were compelled temporarily to neglect the wounded, in order to construct a compound for our cattle, sheep, and goats. As Lieutenant von Hohnel with a small force was engaged in guarding the ravine over which we had just crossed, the duty of attending the wounded devolved upon me. My treatment, however unskil- ful, proved satisfactory; for, though many of the wounds took a long time to heal, none had fatal results. An impression of the warlike nature of my men will be conveyed, when I state that all the wounds received N 178 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. had been inflicted upon the rear. Only one Somali had been wounded from the front, and he had been literally covered with stabs from swords and _ spears, both in front and behind; but the Zanzibari, owing to their lack of nerve and their bad shooting, had been unable to face the enemy, and so received no wounds in front. Had it not been for the good shooting of the Soudanese and Somali and one or two of the Zanzibari, we should undoubtedly have been annihilated. Shortly after dark Lieutenant von Hoéhnel and the men with him reached camp. Twenty of the goats were at once slaughtered, and milk from the cows filled every available vessel in camp; so that night my men revelled in plenty. The cold was intense, but the negroes heeded it not; all night long the camp rang with laughter and song. They ate, and ate, and ate until the hour of dawn. Throughout the entire day Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had had no food but the few handfuls of parched corn we took with us. Fortunately we carried two boxes of cola tabloids, a small number of which proved sufficient to sustain us throughout the long day of fatigue and anxiety. We also found them of greatest use in keeping up the spirits and fortitude of the wounded. Owing to the wakefulness of our men that night, we were not attacked by the. natives; and at six oclock-in the morning, Friday, January 27, we were again under way. Motio told us that we had reached the country of the Embe, where we hoped to find a peaceful reception and friendly treatment. Before setting out on the march we served out the remaining ammunition, and Vv TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 179 I found, much to my disgust, that the porters were reduced to six cartridges per man; that the Soudanese and Somali had but twenty rounds each; while Lieu- tenant von Hohnel and I had, respectively, twenty-five and seventeen. With such a small supply of ammu- nition on hand, it can well be imagined that we did not look forward with confidence to the issue of any attack by the natives. The road led us under the peak, and in many places was cut by deep ravines and small streams. After two hours’ marching we crossed one of these ravines, and on the opposite side were met by a large band of Embe. They greeted us with smiling faces, and had tufts of grass and small branches tucked in their greasy locks as signs of peace. We gladly accepted their overtures, clapped them heartily upon the back, and cheerfully followed them as they preceded us upon the road. In crossing the ravine the donkeys and cattle caused some delay, and upon reaching an open space I halted the caravan, in order to give Lieutenant von Héhnel and the rear-guard an opportunity to close up. Motio was still bound and guarded by our standard- bearer. His behaviour throughout the preceding day had been gallant in the extreme. He exhibited no sign of fear, and when the battle raged hottest, shouted defiantly to the Wamsara, and clapped his hands with savage glee upon seeing them beaten off. After the first few hours of sharp fighting he could not under- stand our moderation at taking only what we needed; but eagerly urged upon us the advantage of marching behind a small hill on our right, where, he said, the country teemed with flocks and herds. He said the 180 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. small number we had taken was not nearly enough even to reward him for his services, and that people like ourselves should not be satisfied with anything less than all we could possibly take. Upon entering the territory of the Embe, he had asked to be released from his bonds. I told him this would be very danger- ous for him, as his home was some distance over the Fmbe country, and should we be forced to fight the Embe, they would take revenge upon him after our tH SZ 4 dw, ria Cf Mage hem 4 Wie MY Nj WHY Wb Hy, Ly WY Hy Us MODE OF CARRYING THE SICK departure; but that, as they could see he was our pris- oner, bound, and unable to make his escape from us, he would be absolved from our actions. This struck him as an excellent argument, and throughout our stay with the Embe (a period of five days) he never un- fastened the rope from his body, but walked about camp with the end trailing on the ground, seemingly proud of his appendage, and looking for all the world like one of his arboreal ancestors. Upon reaching an open glade, we had a palaver with the Embe and assured them of our peaceful intentions. V TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 181 I told them that the fame of their good actions and sterling worth had reached us in far-distant Europe, and that it was my hope that throughout my stay among them they would treat me in such a manner that I should be able to take to the white people whom I represented a favourable account of them; whereupon, trade would be opened with them, and they would grow opulent, and amass great flocks and herds. They listened to my words with evident pleasure, and seemed only too anxious to assist me on my way; but they did not appear overjoyed at the news that I intended to remain a few days in their country. This, however, was absolutely necessary. Even the short distance we had marched this day had been most painful to the wounded, and they had continually cried to me in a most pitiable manner on the march, either to stop, or go on and leave them behind. Either course was not to be considered: I could not camp in the neighbourhood of the Wamsara, and I knew that, as soon as I reached the heart of the Embe country, I should be forced to remain until my wounded could recover strength. By ten o’clock Lieutenant von Hohnel had caught up with the caravan, and we again set out. From this point the road was downhill. We had crossed the saddle of the range, and had an easy descent to the Mackenzie River, where we expected to find our old camp. At noon I crossed a fair-sized stream, and halted to give the men and cattle time to drink, as Motio assured me it would be four hours before we reached other water. This done, we again took up the march, which lay across what might almost be 182 LTHROCGA JONGLE ANDY DES CHAP. termed a plain. It was the eastern slope of the Jom- beni range, which is very gradual. High to our right and left towered green hills, dotted with men, goats, and cattle. Here and there beside the path grew clumps of deciduous trees covered with flowers. It seemed to be a country in every way suitable for Europeans. The Embe who accompanied us had most cheerfully assisted us upon the march; but had appeared, to me at least, somewhat nervous, whenever we made the slightest halt. If I stopped for a moment, to enable the caravan to close up, they danced with impatience, and beckoned me to hurry on. I soon discovered the cause of their anxiety. We had just finished watering our cattle at the stream, when from a high hill on our right (one of the northern spurs of the peak) came a wild cry. Looking up, I saw 300 warriors, decked in their most terrifying war costume, dashing fiercely down the hill toward us. Motio shouted to me: “They are Wamsara! Kill them! Kill them!” The elders of the Embe clung to me, and urged me nos to fire. J had no intention of shedding blood in this country, but the case seemed difficult to meet without such action. ] drew my men up in a cmcle, im) the cemmema: which I placed my cattle; and then I ran back to Lieutenant von Héhnel, who was accompanied by only two men. With me went Motio and six of the elders of the Embe. Through Motio I explained to them that unless they checked the charge of these warriors, I should be compelled to open fire; and told them that I was as anxious as they to avoid all trouble in j Vv eA GEST AAS TERN APRICA 183 geeendly territory. I had just reached Lieutenant von Hohnel (the warriors in the meantime having advanced rapidly), when the Embe elders shouted to them to halt. The young men listened to them, and stopped at a point about 150 yards distant from where we stood, panting with excitement, and their eyes flash- me fire. I was glad to hear the old men insist that we were the friends of the Embe, and that they would not per- mit the Wamsara to attack us in their territory. At the end of the harangue of these elders, the warriors suddenly wheeled to the right and started off, not back toward their own country, but in a direction parallel to the route which we were to pursue. Motio said that we had missed an opportunity, and that these men would now attack us at night, when we would not be half so able to cope with them as in an open, during daylight. By four in the afternoon we reached a small native compound formed of a low, wattle fence, in which we gladly made our camp, tired out with the events of the past two days. About us the country was open, so that we could guard against attack, and we were told that water was not far distant; so the place seemed as suitable as any for the stay we intended making in the Embe territory. Hundreds of natives gathered about our camp and eyed us curiously. In contrast with their number our party looked pitiably small. We counted on the moral effect of our victory over the Wamsara to deter the Embe from attacking us; and we also hoped to arouse their mercantile in- stincts by a display of our trading-goods. 184 LHROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. After reaching camp I took thirty armed men, and went in search of firewood and water. Water we found within half a mile, but the firewood we were able to secure was of a most miserable quality; and as throughout the night the temperature was but 53° F., we suffered very much from lack of good fires. In the early morning we awoke, eager to ascer- tain whether the feelings of the Embe, as evinced on the previous day, had undergone a change during the night. The httle compound in which we pitched our camp had formerly contained goats. As it was not par- ticularly strong or in good repair, we set most of our men at work building it up, and making it strong in appearance, at least. The spot where we were camped was beautiful; it was at the end of a small valley hemmed in by gently sloping hills covered with velvety green turf. Behind our camp were thick growths of banana trees, and small patches given up to the culti- vation of manioc, cassava, and yams. At eight o'clock two of the elders, who said they were the proprietors of our camp, appeared and brought with them a large gourd containing delicious honey, also some sugar-cane and a bushel of millet. The cane of the sugar grown there is not of good size, and has a very poor flavour; the honey, however, of the consistency of dough, was delicious. It was nearly white in colour, and possessed a fine flavour. We loaded our visitors with presents, after receiving which they told us that the Embe wished to make blood-brothers with us. This ceremony is termed by these people “muma.” We told them we were quite ready when Vv TORANWIBIES, JUNE SIS IMIS W208 fOr 185 they were. They said the ceremony would take place the following day. We slept comfortably that night. Shortly after rising the following morning some elders appeared, and told us they were ready to arrange the preliminaries ofthe blood-brotherhood; so I went with Motio to confer with them. I found about too of them gathered in a@ectrcle, at the edge of which I placed my chair. Silence ensued. Presently an old man with a long stick in his hands arose, and in loud and _ boisterous tones harangued for about ten minutes. The bur- den of his speech was: “Why have you, the La- shomba (traders), taken cattle from our brothers the Wamsara? Why have you killed their young men?” I told Motio to translate my reply into the most vigorous language he could command: “ We fought the Wamsara because they fought us; they fought us because they are bad people. You, the Embe, know they are bad. Who, two years ago, slew an entire caravan of Lashomba and took all their goods and ivory? Who, but the Wamsara? The punishment we inflicted upon them in some measure avenged their murder of the traders. I hoped they would profit by the lesson, and in future meet all traders, whether black or white, in a friendly manner. We, as are all traders, are friends of the Embe; but between us and the Wamsara there could be no peace until they made restitution for the Lashomba they slew, and the cattle and ivory they stole from them.” This reply seemed to make a great impression upon Miem, and “True! True!” was heard on all sides. After some further talk of a much more friendly and 186 THROCGH JONGLE AND DES iis CHAP. peaceable strain, the elders agreed to sell food, after muma had been made. They then went away. At 11 a.m. I attended another palaver. This time I found nearly 400 natives assembled, mostly warriors and* old men. They were seated in a circle, on the edge of which Lieutenant von Hohnel and I placed our chairs. We were accompanied by Motio, a Masai interpreter, and three Somali. After a prelrminary con- ference I learned that this was not to be the muma; but that, ere the blood-brotherhood could be made, a preliminary ceremony had to be performed for the purpose of convincing the Embe of our good inten- tions, and to clean the road over which our feet had passed. They said we had entered their country prior to making a treaty with them, and in consequence each footstep we had taken from the line between their territory and that of the Wamsara might, for all they knew, have some dire effect upon their crops. They said, however, that their suspicions would be allayed, should a male sheep be slaughtered, and portions of its body strewn over the path by which we had come. This was soon done, and the old men went gayly away, promising to return in the afternoon of that day, and perform the impressive and imposing ceremony of blood- brotherhood. It is politic to conform, as far as possible, to the native customs, at least until the natives are fully convinced of one’s good intentions. They place no value whatever upon promises; but all I have met in East Africa seem to attach great importance to any agreement, which they bind either by the killing of a goat or sheep, or by drinking milk, exchanging V URAVEES IN EBASTERIN AFRICA 187 blood, or some one of their many other customs. | have never found that the natives construed in any but a favourable manner the white man’s willingness to adopt their customs in ratifying an oath; and al- though it is annoying, and often a great waste of time, to submit to the tedious and often disgusting ceremonies connected with the making of blood- brotherhood and the ratification of oaths, still, one’s time cannot be said to be wholly wasted, for there is no better opportunity of learning native customs and studying native character than at these ceremonies. At 4 p.M. word was brought to us that the natives wished to go through the ceremony of binding us together forever in the ties of blood-brotherhood. This time we found about 600 warriors and old men assembled; but when we noticed that one and all of them had come armed, we were disagreeably affected by the sight. For the gathering more resembled a hostile demonstration than one for the ratification of a treaty of unending peace. On this occasion a young male goat was sacrificed. Some elders, who seemed to be impressed with a sense of their importance, together with Lieutenant von Hodhnel and I, seized and held on to the hind legs of the goat, and its head was pointed carefully in the direction of the highest peak of the range. While the sacrifice was going on, the two elders, Lieutenant von Hohnel, and I gave vent in the most solemn manner to the direst curses and most vindic- tive threats, which, however, were to take effect only mene event of treachery on the part of the other high contracting party to this treaty. This portion 188 THROCGH JONGLES AND (DES CHAP. of the ceremony concluded, a bit of the goat was roasted over a quickly improvised fire, and the con- tracting parties partook of this flesh. The fact that during the sacrifice. the headWouerme beast was pointed with such accuracy toward the highest peak was significant. I noticed that through- out East Africa the natives seemed to attach a cer- tain religious sanctity and importance to anything of extraordinary size. In the island of Zanzibar, where the hills are low, the natives reverence the baobab tree, which is the largest growing upon the island, and they consider it haunted by genii and devils. In all portions of the country where hills are not found, they worship some great stone or tall tree. The natives in the neighbourhood of Kilimanjiro call the mountain “God’s Home,” to the deity they suppose to occupy its snow-clad peak. The Kikuyu, who inhabit the slopes of Mount Kenya, have the same reverence for their mountain. We found that the Embe, although from the top- most range of the Jombeni Mountains Kenya was and direct their prayers visible, preferred to attach importance to their local peak, rather than the great mountain which almost overshadowed it. Both the Wamsara and the Embe, if one may judge from their appearance, rarely indulge in baths. In place of ablutions with water, which there is plentiful, they anoint their skins with as much castor oil or other grease as they can obtain and smear upon themselves. The hides with which they are clothed are continued in unremitting active service for many years, and in consequence the odour arising V TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 189 from them is not pleasing. Bearing this in mind, it can easily be imagined that both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I hastened through the process of blood- brotherhood with all despatch, and it was with a feel- ing of absolute relief that we returned toward camp. Even there we were not destined to breathe the pure air a long time, for the hedge was soon surrounded by hundreds of peering natives, who successfully warded off the evening breeze. To add to this, our new- found brothers insisted upon entering our compound, and even endeavoured to seat themselves upon our beds. Needless to say, from this they were gently but firmly dissuaded. Their talk was now of trade, and they were full of promises to supply the wants of the entire caravan in order to prove their friend- ship for us. We showed them our trading-goods, and willingly entered into the spirit of the game; knowing that, as soon as we had established trade relations with these people, there would be no dan- ger of hostility from them. It was sunset ere the camp was at length free from these disagreeable visitors. The natives of these mountains are very fond of chewing the leaves and tender shoots of a tree here called “Miraa.” This tree is similar to one found in Arabia and Abyssinia, which has already been de- scribed by botanists, and is called in Arabic, “ Kaht.” The Arabs, Abyssinians, and Somali resident at Aden chew only the green leaves of this tree; but the natives of the Jombeni range carefully strip the leaves from the twig, and then chew only the green bark. The Juice of this plant is highly stimulating to the nervous 190 THROOGH JONGEE AND DES iis CHAP. system, and, among other effects, 1t seems to produce excessive activity of the brain. By constant chewing of this bark one may go several days without sleep, and yet feel no great ill effects, as the reaction does not appear to be violent. The older men among the inhabitants of the Jombeni range are unable to carry on any business whatever without the spur derived from chewing this plant. They carry a small sheaf of the twigs in a bag, bound together, and covered with a strip of banana leaf, which, upon entering into conversation, they at once produce and begin to chew. I found that a very small quantity of the bark was sufficient to produce in me a considerable elevation of spirits, but some hours after eating it I perceived a distinct feeling of lassitude. The young men among the natives are not allowed to eat it, the reason as- signed for this restriction being that if the young men were allowed freely to indulge in this plant, they would be apt to remain awake at night, and be tempted, under cover of the darkness, to gratify desires which the light of day forces them to curb. The Embe are not nearly so fine looking as the Wamsara. I account for this by the fact that among the Wamsara are settled many Masai. The cross seems to have added greatly to the vigour of the tribe, as well as to have much improved their appear- ance. Then, too, the Wamsara are nearer the Ulf j YO ih it is My ] Y; ji: t MY ey fy WY YU) ne Wig yy Vif, a. J iy Yi iy PAs, , Vip (Y- i An OW j YY, i aN y i ae MT) y Wl _ ' aN ii ie i cig © As is! a fi . aM pies 7 ae ap fi Ma Al iN Hh oe, iif SA \ Hae RS, S4 Lo oi GOP <= Phase: ee PORTERS ON THE MARCH firmly refused to entertain the request of the savages. But in order to conceal from them our plans, we as- sured them that we were in every way delighted with the Embe, and that it was our intention to remain with them for many days, in the hope of convincing them of our friendliness, and of profiting not only by their wise counsels, but also in the way of trade. Upon learning our professed determination to spend some days in their country, the faces of the old men took on a most pleased expression. This satisfied us that, whatever their purpose, they were not prepared Beuiat time to carry it to execution. 196 LHROCGH JONGLE AND DES Pils CHAE. As the sun set, our minds were filled with forebod- ing; would the natives attack us that night? The moon was just at the full. Should the natives prove treacherous, we felt confident, even with our small sup- ply of ammunition, that we should be able to hold our own as long as the ammunition lasted. But, bearing in mind the small quantity of ammunition we then had, the number of wounded, and the inexperience of the majority of our force, we did not look forward with high hopes to the outcome of such a conflict. All that night Lieutenant von Hoéhnel and I took watch by turns, each watch lasting two hours. While on watch I sat near the gate of our zeriba in a chair. Before me stretched a little valley, gleaming in the moonlight, and surrounded on all sides by hills. In the immediate neighbourhood of the camp all was still, save for the tramp of the night-watch outside the zeriba, and the occasional groan of a wounded man in his tent; but from behind the hills which sur- rounded us, every moment there rang out loud cries, as if the whole country was up in arms, and engaged in fiercest conflict. Motio showed no inclination to sleep, and I whiled away the weary hours of my watch in conversation with him. He did not think the natives would attack that night, but he said: “There is no doubt about it; they are getting ready, and in a day or two they will be upon us. The cries heard echoing from hill to hill can be explamed in but one way: there ane many strangers, young men, warriors, now gathered together, and encamped in the immediate neighbour- hood of our zeriba. These men, attracted by the Vv Wie IHES WN BAS TERING APRIGCA 197 promise of profitable attack upon your caravan, have brought with them but few supplies; and in order to satisfy their hunger they are robbing the planta- tions in the neighbourhood. ‘The cries are made by the owners of the plantations, shouting from one to the other to keep watch against the thieves.” I asked Motio if he wished to remain with his peo- pie. Fle said, no; he liked it much better with us. With us he had no work, and with the exception of the time spent on the desert he was well fed. And then he said that I was a great medicine-man and could, if I willed it, cure him of his disease. He said he was not afraid to return to his people; he was perfectly confident that, if I left him there, I would give him medicine to thwart all their evil designs against him. We had really become fond of this man. His con- fidence in us was so great, and his willingness to per- form any service we might require of him was so remarkable, that we came to look upon him almost as a friend, and lost sight of the fact that the poor creature was suffering from some disagreeable com- plaint. We decided that, should we not be attacked during the night (in which case our plans would very much depend upon the outcome of the struggle), we should set out at early dawn, and endeavour to escape from the neighbourhood of a people bent upon our destruction. At 4.30 the camp was aroused, and all preparations made for departure. Shortly after five a thick mist, like a pall, settled down upon the valley, and effect- ually screened us from prying eyes; so that our prep- 198 LHROCGH JONGLE AND DESERE CHAP. arations were all made in secret. At six o’clock the caravan was drawn up in the usual order, and I en- deavoured to inspire my men with a few words, telling them that, though doubtless we should meet with some difficulty in getting out of the country, never- theless they might rest assured that my efforts would meet with success, and not one of them be injured. While I was addressing them, all eyed me eagerly, and, when I had concluded, one of the porters (Mda- homa) grinned light-heartedly, and said: “We are not afraid of the Washenzie (savages). Have we not seen master make a fog, so that we could get out of the country in safety; and haven’t we seen him during the past night walking up and down in the camp making medicine against the Embe people? Why should we be afraid? Haya watu; songo mbele!” (Onward, men; push to the front!) He spoke these words in a low tone, but they were heard by every member of the caravan and pro- duced at least one marked effect: no man _ wished to be the last out of the camp. We had just left the zeriba, and were about to plunge into the banana plantations, when the fog lifted. A solitary native spied us, and raised a mighty shout, to warn his brothers of our departure. Soon from hill to hill echoed cries, among which we could distinguish the words: “ Lashomba are going! Warriors, run to the boma.” I asked Motio what “boma” meant; and he in- formed me that it was a word used throughout East Africa to signify a zeriba or camp. He said that between us and the desert we so longed to reach , 4 id at Vv TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 199 there was a strong camp, always inhabited by a band of warriors, which was used as an outpost to prevent attacks from the plains; and that we doubtless should receive some opposition at that point, as it lay directly in our path. Our route lay between banana plantations, and along a narrow road overhung with the branches of trees. Fifty determined boys could have cut our caravan to pieces at that point without difficulty, for there was no room to use our rifles, and the number of beasts we had rendered our formation anything but regular. We were almost persuaded to leave behind us the profits of our victory over the Wam- sara; but we realized that the effect of such action would have been entirely to obliterate the good ac- complished by our victory. It would have had the moral effect of a victory for them, and the next Euro- pean who visited the Jombeni range would meet with a warm reception. At intervals along our route we came to an open bit of pasture land, where the caravan was halted and brought up into as regular formation as was _ possible under the circumstances. The experience gained by my porters in the few days immediately preceding, added to the wholesome fear they had of the natives, made them march up briskly and keep well together. We had marched for two hours, and I began to think that the boma of which Motio had_ spoken was a myth, when I saw a large number of older men and boys gathered in front of us. I told Motio to wish them a hearty farewell, to tell them that we should return very soon to their country, and also that 200 THROUGH VONGLE ANDES igs CHAP. I had had a dream during the night that some of the Embe people were inspired with treacherous ideas; so that I was afraid that the blood-brotherhood just made would be broken by some of their people; in which case they knew what would result. Then | advised them to run and tell the young men the folly of attacking us. The eyes of these people rested upon Motio while he was speaking; but as soon as he ceased, they fixed their eyes upon the cattle and flocks. These were the coveted prize. Had they taken them, not one would have reached the Wam- sara. A woman is quoted in the East African mar- ket at only five goats (in the Embe country), and the value of a cow is equivalent, in the minds of these people, to the lives of ten men. On we pressed, and soon came in sight of the boma of which Motio had spoken. It was deserted by all but a few old men, and we hoped our warning had proved effectual. Not so, however. Just as we had passed the boma, and entered a path, somewhat wider, it is true, than the one along which we had just passed, but edged on both sides with a hedge which made ambush easy, one of my men behind me _ shouted: “Washenzie” (savages), and pointed to the hedge on our left. Through the thick branches I could distin- guish a large number of painted warriors, peering with fierce eyes over the rims of their many-coloured shields. In a moment anumber of large stones and arrows flew over our heads. Crack! went our rifles, and the natives broke and fled. Not fifty yards beyond where we had seen these warriors, we were met by a small body of determined young men, charging down the path toward Vv TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 201 us. After a short but sharp conflict they were dis- persed. The air was filled with the sound of whizzing arrows and branches crackling, as they were broken by the hurtling stones. However, the aim of the natives was not accurate, and no one of our band was hit. Just before nine o’clock we emerged from the bush, and saw stretched at our feet the plain, across which we could faintly discern the dark-green line showing the course of the Mackenzie. As we entered upon this open plain, we gave vent to three hearty cheers. In the open country we felt capable of dealing with any number of savages. From the frontier of the Embe country we could see a small cone near our last camp on the Mackenzie River; so without delay we headed in that direction. The grass on the eastern slopes of the Jombeni range erows to a great height, and we had the utmost difh- culty in forcing our way through it. Moreover, the sides of the mountain were cut up with innumerable deep and dried watercourses, which so hindered our march that it was 5 p.m. (eleven hours) from the time we left our camp until we reached our old zeriba. We were completely worn out, and went to sleep without so much as setting a night-watch. We knew that we had sufficient grain to last us throughout the march to Hameye, but not sufficient to permit us to spend much time on the march; so me set oution the next day. Our march back to Hameye was uneventful. We succeeded in killing some zebra and antelope, which proved a welcome addition to our diet. Upon reach- ing the mouth of the Mackenzie, we found a large party 202 LHROGCGH JONGLE AND DES ids CHAP. V of Pokomo, which had left Hameye for the purpose of hippopotamus-hunting. As these people possess no flocks or herds, they are passionately fond of meat, and make occasional excursions into the interior for the purpose of gratifying their appetite for flesh. The Pokomo gave a gloomy account of the state of affairs at our zeriba at Hameye. From what they said, we gathered that everybody, with the exception of George and a few men, had either died or deserted, and that all the cattle, camels, and donkeys we had left behind had disappeared. We were not absolutely cast down by this statement, for we had learned that the natives in giving accounts of the affairs of others were wont to dwell at great length upon the gloomy side of the picture. At 4 p.m. on the 1oth of February we caught a glimpse of the Stars and Stripes proudly waving in the breeze over our camp at Hameye. We welcomed this pleasant sight with a salute of sixty rifles from my men. Dihirectly, with joyful shouts, the porters who had remained in camp at Hameye rushed forth to greet their companions, whom they had given up for lost. Their appearance was sleek, and in marked contrast with that of the men who had accompanied me. Soon George appeared, looking pale but fat, and it was with the pleasantest feelings that we grasped hands. “What is the news, George?” I asked. “Pretty good, sir,’ was the reply; “all-the oxen ane dead, only three cattle are left, and five camels, and the donkeys are dying fast.” One would scarcely term this “ good news,” but it was not sufficiently bad to dampen the pleasure of again reaching Hameye. CHAPTER VI Durinc our absence up-country, the men we had sent to the coast had returned. They had captured two runaways and brought with them two Gallas, one fOtake our letters back to the coast, and the other to accompany us as interpreter, should we meet with Galla farther up-country. These men reported that they had seen a large expedition at our camp in Mkonumbi, in charge of Captain Villiers, of the Guards, and two other officers. They said they had seen 200 Somali and 150 Abys- ‘ sinians, and that preparations were being made for an expedition on a gigantic scale. We rejoiced that we had 200 miles’ start of this expedition; for although Africa is a large place, there never seems to be room for’ two expeditions to work in the same part of it. It happened, however, that this expedition under Cap- tain Villiers met with a variety of mishaps, and was prevented from ever getting more than six days’ march from the coast. During our absence from Hameye George had em- ployed the men in improving the zeriba and cultivat- ing a twenty-acre plantation of corn and millet. The grain was not then ripe, but we knew it would prove a boon to our friends the Pokomo. The reduction of the number of our camels to five was a serious loss; 203 204 LHROOGH JONGLE AND. DEST CHAP. and this, together with the loss of our load-bearing oxen and the sickness prevalent among the donkeys, reduced our means of transport in a marked degree. The appearance of the country about Hameye had seemed to us in every way adapted for the pasturing of cattle and beasts of all sorts; but evidently such is not the case. George reported that soon after our departure the animals had done anything but well. Whether they had been bitten by flies, or made sick by drinking the waters of the Tana, will never be | _&€ AN AKAM gunn's i WD fh it Hinz ies Di) tae Avie a) an mY =< LOADING CAMELS Pile of ammunition in the foreground known; but I think it is probable that the cattle and donkeys died from fly-bite. The camels doubtless ate some plant poisonous to them. The Somali have often told me that in their country they are partic- ularly careful to see that the camels eat nothing but dry grass. After reaching Hameye I distributed among the men who had followed me to Lorian many presents; and allowed each of them, instead of the regular ration, as much as they could eat: they were also given a complete holiday from all work. Under these VI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 205 conditions they picked up wonderfully, and a few days after our arrival it was difficult to distinguish between the men who had remained at Hameye and those who had undergone the hardships of the up-country trip. Our feelings of disappointment at not having found the Rendile or a lake were not mitigated by the fact that ten valuable lives had been sacrificed in this effort at discovery. All but one of the men who had died or disappeared had been porters, and this meant a reduction in our facilities for transport, already much lessened by the death of the animals. Upon reaching Hameye I was at once prostrated by sickness. I suffered continually from fever caused by congestion of the liver, and for two weeks was confined to my bed. Having discovered that between the Jombeni range and Hameye there was no food, I sent George and sixty men shortly after my arrival to make a food station six days’ march along the road. After ten days he returned, and reported ten desertions. We hunted high and low for the desert- ers, and eventually succeeded in capturing six. When we questioned them as to the cause of their desertion, they replied that they had heard the country in front was bad and full of dangers, and they wished to return. to the coast. Of course the men who had been with us on the trip, in order to increase their prowess in the eyes of their brethren, had unstintingly exaggerated the trials and difficulties through which they had passed. This, after the life of ease to which the men who had re- mained behind at Hameye had grown accustomed, did 206 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. not inspire them with a desire to proceed further upon the journey. The means of transport being so much reduced by these causes, I broke some of the cattle captured from the Wamsara, and soon found them trained to bear two light loads each. We reduced our stores as much as possible, as we were unable to carry all we had. We distributed as gifts among our men such of the goods as they could carry without reducing their ca- pacity for burden-bearing. We destroyed our canvas boat, and gave to the Pokomo and the Galla in the neighbourhood many loads of wire and beads. But even then, in order not to weaken the effectiveness of our caravan by throwing away too much, we were forced to increase the weight of the loads to be carried by the porters. From Hameye we sent back to the coast our entomological collections to be forwarded home. Before we left Hameye all but two of the camels died, and these two were very weak, bidding fair soon to follow their fellows. When the Pokomo had left for the coast, Sadi, who had been in charge of them, left behind a pariah bitch, which, during our absence at Lorian, gave birth to five puppies. We kept three of them —two bitches and a dog. Felix, the fox- terrier bought at Aden, was their sire. As will appear later, these puppies proved most useful to us. I think I am safe in saying that a cross between a fox-terrier and a native dog is best suited for almost all purposes in Africa. The touch of native blood enables them to withstand the heat without much difficulty, and they seem to inherit the qualities of determination and pluck from the fox-terrier cross. VI TRAVELS IN EASTERN APKICA 207 By March 8 all was ready for departure, and at eight o’clock on the following morning we set out. Before starting, I warned my men against attempts at desertion. A few of them shouted, “ Never fear; we will follow you,” but the majority looked forward with no pleasure to the toils of load-carrying after their long rest at Hameye, and it was with foreboding that I beheld the looks of discontent upon most of Uh ep be 4 it jj Ze “i is ]} Y / ee ern ae a vy ff \\ wt ONC FW AM He ALAS / hy i UNLOADING CAMELS Showing mode of carrying Berthon boat their faces, and heard a low murmur run through my caravan. My horse (Lieutenant von Hohnel’s did not live even to reach Lorian) was so ill that he was unable to carry me; so I hobbled along at the head of my men, supported by a stick. The sun was intensely hot, and as the porters from their long rest were unfit for the march, they sweated and groaned beneath the weight of their burdens. Shortly after noon I camped under some dhum palms near the river, and by 3.30 all the men were in camp, 208 LTAROCGH JONGLE AND DESERT: CHAP. with the exception of one runaway, who could not be found. George reported that the cattle went badly, and that about thirty of the men showed a disposition to throw down their burdens and bolt. It was a hard day, but I knew the next would be no easier. Here we left one of our camels, and threw away the loads it had carried. George worked untiringly at the loads, lessening some and increasing others. I knew that we should be able to start on the following day, but it remained with the men whether we should get our loads to camp or not. That night, Hamidi, the headman of the porters, who had remained behind with George at Hameye, and who seemed somewhat jealous of the prowess of Mohamadi upon the Lorian journey, desiring to prove his efficiency, gave the men a long and almost elo- quent address, in which he urged them not to run away and desert the expedition. At the close of his speech the camp rang with cheers and cries of “Eh wallahs” (Swahili words, indicating hearty assent). But, alas, although I knew that these poor creatures had no premeditated purpose to desert, yet experience had taught me that, if during the heat of the day, while marching, they found their burdens heavy, they would throw them down and run off. The following morning we made an early start, and marched briskly for three and one-half hours, when we reached a swamp where camp was made. Hours after I arrived at this spot, the men straggled in by twos and threes. George reported four more run- aways, two of whom were caught. The next day's march was again an easy one of VI TIA VEISES EN EASTERN, AERICA 209 three hours, during which we covered but four miles. Hamidi and another headman did not reach camp at all; they were searching for deserters. As fast as we caught the runaways, we tied them together in a line with ropes, and placed them under the charge of the Soudanese. I sent back two Somali to search for deserters, and divided among my men two loads of cloth as a present, for we could carry them no farther. One of the runaways we had caught the day before had found a tusk of ivory in the desert, worth perhaps fifty-five dollars. In the rainy season this portion of the Tana River must be almost infested with elephants. For two days more we struggled on in this fashion, losing two men each day through desertions, until at length we came to a point along the river where there was one of our old resting-places. Here Hamidi turned up with four captured deserters; their loads, however, could not be found. The runaway squad now tied together consisted of eleven men. Four of the Sou- danese were placed in charge of them, two on the flank, and two in the rear. At night they were care- fully watched, for it was only by unremitting vigilance that we were able to frustrate their numerous attempts at desertion. Of all difficulties connected with travel in East Africa, desertion is perhaps the most serious; and it seems impossible to overcome it. Mr. Stanley, describ- ing his last expedition, undertaken for the relief of Emin Pasha, although his caravan consisted of Zanzi- bari who had been carried by sea from Zanzibar to the mouth of the Congo, thousands of miles from their home, tells in his book, how throughout the entire P 210 LHROOGH JONGLE ANDVDESERT: CHAP. journey, even when he was traversing the ‘dark forest,” he was unable to prevent these ignorant people from throwing away their lives by desertion. The Zanzi- bari is ever ready to retrace his steps, no matter how difficult the road. It is the facing of the unknown that seems to fill him with dread. On the afternoon of the seventh day from Hameye we reached the food station established by George, distant from Hameye only thirty-five miles. It was ter- rible work getting the men to cover even this short dis- tance in the seven days. At this food station two of the cows were killed (just in time to prevent natural deaths on their part), which the men ate with avidity. My horse also died at this place. George, through his skill in arranging the loads, had prevented the loss of many of them; and there always seemed to be carrying power for just one more, even when apparently every man and beast was staggering under a burden. Even the headmen, Somali and Sou- danese, were laden down. We rested at the food station two days, then set out for the Mackenzie River, which we reached after one day’s march, and having crossed this river we camped near the Tana. The small distances we were accomplishing in our daily marches convinced me that we should be unable to reach the Jombeni range before exhausting our food supply; so we halted at the Tana for two days, which were spent in hippopotamus-shooting. At this point the Tana is 150 yards wide, and its current is obstructed by a mass of gneiss rocks, over which the water brawls and rushes. We saw several groups of hippopotamuses sleeping in the river, and set to work to get as many VI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 211 of them as possible. In a short time we killed five. Knowing the courageous nature of Felix, the fox- terrier, we had tied him to a tree while engaged in shooting; but in some manner he managed to escape from his bonds, and plunged into the river in the midst of the wounded hippopotamuses. He swam from one to the other, barking all the time. Now and again the Ws yp LAA E_= SCENE ON THE TANA swift current dashed him against the rocks, and his barks were drowned by the roar of the stream; but he in- variably reappeared and continued as before. On one occasion Felix pursued a wounded bull hippopotamus until near the shore where the water was shallower, and the beast stood at bay. Felix leaped upon his back, and barked pzeans of victory, much to the discomfort of the wounded animal. Another shot laid the bull low. 212 TARO GILSON GLE AND OE STeala CHAP. Motio told us that there was a river two days’ march distant, called Ura, which flowed from Daitcho on the Jombeni range. We started for this river, which is nearly as large as the Mackenzie. On the road we killed two more hippopotamuses. We also heard from Motio that the regular caravan route from Mombasa to Daitcho crosses the Tana River at a point two days’ march beyond the junction of the Ura with that stream. We feared to follow the Tana to this place, as our men, in all probability, would take advantage of it as a means of reaching the coast. It appeared, some one had told our porters that the object of our journey was to visit the Somali. This, then, was undoubtedly one of the reasons for desertion ; for if there is a people which the Zanzibari dread more than any other, it is the Somali. Their brethren, who inhabit the coast in the neighbourhood of Lamoo, are harassed continually by these people from Kismayu, and are forced to become their slaves. To be the slave of a Somali little resembles the same servi- tude under an Arab. The Somali treat their slaves worse than animals; the Arab, on the contrary, per- mits them to lve in almost the same comfort as himself. We made slow progress along the banks of the Ura, owing to the thick bush; moreover, rain fell daily, making the soil muddy and difficult to march over. One day while upon the march I saw through an opening in the bush, at a distance of 150 yards, a young lion, trotting slowly along in a direction at right angles to that which I was following. I took a snap- shot at him, and must have struck him, for he leaped VI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 213 many feet in the air. As we were on the march, I could not halt a sufficiently long time to make careful search; so I failed to get him. Just after crossing the Ura, which we did on the third day after reaching its mouth, I saw at a point eighty yards in front of me, and near a scattered clump of mimosa, five giraffes. I stopped the cara- van, for the animals seemed utterly unaware of my approach, and was so fortunate as to kill four of the five with a shot each from my Winchester. These shots were delivered in such rapid succession, that the giraffes seemed puzzled as to the direction from which they came and so made no movement. Each shot was aimed at the neck, which it penetrated, and broke the spine; so that the animals dropped at once. When a giraffe is facing the sportsman, I think there is no shot so good as one at the neck, for its great length and considerable thickness give a very good line, and so help the aim. As we approached the eastern slope of the Jombeni range, we passed millet plantations, on which were erected, in the tops of low trees, many neat little straw huts. These are used as habitations by the warriors of the Daitcho, who are made to perform the double duty of guarding the frontier, and frightening away beasts and birds that would destroy the crops. As soon as the watchmen seated in these huts spied our caravan, they raised a mighty hullabaloo, and ran to warn the villages of the approach of the caravan. I made camp on the eastern slope of an extinct vol- canic cone, covered with waving, green grass. Water was secured at a place but 300 yards distant from 214 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. camp, and there was a nice brook. Soon after our arrival, old men came and asked our intentions; to whom we gave assurance that we desired but three things; namely, peace, food, and donkeys. A small caravan of Zanzibari was encamped near the villages of the Daitcho, buying donkeys. This party was thirty in number, and composed entirely of slaves. They had left Mombasa five months before, zs = Li ; fos ANN NN Hh a Wit he . \ a Ne \ i f tgs YE, Ti ign) | (Wh i i Salk as Ae We ( Ly i A Me Avo (4 in 4 Hl " i itl ih an ie ee Nad ty ily My Wp MAS Nu wf iy yj if oh ID it BAN in| : — = us wt I ! he ry Ane iN ce ee = eee ANS —= SS NS Sl > , “Biappa vor, Léa lpg OY © MILYS s e 2 al y $3 4p WEI PERS ey x3 vi ‘i yn obra ; c GEG, MAT 7 GE iS SOREN ine J Zo Z ? soy , AN £ i ff tj é Q s “py “47/7 a)y Ea De ° DEE Se EE Ae oe ete LEAP LAE pA A ALE, uy “Sy L227?" EE iy DRED), ¢ SOFA ate Le oe = AL, We Sizgs A, » GE Z LLL Z fo / LE GEE 4 Yo LE e GL Zi ie l Bo tw VG fy we Fiat WE GZ, 5 ata eeid e EZ Zy i eA LLL LL. ae A nee . eet leg aioe Ly ep y ee HINA AN y i‘ AY AL, F a QE OY AALS M Ay pt way LA LM te LEEPER my GAN Lobo ne an Krad wi ‘ ey S "GZ /: Vi 4; Z Se ae 4y Biss 5 Lh LALI LE: fio Vf. Vij ee i: LI ae oop iy ; /; i eats es, 4p os y, ej J WY, AUDI EE OEE EEL , / igs Zz of Z 2 yy pe DEG Z be Z tify 7) Gi uP Uy, tty, 7 7 as gy 7 y ZZ be Pad 4, 4 Y tf ae LY Mi MO YEE Litjj; Ht eg 1G y D y 2” Liddés eg Ltr Vandy Eos U Lilie fe = EZE Ze! nil "ill hs We Wa a Vif \ S == > Se ‘\ —_ \ Sy ys we Yi YY Lalo \ ‘\ N SW \\ AWN \ Wy,’ 4 Ni N Ne S mS . NS AR \Ny KN N ¢ 3 “2ye , 4 Vb et BA A \ Sa \ A \ \ N ‘\ NES . Zid >) > i CHAP. VI TTEAVIGE SIN VE ASTIERIN APRIGA 287 less, it would not do for us to set out until we were convinced of the peaceable intentions of the Embe, our most powerful neighbours. Shortly after our arrival at Daitcho, the Zanzibari traders whom we found there left for the north, with sixty donkeys well laden with flour and beans, which they hoped to exchange for ivory among the Wan- ~ derobbo. The day following the fire, twelve other traders arrived at Daitcho. This small caravan was in charge of two natives from Beloochistan, named Gwa- haram and Abdurachman. It may seem extraordinary that Beloochi should be found in the interior of Africa, but at Zanzibar and many other points along the east coast, such as Mombasa, Pangani, and Bur- gamoyo, many Beloochi have settled during the past fifty years. The Sultan of Zanzibar is in close rela- tion with the Sultan of Muscat, Arabia. The latter place lies not far from Beloochistan; and it is wea Muscat that most of these Beloochi came to the coast of Africas To me they appeared to be a much finer race than the Arabs, more energetic, and willing to undergo more hardships and dangers. These two Beloochi, accompanied by ten men, came from Njemps, a country lying to the south of Lake Baringo. They were, so they said, but a part of a very large caravan which had left Mombasa eighteen months before, the major portion of which had _pro- ceeded along the left bank of Lake Rudolph in search of ivory; but that no reports had been received from them during the past nine months. They said that the famine at Njemps had forced them to come all the 238 THROCGH JONGLE ANDADES 2 laa CHAP. way to Daitcho to buy food. They had a few donkeys with them, and hoped to purchase more. They added their testimony to reports I: had already heard, that famine was existing everywhere to the north of Daitcho. On their way to Daitcho they had met the party of thirty Zanzibari, half of whose donkeys, they said, had already died, and the remainder seemed suf- fering from sickness. These Beloochi had been trading in East Africa for many years. They said that it was impossible to account for the disease among the donkeys. At inter- vals varying from three to four years, some disease seemed to break out among these animals, and carried them off in large numbers. Generally the donkey seemed proof against all sickness, and was the most useful animal possible for caravan work. On May 26, accompanied by forty well-armed men, Lieutenant von Hohnel and I set out to join George in the Embe country, for the purpose of making a last- ing treaty with that tribe. Our path through the Daitcho country was overgrown with grass and bushes which had sprung up under the influence of the rains, but it was very easy under-foot. Upon reaching the foot-hills on the border of the Embe country, the road became steep, winding, and rough. We had not ascended more than a few hundred feet above the plain, ere the aspect of the country changed, and we found ourselves in a land rich with verdure, covered with plantations, and thickly dotted with groups of native huts. The natives exhibited no fear of us; in fact, they scarcely deigned to favour us with a glance, as we steadily plodded along through their plantations, VI TRAVELS: JN EASTERN AFRICA 239 often passing within a few feet of their villages, or making our way through the midst of large flocks of sheep and goats. We saw no cattle or donkeys what- ever. At one o'clock we reached the spot where George was encamped. On our march between the frontier of the Embe country and George’s camp we had passed two market places. These consisted of openings in the plantations, beaten hard and bare by many feet. Thither came the women of the neighbouring districts of the Embe country daily, and expended many hours in exchanging their produce one with the other. One old woman would bring a large bag upon her back con- taining thirty or forty pounds of cassava; another, manioc; another, yams; while a fourth would bring bananas. Some few brought beans or millet. These they exchanged, one with the other, but it appeared to me that more time was devoted to conversation than trade. The market place echoed with the shouts of the women, as they talked and gossiped among themselves of bargains or the news of the day; and often after many hours spent in this way a woman would return to her home, bearing just what she took from it in the morning. All trade in the products of the soil is car- ried on by the women; but the business relating to live stocks, spears, shields, honey, etc., is carried on by the men. These people do not seem to be particularly well nourished, for one rarely sees a native who could prop- erly, be called even stout. The little children are fat enough, to be sure, but only the very small ones. We found George in camp not more than half a mile 240 THROCGHAJONGEE VAN DADE Sie CHAP. from the spot where we had encamped during our former visit to the Embe. The view from this camp was lovely. It was surrounded on all sides but one by high hills, covered either with soft green turf or with thick growths of wild bananas, with here and there a clump of dhum palms. To the northeast the view was not shut in by hills, but stretched to the desert, which even after the rains looked grim and forbidding in contrast with the luxurious vegetation among which we were. George had built a small zeriba for the donkeys, around which he had placed the huts of the men, which were thickly thatched with the leaves of the wild banana. He reported that during his stay among the Embe the natives had given him but little trouble; in fact, his only complaint was that they had not come in sufficient numbers to trade. Upon one occasion, however, he had heard loud shouts and cries; where- upon an old negro came to him and said that the warriors of the Embe had decided to fall upon the European and annihilate him; but after he had fired a couple of shots, the shoutings of the natives ceased, and nothing further occurred. On the afternoon of the day of our arrival, a few hours before sunset, a few elders came, among them those whom we had held as hostages at Daitcho. They seemed pleased to see us, and we explained to them that we were unable to stop with the Embe for many days, and therefore wished to make as soon as pos- sible a treaty with the people of that tribe. They said they would at once send out word to the farthest parts of their territory, and that within two days at latest the VI TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA 241 principal men would be gathered together, and the treaty ratified. We gave them presents, and they went on their ways rejoicing. That night the hills around our camp resounded with the notes of native horns, which we were told were sounded for the purpose of assembling the elders. The following day nothing happened. The change in the atmosphere was very marked. Here among the Embe we were encamped about 5000 feet above sea-level, and the air was very bracing. Both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I found that our appetites increased and our spirits rose. I am sure that at this height above sea-level Europeans could live with com- fort. My negroes, however, appeared to suffer from the cold. They imagine that no country is healthy where they are not continually bathed in perspiration, although at ease. On the following day about thirty old men came to our camp, and asked our intentions. We had grown accustomed to their policy of delay and postponement ; but on this occasion we had no time to wait, and frankly told them that they were well informed of our purpose, and that we expected them, with more elders, to come on the morrow for the purpose of ratifying the treaty. To hasten them, we told them that delay on their part would be construed by us as an act of unfriendliness; that if they wished to remain happy and unmolested, they must introduce a little more celerity into their diplomacy; and that if the following day passed without the leaders making their appearance, the succeeding day would find their country the scene of rapine and pillage. R 242 PHROU GH JONGLE AND DESERT CHAP. VI Upon hearing these words the old men rose to their feet, and danced with excitement and fury; but after a short time they calmed down, and said that surely the next day would see the treaty made. We ascer- tained that the reason why the principal leaders among the Embe appeared so bent upon prolonging the dis- cussion of any question was that it was customary for these old men, when considering a weighty matter. to subsist entirely upon a meat diet. The meat they eat is the flesh of either sheep or goats, derived from the fines which they inflict upon any delinquents in the tribe who have been brought to them for trial. Meat is considered so highly as a luxury, among these people, that one of these old men is willing to speak for an hour or two upon any subject, in order to secure a pound or two of flesh. A story, illustrating the methods of these elders in such mat- ters, came to my ears during my stay among the Embe upon this occasion. An old man _ possessing a small flock of ten goats was accused by a neighbour of having stolen two from him. Immediately the old men of the adjacent villages assembled to dis- cuss the matter, and mete out justice to the contend- ing parties. They spent five days in the discussion, during which time two goats per diem were needed for their sustenance, which was supplied by the defendant to the action. When they found his stock had become exhausted, they adjudged the case in his favour, and forced the plaintiff to pay to the defendant two goats, for having accused him falsely. I found that the government “of the Embemawas in a sénse patriarchal, in that the policy of) Mme qaqW AHL AO SHAILVN ADIHD Ly YZ wy " At Wi Gy LO UI? f 7 4} Yj ) I a) \? : | Wy YY Pf 24, Sf : yt WAT ick Mf OP at WWD Bole ; yl Ay y iy? i) 1 ep Uy 1 ii) ir , | A Wy, i) !) We Wain 2 WOE GET) WIV yy My) fi U, My, Ai “fff aye Sy yh ll a) ys Bf ” 71> yy A Y,. ; ji ifn f : iy Wh of} Z Y Dik Bi 2 ys y ye AL A sO AE Ue page hip aly ray Uh y, Yi, ly, My NZ i fy), Hip y ”Y Ui Wi Yas 5 é ; Hr ae Gy li im iA Gad. Yip f Z Y Y/ le . “Mer | ‘ ae i NA ws , Hh Wah Ee | Ch i \\" (ee RY i) i ao: Nahe A | on AOA 4 VP S ¥QXQ0_“B iy ny \ \ \\ as IN > yy Api \ NN WAS N NW N \ S fo YEG Wii CHAP. VI WeAV EES AN EBASPERIN APRIGA 245 country lay principally in the hands of the old men. Their power is tempcred, however, by the fact that the influence of two other classes is brought to bear upon their deliberations in counsel. These two classes are the newly married men and the warriors. The richest and most influential old man in each vil- lage is made the judge or arbiter in all disputes arising between the inhabitants of that village. Such questions as petty larceny, trespass, and violence are submitted to him for adjudication. When an inhabi- tant of one village inflicts some wrong upon a resi- dent of another village, a joint commission is formed consisting of the older and more influential men of the two villages; and to this body there is generally added a man of renowned sagacity, brought from some distant village to express his opinion. The whole Embe country, which comprises about 10,000 inhabitants, is divided into several districts, each possessing an old man who is supposed to be so much more intelligent than his fellows, that his voice carries most weight in all matters relating to his district. These local divisions vary in size and importance, and, as far as I could gather, are twelve in number. The richest of all the districts was the one in which we were encamped, and the headman of this division of the Embe was an elder named Liria, who happened to be one of the hostages we had detained while in the Daitcho country. The councils at which all questions of moment are discussed are composed exclusively of old men; that is, men who have been married for more than five years. The warriors, as a class, are not repre- 246 THROCGH JONGLEVAND VD ESEiae CHAP. sented in these deliberations. The newly married men (that is, those who have been married for a period not so long as five years) are given seats in the coun- cils, but no voice. The home policy of the country and its internal affairs are regulated entirely by the old men. The foreign policy (if their dealings with neighbouring tribes may fittingly be thus designated) and the defence of their native land rest entirely in the hands of the warriors; although in case of invasion every able-bodied man is supposed to render all assist- ance in his power. For many years the warriors of the Embe nation have not indulged in attacks upon neighbouring tribes. Some years ago, however, the Masai were accustomed to pasture their flocks on the Leikipia plateau, but a few days journey from the Jombeni range. In those days the young warriors of the Embe country gathered together, formed raiding par- ties of several hundred and ventured forth in search of plunder. If successful, they would bring back many head of cattle from the Masai; in which case they would give a certain number to the influential men of their village, the remainder being divided among the warriors who composed the raiding party. The spoils were supposedly divided among the warriors according to merit; that is, the warrior who had performed the doughtiest deeds claimed the greatest share. The divisions of spoil often presented scenes of much more bitter conflict than the preceding raid. It was not always the warrior who had performed the _ bravest feats at the time of the raid who profited most, for perhaps he was incapacitated by his wounds from a VI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 247 making an appearance, but it was he who at the time of the division was strongest, and was able by the might of his strong right arm to seize and retain the greatest amount of spoil. Among the Embe as among the Daitcho, and in fact among all the people who inhabit the slopes of Mount Kenya and the Jombeni range, marriage is by purchase; and the young warrior whose heart is fired by the smile of some maiden whom he wishes to possess is induced to go forth from his home and plunder his neighbours, in order that he may thereby acquire the means to purchase her from her father. It is only by means of the rankest superstition that the old men are able to maintain their supremacy over the hot-blooded youths. They convince the young men that in the hands of the sages alone rest the fate and fortune of the warriors in battle. Before a war party sets out, the warriors from each district are presented by the most influential men of the dis- trict (in all cases one who is not only the richest and wisest, but also most fluent in speech, and can con- vince them that he is possessed of supernatural power) with some magic emblem, which they are told. will enable them to conquer in battle. If the party 1s successful in the foray, the wise old man claims and receives a share of the spoil. If they fail, he allows no one to exceed him in the’ violence of his lamenta- tions and imprecations; and insists that the warriors must in some way, by their own ill judgment, have interfered with the proper working of the charm he gave them. Owing to the superstition of these youths, 248 LHKROCGH (/CNGLEVAND TOES igh CHAP. the old men retain their control. In fact, with the elders it is: “ Heads, I win; tails, you lose.” At the time I visited the Embe, there was not one man in the entire tribe, who was considered so great and powerful in magic as to be placed above his fellow-workers; but not many miles distant from the Embe, on the borders of the Janji country, there lived a mighty wizard, named Donytuli Mono Vomari (Dony- tuli, the son of Vomari). He was said to be an old man stricken in years, but one whose skill and ability were such that he had never been known to give any but the very best advice in all matters connected with either business or war. He was not a native of the tribe among whom he dwelt. His father, Vomari, was a Masai medicine-man, who for some reason had settled among the mountain people; and upon his death his power, in greatly increased degree, had de- scended upon his son. I was told that upon the occasion of our visit to the Wamsara he, being asked | his advice, sent word to those people to treat us well, in order that they might be treated well by us in turn; and that the defeat which the Wamsara had sustained at our hands tended greatly to increase his influence. So, upon some of the elders of the Embe going to him, and telling him that I was going to visit their country, he laid stress upon it, that they must treat us well in every way. As previously stated, the men of the Embe country are divided broadly into two classes — the warriors and the old men. Between these two come the young married men. These in some cases (for example, when they are poor) join the warriors— who in all cases VI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 249 are unmarried —upon their forays; but, as a rule, marriage seems to sever once for all the bonds which tie a man to the fighting class. For the first five years they attend the gatherings of the old men, but are not allowed to participate in the debates; nevertheless, they are supposed to represent the warrior class in these assemblies, and before a meeting takes place they assemble, and appoint one of the old men to represent this class in the debates. I was unable to get as full information as I desired in regard to the manners and customs of these people, but succeeded in gathering a few points, among which I deem the following of most interest. The inhabitants of this mountain range, like all East Africans who are not as yet converted to Chris- tianity or Mohammedanism, had no clear idea of the Deity. They supposed there was a Supreme Being of some sort, and that it was their duty to propitiate this Being before starting upon any enterprise. He was supposed to be a stern God, and, as far as I could gather, not altogether just; but in no small measure open to the benign influence of bribery. Before essaying any enterprise, sacrifices were offered, not burnt offerings, but gourds filled with grain or some other small tribute —of value, however, to the giver. These were hung upon trees, or suspended from forked sticks in the neighbourhood of the offerer’s dwelling. Connected with this Supreme Being, and so closely as scarcely to be disjoined, were the local deities — such as the genii of the hills, holes, and rivers. These likewise were to be propitiated in some way, either by the inhabitants of the district 250 THROGCGH JONGLE ANDRES igs CHAP. where the hills, holes, or rivers were located, or by the person whose enterprise led him to the neighbour- hood of such _ places. The future was foretold by the wise men in two ways: either by means of a gourd filled with different a | Ve? “oe hh | ! yo Y, Y y Ya (hae / G f dW Yi My ( 4 fj 4) 5 oe Ly, Wh MY he D q yf i, ie a ow < (ad 7 \\ Wy 7 NM 2 He ye ! By ‘ | ’ hy ho Hi wy) ' Wik, 4 / ae f < yp We f wl | ee EMBE SHEPHERDS coloured pebbles, or by means of two bits of leather shaped like sandals, and covered on one side with ornamental designs. The gourd and pebbles were used as follows. The old man, placing the pebbles in the gourd, shook it up, meanwhile uttering some magic words, and then allowed the stones one by one — vi TRAVEIES IN BASTERIN APRICA 251 to drop out into his left hand. The message of Fate was conveyed by the manner in which they emerged from the hole in the gourd, and thus was determined the outcome of the enterprise under consideration. The strips of leather were used after the following manner. One strip was held in each hand, and the seer, closing his eyes, danced back and forth for a time, repeating words of supposed magic import, meanwhile beating the strips together. After a time a strip was thrown over each shoulder, and the position in which they fell upon the ground de- termined whether the omen was good or evil. Pro- phesying by this latter means is not confined to the old men, for the old women likewise claim skill in thus foretelling the course of events. Circumcision was practised among these people after the manner of the Masai. The circumcisor was invariably a man of not more than middle age. The operation was performed upon the boys at an age, as near as I could judge, between eight and ten. When a young woman has reached a marriageable age, and her hand has been sought by some warrior, the young man pays his attentions to her father. He bargains for her as he would for merchandise — so many goats, so many yams, so much work upon the father’s plantation, etc. When the purchase price has been mutually agreed to, the young man must by hook or crook possess himself of a sufficient quantity of honey-wine to enable his future father-in-law to indulge in a state of thorough intoxication. This latter act is considered a necessary one, and a fitting seal to the bargain. After consent has been wrung from the un- 252 LIHROCGH JONGLE AND DESERT CHAP. willing parent, the young woman is decked in all her finery, and sent in company with another girl (invariably one of plainer appearance, that she may fittingly act as a foil to the future bride’s charms) from village to village, and in some cases from district to district, where she dances and shows herself to all her friends and acquaintances, in order that she may receive from them gifts appropriate to the occasion of her marriage. This is continued for several days, ceasing only when she or her parents are satisfied that the generosity of the neighbours has been exhausted. Then is she given over into the hands of the old women. The young man presently comes to claim his bride, and from that day on they are man and wife. The position of women here is from birth an entirely subservient one, unless by chance in their old age they are sufficiently intelligent to convince their neighbours of their possession of supernatural power; in which case their influence is almost as great as that of a medicine-man. The young girls and boys move about entirely unclad. At the age of ten, or thereabouts, the young girl dons a bit of leather, or a short skirt of other material, worn about the waist; but after marriage the women are clad, almost to the extent of decency, with hides and skins. The boys after circumcision wear a short cloak sim1- lar to that worn by the warriors; and the old men wear a whole cowhide, or, if particularly wealthy, they may indulge in the extravagance of clothing themselves in a warm robe of monkey skins. After marriage the short cloak worn during youth and early manhood is laid aside. VI PRAVELES IN PASTERN APRICA 253 “= Among the Embe the dead are accorded scant cere- mony. As soon as life is ascertained to be extinct, the dead bodies are thrown out into the fields, where the keen-scented hyena, or some other beast of prey, soon removes all signs of the deceased. Life is to these people such an interesting matter, that it seems to en- gross their entire attention, and little thought is taken of the body after the spirit has forsaken it. The sole amusement of the people is dancing. The old men and old women dance together, and the war- riors with the maidens. At the dances of the elders honey-wine flows freely, and debauchery is always the result. The young people, however, are not allowed to partake of the stimulant, which among these excit- able people does not seem to be necessary in youth; _ but by leaping into the air, and indulging in tumult- uous shouts, they work themselves to such a pitch of fury as apparently to lose their reason; they foam at the mouth and hurl themselves upon the ground, where they writhe. The facility with which a warrior enters into this epileptic condition is accepted as evi- dence of the degree in which he possesses the martial spirit; and it is said of the experts in this line, that their enemies will vanish before them as dew before the rising sun. The desire to win such favourable opinion leads many of the warriors to assume a degree of frenzy which they do not possess; but should the counterfeiter be discovered, he is forced to submit to very rough treatment. Mirevevare three articles manufactured by the Embe; implements of war, implements of agriculture, and ornaments for the person. Iron is found in large 254 THROUGH JUNGLE AND, DESERE CHAP. quantities on the plains surrounding the Jombeni range —mostly in the dried watercourses. The sand or bits of stone impregnated with the iron are gathered and carried to the mountains, where they are sold to the smiths. There is no coal found upon the moun- tains; so they use charcoal for smelting purposes. The tools of the smith consist of a rude iron hammer, pincers, and bellows,—the latter being clumsily made from skins. In each district there are to be found several smiths; these are kept busy from day to day, welding spears, swords, arrow heads, and arrow tips. The spears and swords are well made, but very poorly tempered. They have no files, and their weapons are sharpened by whetting upon a stone. The women are very proficient in weaving bags. The stitch which they use in weaving appears most complicated, but an excellent article is the result of their work. The bags are made in several sizes,— some large enough to contain a bushel. The fibre used in weaving is taken from the inner bark of a tree growing upon the mountains. | The bows of the warriors consist of straight sticks, the ends of which are not curved backward, as in the so-called Asiatic bow. The arrows are not more than two feet in length, but are very well made, —the tips being carefully inserted and the ends skilfully feathered. The natives reported that their plantations were often visited by elephants and rhinoceroses. As a safeguard against the inroads of these beasts, the frontier of the country was skirted with deep pits, at the bottoms of which sharp, poisoned sticks were placed in an upright position. VI CAV LIES VIN PPA STDIN ALR CA 255 The portion of the Jombeni range which we first visited, and where we secured Motio, is the most cov- ered by forests, and therefore is the most recently set- tled portion of the range. We found people engaged in making clearings in the forest and founding new settlements; which is evidence that the land already under cultivation did not yield sufficient for the needs of the growing tribe. The language of the people throughout the Jombeni range is much the same, and is akin to that spoken by the dwellers on Mount Kenya. Probably, therefore, the inhabitants of the Jombeni range are offshoots of the Kikuyu who inhabit the slopes of Mount Kenya. Naturally, then, it is to be supposed that they first en- tered into possession of the portion of the range lying nearest the home from which they had set out. Immi- gration must have taken place many years ago; for the Jombeni range, when I visited it, was but sparsely covered with forests, and the principal forest lay at the northern end of the range. In the better portion of the Embe country, I found that land was not only held by individual proprietors, but that a certain amount of territory was held in common by the inhabitants of one, and, in some cases, of several villages. On these commons were pastured the flocks of the people by whom the land was held. It is to be supposed that this condition of affairs was arrived at in much the following manner. When the first pioneers reached the country, each family made a clearing for itself, and reserved some land in the immediate neighbourhood to be used as pasture for its flocks. As the population grew, and the land 256 LHROOGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. already under their cultivation was no longer sufficient for proper sustenance, parties of young people set out and made small clearings; which in turn they divided into property held by individuals, and property held in common by the members of the little community. I inquired whether in any event the common or pasture land was encroached upon by plantations, and received a negative response. If a man’s flocks or herds grew so numerous that he was unable properly to pasture them upon the common land of the village in which he lived, he was forced to purchase an interest in that of some other village, where the common land was more than sufficient for the needs of the inhabitants. In this way, the richer men in the Embe country pos- sessed interest in several holdings, which in some cases were separated by considerable distances. . At first sight, one would suppose that nothing could prevent a member of the Embe tribe, with shrewd- ness, intelligence, and industry, from becoming rich far above his fellows, and arrogating to himself a pre- ponderating influence in the tribe. In my first deal- ings with the people I had asked, “Who is your king?” The reply was, “There is no king) SaNo man dared to claim a greater share of power than his neighbour. When industry and activity coupled with intelligence are found, one is apt to look for and ex- pect ambition for power, but I was struck by the apparent absence of it among these people. An ex- tended acquaintance with them developed the cause of this unity of interest and lack of individuality. There could be no Czsar among the Embe, unless a man should come among them whose body was VI | TRAVELS SIN BASTERN APRICA PSG] proof against poison. As soon as a man took it upon himself to claim power among these people, by reason either of superlative ability, or of wealth, as the result of such ability, he was taken off in short order. The art of the poisoner is handed down from father to son, and the poisoners, in almost all cases, are the most influential men of the villages. But in no community of these people is there but one poisoner; and the presence of several of these wretches seems to prevent one of their number from rising to supreme power. The poisons used are of two kinds, vegetable and animal. The vegetable poisons are used only on. the tips of their arrows, or, in rare instances, upon the points of their spears and swords. It is by means of the animal poisons alone that these poisoners exercise their power. Their poisons, as far as I could learn, are extracted from serpents and decayed animal matter. It was easy to distinguish the poisoner from his fellows. He wore suspended from his neck and waist charms consisting of bits of wood and small antelope horns. Another indication was, that when he took from a small bag (customarily carried by all the old men of the Embe) a piece of cassava, manioc, sugar-cane, or the highly prized miraa, and offered it to his neighbour, the proffered gift was declined. The manner in which the lands are held, and the absolute absence of anything tending to establish the supremacy of one individual above his fellows, together with the general looseness of the government, all go to show the weaknesses and advantages attendant upon a purely socialistic state. Perhaps it is the limited horizon S 258 THROOGH JUNGLE AND, DESERT CHAP. that meets the intellectual gaze of every native of this country which prevents, more than all else, their advance- ment on the road toward civilization. ‘Their interests are purely personal, and, at furthest, local. They seemed actuated by no curiosity about my home and my coun- try in the questions which they asked me. In this connection they showed a marked dif- ference from the inhab- itants of Kuilimanjiro, although perhaps oth- erwise their equals. There, the different chiefs never appeared so interested as when questioning me about My it j Nit ey Wl" i wy the way I lived at home, B ; we and about the relative all power of the different yy iy s ii\ Mi is countries of Europe; an e | gn although they had no ~ conception of geogra- phy and had rarely, if ever, heard that the few white men who visited them belonged to dif- ferent nationalities. As may readily be supposed, the Embe had no exact measure of time. They counted from moon to moon, and from rainy season to rainy season. If more than one rainy season had elapsed between LIRIA Most influential man among the Embe VI DRAVELS TN OEASTERN “APRICA 259 events, they contented themselves with the statement that the event happened long ago. ‘Their method of counting was similar to that of the Masai. They counted by tens to fifty; beyond fifty was “ many,” and a greater number was “very many.” This was expressed by several repetitions of the word “ipi” (fifty). In matters of business they were unwilling to trust to a verbal count. In trading, as, for example, in acquiring a donkey, which had a value of six goats, or other equivalent, they would produce six small sticks, and as the value of each goat was tendered, whether in iron wire, beads, or cloth, they would put aside one of the twigs, and repeat this action until the full value of the donkey had been accounted for. For all property of considerable value, such, for example, aS a woman, a cow, donkey, land, a house, ivory, or the highly prized honey-wine, the unit of value was a goat; but in the purchase of grain, beans, or edible tuberous roots, trade, among themselves, was regulated not by any particular standard of value, but by the eagerness expressed by one for the goods of the other. For instance, a woman with a bag of manioc would be able to exchange it for whatever she considered its equivalent in grain or beans, should she excite in some one having such articles a similar desire for what she brought to market. It was only in the barter and sale of vegetables and grain that the women were allowed to engage. Where articles of considerable value were bought or sold, the matter was considered of too great moment to be left to the feminine mind. Among themselves, or with neighbouring tribes with whom they had es- 260 THROUGH JONGLE AND DES ERas CHAP. tablished friendly relations, trade was carried on with great vigour; but when visited by strangers, as they have no idea of establishing trade with the outside world, the chief desire seemed to be to rob them, and possess the wealth of the stranger with as little cost to themselves as possible. These were the people with whom we were to make a treaty. We intended and hoped that the treaty, once ratified, would go far toward enabling Europeans and traders from the coast to enter the Embe country with- out danger and transact business with them. The next day, shortly after noon, Liria came to my tent, and with solemn mien informed me that the elders of the Embe were gathered together for the purpose of going through the ceremony of muma with me. After a short chat, I went with him to a hill) a short distance above our camp, and there saw about fifty of their influential men gathered together. Among their number I recognized several who had made trouble with us during our former stay in this country, in February. After an exchange of greetings, Lieutenant von Hohnel and I accompanied them to a small island formed by a fork in a brook near by. They told us that this island was sacred to muma-making of the gravest type. Twenty selected elders joined us here, and hundreds of men, young and old, were crowded together, overlooking the ceremony. The first order given was for the removal of all weapons from the island, as the muma was to be a peace muma, and the presence of any sort of weapon would render all efforts invalid. This was followed by the presentation of a small stick covered with thorns to Lieutenant von VI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 261 Hohnel and me, and we were instructed to remove each thorn carefully from the stick. This completed, cheers went up from the resounding hills. Then a female sheep was brought and offered up as a sacrifice ; next a small palm branch was given to each of us— one, likewise, being retained in the hands of each of the elders, and each branch having been dipped in the blood of the sheep. Waving them on high, we all declared our everlasting friendship for one another, and called down curses upon the one who should first endeavour to break the bond of amity and _ peace. Then a small strip of skin was cut from each of the hind legs of the sheep, and, a hole being punched in these, they were placed upon our fingers as rings. This completed the ceremony, and we returned to camp, more than 1000 natives accompanying us, beat- ing their bows and arrows together, and shouting: She Hiuropean is. now the brother of the Embe! The European is now the brother of the Embe!” Arrived at our camp, we presented the old men with gifts, which drew from them expressions of satis- faction and pleasure, and they said that henceforth all white men would be welcomed as brothers. I hastened to add that the same treatment must be accorded all Zanzibari traders from the coast. To this, eventually, they unwillingly agreed. They then asked us for “medicine” with which to fight a rival tribe, which inhabited a part of the country three or four days’ journey from them. To this request we replied that the time was unsuited for the making of war medicine; for, should we do so, it would probably have a dire effect upon the peace muma we had just celebrated. 262 THROOGH JONGLE AND DESLieit CHAP. We discovered that there had been present, during the ceremony of muma-making, a representative sent by Donytuli, the great medicine-man; which proved his desire to enter into bonds of friendship with the Europeans. We rewarded him for this by sending him a large present; and thought it was with this possible end in view that his representative was sent to attend the treaty-making. The next day we returned to Daitcho, and again found the difference in the air very noticeable. Dait- cho is but 2500 feet above sea-level, while the Embe country is 5000. We there found the Zanzibari expe- dition of thirty men returned from their venture among the Wanderobbo. They reported that ill luck had attended them throughout the journey; that all their donkeys had died, and they were forced to eat the food. Doubt of the truth of their statement was removed when we observed their fat and sleek appearance. They wished me to give them a letter to their master at the coast, in testimony of the efforts they had made to earn large sums; and were very much surprised when I declined. I have no doubt that their meeting with their masters at the coast was a stormy one. We spent the next two or three days in preparations for our departure, Our long stay at—Daitcho, had enabled us to purchase and lay in a supply of food sufficient for nearly forty days for the entire caravan. Most of this was in flour. The day before our departure George arrived with thirty-seven donkeys; thirty of these were loaded with food. We took with us ten loads of various trading- goods — flannel blankets, Scotch shawls, the most VI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 263 expensive sorts of beads, brass chains, and a number of agates, which we heard were much prized in the north. These ten loads were sufficient to buy camels and donkeys, and we hoped the quality of the goods would please the most fastidious natives. We ex- pected by the introduction of such articles as flannel shawls and blankets to inspire these people with a desire for trade with Europeans; for we knew that no Arabs or Zanzibari would take such expensive goods. Before the departure of the Beloochi, with their caravan, they paid us a visit, and after the usual beg- ging, by which they succeeded in getting a good present, they told us something about the country to the north. They themselves had never seen the Rendile, but had met a man who, some years before, while trading with the Wanderobbo, had fallen in with a large party of these people. He found it impossible to trade with them, and was forced to decamp during the night lest he should be attacked. The Beloochi assured us that a large force would be required for a trip to the Rendile country, as all the rumours they had heard tended to show that the character of the Rendile was most overbearing and ferocious. We had decided to take with us sixty-five men, the pick of our caravan, and a large quantity of ammuni- tion. We judged this number of men to be sufficient for defence, at least, and we placed great confidence in the quality of our goods to induce the Rendile to trade with us. On the third day Hamidi with six men was de- spatched to the coast, accompanying the Swahili cara- van of thirty men. He was told, again and again, that 264 THROUGH JONGLE AND DESHI CHAP. he was to return without fail within three months. This period, should he make the slightest effort, we felt confident would be amply sufficient; and he as- sured us that, should he meet with no mishap, we should find him at Daitcho upon our return from the Rendile. | Upon our return to Daitcho from the Embe, we were so fortunate as to find in one of the villages a Wanderobbo, who had just returned from the desert. He expressed a willingness to accompany us, and added that he knew the country well; and though he was ignorant of the whereabouts of the Rendile, he could take us to some of his own people, who would gladly lead us to that tribe. He said that he had been forced to leave the desert, owing to the famine preva- lent among his people; and his emaciated body served to confirm his statement. As we were about to venture upon an enterprise the outcome of which was clouded with uncertainty, I left with George a letter of instructions, which he was to follow in case anything happened to us. Should we not return to Daitcho by January 1, 1894, he was instructed to return to the coast; for in. such case we should probably have met with such a mishap that longer stay on his part would be useless. With our cattle, sheep, and goats, together with the food carried by the donkeys, we were equipped with food for sev- enty-five days; and as the country to the north was reported to be well supplied with game, we felt that we had sufficient for nearly five months. During the afternoon of June 5, Lieutenant von Hohnel and I, accompanied by sixty-five men, bade fare- VI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 265 well to Daitcho, and turned our faces to the north. Our hearts beat high with hope. We felt convinced that should fortune favour us in the slightest degree, we should not only accomplish geographical discovery, but return to Daitcho well supplied with beasts of burden; which, together with the supplies we had or- dered Hamidi to bring from the coast, would enable us to start out equipped for eighteen months’ further exploration; and this, after a stay of already more than one year in the interior. CH Aga saat Our guide told us that at a point two days’ journey beyond the Guaso Nyiro River we could find Wan- derobbo able to conduct us. Our route to the Guaso Nyiro River, at least as far as the Ngombe crater, was the same as we had taken on our way to Lorian. But two events of interest occurred on our way to this point. On one occasion, two days’ journey from Daitcho, I descended from a slight rise at the head of my caravan, and saw before me, browsing on the plain not 300 yards distant, two rhinoceroses. The wind was blowing from us to them, and I little ex- pected that we should have opportunity to get near enough to kill them. As I descended the slope toward the plain on which they were pasturing, they seemed simultaneously to become aware of our pres- ence, and with a snort raised their heads, and gazed in our direction. The action of each upon making this discovery was different: one of them made off as fast as it could canter in the direction of the hills rising on our left, while the other, pausing for a mo- ment, as if to make sure of our whereabouts, lowered its head to the ground, and charged us in a deter- mined manner. I called for my gun-bearer, Karscho, but found that for some reason he had remained be- hind for a moment; so that I was forced to seize a 266 CHAP. VII IA VWAGIES. TOM, SBS IS BIS VAIAED 6 Ore! 267 Mannlicher from one of the Soudanese at the head of the column. The rhinoceros approached to within 150 yards of the caravan, and then turned off at a slight angle to our right, thus presenting a fair mark. | fired three shots in quick succession, but as they ap- peared to have no effect upon the movements of the animal, I concluded I had missed. On it plunged for perhaps 200 yards; and while I was hesitating whether or not to give it the two remaining shots in the mag- azine, it suddenly tumbled to the ground, and lay life- less on its side. Upon examination, I found that all three shots had taken effect, but so far back in its body as not to have had immediate effect upon the activity of the animal. One shot entered between the last two ribs; the other two penetrated the space between the ribs and the hind leg. If these wounds had been inflicted with an express rifle, I feel that I am correct in stating that I should never have gotten the rhinoceros. On several occasions in my former journey I put more than nine .577 shots into the loins of a rhinoceros, without producing any more apparent effect than to accelerate its speed. The meat of this beast was most welcome to my men. It was a female, and having pastured on the new grass brought out by the late rains, was in excellent condition. The other adventure was less pleasant and satisfac- tory. Upon reaching our old camp under the giant baobab in the neighbourhood of the Kora crater, we found that, notwithstanding the fact that the rains had just ended, there was not a drop of water in the imme- diate neighbourhood. We went waterless to bed that night. Knowing that between us and the Guaso Nyiro 268 THROUGH JUNGLE AND TOES haa CHAP. there lay a weary stretch of desert country, Lieutenant von Hodhnel set out early on the following morning in search of water, with all the men, with the excep- tion of my two tent-boys, who remained with me to guard the camp. Late that night they returned, hav- ing watered all the animals, and filled the goat-skin bags and camp kettles. It was by mere chance, how- ever, that Lieutenant von Hohnel found water. For hours they searched in every nook and cranny. At length, late in the afternoon, they came upon a well- beaten rhinoceros path, which they followed until they arrived at what had once been a pool of water, but was then empty. The soil at the bottom was not yet dried; so by working with sharp sticks and the bayonets of the porters, a little well was soon dug, into which at the slowest possible rate water trickled. There proved to be just sufficient in this hollow to satisfy the imme- diate wants of the caravan. Had we failed in finding water that day, we should have been forced to retrace our steps to the headwaters of the Mackenzie, fill our water-skins there, and set out afresh. On the roth of June we reached Ngombe crater, and there camped. Our Wanderobbo guide said that the water in the crater was at all times drinkable. This we doubted, as we had tasted it on our former visit; never- theless, the men were sent down to verify or discredit his statement. They returned with water strongly im- pregnated with sulphate of magnesium, yet drinkable. This water was not taken from the main hole in the centre of the crater, but from a small and well-con- -cealed spring which rose in a fissure between two rocks on the side. Vil TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 269 June 11 was my twenty-sixth birthday; it was spent upon the bleak side of the crater. With the excep- tion of the caravan, there was no sign of life in view. Even in the rainy season this portion of the desert is never covered with grass. Small, stunted, and almost lifeless mimosa raised their twisted forms here and there on the plain. Of game there was none; and were it not for the well-beaten path which leads from the crater to the Jombeni range, one might imagine one’s self thousands of miles away from life in any form. How- ever, I accepted as my birthday present the fact that the water in the crater proved drinkable. Disagreeable though its flavour, my men seemed really to enjoy it. It was months since many of them had tasted salt, so that they welcomed its taste as a delicacy, and feasted the entire day upon what was left of the rhinoceros meat) From the Ngombe crater our route to the Guaso Nyiro lay more to the southward than the one made use of upon our Lorian journey. Our Wan- derobbo guide told us that he would lead us in two days to a place where we could ford the Guaso Nyiro River. To find such a place was an absolute neces- sity, for we knew the stream would be much swollen by the recent rains, and altogether impassable in most places. The next day we marched twelve miles across the desert lying between the Jombeni range and the river. What was our surprise to find in the centre of the desert a large bubbling spring, shaded by acacia trees. There we pitched our camp. About eight miles to the southward rose Mount Chabba; and due east, just above the level of the desert, we could discern the tops 270 LHROUGH JONGLE AND DES CHAR: of the dhum palms which outlined the course of the Guaso Nyiro. Immediately upon leaving Daitcho our donkeys exhibited signs of sickness, and by the time we reached this point, seven of them had died. When we set out a few days before, each one of them appeared fat and lusty; and we thought we had at length rid ourselves of the disease which had deprived us of so many beasts of burden. We had thirty of them left, and ten head of cattle; so we were not downcast, as we trusted the assurances of our guide, that he would soon take us to people who zz.- would lead us oe tO the Rendile, where we could AES LLYN zee tj?” Wai purchase more beasts of burden. While at this camp, Lieuten- ant von Hohnel killed a rhinoc- AN EMBE DONKEY eros, and one of the Soudanese, while on watch in the early morning, shot an oryx beisa; so I decided to rest here another day. Large herds of zebra (chag- mant) roamed in the immediate neighbourhood of the camp; so near, in fact, that we were able to take pho- tographs of them. While upon the subject of photographs, I may say that we had taken with us two cameras: one of small size made in Paris, which took a negative four by five inches, and could be used without a tripod; and another, much larger, which took a negative seven by VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 271 eight inches. For the latter we had three lenses, one for landscape, another, a rectilinear, and the third, tele- objective. The latter is a very useful invention, and with it one is able to take photographs at great dis- tances, as the lens possesses magnifying power. We had goo plates with us, and took over 500 photographs during our journey; but on account of the poor quality of the water we did not deem it well to try the develop- ment of these plates in the interior. So we carefully packed and soldered them in air-tight tins, and, as opportunity occurred, we shipped instalments of them to Europe, where they were developed by Mr. Thom- son, of London. Unfortunately, more than one-half of our plates turned out poorly, and from these, of course, Mr. Thomson was unable to get good results. This may have been due to faulty packing; or, what is more probable, to the fact that the gelatine upon the plates may have decomposed, as they were kept for a long time before developing — some of the nega- tives having been kept nearly two years. Whenever occasion offered, Lieutenant von Hohnel made use of the photographic apparatus, and it is a matter of deepest regret that we were unable to pre- serve more of the plates in sufficiently good condition to obtain worthy results. It is dificult to obtain good results from photography on one of these journeys, as the opportunities for giving attention to development are few, when the caravan is on the march. Upon my former journey I carried a small kodak and took, with some pains, and not a little danger, 100 photo- graphs of camp scenes, natives, and big game. What was my disgust, upon reaching Europe and delivering 272 THROUGH JONGLE AND DESERT. CHAP. my kodak to the Eastman Company in London, to ascertain that there had been no film in my appara- tus; consequently all my efforts had been in vain! I know, however, of one gentleman (Mr. Baumann, the Austrian traveller), who achieved the most satisfactory results from a large kodak, while upon a journey last- ing more than a year. It is really impossible for an African traveller to be an expert in all the different branches of science and art found useful during his journeys. To be a perfect traveller one should be a geographer, doctor, surveyor, mineralogist, photographer, ethnologist, min- ing expert, philologist, entomologist, and zodlogist. These are but a few of the qualifications required for the best results from effort. Added to these, there should be knowledge of the natives, a strong consti- tution, determination to proceed at any cost, money, diplomacy; and last, but by no means least, patience and humanity are necessary. The ideal explorer has as yet to be born. But bearing in mind the inability of two or three Europeans to comprise in their per- sons all the knowledge and qualities essential to ideal success, there still exists no reason that one should confine his efforts only to those subjects with which he is thoroughly familar. Even the most limited success, attended by no matter how great effort, is of value in adding to the world’s knowledge. To me at least, the words of Robert Louis Stevenson seem true: “It is not by success alone that one should judge uselul seliort— Mr. Stanley said, I think, that the time had not yet come for the scientific traveller to visit Africa, VII TRAV EES IN EASTERN APRICA 278 and that as yet only pioneers were necessary — men who should travel through the country and_ build feads. lo a great extent this is true; but there is no reason why men possessed of the will, if not of the most transcendent ability, should not endeavour to add their modicum to a more comprehensive knowl- edge of countries heretofore unknown. On the evening of June 14 we reached the forda- ble point of the Guaso Nyiro. It is about four miles to the northwest of Mount Chabba. On the opposite bank the land rises to the height of 1000 feet above the surface of the stream which washes its base. There it is only thirty yards wide and but five feet deep ; but the current, swollen by the recent rains, flowed with great rapidity between its steep banks. Two more donkeys died there; and, as we were una- ble to carry the loads of food they had borne, we buried the loads, four in number, in a secure hiding- place among the rocks, trusting they would prove of service to us upon our return journey. We spent one day on the banks of the Guaso Nyiro, and greatly enjoyed bathing in the river. It was undoubt- edly well filled with crocodiles; but the soothing murmur and cool swirl of the waters wooed us from caution, and without hesitation we plunged several times into the stream; happily, with no ill result. The following day we crossed the river, followed along its left bank a distance of four miles, and then made camp. There another donkey and several goats died. In the afternoon I took a soup-plate, and spent two hours washing for gold in the sands on the river bank. Perhaps it was owing to my inex- T 274 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. perience, or perhaps to the fact that there was no gold there; but be it as it may, my efforts were un- attended with success. After two hours I gave up the gold-hunting in disgust, having succeeded in ac- cumulating but several handfuls of black sand. The next day an eight hours’ march brought us to a low gneiss hill, down the face of which trickled a diminutive stream. It disappeared in the sand at the base of the cliff, but after digging there we succeeded in getting sufficient water for all the men and beasts. Near our camp we found some rude shelters thrown up by the natives. These, our guide told us, had been built by the Jombeni range people within the past year, while engaged in a raid upon the Wan- derobbo. As the Wanderobbo possess no cattle or goats, these raids are for the purpose of making slaves of such natives as the raiders succeed in capt- uring. According to our guide, the preceding raid had resulted in the capture of a dozen women and children. On setting out from this camp, our guide pointed to a mountain ten miles distant, rising to a considerable height, and told us that there we should find his people, and be able to procure guides to lead us to the Rendile. On the march Lieutenant von Hohnel invariably walked in the rear of the caravan, as it was his custom frequently to take bearings of the different hills with his prismatic compass. On this day, while making such an observation, he saw, running at top speed across the plain in front of him, four elephants. He quickly seized a Mannlicher from his gun-bearer, and fired three shots at the nearest animal, which happened Vu Wie AOS) MIN SAS PE LN SALORLCA 275 to be the largest. Before it moved 600 yards, the ele- phant fell. Word was sent to me, and I halted the caravan, having first despatched our guide with two Masai interpreters, to search for water on the slopes of the large mountain pointed out to us. This moun- tain was called Lolokwi, and was then but a few miles distant. The strict Mohammedans absolutely refuse to eat elephant meat, but among my men were many who placed the gratification of appetite far above religious scruple, and it is almost needless to add that the Sou- danese were of this latter number. The elephant proved to be a female possessed of very fair tusks (the pair weighing nearly forty pounds), and as it was female ivory, it was worth nearly five dollars a pound. ‘Those of the men who indulged in elephant meat attacked the huge body, and in less than two hours they had added to their already heavy burdens vast chunks of the juicy flesh. Having removed the tusks, we permitted our men to supply themselves with such of the meat as they wanted, and then resumed our march. By 4 P.M. we were encamped on the slopes of Lolokwi. Water we found, but in the smallest possible quantity, near a few huts long before deserted by their former occupants, the Wanderobbo. The Wanderobbo stand in such dread of attack that they build their vil- lages in almost inaccessible spots, and in places well hidden from casual view. They are careful not to make use of one path to and fro, so that it is not until we had quite reached one of their villages, that we were aware of its proximity. My guide was much distressed at finding that these people had gone away. Six weeks had elapsed since he left them, and they had then told 276 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT, CHAP. him that they would remain on the sides of Mount Lolokwi for many months. Our Masai interpreters, who had formerly had experience with the Wande- robbo, were convinced that we should find some of that tribe in the neighbourhood of this mountain, and the following day they set out in search of them, and brought to camp one old man and seven old women. The people they brought to us were mere skeletons, scantily clad in well-worn pieces of antelope hide. Our Masai interpreters reported that they had had the greatest difficulty in inducing these people to accompany them, and it was not until they had told them we had slain an elephant the day before that they would follow them. They stopped but long enough to greet us, and then went forth in all haste to gather what the hyenas and vultures had left of the elephant Lieutenant von Hohnel had killed the pre- vious day. Twenty-four hours later they returned, bringing with them but the bones of the elephant, as the hyenas and vultures had devoured the meat. Nevertheless, these people were satisfied with the bones; they said they were full of marrow, and that, when the marrow was exhausted, they could pulverize the bones and make a pulp which would last them many days. They had been without other food than berries for fifteen days, as the able-bodied men of their village had been away hunting for that length of time, and had not yet returned. They expected them daily, and when they returned, these people said, we should have no difficulty in procuring guides for the continu- ance of our march. These Wanderobbo supported life to a great extent upon wild honey, which they VII RAV BES IN EASTERN AFRICA 277, found in quantities upon the slopes of Mount Lo- lokwi. The appearance of Lolokwi is most strange. Almost rectangular in shape, it rises to a height of 3000 feet above the plain, its steep sides and flat top giving it the appearance of a monstrous sepulchre. In the rainy season, abundant water is found in small streams tum- bling down its sides; but in the dry season one must be well acquainted with the surrounding country to find even a drop of the precious liquid. The Wanderobbo not only make hives by rudely hollowing logs, but are able to procure a great quantity of honey by following the honey bird. This bird is a most extraordinary creature, and its call is easily dis- tinguished. If it finds honey, it will fly to the neigh- bourhood of human beings, and by persistent singing finally succeeds in attracting attention. It then flies slowly off, stopping occasionally to permit the man following it to catch up; until at length it reaches the hollow in the ground, or in a log or tree, where there is the nest of bees. The native then advances, and satisfies himself; but is ever careful to leave behind a portion of the honey as the share of the bird. After our arrival at Lolokwi, four of the donkeys died. When we had stayed two days, our water-hole became exhausted, and we were forced to climb the face of the mountain a further height of 500 feet, in order to supply the wants of our caravan. We remained at Lolokwi six days, owing to the delayed arrival of the Wanderobbo, whom we were to secure for guides. During these days, Lieutenant von Hohnel made an excursion to some hills lying to the south of Lolokwi, 278 LHROUGH JONGLEVAND DESLRE CHAP. from which he got a good view, and was able to see the point of the Guaso Nyiro which he had reached on his former journey. This enabled him to complete his map of that river. Owing to the arid nature of the country, game was very scarce, and what little there was, was far too shy to permit us a shot. I spent most of the time during our Stay in questioning the old / ' : Y) Y, Gy (i. p i, ~. ty WH tf dak BL ees. //’ Uf j { y) oe 6 ‘ f My i eM i a ie AN. —¥/ ma Ley) q , \ ( Ae Hi abr ay If atoll fi 4 ARG INGEEROZ/; iM, See PAWS! Bi beg E t i) \\ } ' 1 ' id J iL Z y ; yp ext EG YG ZAM fond 7 Feraji Baraka Juma TENT-BOYS Wanderobbo, who, for the sake of a little food, appeared willing to give me all the information that lay in his power. | The Wanderobbbo we saw at this place were not elephant hunters; so they had rarely been visited by trading caravans. They lived entirely upon antelope flesh (which the able-bodied men shot with their bows and arrows), wild honey, and what berries and fruits the desert afforded. With the exception of the few days immediately after the arrival of a successful party VII TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA 279 of hunters, these Wanderobbo lived in a state of chronic starvation; for occasions when sufhcient honey to satisfy an entire village was procured were rare. Upon Lolokwi there lived but one settlement of Wanderobbo, composed, all told, of but fifty souls. Of these ten were active enough to hunt; then there was one old man, and the remainder were women and children. It seems that in this tribe the females greatly outnumber the males. This perhaps is explained by what my old friend told me. He said that women were capable of supporting life without food for many more days than men. These Wanderobbo all spoke the Masai language. They had few implements of any sort—four or five rudely shaped clay pots for carrying water and cooking, a few small axes, similar in shape to those I had seen on the Jombeni range, bows, arrows, and knives. | asked the old man why they did not go to the moun- tains, settle down with the people there, and work, and thus be relieved forever from starvation and famine. He said: No, they were fond of their mode of life; they knew no other; their fathers had lived the same life before them, and they were unwilling to trust them- selves in the vicinage of any other people. The worst time for them was during the rains; for then they were unable to use their bows, as the strings frayed and broke. During the rainy season they literally starved ; those of greatest vitality surviving, while the weaker ones died. Their one pleasure is the intoxication pro- duced by honey-wine. Lolokwi is one of the southernmost mountains of the General Matthews range, which extends from the 280 THROOGCGH JONGLE AND DESH CHAP. Guaso Nyiro, in a northwesterly direction, until it reaches Lake Rudolph. From our camp on Lolokwi we could see Mount Gerguess, at a distance of ten miles, rising abruptly from the plain in a series of jagged and forest-covered peaks. The summit of this mountain is 10,000 feet above the sea-level, and it is said to be inhabited by several bands of Wanderobbo’ who live solely upon honey, and upon no occasion ven- ture forth from the fastnesses of their mountain home to the plain below. From Gerguess the line of the General Matthews range stretches almost unbroken to Lake Rudolph. Its principal peaks are Mallon, Lassuran, Merkeben, Doto, Saddim, and Myiro. The old Wanderobbo told me that he had spent his entire life in the neighbour- hood of Lolokwi, and only on rare occasions had vis- ited the banks of the Guaso Nyiro; consequently he was unacquainted with any roads to the north. How- ever, he had heard his brothers talk about different roads, and he appeared quite willing to tell me all he knew about them. He said that during the rainy sea- son it was possible to follow the line of the moun- tains (meaning the General Matthews range) to Lake Rudolph; but other roads were also possible during the rains, particularly one, via Saramba and Marsabit. Those were the only roads to the north he had ever heard of. | As to the Rendile, he said that some of the mem- bers of his village had lived among that tribe, but that he had never seen them. He thought they lived somewhere between Saramba and Marsabit. He had heard that the Rendile were very bad people, particu- Vil TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 281 larly of late years; for they had conquered a large army of Somali (called, by the Wanderobbo and Masai, “Eljuju”). He added that the Rendile were always fighting; that they had many horses; and that he had heard there was a large tribe living near the Rendile, but not on good terms with them, called Borana. The tenor of all his conversation made us await with impatience the arrival of the men who were to act as our guides; and when at length they turned up, fat, sleek, greasy, and gorged with food, our spirits rose. The contrast between these men and their wives, mothers, and offspring was great indeed —the latter being mere skeletons. They brought with them a large quantity of meat, which their better halves seized with avidity, and carried off to their huts, where, doubt- less, it was soon despatched. The men were really fine-looking fellows; and I was at once struck with amen tact: that) their features were entirely different from those of any other natives of East Africa whom I had seen. They approached nearer the Somali type —having regular features, full-rounded chins, and fine, bold eyes. In colour, they were brown rather than black. The lobes of their ears were stretched, after the Masai fashion. Upon each side of the breast they bore a crescent-shaped scar, which started at a point near the shoulder and ended near the lowest rib. Upon receiving a small present, they sat down and allowed us to question them; but to our queries they failed to give answers at all satisfactory. They said they had originally belonged to the Berkenedji or Samburu tribe, which had originally possessed the 282 LHROCGH JONGLE AND DESERT: CHAP. country north of the Leikipia plateau, extending as far as Reschatt. But this tribe, having lost their herds by sickness and raids of the Masai, had become scattered. The majority of them, the more fortunate, such as possessed flocks and herds, settled down with the Rendile; the remainder joined the Wanderobbo, and lived by hunting game and honey. They appeared rnost unwilling to tell us anything about the Rendile; but said that they lived a great distance away, and that between Lolokwi and their country stretched a water- less, and hence impassable, desert. We told them we were bent upon going to the Rendile, and that we were convinced that some of them knew the road. They all shook their heads. Their language was Masai. I then told them I was a great medicine-man, and in support of my claim I went through the usual farce of burning a little spirit in a saucer. This appeared to convince them of my power, and at length one of them offered in exchange for a present to guide us, not to the Rendile (for he persisted in saying he did not know where they lived), but to some other Wande- robbo, who lived in the neighbourhood of the Rendiile, and would be able to guide us to them. He said that we should have great difficulty in crossing the desert; that the Wanderobbo never thought of doing so except in the rainy season; but if we were prepared for long marches, he thought that in three days he could take us to a place called Seran, where we were sure to find fresh guides. We gave this man a present, which pleased him oreatly. After receiving it, he told us that his@aie was about to become a mother, and that he should VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 283 be unable to leave her until the interesting event was past. We satisfied his scruples, however, by provid- ing her with a few bushels of beans. On June 25 we set out on our way to the Ren- euler All the cattle were forced to bear burdens, owing to the death of so many of our donkeys; and all the men who were not bearing loads carried a ORYX BEISA well-filled water-skin. Our guide told us that we should certainly reach water that night; but the appearance of the country was so arid and forbidding, that it was with forebodings of disappointment that we set out upon our journey. We started at six in the morning, and marched steadily until noon, when I halted to allow the donkeys and cattle, which were advancing very slowly, to catch up with the caravan. While thus waiting, two oryx beisa ran past the cara- t 284 THROUGH JONGLE ANDIDESE has CHAP. van at full speed, and I was fortunate enough to bring them down with one shot each from my Win- chester. They were very welcome, for the men could cook them without exhausting my little store of water. We waited over an hour for Lieutenant von Hoéhnel to turn up with the cattle and donkeys. He reported that he had had a rather exciting adventure a few miles back. While walking slowly along, accompanied by but a few men, he suddenly found himself sur- rounded by about 100 savages, with arrows strung in their bows and pointed at his little party. He at once fired a shot into the air as a signal to the advance caravan, but we were too far away to hear it. He momentarily expected the natives to discharge their arrows; but finally, when one of the natives addressed him in fair Swahili, he was greatly relieved. They proved to be a party of Wakamba (a tribe inhab- iting the country between the Tana and the coast), who had been away for several months upon an ivory- hunting expedition, and were then homeward bound. At first they seemed inclined to attempt the capture of the cattle, but a few words from Lieutenant von Hohnel turned them from this purpose, and they left him in peace. The Zanzibari is not at all fit for work in a desert country. So slight is his self-control, that he is unable to resist the temptation to drink what water he may have with him, as soon as he is thirsty. When they have exhausted their water supply, it 1s with the greatest difficulty that they can be induced to continue the march. We always warned them to be sparing of their water, and as each man carried a VII TRAVELS ([N EASTERN APRICA 285 water-bottle containing three litres, it was quite suf- ficient for one day’s march; but often these thought- less people would drink every drop from their bottles before they had been marching two hours. On this occasion but one-half of my men had sufficient intelli- gence to control their thirst, so the remainder of the march was unpleasant in the extreme. The porters shouted to one another with hoarse voices: ‘“ Master is leading us into the desert!” “Maji hapana hapa!” (There is no water here!) ‘ Takufa yote!” (We shall all die!) By six in the evening we reached a high gneiss hill called Kamanga, where our guide had promised we should find water; but the hole which once held the precious liquid was dry. He then wished to turn back, saying that it was useless to go farther; if there was no water at Kamanga, there would be no water elsewhere en route. The moon was almost full; so, notwithstanding the gloomy view of our guide, we de- cided to push on during the night. At 9 P.M. we again set out. In the cool air of the night my men marched much better. The moonlight threw weird shadows across the sandy waste. Occasionally a herd of antelope or zebra would thunder past us, and from amid some low clump of mimosa or thorn bush the snort of a rhinoceros would be sent forth. Once or twice during the night my guide leaped suddenly from the path; the action was occasioned by the hiss of some serpent in the path, which his sharp ears had been able to note. Every hour we would halt to allow the caravan to close up; and at each halt I would learn that another 286 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESI CHAP. donkey had given out. During that day and night we lost five of these beasts. Just before sunrise we reached a dry and sandy river-bed. My men threw their loads to the ground, and one and all began to dig with their hands. Soon shouts of joy were heard, for at a depth of three feet water was found. This place our guide called Lokoh. It is distant, in a straight line, twenty- five miles from the camp we had left; but by the winding road we were forced to follow we must have traversed nearly ten more. At this point we rested one day. We questioned our guide closely as to the where- abouts of the Wanderobbo he had promised. He then said that he was not sure of finding them, but hoped to. He added that if they were not at Seran, which we should reach in two days, there would be nothing to do but return. The closest questioning ended im the same response: “Seran. —“If wer eon to Seran, and there were no Wanderobbo there, we must come back. From Seran on there is no water; all is desert.” “Did he know just where Seran was?” “Mayolo.” (A Masai word meaning, I don’t know.) “Did he know any other road in this direction which was likely to lead either to the Wanderobbo or the Rendiles” “ Mayolo.” From his frequent reiteration of this word we dubbed him “ Mayolo.” Leaving Lokoli, six hours’ sharp marching brought us to a small water-hole called Lendovie. Our guide VII TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA 287 was not certain there was water in it until he feached it. While on the march, he would stop every half-hour, and run off first to one side and then the other, examining every little hollow for signs of water. Where we found a water-hole, we camped. Near Lendovie I shot five wart hogs. None of my men, with the exception of two of the Soudanese, would eat the flesh of these animals; but the two Wanderobbo (Mayolo and the one we took from Daitcho) quarrelled fiercely for what they considered choice bits of the flesh, and loaded themselves with nearly forty pounds of it. The following day we reached Seran. Seran is a perfect oasis in that arid desert. It consists of about two acres of land covered with graceful dhum palms, in the centre of which there is a large spring of cool, clear, and delicious water. A few hundred yards away from this group of palms is another, where a smaller spring 1s to be found. Under these trees the turf is soft and green. We felt that we had reached a veritable Paradise. F'rom Lolokwi to Seran the country is nearly as thorough a desert as Sahara. Without a guide a heavily laden caravan would soon“ perish from thirst in this dreary waste. At Seran we found game in plenty, and during the afternoon of the day of our arrival I killed a female rhinoceros and two giraffes. The flesh of these animals we cut into strips, and dried in the sun. There were no signs of Wanderobbo at Seran, and our guide again urged us to turn back, insisting that he knew no more of the country lying beyond. We asked him what had become of the Wanderobbo he 288 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. had expected to find at Seran: and he replied that they had probably gone to the Guaso Nyiro. It was useless to think of going in search of them; one might as well look for a needle in a_ haystack. Moreover, our caravan was then unable to proceed without throwing away many loads; for we had but ten donkeys out of the thirty-seven with which we started from Daitcho. What ailed these animals we could not conclude; unless it was that in some way they had become infected with the disease which car- ried off our donkeys at Hameye. Our Masai inter- preters told us that they had often taken donkeys from the coast on journeys lasting two years, and brought them back, although used constantly for the two years. They said there were times when a plague seemed to destroy them; but that that seemed to occur at intervals of four or five years. Evidently we had had the misfortune to undertake our journey in a bad year. With Mayolo I climbed one of the dhum palms at Seran, and asked him the names of the small hills we could see from that slight elevation. He persisted in asserting his ignorance of the country, but thought- lessly admitted that he knew the name of one hill lying nearly twenty miles to the eastward, which he said was sometimes inhabited by Wanderobbo. From what I saw while up the tree I promptly concluded to set out for this hill. Both Lieutenant von Héhnel and I had decided that we should not turn back, no matter how great the difficulties which beset our path, before we reached the Rendile. 1 decided to take withgeme VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 289 twenty-five men, laden for the most part with water, and make use of the full moon by night marches. The following day I spent in sleep, as I decided to set out at moonrise. At eight o’clock the moon had risen sufficiently above the horizon to afford good light; so I started at that hour, taking with me Karscho, the two Wan- derobbo guides, and twenty-three men. We marched steadily until two in the morning, when Mayolo said he was unable to march at night, and that he was sure we had strayed from the proper direction. I climbed a small hill and looked about, but could see no sign of any living thing; all about me the silent desert gleamed white in the moonlight. Occasionally the quiet was broken by the dismal howl of a hyena, or the angry snort of feeding rhinoceroses. My men were fresh; but being uncertain of the direction, | decided to await dawn; so we threw ourselves down upon the soft sand in the bed of a dried watercourse, and waited for sunrise. Ere the sun was above the horizon, we again set out upon our way. The desert was almost level, but here and there it was broken by the depression of some watercourse then dry, or a small hill of reddish rock gleaming with mica. At eight o’clock we crossed one of these dried watercourses, and there in the soft sand I saw fresh tracks. A shout soon brought my men to me. I counted the footprints of twenty-five men, and the tracks of five or six camels. I turned to Mayolo: “Who are these people? — Rendile?” He shook his head, saying, “ Dthombon.” “What are dthombon, Mayolo?” U 290 THROUGH JONGLE AND TOES ia CHAP. “My people,” he exclaimed excitedly; “Samiamem Berkenedji.” (Two names for the same people.) “But I thought your people were poor, and had no camels.” “Yes; that is true. Being poor, and not possessed of any flocks, many of my people hover about the out- skirts of the Rendile camp, and support life by plun- dering from the Rendile either camels, sheep, goats, or cattle. That is why they are called ‘dthombon,’ which means in the Rendile language, ‘ robbers.” The presence of these tracks convinced me that the Rendile could not be far away. The tracks were made that morning just before sunrise, and if these dthom- bon had travelled three or four days from the Rendile, they would have rested, and feasted upon the camels they had captured. But they were up with the dawn, and pushing quickly onward; which argued that they had just captured the camels, and that the Rendile were certainly near at hand. This was a joyful thought. I at once despatched two men back to Seran with a note for Lieutenant von Hohnel, informing him of our discovery, and telling him to make the caravan ready to march in our direction, as soon as I should have ascertained the whereabouts of the Rendile and sent him word. The effect of the sight of these camel tracks upon the different members of my small force was not the same. The two Somali I had taken with me (Karscho and Achmet Dualla) jabbered with excitement, and endeavoured to urge me to turn aside, go after the dthombon, and capture the camels. ‘God has deliv- ered them into our hands,” they said. “The Rendile VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 291 may be days away. Let us capture these five camels; our donkeys are dying, and the camels will be able to carry many loads.” On the other hand, the Zan- zibari seemed stunned with the fact that they were in the neighbourhood of people who possessed camels. Who could these people be but Somali? and Somali they dreaded as they did the devil himself. At once their faces assumed a dull, listless expression — among these people signifying fear and apprehension; and when I gave the word to push on, they took their loads up in a half-hearted manner, and followed with halting gait. si aiuto ny Ni bh? Hi I. [ \uh VA Ne ~ Ae dG Wee SS ‘ it | Ve | Was: Sy Ce uy We \\4 SEES SES Mt Gs. sie) 7 eS or PAN me EN ld SL ANT Nie . Suh “ ec fe Soul we y \Y \ “iil yaa = Vie Se Wa DEAD RHINOCEROS On we pressed, I with my field-glasses ever to my eyes, scanning the horizon for some sign of habita- tions or man. But one thought filled my mind,—to reach the Rendile as soon as possible. I at first thought to take the back-track of the dthombon and their plunder; but it occurred to me that they would . naturally have pursued a trail over ground where their footprints would leave but slight trace; and even if the trail proved good, I should in all proba- bility fall in with bands of pursuing Rendile excited by their loss, and little apt to treat us in a friendly 292 LTAROCGH J/ONGLE-AND, DESPRE CHAP. manner. No; we must push on in the same direction we had been pursuing, keeping a sharp lookout for them. About ten o'clock, just as we reached the top of a slight rise in the surface of the desert, Mayolo stretched his hand before him, pointed to a slope nearly two miles away, and shouted, “ Ndamess” (Cam- els). I gazed carefully in the direction indicated, and saw nothing which appeared to me like camels; but I could see what appeared to me to be hundreds of small huts, covering the desert as far as the eye could see. But whether huts or camels, it made little difference. People must be there, and those people must be the Rendile. We pushed on, and by eleven o'clock had reached a dried watercourse covered with dhum palms. A little digging with the hands, and water was found. There I left most of my men, and taking with me the two Wanderobbo, Karscho, and the Masai inter- preter, pushed on, momentarily expecting to fall in with the natives. Soon we reached a long, low hill. What little verdure had once grown upon it had been eaten off; the ground was marked with countless camel tracks, and we saw the footprints of men. We almost broke into a run with excitement, and soon came to another dried watercourse shrouded in palms. We had hardly entered upon its bed, when we saw before us a sight which gladdened our eyes, but at the same time made us apprehensively place ourselves in a posture of defence. Not 200 yards away, on the bed of the stream, there was a gathering of natives, 300 or 400 in number, armed with spears, bows, and VII TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA 293 arrows. Behind them was a countless herd of camels, their tawny hides forming a distinct background to the picture presented by the crowd of dark-skinned natives. At first our appearance struck the natives dumb with astonishment, but the silence soon gave way to an ever- growing shout. Arrows were strung in bows, spears were clutched tightly, and, after a moment’s hesitation, they advanced, at first slowly, and later at a quick run, We dropped upon our knees in the bed of the stream, and placed our rifles to our shoulders. I turned to the Masai interpreter, and said: “Send forward Mayolo and the other Wanderobbo, to assure these people we come in peace.” Instinctively Mayolo understood the command, and with a nod, he threw his bow to the ground, and ran forward, shouting: “Serian! Serian!” eace “Peace!); [he savages halted; and eyed us fiercely for a moment. Mayolo turned to me and said, “Njo gumbao” (Give me tobacco). I handed him my pouch, and with that in his hand he again ran forward, greeted the natives in a friendly manner, and distrib- uted a pinch here and a pinch there. Many of them seemed to know Mayolo, but they did not appear to be filled with pleasure at seeing him again; neverthe- less, he at length persuaded six or eight of the warriors to come to us and talk. By this time my face and arms were so tanned by exposure to the sun that I resembled a negro more than a white man; so my appearance did not seem to excite much curiosity in the minds of these people. They pointed to my trousers, however, and asked May- olo if we were Borana; thus indicating that the Borana 294. THROCGH JONGLE AND VDE Eis CHAP, wear trousers of some sort. He said, no; that we were lashomba (traders). At that word the faces of the na- tives assumed a more pleasant expression; they turned » to their following, and shouted some words to them, which Mayolo translated as instructions to the people to drive the camels to the villages, and inform their chiefs that strangers had come to visit them. All the time my eyes were busy in carefully noting the peculi- arities of the natives before us. They were a tall, thin race, reddish brown in colour, with soft, straight, and closely cropped hair, features almost Caucasian in their regularity, and fierce blue eyes. They were clad in well-tanned robes of goat or sheep skin, which they threw gracefully over their shoulders. They were armed with short spears, or well-made bows of a shape very different from those I had heretofore seen in East Africa, the ends being curved outward, as in the Asiatic bow, and their arrows were not tipped with poison. The language they used while speaking with one another was different from any I had yet heard; but in addressing Mayolo they one and all spoke the Masai tongue. My Somali were fascinated with the sight, and whis- pered to me: “These are like our people; they; miuice be Mohammedans. Is it not written, that none but the followers of Mohammed shall possess camels?” Ma- yolo’s face beamed with pleasure, and he continued repeating: ‘“‘Rendile! Rendile! I ama good man. I have taken the European to the Rendile; he will now let me depart in peace, with a large present.” After a short parley, 1 persuaded “three “or founmon the warriors to accompany me to the spot where I had VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 295 leit my men. Before leaving these men, I had in- structed them to make a camp; and when I arrived at the place, I found they had thrown up a small thorn zeriba about thirty feet in diameter near the bed of the dried watercourse. I presented the natives with some beads, and told them that this was but a small portion of my caravan, that the rest would join me in two or three days, and that meanwhile I would like them to take my greetings to their chiefs, and ask them to see me on the morrow. Their one cry was, “Gumbao” (Tobacco). Luckily we had taken with us several loads of this when Jeaving Daitcho; so we were able to satisfy their craving. They soon left, with assurances that some of their chiefs would come on the morrow. It was then imperative that Lieutenant von Hohnel and the rest of the caravan should join me as promptly as possible, but I knew he would find it difficult in bringing all the loads to this point; so I decided to retain but four of the men, and send the rest back to him to assist in the transport of the loads. Mayolo pressed me to allow him to return. He said it was madness to remain where we were with but four or five people; that the Rendile were bad and treacherous; that he had lived among them for years, and that he knew they would murder us, if we remained where we were. I told him, however, that I was a great medicine- man, and that the Rendile would not dare to touch me; but, fearing lest he should escape, I took pains to tie him up in the camp. As the moon was full, I knew the men would reach Seran next morning; and I hoped that, before the following day had elapsed, we should once more be together. 296 LTHROCGH JUNGLE, AND OES Tigs CHAP. The next morning Baraka, my tent-boy, called me, and said the chiefs of the Rendile were waiting to receive me. .I threw a white sheet over my pajamas, and, slipping my feet into my sandals, told Baraka to bring along my camp-chair. Together we went out to join the chiefs. I found a party of thirty old men seated in the sand of the river-bed; behind them lounged 100 warriors, armed exclusively with spears. I took my seat, and spent a few moments in making a leisurely survey of the people whom I had come so far to see, and from whom I expected so much. The Masai interpreter, Hassan, pointed out the three principal chiefs, Lokomogul, Lyserege, and Lomoro. They were seated a little in advance of the other old men, and one and all were clad in rough woollen cloth, similar to that worn by the Galla we had seen near Hameye, on the Tana. The eldest of the three was Lokomogul. He was of large frame, rather stout, and about eighty years of age. His hair was snowy white, as was also his short and well-trimmed beard. His complexion was light- brown, and his blue eyes appeared mild and intelligent. His head was splendidly shaped. Around his forehead he wore a band consisting of several folds of white cloth. Lomoro's features were much more prominent. His nose was quite Roman, his face clean-shaven, and but for his colour he resembled a sturdy American farmer. He wore a positively quizzical expression. His thin lips were tightly pressed together, but turned up at the corners, and seemingly ready to part in a pleasant smile. VII TRAVELS TN EASTERN AFRICA 297 Lyserege was the youngest of the three — perhaps not more than thirty-six years of age, well developed physically, and possessing the same regular features as the others; but his eyes were fiercer in expression, and his lips gave the impression of cruelty and sensuality. His name in the language of the Masai means “ Blood,” and he looked as if he would be unhappy unless wading through it. The survey concluded, I opened conversation by waving my hand, and saying, “Serian.” The three chiefs replied, as with one voice, “Serian.” My knowl- edge of the Masai language was unfortunately so limited that I was unable to converse directly with the chiefs, and was forced to depend entirely upon Hassan, my Masai interpreter, to reveal my thoughts to the Rendile, and explain to me their desires. Has- san was the most willing creature in the world; but, although he understood my Swahili perfectly, his stupid mind was unable to grasp any but the simplest ideas; so that he was almost more hindrance than assistance as a means of intercommunication. I asked them if they were, indeed, Rendile. They nodded. They asked my tribe, and seemed incredulous when told that I had come from a great distance, and across vast seas to see them. They had never heard of Europeans, but said that Somali traders from Barawa had visited them, and told them of the sea. The country of the Barawa tribe is on the coast, a short distance north of Kismayu. I pulled up the sleeve of my shirt, and exhibited my untanned arm. ‘They were much surprised at the sight, and seemed to believe Hassan when he told them I 298 THROGCGH JONGLE ANDY ES Ei CHAP. was a great laibon (medicine-man). ‘They asked eagerly about the countries through which we had passed, and seemed relieved when I told them all was peace. Again and again, they made me repeat that assurance, and tell them that I had seen no signs of the Masai, of whom they seemed in great dread. I told them that I had come to them for the purpose of trade, that in a few days my caravan, laden with all sorts of good things, would reach me, and that I hoped to exchange some of my goods for camels, horses, and donkeys. They said they would willingly trade with me, and asked if I had cloth. One circumstance struck them as very peculiar, and that was that we dared to travel in the night. They said they were brave people, and were one and all warriors; but that they never for a moment dared to venture from their camp after dark — “Phey gsardeml must indeed be a great medicine-man, if willing to venture upon the road at night, and run the risk of being killed by a rhinoceros, or eaten by lions. They asked for a present, and I told them they should receive one upon the arrival of my caravan. They said they wished to make me a present, and asked what I wanted. I replied that the European judged of his friends by the size of their gifts, and hoped they would bring me horses, camels, and don- keys. They acquiesced. Then the conversation lan- guished, and the chiefs, apparently overcome by their exertions, yawned in my face several times; so I bade them farewell, shook hands, and expressed the hope that I should see them on the morrow. The following morning Lieutenant von Hohnei VII TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA 299 mrmed up with all the men; and we all at once set to work building a strong zeriba. Only a few Ren- dile visited us during the day, and they were princi- pally young men. ‘They seemed as friendly as possible, and said they wanted to trade. They brought some curious wicker jars, and several gallons of camel’s milk. This had a very smoky taste, but was not unpalatable. The Rendile possess but few ornaments. The chiefs wore upon the upper arm rudely carved ivory armlets, and Lokomogul had a large porcelain bead, as large as a pigeon’s egg, strung from his neck. The young men wore about their necks rings of wire, and upon the first joint of the thumb several rings of the same material. Each of these rings, they said, signified a man slain in battle. The warriors rarely carried shields; a few, however, had them. These were curious in shape, and utterly unlike those carried by the Masai. Some were made of woven twigs; others oi oryx hide. ~ They were not more than three feet high, and eighteen inches wide at both top and _bot- tom. In the centre they were much narrower; and on the rear at the centre there was a small loop of hide, which was grasped by the hand. Nearly all the warriors painted their faces with a white clay, which lent ferocity to their appearance. They all wore their hair cut short, and I was much struck by the fact that it appeared perfectly straight and of fine texture. During the conversation which I had had with the Rendile chiefs on the previous day, I had told them of the camel tracks we had seen in the desert; and they at once sent forty warriors in the direction indi- 300 THROGOGH JONGLE AND DESHI: CHAP. VII cated to recover them. Shortly after we finished build- ing our zeriba, we heard wild shouts, and at once I called my men to arms. The shouts drew nearer, and presently we saw a band of forty Rendile war- riors leading five camels which they had tied together. These they had recovered after a bloodless battle with the dthombon. Upon nearing our camp, they left the camels in the shade of the trees, the leader of the war party drew his men into line, and they indulged in a war dance. He then gave them a long address; but as he harangued them in the Rendile tongue, we were unable to understand it. However, our Somali said that many of the words used were of their lan- guage; so we were able to gather the general import of the address. He began his address by shouting “Oromo” several times. I heard this word with inter- est, for it 1s a word in use among all the Galla to describe their race. The Galla invariably call them- selves Oromo. The word “galla” in their language, as well as in that of the Somali, means camel. As the Galla at one time possessed many camels, the Somali gave them that name. After shouting the word “ Oromo” several times in a sing-song fashion, they proceeded to recount the deeds of daring they had performed in the rescue of the five camels. The scene was apparently for our benefit, and in order to impress us with the warlike disposition of the Rendile. When the speech was concluded, the warriors broke ranks, ran forward, and eagerly shook hands with my men, using the word ) “Nageyr” as a sign of welcome: this is a Galla word of greeting. War ISN AS 4, Mahomet Aman UNLOADING OF CAMELS Karscho C4) ad A CHAP. VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 303 Wwe were much puzzled to determine the race of the Rendile. According to my Somali, their language was somewhat akin to Somali; but they also used many Galla words. In colour they were lighter than most Somali, and ~then, how could we account for mae blue eyes? All of the men were mutilated in an extraordi- nary manner — their navels had been cut out, leaving» a small round hole. All Rendile have this marking ; and with but one exception, Soman as I know, it is con- mmed to that tribe. This exception is the people who inhabit the country lying to the north of Lake Ste- phanie, called Marlé. The Marlé are very probably an offshoot of the Rendile, who became tired of wan- dering, and so settled down. With the Rendile we found several people who said they were Marlé. They appeared in every way similar to the Rendile, but said that some of their customs differed; for example, they eschewed all flesh but that of sheep. We repeatedly asked them if they were not in some way related to the Somali; but the idea seemed to anger them. They shook their heads vigorously, and said: “The Somali are our enemies.” KARSCHO 304 THROCGH JONGLE AND DESI CHAP. “Then are you not related to the Gallay Ameer Galla, or the Borana?” (the latter a tribe supposed to live in the neighbourhood of the Juba River). “No; we are not in any way kith or kin of those people. Formerly we had trading relations with them; but for many years past we have been at war.” “Who are you, then?” “We are Rendile; there are no people like us. We are the great Rendile tribe.” Despite many further questions designed to ascer- tain something further in connection with their his- tory, this was all we were ever able to elicit from them. The following day we received another visit from the three chiefs. Instead of the horses, camels, and donkeys I had expected them to bring as gifts, they satisfied themselves with presenting us two very large fat-tailed sheep. In anticipation of a much larger gift, we had laid out what was in truth a magnificent pres- ent for the chiefs; and despite our disappointment, and the meagreness and lack of generosity they had shown, we decided to present it as originally planned. We gave them each a red flannel blanket, several shawls, knives, coils of wire, and many pounds of bright-coloured beads, besides several yards of the heaviest American drill, called on the east coast of Africa “marduf.” ‘They examined it closely, and said that many years before a band of traders from Barawa had brought them some just like it. After they had received their gifts, they said that trade would begin on the morrow; but that we must first make blood-brothers with them, and after that VII TRAVELS [NV EASTERN AFRICA 305 they would prefer us to move our camp, as the place was too distant for such august personages as them- selves to have to walk. They went away, and in the afternoon returned to make blood-brotherhood. They told us there were two methods of performing this ceremony: one by means of a stone, and the other neces- ee ae sitating the painting of our faces many Lb Uy, colours. Naturally we preferred the ws stone rites. The three chiefs on this occasion were attended by about 400 warriors; so I arranged my little band in as formidable array as possible, and fired two volleys. The noise seemed to have an irritating effect upon the sav- ages they at once rose to their feet, shouted, and shook their fists. We soon calmed them, however, and _pro- ceeded to business. Lokomogul, on behalf of his people, and I, on behalf of my own, each seized in our right hands a round stone. Upon the stones we liberally expectorated. panera a Each then passed his stone to his following, who did likewise. We then exchanged stones; and each, hold- ing the stone in his right hand, with his left dug a small hole in the soil, meanwhile uttering words of supposed magic import. In these holes we finally placed the stones, and covered them with sand. We then grasped hands, and assured each other that we were the best friends possible. After this I took xX 306 THROGOGH JONGLE AND DESERT CHAE: forty of my men, and accompanied the chiefs to the place where they wished us to make a camp. It was two miles farther along the bed of the stream in which our first camp was pitched; in a few hours my forty men had built there a strong zeriba. On our way to the new zeriba we were approached by a band of too Samburu, or Berkenedji. They ex- actly resembled Masai warriors, wore their hair in the same style of tonsure, and were armed in identical manner. They were very anxious to exchange don- keys for our cattle. They had lain in wait for us on the road; for, as they said, when once we had reached our new camp, they would be kept away by the Ren- dile, and not allowed to exchange with us. As we hoped to exchange our cattle for camels and _ horses, we refused to trade with them. Shortly after we reached our new camp, and estab- lished ourselves therein, the three chiefs, accompanied by from 600 to 800 warriors, appeared. They all wished to enter our zeriba at once. This we gently but firmly refused to permit. We _ provided boxes for the three chiefs, and they sat down. After the exchange of small gifts (they gave milk, and we gave tobacco), they said they were then ready to be- gin trade, and asked what we wished to buy. We said, camels. Lokomogul shouted to his men, and an old camel, apparently suffering from a number of diseases, was led to the edge of the zeriba. Loko- mogul in a long speech extolled the merits of this animal, and, among other things, said it was the best camel they had. We told him that as he valued this animal so highly, we thought it a pity to deprive VII TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA 307 mom of it; that, in fact, we preferred younger and stronger animals, even though lacking in the histori- cal interest attached to this one. Lokomogul eyed us sharply, exchanged glances with his two fellow- chiefs, and said: “If you wish to buy any camels, you must buy this one first.” It then dawned upon Lieutenant von Hohnel and me that we had formed too high hopes of the Ren- dile, and that the matter of trade with them was likely to be productive of difficulty and perhaps strife. We having refused to purchase that camel, Loko- mogul refused to take any further part in the pro- ceedings. Lomoro, however, said he had two young camels, the flower of his flock; but that he did not wish to bring them near our zeriba, and for some reason or other had left them a few hundred yards away. We went out to see them; and my Somali burst into laughter at sight of them, and said they were undersized runts, and unable to bear burdens. They were about the size of a horse. We again shook our heads. Lomoro shook his head, stamped his feet, and asked what sort of people we were; it seemed impossible to please us. We asked if such were the only camels they had to sell. They re- meds: “Yes; the Rendile do not sell their camels.” After further conversation, they said they were ready to begin trade in donkeys. The price they asked was ridiculous; they wished sixty yards of heavy American sheeting for each animal. They measured cloth in the same manner as all other peo- plemin ast Atrica; that is, from the elbows to the tips of the fingers—and a dwarf is never selected as 308 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT. CHAP. a measuring-stick. Eight such measurements usually make about four yards. It was needless to explain to them that we considered this price perfectly ludi- erous. On the coast a donkey can be purchased for ten doty (forty yards) of drill, where drill was easily procured, and where the owner of the donkey had been to the expense of bringing his beast. Among the entire tribe of these savages there was perhaps not twenty yards of cloth; yet they wished us to give them half as much again as was asked at the coast. We then refused to trade. In order to impress them we produced the red blankets, thinking we should thereby excite their cupidity. We also spread out before them some Scotch plaid shawls. The ap- pearance of the latter they greeted with derisive shouts, and Lomoro took one of them in his hand, waved it above his head, and attracted to it the at- tention of the assembled warriors outside the zeriba. It seemed to madden them as a red rag does a bull. g, we learned that the Rendile After some questioning, loathed any colour but white—a most curious in- stance! for all negroes are notoriously fond of bright colours. We had spent more than an hour in fruitless en- deavour to arrive at some sort of trade with these people. Each moment the assembled warriors outside our camp erew more impatient; and soon the air rang with savage shouts. I thought they were about to attack us; and so I quietly went about among my men, and told them to load their rifies, and place two extra cartridges in their hands. The shouts grew louder and louder; when suddenly the Somali came to us, vl TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 309 ° and said they could understand sufficient of what the Rendile were saying, to gather that they were preparing to fall upon us. Both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had been so much irritated by the unreasonable behaviour of these people, that we would have almost welcomed a struggle, as a relief to our feelings. It flashed across my mind that we should never be in a better position to attack them than at that time. We were in a strong zeriba, water near at hand, and plentiful food and ammunition sup- plies. Seated in front of us were, as far as we could learn, the three greatest chiefs of the Rendile, entirely at our mercy. We did not wish to begin a struggle; but if one arrow had flown, or a spear been cast through the zeriba, we should at once have entered into the spirit which prompted ‘the action. ‘Three well-directed volleys fired through the thorns of our zeriba would have laid many of the warriors low, and dispersed the remainder; then we could have retained the three chiefs as hostages, and forced the Rendile to trade on satis- factory terms. The shouting continued. ‘The three chiefs sat quiet, and eyed us narrowly, doubtless seeking for some in- dication of fear. At length I told them that we had made blood-brothers with the Rendile, and in conse- quence we were loath to treat them in any but the most friendly manner; but that in our country we were not accustomed to such shouts and cries as then filled the air, and we were compelled to construe them as signs of hostility; also, that unless quiet was at once restored, the Rendile would discover in short order what manner of men we were. 310 THROCGH YON GEE “AND DES fie CHAP. At these words, the chiefs exchanged glances; then arose to their feet, and commanded their followers to be still. In a moment silence reigned, as perfect as the bedlam of the previous moment. The chiefs then again seated themselves, and Lomoro asked us why, if we had come to them for the purpose of trade, we did not trade with them; they were quite willing, and in fact anxious, to sell us what we desired, but we seemed obstinate and ill-disposed toward them. Throughout the entire transaction Lomoro exhibited the most intelligence and diplomacy. Lokomogul, although he seemed to possess great influence over the people, did not show nearly the same degree of attention; and Lyserege, his cupidity aroused by the sight of our trading-goods, had from the first desired to possess them by force. I took Lomoro to my tent, and with Hassan, the interpreter, endeavoured to have a quiet and reasonable talk with him. I asked him if he had previously had dealings with Arab and Zanzibari caravans. He said: Yes; on one occasion a caravan came to them and behaved badly; and so they fell upon it, destroyed the men, and took their goods. And he added that on three or four occasions they had been visited by small bodies of traders, principally Barawa, who had brought with them some marduf. I asked him whether or not he really wished to trade with us. He replied that for his part he would be only too happy to do so; but that he found great difh- culty in restraining his young men from attacking us. He suggested that we should distribute a large present among the warriors. This I naturally declined to do. He then asked for another present for himself and the VII VACATE SDN PASTE RN “APRICA 311 two other chiefs. I refused this also. He then said: “Well, I leave you to your fate,” and turning on his heel, stalked out of the tent and the zeriba. He was shortly followed by Lokomogul and Lyserege. Aiter the chiefs left, we were able to purchase ten donkeys by giving extraordinary prices in cloth and beads for them; still, the price was less than was first asked. To acquire these ten donkeys required more - ~ ee Mg df CAM, ae eo C é hy Epes 4 OC) 2 i g~ibkoe, ss « Noh nae yet oe; Bhs GZ Seah heey H eas th MG = a Se oN — = — \ SSS Sh WS SCENE IN CAMP than half the trading-goods which we had considered sufficient to purchase fifty or seventy-five camels. The following day the chiefs did not visit us, and but few of the natives appeared. We asked to be taken to their villages, but they refused, saying that strangers were never permitted to visit the villages of the Rendile. During the afternoon, one of the natives appeared, mounted upon a horse. The horse looked for all the world like one of our western ponies. I examined the bit and saddle with great curiosity. The former was rudely fashioned of iron, 312 THROTGH JONGEDY AND WES hale CHAP. and was very severe; it resembled a Spanish bit. The saddle was made of light wood covered with soft folds of sheepskin; so that it was comfortable. It was attached to the horse by means of a cinch girth run through rings and knotted. The stirrups consisted of rings just large enough to admit the great toe. The saddle was held in place by a breastplate and breech- ing, as well as by the girth. The reins consisted of bits of untanned hide. The horseman was armed with a spear quite ten feet in length. I was told that the Rendile possessed about 500 horses. These they had purchased from the Barawa, whose tribe was said to be possessed of thousands of horses, which they used in battle and also for the purpose of hunting giraffe and antelope, which are the only game eaten by the Rendile. During our stay in the neighbourhood of these people I saw but one woman. She was clad as fol- lows. About her hips there depended a short kilt, consisting of what resembled rope-ends, and from her shoulders fell a voluminous cloak of well-tanned sheep- skin. The Rendile tanned their hides very success- fully, and one of these bore a remarkable resemblance to peau de suede. ‘The woman’s hair was most care- fully arranged. It was gathered on the top of her head in the shape of a crest of an ancient (Greek helmet, and was held in this position by means of pins and grease. In the afternoon we were able to gather an idea of the numbers of the Rendile flocks and herds. Just before sundown a herd of camels passed our camp, and we counted 4ooo. These were said to belong to VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 313 a single village, and that not the richest of the Ren- dile villages. There were said to be twenty villages; so that one might say the Rendile possessed, in round numbers, 80,000 camels. In former days they had possessed many cattle, but these had been very much reduced in number by plagues, so that their herds, at the time of our visit, consisted of but 1ooo. Of don- keys, they were said to possess thousands upon thou- sands, and it was reported that their flocks of sheep and goats were countless. From conversations with these people, we gathered that there must be 20,000 Rendile, not counting the many thousand Samburu and Berkenedji living with them. It was said that when the Rendile were camped in one long line, it took six hours’ hard marching to pass from one end of the line to the other. Their huts were said to be made of camel saddles similar to those used by the Somali. They had been encamped two months at Kome, where we found them; but, as the pasturage was now nearly exhausted, they were on the point of moving. They said they wan- dered! irom- Marlé, to the north of Lake Stephanie, as far south as the northern extremity of the Leikipia plateau. In former years they had encamped near Marsabit and the northern end of the General Mat- thews range; but five years previously they had suf- fered defeat at the hands of the Turcana, who robbed - them of thousands of camels, and killed many of their tribe. Many years ago they inhabited the plain to the south of Lorian called Kirrimar; but owing to the re- peated raids of the Somali from Kismayu and the 314 THROGOGH JONGLE AND DESERIE: CHAP. neighbouring towns on the coast, they had left it. They said that within the preceding year they had been attacked by a body of Somali, some hundreds of whom were armed with rifles; they had beaten them off, however, with great loss. They expressed hearty contempt for the rifles used by the Somali; which must have been muzzle-loaders charged with a poor quality of powder, and most probably with too small a charge. The Rendile said their shields were sufficient to turn the bullets. They had heard of our victory over the Wamsara, and expressed great sur- prise thereat; for they reckoned the Wamsara to be as formidable as the Masai, and the latter, in the old days, had always been able to rout the Somali in battle. The chief medicine-man of the tribe was called Lesegetetti; he was not a native of the Rendile, but a Masai. His sway dated from the defeat of the Ren- dile at the hands of the Turcana. Up to that time their chief medicine-man was a Rendile, named Lao- goum; but as his magic had been unable to ward off the attacks of the Turcana, his influence since that day had waned, and Lesegetetti was considered the most powerful medicine-man of the tribe. We waited at Kome another day, hoping there would be more trade; but few natives came to us, and they only to beg tobacco. One was an intelligent young fellow, and by means of presents we got him to sit down and tell us all he knew about his people and their customs. All our questions were answered with satisfactory readiness; but as we never entered into intimate relations with the Rendile, I am unable VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 315 to vouch for the truth of the following items of his conversation; and in fact, from my knowledge of negro character, I would suggest that they be received with more or less caution. The Rendile believe that God first made two peo- ple (Rendile), a man and a woman, and two camels; and that from these pairs sprang the race of the Ren- dile and their camel herds. ‘The original home of the _Rendile was Naudo (meaning, in the Masai tongue, “a high place” ), situated somewhere in the neighbour- hood of Lysamis; that is, the country lying between the General Matthews range and Lake Rudolph, which from time immemorial has been inhabited by the Rendile. All males are circumcised in the ordinary Arab fashion, and their navels are cut away entirely, leaving a small round hole. This cutting away of the navel is done when the child is about three years of age; while circumcision is delayed until the age of puberty. When the males get their second set of teeth, the two lower front teeth are cut out. Only one other East African tribe 1s said to practise the same mutt- lations; these are the Marlé, living to the north of Lake Stephanie, in all probability a kindred race. Polygamy is in vogue, the number of wives being limited only by the man’s ability to support them. The marriage ceremony is wholly a matter of busi- ness; but, according to my informant, is a more or less complicated affair, requiring time for its comple- tion. When a young woman finds favour in the eyes of a young man, he must first pay court to her father, and ingratiate himself by a present of seven female 316 THROUGH SONGLE AND VDES Eis CHAE goats and three camels. If the father accepts the gift, the deal goes on; if he refuses, the business is at an end. If the present is accepted, the girl’s two lower front teeth are cut out, and the business is con- cluded by the father of the bride receiving ten addi- tional camels from the family of the young man. The funeral ceremony is as follows. The corpse is shaved, and then buried in a deep hole in a sitting posture; the hole is then filled with stones, which are piled several feet above the ground into a sort of cairn; afterward a spear is fixed in an upright position in the centre. This completed,’the near relatives “of the deceased kill a camel, and invite their friends to afeast. The whole village goes into mourning, and during the period of mourning they either take off their ornaments or hide them with skins. Only male relatives of the deceased share in the distribution of his herds. At the end of one month the heir of the dead man ingratiates himself with his immediate relatives by presenting them with goats, sheep, or camels, as the case may be, and as his means may warrant. Primogeniture is in vogue, but it is customary for the younger brothers of the heir to receive substan- tial presents. The heir assumes the care of his mother and sisters. In return for the care he bestows upon his sisters, all goods paid for them upon mar- riage go to him. The Samburu, or Berkenedji, were originally deadly enemies of the Rendile; but since their defeat at Leikipia by the Masai many years ago, and the sub- sequent destruction of their flocks by the plague, they Vil TIAV PLS IN EASTERN “APRICA 317 had been forced into semi-serfdom to the Rendile — watching their flocks, and performing other menial services for them. In return for this they were pro- tected in their persons and_ possessions. These people in no way changed their customs after join- ing the Rendile, and their customs are distinctly dif- ferent trom those of the Rendile. For example, they do not bury the dead, but throw them out to the hyenas; and they scorn the use of a bow and arrow until old age has deprived them of sufficient strength LO; USE da Spear. Among the Rendile adultery is not punished; but in the case of unmarried girls unchastity meets with severe retribution, for the sole and simple reason that the market value of the girl to her parents has been decreased. A slip from the path of chastity by a young girl invariably results in her being driven out from her home; and she is either forced to join the Samburu, or Berkenedji, or the Wanderobbo, or she is sold as a slave. Murder is punished by confiscation of property; and the relatives of the murdered man are at liberty to revenge themselves upon the person of the murderer. Theft is punished by a fine three times the value of the stolen goods. All questions of this kind are adjudicated by the older men of the village in which the offence was committed. The chief food of the Rendile is milk, meat, blood, and dhum-palm fruit. Upon slaying an animal, the blood is at once drunk by the males, who think it makes them not only brave and courageous, but 318 LHROCGA JONGLE AND DESERT CHAP. healthy. I fancy they do it for the sake of the salt in the blood. Giraffe and antelope are hunted on horseback, and are the only game eaten. Their shields are made of the hides of animals, or of wicker work. The iron work on their spears, knives, etc., is done for the most part by the smiths in their villages; but they prefer to purchase these articles from the neighbouring tribes, as the work of their own smiths is not of the best. Over each village a chief presides in the councils of peace as well as of war. His office is elective, not hereditary. A man of wealth and position is rarely elected to the office of chief. Popularity, gift of lan- guage, and skill in war are the three prime requisites; but after a man has once been made chief he soon becomes rich; for he levies a tax upon the flocks and herds of his village, until his property at least equals that of any other member of the small community. The number of strings of beads around a man’s neck indicates the number of men he has slain in battle. The chief of the village gives the warrior a goat and a quantity of milk for each slain enemy. My informant also told me that for the preceding five or six years the relations of the Rendile and the Borana had been strained. The Rendile appeared greatly to dread the Borana, who in their opinion were the most powerful tribe in their neighbourhood. The Borana people are said to be separated into two divisions, the larger of which is called Rrapp. The Rrapp, despite the recent plague, still had a great number of cattle. They were reigned over by a chief named Kalo, and have many horses; but at the same VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 319 time they cultivate the soil to some degree. Both the Borana and the Rrapp wear short breeches made of coarse Galla cloth. From Kome to Borana the road is good only dur- ing the rainy season; in dry weather it is impassable by reason of the lack of water en route. A journey of one month from Kome would be required to reach these people. We therefore have fixed their where- abouts in the neighbourhood of the Juba River. ite Rae Wy f Ay Yn ’ i i fi i My 4 vate HE, ie LA yy Z Y; etre wits Ap vy, We 4 g oss 2 o a i ae i das papi? ee Pale Lie aS al ae e e! Wag Map hs ee cet Ania Bs ii = — 2 eee “| Wy sl Wp on GZ Fiz Zig eZ : Ze —— EEE se <2 os Za Soe Lego ng eee LE ay LZ; Woo ey Ze WY, Ly YY Yy fee GLE — Y UMN y Uy F “tethig/ i; LWW) 4 EYL | py WEE ay bie iy CAN, 7 yy CG ie Wy, ay yy Mg My When LING Sh, We My, A tone Lb Cop ay nal pie 4 ae a ihe GUASO NyYIRO RIVER, NEAR WHERE WE FOUND RENDILE Neither Lieutenant von Hohnel nor I was able to come to any satisfactory conclusion as to the origin of the Rendile, or as to the African family to which their tribe belonged. In the matter of appearance, their prevailing light colour, straight hair, blue eyes, and the custom of cutting out the navel led us to conclude that they were closely connected with neither the Somali nor the Galla. Lieutenant von Hoéhnel had visited Harrar, and had there seen many Abyssin- lans, whose appearance, he said, was very different from that of the Rendile. The language of the Ren- 320 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT: CHAP. dile, although according to our Somali somewhat simi- lar to theirs, was in so many ways perfectly distinct from it, that we concluded the similarities had been the result more of intercommunication between these peoples in former years than of derivation of the Ren- dile tongue from the Somali. They also used many Galla phrases, and the fact that on several occasions we had heard the chiefs address their followers as Oromo, led us to believe that they were in some way connected with the Galla tribe. But the insistence with which all the Rendile with whom we talked repu- diated the suggestion, forced us to give up that theory. It was easy to explain their familiarity with the Masai tongue, as that was the language of the Sam- buru, or Berkenedji, for centuries closely connected with the Rendile, to whom many of them for years had been in a state of servitude, while many of their females had borne children to the Rendile. They used the word “Ngai” to express the idea of the Deity alone. This is a Masai word, used by the Masai not only to express the idea of the Deity, but also as an exclamation of surprise and wonder. A watch, a successful shot made with a rifle, an ornament of great beauty, or anything which excited their admira- tion, called forth this exclamation. The Rendile had some idea of a deity, a much clearer one, as far as we could learn, than that possessed by the Masai, or any other East African race that had not come into contact with Christians and Mohammedans. The weapons of this people, and their implements, as well as their method of life, were in every respect VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 321 similar to those of nomadic, pastoral people, such as the Galla and Somali, who inhabit East Africa. Their government, to a certain extent, was oligarch- ical. Each village was presided over by its chief, whose decisions were not final, and were influenced in great degree by the other rich and prominent men of his village. Each village was distinct in policy, and might act for itself quite independently of any or all the others—might even separate entirely from the rest of the tribe, if it so willed. They remained united, not as the result of mutual affection, but as a measure of safety. For the immediately preceding twenty or thirty years (and for how many more we were unable to ascer- tain) they had been the victims of raids from the Borana and Rrapp on the north, the Somali on the east, and the Turcana and Masai on the south, whenever the movements of the Rendile presented a fair opportu- nity; and the strength of unity, at least, was a binding tie among them. The position of the medicine-men, Lesegetetti and Laogoum, seemed similar to that of the chiefs. These medicine-men were the means of communication with the Deity, and it was through them and their arts. that a knowledge of the future came; but the fact that these medicine-men were known to be not infallible (evidenced by the defeat the Rendile sustained at the hands of the Turcana, while acting under advice given by Laogoum) tempered their power. The most powerful village of the Rendile was that presided over by Lokomogul. For the twenty years past it had not suffered from depredations. This was supposed to be due to the fact that the medicine-man, Y 322 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT. CHAP. whoever he might happen at different periods to be, . had always been privileged to make his home with Lokomogul. There appeared to be great rivalry be- tween the villages, and the three chiefs with whom we had dealings were excessively jealous of one another. After receiving their presents they came singly both to Lieutenant von Hohnel and to me, and each said that, as his village was the greatest and most powerful, he was the most influential chief, and hence a greater present should be tendered him than the others. Owing to the fact that all our intercourse with them was through an interpreter, who spoke the Masai lan- guage, the native tongue neither of the Rendile nor of our interpreter, and the further fact that in speak- ing with our interpreter we were forced to use the Swahili, it was difficult for us in the short time we were in communication with these people to gather really satisfactory information from them. During a visit from these three chiefs, Lokomogul gave us a shrewd glance, and asked why, if we were such great people, we travelled without our wives; they knew of but one tribe willing to undergo the hard- ships of life without the companionship of the other sex, and that tribe was the lowest of the low— they were outcast robbers and criminals of other tribes— they were the dthombons. This question was a poser. We at once felt the difficulty, indeed the impossibility, of explaining to these untutored savages the fact that we were able to exist so long without the society of ladies; but we knew silence should be a last resort in dealing with Africans. Some reply is always absolutely necessary; so, under the spur of necessity, we said that vil TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 323 we -had left our women a few weeks’ journey back on the road, as they had become greatly fatigued by the long distances we had travelled. Lokomogul then said that the women of his tribe never tired. Do what we could later, we were never able to recover the loss of prestige attached to the fact that our caravan was con- fined in its personnel strictly to the male sex. Not being able to penetrate the mystery surround- ing the origin of these people, we were forced to con- tent ourselves with the fact that we had discovered them. It remains for some future traveller attended with better fortune to lift this veil. Suffice it here to say, that both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I feel firmly convinced that, when at some future time a well qualified and equipped traveller visits these people, he will find them worthy of his attention. To us, at least, they seemed the most original and interesting of all the strange and different peoples met in East Africa. We think there can be little doubt that hun- dreds of years ago they came from the far north. Perhaps in some way they are allied to that mysteri- ous people called the Shepherd Kings, who thousands of years ago inhabited Egypt. During our stay with the Rendile, our guide, May- olo, had daily, and in fact almost hourly, pressed us to flee from the neighbourhood. MHe said that for many years he had lived with the Rendile, and as- sured us that they were capable of any degree of treachery. He said that their treatment of us had not been such as they were accustomed to accord friends; but, on the contrary, showed that they looked upon us not only with distrust, but with positive dis- 324 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERE CHAP. favour. He said that he expected them to attack us almost any day; and that not a night passed but he went to rest with the thought that he might never waken. The members of our caravan did not seem con- vinced of the friendship of the Rendile; instead of songs and laughter over their food and about their camp-fire at night, perfect silence reigned, and conver- sation was only in whispers. This was the conduct of the porters and Soudanese. The Somali, however, had at every opportunity urged the advisability of immediate attack upon the Rendile. They said that a battle would be hard, but that they were convinced we should succeed, and that then all trouble would be at an end. We should then possess camels and horses in great numbers, and be able to travel like gentlemen. On the occasion when the 4000 camels passed near our camp, cupidity gleamed from the eyes of the Somali, and when the last animal passed from sight, they shook their heads and sighed. The temp- tation to take advantage of the vast herds and flocks of the Rendile was, I may freely confess, a great one. Their treatment of us had been anything but kindly. They had accepted our gifts and offer of friendship, it is true; but in return for these they had given us little but unfriendly treatment. They were absolutely unwilling to trade, and both Lieutenant von Héhnel and I felt that further efforts toward that end would be useless. On the other hand, we could not permit ourselves to fall upon these people, even though the issue of the present situation would be of most doubtful char- acter, until they had done something more than to VII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 325 cheat our expectations. We had food in plenty, and we felt that the sacrifice of many lives for the sake of beasts of burden alone was unwarranted. We realized, nevertheless, that withdrawal from the neigh- bourhood would imply to the Rendile that we stood in fear of them; and with that idea in their minds the next European who visited their country would in all likelihood meet with even harsher , treatment than had been accorded us. Wii, yy ff Wg ly d ) : be Vig i WMA Aish Uy, ft” yf sell WHY Hy i Me if (OG Woy f Nani WHE UL " hi AW AR AV init vi Hi | | NY ‘ Mn ‘ | i Vi tt fh lis \ AA mith WANN Yo \\ \ ES oy) \\ / \ \ SSN ANY He IS min ic Aiib || il \\\ ; | IY MY Y TYPE OF LANDSCAPE ‘ oN WS SN ey Ny aa With people of a warlike nature, such as the Rendile, the advance of civilization must always be attended with more or less bloodshed. Their isolation, their great numbers and consequent confidence, render them not only averse to friendly overtures, but prone to turn their power into a means of easy profit by attack- ing their visitors. No African tribe I have yet met preferred trade to war. Plunder is with them the only means of trans- acting exchange, until by severe lessons they are taught that the people with whom they are brought into 326 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. VII contact are able to take care of themselves, but at the same time are willing to make fair bargains. It has been the experience of almost all African travellers, that commercial intercourse between the European and the savage is impossible, until, by force of arms, the former has convinced the natives of his superiority. At the very inception of our enterprise, while in Europe, Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had laid our plans, and counted upon meeting the Rendile, from whom we had convinced ourselves that we should be able to procure animals sufficient for the porterage of our goods. From the coast up to the point of meeting with the Rendile, notwithstanding most untiring efforts, we had been unable to provide ourselves with enough donkeys. The donkeys we took from the coast were all dead, and we were on the frontier of a new country, with a caravan amply equipped, as far as_ supplies went, for a journey of eighteen months, and yet unable to move a step for the lack of beasts of burden. ~ On Lieutenant von Héhnel’s former journey he had seen, while passing through the country of the Turcana, thousands of donkeys and several hundred camels. The Turcana inhabited the country to the southwest of Lake Rudolph, at a considerable distance from the point at which we then were. Not only distance inter- vened, but we knew from our experience in this land that we should meet with great difficulty in our search for water. Notwithstanding this, we decided to turn our steps in that direction. By the young Rendile who gave us the information concerning the customs of his people, we sent word to the chiefs that on the following day we should take our departure. CHAPTER VIII THE road to Turcana lay via Seran and Lolokwi. In fact, this was the only portion of the country with which we were acquainted; but we hoped to be able, upon again reaching our friends, the Wanderobbo, to procure fresh guides, who would be competent to lead us to the other purchasing-ground for beasts of burden. At early dawn on the morning of July 8, we left our camp in, the Rendile country, and reached Seran at three in the afternoon of the same day. We received no response from our message to the chiefs of the Rendile; and, in fact, from their unfriendly behaviour during the last few days of our stay in that country, we hardly expected any. Nevertheless, we did not like to leave their country without giving them notice, lest they should construe our march into some- thing in the nature of a retreat. Upon reaching Seran, I made a short detour of the surrounding country, and killed three zebra and an oryx beisa. I also wounded a rhinoceros, but the latter we were unable to get. About five o’clock of the day of our arrival at Seran, Lieutenant von Hoéhnel and I were seated at the door of our tent, almost entirely undressed, owing to the heat of the day, and taking tea, when some of our men, who had gone to a pool of water 300 yards distant 327 328 THROOGH JUNGLE AND DESERE CHAP. from our camp, to wash some of the donkey saddles, suddenly appeared, breathless from running, and said that a large war party of Rendile was approaching the camp. With all despatch, Lieutenant von Hohnel and I attired ourselves, and ran forward with twenty men. Upon reaching the brow of a low hill, we saw before us three horsemen armed with long spears, and almost concealed in a thick growth of dhum palms. In their - rear we could discern more horsemen, many camels, and a large body of foot warriors. We halted. Between our position and the palms, which served to conceal the Rendile force, there stretched a little plain, and over that plain the three horsemen can- tered slowly to and fro. Upon seeing us, they shouted to their companions behind, amidst the trees, and then cried to us: “Serian!” (Peace). Knowing that Lieutenant von Hohnel and the men with him, who were the best shots in the caravan, would be perfectly able to cover my advance, I went forward, accompa- nied by two of the Somali and a Masai interpreter, to talk to the three mounted Rendile. They permitted me to approach to within fifty yards, but at first no nearer. When I reached that distance, they waved their hands for me to keep off, and when I advanced, they would retreat. Finally, after shouting, “Serian!” I inquired their purpose in coming. They replied that they were a hunting-party of the Rendile in search of giraffe, and said that the camels they had brought with them were for the purpose of carrying back the meat of such animals as they slew. They did not attempt, however, to explain the presence of the large body of foot warriors, some 200 in number. vit TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 329 The men who had been washing the donkey saddles said they had not noticed the approach of the Ren- dile, until they were almost upon them; and _ that from the movements of these people they did not for a moment think they had come on a peaceful mission. I shared their opinion. The two Somali who were with me grinned with excitement and glee, and said: “ Now, master, Allah has delivered these people with horses and camels into our hands. Now let us seize them. They are enemies, and they belong to us. We know that the white man does not wage war for the sake of plunder; but let us, the Somali, go with a few men we will select, and in a few moments you will have horses to ride, and camels to carry your goods ” The temptation to yield was, I must admit, next to irresistible; but as the people concealed among the trees made no overt attack upon us, and as the horse- men continued to shout in the most eager manner, =Seran! Serian!” I could not permit myself to in- dulge in the pleasure of an attack. The three horsemen were men whom we _ had noticed as followers of Lokomogul. They said that their chief very much regretted we had left his coun- try without permitting him to say farewell to us; and that they had come out of their way while on the giraffe hunt to bear us this message. One of them eagerly pointed over his shoulder, and said rapidly, ‘Rhinoceros! Rhinoceros!” This at first conveyed nothing to our minds; but upon following them to a distance, we found stretched on the ground the rhinoceros I had wounded. The sight of this animal 330 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. lying dead upon the ground without apparent wound in his body was undoubtedly what changed their intentions from war to peace. Upon examination, we found that they had time and again plunged their spears into the body of the animai, to test whether he was dead or sleeping. When I pointed out the hole made by my bullet, they evinced every indica- tion of surprise. Finally, after many protestations on our part, we managed to persuade the three horsemen to dis- mount; but not until I had taken from the soil a stone, and spat upon it. This seemed to convince them of my friendly intention, and the older man of the three did likewise. After this exchange of pledges of brotherly love, they seemed much more at ease. [| endeavoured to get them to visit my camp, but this they seemed extremely loath to do. After urging them to take a message to their chiefs, to the effect that I would wait for them at Seran, if they had any- thing to say to me, I was forced to be content to see them rejoin their men, and start on the return trip to Rendile. To watch their movements I sent some of my men, who returned after dark, and said that the party never for a moment turned from their course, but marched with all rapidity towards their home. My spies reported that there were some thirty horsemen in the party, and that all of them were fully armed. I suppose that the young man we had asked to apprise Lokomogul of our departure neglected to do so until after we had set out; when, finding we had left, some of the more courageous decided not to VII eA VELS LN LASTERIV AP RIGA 331 permit such a prize as we appeared to be to slip through their hands, and so set out for the purpose of attacking us. Looking back at this abortive effort on the part of the Rendile, I must admit that it is only with feelings of regret that I remember having slain the rhinoceros, and thus given their warriors an inkling of the real power of our rifles. If they had not seen the rhinoc- eros, I think it highly probable they would have attacked us, and that would have given us every right to profit by their temerity. We had left at Lolokwi in the camp of the Wan- derobbo all the donkey saddles and housing of those animals which had died prior to our departure. These were most difficult to replace, and so I de- cided to send for them, while we waited at Seran in the hope of a visit, hostile or otherwise, from the Ren- dile. I sent to bring these saddles, Mohamadi, the headman of the Swahili, and ten men. Bearing in mind the slowness of a Zanzibari when left to himself, I sent with them Achmet Dualla, one of the Somali, who was perfectly trustworthy, and who I knew would not loiter upon the way. During their absence, Lieu- tenant von Hohnel with Mayolo, the guide, went to a point about eighteen miles to the northwest of Seran, called Lengaya, in order to map the country, and, if possible, discover some new route to the Turcana. He returned in thirty-six hours and reported that from the appearance of the country and the assurances of Mayolo, the guide, the track between Lengaya and Mount Nyiro was absolutely devoid of water, and therefore at that season impassable for the caravan. B32 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. Much to our disgust, the Rendile did not reappear during our stay at this place. The following day Achmet Dualla returned with but three of the party who had accompanied him to bring back the donkey saddles. The three men had been sufficient to bring back the empty saddles, and it is well that they were; for Achmet reported that, Bl CL Au) 3 We Dy yy, Sify ; MA YU GLA es H y i) y i'd J i lg i MU: iy me as ~Yi Y ae Ge i | wi NATIVE BRIDGE—A CHASM IN THE GUASO NYIRO RIVER upon reaching Lolokwi, Mohamadi with the other six men had made off in the night. This news was all but pleasant. We knew they would have little diff- culty in reaching the coast, for the distance between Lolokwi and the ford on the Guaso Nyiro, where we had deposited the five days’ food supply, was short enough to be covered in a day; and after supplying themselves there they would be able to reach the coast at Mombasa, or, by following the Tana, at Lamoo. ~~. VIII GRAVELS VINAEASETERN APRIGCA 333 During our stay with the Rendile I had served out to my men forty rounds of ammunition. As _ the deserters were expert shots, they would be able to supply themselves with game on the way, and after reaching Hameye they could intimidate the Pokomo. At Hameye, providing themselves with canoes, they could easily float down-stream to the coast. With the donkey saddles I had also left the two ivory tusks taken from the elephant shot by Lieutenant von Hohnel. These were worth about $150; and as they were taken by these men, they would supply them with means after reaching the coast to return to Zanzibar. Our visit to the Rendile, except for the purpose of discovery, and the interest which they had excited, was anything but satisfactory. From the appearance of these people, and the fact that they possessed horses, our men had acquired a great dread of them, and this undoubtedly increased the Zanzibari’s willing- ness to desert. However, I did not give up all hope of catching Mohamadi. Knowing the Zanzibar char- acter, I thought he would go straight to Daitcho, inform George that he and his six men were the sole survivors of our party, and endeavour to induce George and the rest of the caravan to return to the coast. Bearing this in mind, it seemed not only advisable, but necessary, to return at once to Daitcho, not only to relieve the mind of George, should Mohamadi have told him some plausible story, but also in the hope of capturing the deserters. Accordingly Lieutenant von Hohnel set out the following day for Lolokwi, where he was to wait until I returned, which I pro- 334 THROCGH JONGLEVAND DES iis CHAP. posed doing in fifteen days. During this time Lieu- tenant von Hoéhnel would be able, we hoped, to procure guides. Upon my return from Daitcho with an in- creased supply of food, and men to take the place of the deserters, we hoped to push on to the Turcana in search of donkeys. By reference to the map the reader can form some conception of the circuitous route we were forced to take on our march from Daitcho to Kome, where we found the Rendile. In an unknown country it is impossible to follow a straight or direct road, when one’s path hes through a waterless desert. Upon my setting out from Seran, Lieutenant von Hohnel gave me the direction I should pursue, by compass, and told me that, if I followed his course, and marched at the rate of three miles per hour, I should reach before dark our old Christmas camping- place on the Guaso Nyiro. Bearing these instruc- tions in mind, I reached the Guaso Nyiro immediately opposite this camp after a ten hours’ march. My men were lightly laden, and the direction in which we marched seemed to lend wings to their feet; for our backs were then turned upon the Rendile, and they were facing the coast. In crossing the river we experienced some difficulty, as it was still in flood; but, once across, we again stepped out briskly, and by two in the afternoon we reached Ngombe crater. At 1.30 P.M. July 19, we reached Daitcho, having accomplished the distance from Seran in three “and one-half days; or, allowing for the detours we had been compelled to make on account of the condition VIII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 335 of the road, we had covered seventy-five miles in that time. When we formerly set out from Daitcho, it required more than twenty days to reach Seran; but upon the return journey, being more familiar with the road, we had been able to cover the distance between these two points in three and one-half days. I found all working satisfactorily at Daitcho. George had the men in good condition, and, in order to prevent idleness and its customary result in mis- chief, had kept them constantly employed. A party of twenty was engaged in making rope for camel and donkey saddles, or the binding of loads. This rope was made by beating out a fibrous plant, carefully drying it, and then rubbing it into strips, which were eventually plaited into an excellent rope. Others were employed in making large straw baskets in which to store flour. One, a Manyema, was _ busily engaged in weaving a straw cloth used by the tribe to which he belonged for clothing. . To do this work he had been forced to make a loom; and though his progress was slow, the work kept his thoughts busy, thereby preventing them from reverting to the pleas- ures of the coast. The rest of the men were engaged from morning until night in pounding dried cassava into flour. The entire caravan looked fat and well. During our absence George had done considerable shooting, and had fed all the men he had with hin, either upon the meat which he procured, or with the grain he had been able to purchase from the natives of Daitcho in exchange for his surplus meat. The natives are so rarely permitted to indulge their crav- ing for flesh, that they gladly exchanged flour, beans, 336 THROOGH JONGLE AND DESERT CHAP: or anything they had, for a few pounds of it. Owing to the friendly relations which George had maintained with them, and doubtless also to the plentiful supply of meat which they had procured from him, the Dait- cho had behaved in the most friendly manner; and after my arrival I held a levee of the principal men of the tribe, when I met many people who had not theretofore come to our camp. The day after my arrival was spent in ease which the men who had accompanied me from Seran ap- preciated as much as I did. They were allowed as much food as they could eat, and of as great variety as the markets of Daitcho afforded. Their camp- fires seemed never to go out. At all times they were thoroughly filled, and they revelled in the great- est pleasure a Zanzibari is capable of experiencing — a gorged stomach. During my stay at Daitcho the men who had re- mained behind with George performed their daily labours but indifferently well. Their minds were not upon their work, and all their thoughts were cen- tred upon the moment when the drum should sound, and they should be released from their tasks, to gather around the men who had accompanied me, and from them hear marvellous tales of what had befallen them. Most of their tales I never heard, but from a few snatches which reached my ears I gathered the im- pression that Munchausen would have produced a much more interesting work had he been a native of Zanzibar. To impart an idea of the boundless genius of the Zanzibari in the field of imagination, VIII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 337 I will relate one of the stories current in our camp at Daitcho within a day after our arrival. It was @ propos of the Rendile. The Rendile were said to be, one and all, mounted upon coal-black steeds, clad in garments of the finest texture, and armed with Arab scimitars, upon the blades of which verses from the Koran were inscribed. They were also said to pos- sess thousands of slaves. And the authors of this tale assured their hearers that it was simply owing to my ability in magic that they had escaped from the clutches of the Rendile. At first this story was re- ceived with a measure of incredulity; but constant repetition of even the most improbable le is _ sufh- cient to stamp it as truth in the minds of these sim- ple negroes. George’s stay at Daitcho had been free from any unusual or surprising occurrences, except those cus- tomarily attendant upon the sojourn of a white man in Africa. However, one of his experiences may be worthy of mention. Our camp had become so infested with fleas that he was unable to sleep in the zeriba at night; and so had acquired the habit of placing his bed without the palisade, taking care, however, to build a rousing fire near him to frighten away beasts of prey. I had left with him one of the puppies we had raised upon our journey; the other two we had taken along with us. It was the wont of this puppy to sleep at the foot of George’s bed. Upon one occasion, while George was sleeping with- out the palisade, a loud yelp from the pup awakened him. Leaping from his bed, he saw, by the light of the dying fire, a large hyena bearing his guardian Z 338 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. away in its mouth. The daring of a hungry hyena is proverbial; so this adventure was not particularly surprising, especially when it is borne in mind that the natives of the Jombeni range leave their dead un- buried, thereby increasing the temerity of the hyena in the presence of man, Shortly after reaching the Rendile, I had received. from Lomoro, the chief, a present of a small, shock- haired dog, of a species said to be owned in great numbers by the Rendile. I left this animal with George to replace the puppy stolen by the hyena. This creature, however, remained steadfast to the nomadic instincts imbued by the roving habits of the Rendile; and, after growing strong enough to walk, one fine day took himself off, never to return. George had heard no rumours whatever of the run- aways; so it seemed clear to me that Mohamadi and his party had made their way by the shortest route to the coast; however, he had the men who had deserted from us on the second day after Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had left Daitcho on our journey to the Rendile. These men had voluntarily returned to the camp at Daitcho, and said they were tired of marching and preferred camp life. This they con- sidered sufficient warranty for their desertion. During our stay in Daitcho, one event of some little interest occurred. About two o’clock one morn- ing the men on guard at one of the gates discharged their rifles, and upon running out we succeeded in capturing two natives. According to our pickets, these two men had endeavoured to steal past them, and enter the zeriba.. Whey were armed 9altem@the VIII TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA 339 most approved manner of thugs. About the person and in the hands of each were six effective slung- shots, consisting of heavy stones bound to a leathern thong. Doubtless their purpose was robbery, and it was entirely owing to the watchfulness of our pickets that their capture was the only result of their visit. Of course, they denied all evil intention; but on the following day, after calling up the headmen of the Daitcho, we discovered that they were not members of that tribe, but, undoubtedly, were Embe. The Tate a? No WS SS SJ SS = wer age “aif Wy, Y, Mt Wd \ ng i N Pil FR "\ ai i I SI O Z Z PTE CEE aN\\ \ Wl —— * SEN S RSS TC = S NSS S \ i \ fil MEN PLAYING CARDS IN CAMP headmen assured us that the presence of these men in the Daitcho country at that time of night was proof, to them at least, that they had not come on a mission of benevolence. We stripped them of their weapons, and sent them back as a warning to their people. On Monday, July 24, I set out, accompanied by eighteen porters, Karscho, my gun-bearer, and my two tent-boys, to rejoin Lieutenant von Hdéhnel at Lolokwi. On parting at Seran, I had promised to rejoin him there in fifteen days; and as I had, when setting out from Daitcho, seven days still remaining, 340 THROUGH JONGLE AND DESI CHAP. I felt confident that by brisk marching I would be able to fulfil my promise. There was a marked dif- ference in the marching ability of the men who had been with us to the Rendile, and of those who had remained at Daitcho. The latter suffered excessively from thirst, although, for the first day and a half, we were never more than one hour without crossing a stream of some sort. Their feet were sore, and they evinced signs of fatigue after a short march. On the morning of July 26, two days from Dait- cho, we set out early, knowing that we had a long, waterless march between us and the Ngombe crater. I cautioned my men to be sparing in the use of the water in their bottles; and, not contenting myself with this, I halted at the end of each hour, and examined the quantity in the bottle of each man. I offered rewards for the men who would arrive at camp with a drop or two in their bottles, and promised punish- ment to those who should exhaust the three litres before reaching camp. These deterrents proved of no avail. Two hours after we had set out, the new recruits from Daitcho had exhausted every drop in their bottles; while those who had been with me to the Rendile had, by that time, not touched their water at all. It was pitiful to hear the foolish creatures who had exhausted their supply, not only begging, but offer- ing to purchase a draught from the bottles of their wiser companions. By 2 pM. two of my men were nearly dead with thirst; they were quite out of their minds, and raved continually. Their loads were taken away, and given to two men I had brought with me and permitted to go VII DIMA V IES IN VEASPPRN ARKRICA 341 unladen in anticipation of such an emergency. Curt- ously enough, although they had, for the moment, become mad by reason of their thirst, their ravings bore no reference to water. They shouted, laughed, cracked jokes, and staggered along with pleasant faces; but their wild and staring eyes, their uncertain steps, and the rambling manner of their talk gave positive evidence of their condition. To these two men I served out all the water I carried for myself, as I had by this time become accustomed to march for many hours without liquid refreshment. I also distributed among the people a few sticks of sugar-cane, which I was conveying to Lieutenant von Hohnel as a present from the Daitcho. Although the men seemed _per- fectly aware that I was denying myself, to a certain extent, in giving them these things, they evinced no sign of gratitude; but, after the nature of their kind, accepted what I gave them in a greedy manner, and meanwhile commented on the small quantity each received. We continued the march, and by 6 p.m. reached the native trail leading from the Jombeni range to the Ngombe crater, when I halted to allow the caravan to close up. To induce them to move in more vigorous fashion, I had pressed on with all speed, accompanied by my two tent-boys. As soon as I was able to dis- cern the figures of my men approaching me along the side of the hill, I again set out, knowing that, after they reached the native trail, they would have no difficulty in arriving at the Ngombe crater. Shortly after sunset I had a rather disagreeable expenence. 1 was striding along in the centre of the 342 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. path, whistling, and my two tent-boys were engaged in eager conversation about twenty feet to my left and rear, when suddenly I heard Baraka shout, “ Yallah bwana mkubwa!” (For the love of God, master). As he shouted, I felt a sharp blow on my left side just over the pocket of my coat, and leaping quickly to one side, I ran on for two or three paces. Upon turning around, [ saw a snake rising out of the path which I had just left, with its head fully three feet from the ground. Its fierce eyes shone in the light of the setting sun, and its neck was swollen out until it appeared to have the breadth of two hands. As I gazed, it slowly and noiselessly sank to the earth and disappeared from the path. I did not pursue it, prin- cipally for the reason that a shot fired after sunset was understood by my caravan to mean a signal of distress; and that would have resulted in my men throwing down their loads and running forward to meet me, thus delaying our arrival at the water. My escape from such a disagreeable death was most fortunate. Had it not been for the fact that I carried in the left-side pocket of my coat two strongly bound note-books, the fangs of the serpent would undoubt- edly have penetrated to my flesh, and judging from its size (the fact that it was able to raise its head a sufficient height to strike my pocket, proved its entire length could have been little short of six feet) death would have been practically instantaneous.. Upon ex- amination, I found that the fangs had _ penetrated quite through one of the books, and nearly through the outer covering of the other. It is strange how accustomed one becomes to disagreeable surprises VII DBRAVEES UN LASTER APRICA 343 after a stay of some months in Africa; and to this fact I attribute the indifference with which I treated the affair. My mind was filled with the necessity of reaching water, and sending back succour to the men who had gone out of their heads for the want of it; so, after a few exclamations of relief, and a hearty laugh over the adventure, I pressed on with my boys to our goal. Two hours after we reached our old camp on the sideol the crater, all my men turned up except the two who were out of their minds, and one of their fellows who had remained behind to watch over them. On the trail to the crater I had noticed footprints ; consequently I expected to meet natives. I knew that not only the Embe visited that place for the purpose of getting the sulphate of magnesium, but also all the other tribes of the Jombeni range, and there was a degree of likelihood that we should meet a party of our old friends, the Wamsara. Immediately upon the arrival of my men, we entered the chasm which led to the interior of the crater. The moon was sufficiently high to light us on our way, and I shall not soon forget the weird effect produced by its light, as we slowly and with difficulty wended our way over the stony bottom of the rift in the crater, whose walls rose high on both sides, and by their jagged outlines gave the effect of some medizval ruin. When suddenly we reached the end of the rift, and the deep extent of the vast crater was exposed to view, illumined to its utmost bounds by the rays of the moon, the effect was almost 344 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. supernatural. The circular sides of the mtemor Yeast no shadow, so that the bottom of the hollow stood out in all-the perfection of its form: In themcenime of the hollow gleamed, white and_ startling, the deposit of sulphate of magnesium. Owing to the depth of the crater, and the bright moonlight, we were unable to distinguish the fires, which we knew would be burning if natives were encamped there. Such is the distance of theWerate; from the last village of the Embe on the Jombeni range, that the natives visiting this spot are forced to spend the night in its hollow bottom. Not only do the natives imagine this crater to be inhabited by spirits of the most dreadful type, but long and pain- ful experience had taught them that the spot we had chosen for our camp, namely, the outer side of the crater, near the entrance, was infested with lions. For that reason they invariably passed the night at the bottom of the crater, where, for the purpose of safety, they had build a strong thorn zeriba. Upon reaching the edge of the crater, I sent Karscho, my gun-bearer, with all the men (except those who had remained behind with the two sufferers from thirst, and my two tent-boys) to the bottom, to get water. I told them to advance as noiselessly as possible, and procure their water, without arousing the natives, should they find any there; but if they should find natives in great number, who in any way proved hostile, they were to take what cover they could secure behind the rocks on the side of the crater opposite the entrance. If attacked, they were to fire upon the natives, who thereupon would flee up the other side, in my direction, and endeavour VIII TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA B45 to pass through the only means of egress, which I, with my Winchester, was perfectly capable of holding. miter my men leit me, | experienced a feeling of intensest loneliness, and my mind filled with a variety of anxious thoughts: first, for the men we had been forced to leave behind, who were so keenly suffering from thirst; next, of the possibility that my people, who had gone in search of water, might fall into the hands of enemies; then, of my personal safety, for I knew the spot was frequented by lions. My nerves were stretched to the utmost tension. I sat down, placed my back against the steep surface of a rock, and alter- nately gazed into the dark shadows which surrounded me, and the vast amphitheatre stretched at my feet. I sat thus occupied for perhaps a quarter of an hour, when I heard the well-known grumble of a lion in search, of prey. It is only in a menagerie that the ) “king of beasts” expresses his hunger by means of roars. When in a state of nature, where the gratifica- tion of appetite is more dependent upon the degree of silence and skill with which prey is approached, the lion exercises greater self-control, but, fortunately, at no time sufficient to conceal his whereabouts. Instead of roars, he then gives vent to full-lunged, guttural sighs, which are emitted, not in rapid succession, but with sufficient pause between each to render their beginnings and endings remarkably distinct and effective. The noise of the footsteps of my men, as they de- scended the stony path leading to the bottom of the crater, satisfied, while it lasted, whatever curiosity my sense of hearing aroused. But, when I could no longer distinguish the noise of falling stones, and the groans 346 TROUGH JONGLE AND DESERG CHAP. and exclamations of the men, as they painfully made their descent, the presence of this other and far more ominous sound impressed itself with peculiar sudden- ness upon my mind. Although I both instinctively and instantaneously knew its import, I could scarce credit my ears, until frequent repetition and increase in volume of the sound convinced me that the lion (for such it was) was approaching nearer and nearer. The shadows, which filled the rift in the side of the crater through which I had come, prevented me from distinguishing anything in that direction; and so, with all senses keenly alert, I turned my eyes to the surface lit by the moonlight. I even looked into the hollow of the crater stretched far below, where I could mo- mentarily distinguish gleams of light reflected back from the shining sides of the water-bottles carried by my men, who by that time were making their way across the bottom. The peculiar formation of the place rendered it diff- cult to fix the position of a sound with any degree of accuracy, but eventually I discovered that the lion was approaching me from above; and the rattle of slip- ping and falling stones soon led me to decide upon the direction from which to expect his coming. For a moment, I thought of firing a shot into the air to frighten him; but I at once realized that such a shot would be construed by my men in the crater as a sig- nal; and, in addition, would not only arouse the natives below, but interfere with the prompt procurement of water. But I was unable to remain quiet; so I seized stones from the ground at my feet, and hurled them vigorously in the direction from which I heard the hon. vat TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 347 coming. The grumbling noise ceased; and encouraged by this, I continued to throw stones in the same direc- tion, occasionally giving vent to a low-toned but vigorous shout. This game I continued until my arm was tired and my voice hoarse. No further sound came to me. At length I could distinguish the voices of my men, as they clambered up the side of the crater. When they had approached within hailing distance, I told them of the presence of the lion; and they at once began to shout, and beat their water-bottles, which probably had the desired effect, for we heard no more of his feline majesty. My men reported that they had found about seventy natives at the bottom of the crater, and that these, upon discovering their presence, had evinced every sign of terror; but upon learning who my men were, had assured them that they were Embe and our friends, and had presented my people with sugar- cane and yams. It was nearly one o'clock in the morning before the men who were suffering from thirst reached camp, and their thirst was not quenched until the two had drunk nine litres of this disagreeable water. They reached camp with recovered senses, but worn out and very feeble. Notwithstanding the fact that natives were in the immediate neighbourhood, we were so fatigued by the labours of the day that we went to sleep after starting camp-fires, without so much as detailing a single picket. The march was not resumed until late the follow- ing day, in order to give the sufferers from thirst an Opportunity to recover fully. While we were waiting, 348 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. a party of 100 natives appeared, mostly young and well-armed men. They had come from the mountains, and were provided with bags in which to take back sulphate of magnesium. Upon seeing us, they halted, and sent forward a few of their number to assure us of their good intentions with respect to our cara- van. They said they were Embe, but this was not the case, as the only language they spoke, even among themselves, was Masai; which proved them to have come from the Janjy country, in which many Masai have settled of recent years, since their cattle were destroyed by the plague. After having exchanged greetings with us, the old men, who appeared to be the leaders of the expedi- tion, advanced to the edge of the crater, and began to implore the protection of the spirit dwelling therein, raising their arms high in the air. While engaged in this prayer, the old men seemed very fervent, but their younger followers paid little attention to the vica- rious supplication, for during the prayer they chatted among themselves, and occasionally with some of my men. We reached the Guaso Nyiro.at the place where we had left the loads of food on the former trip, and a search in the hiding-place revealed a fact we had suspected. Mohamadi had removed most of the flour, and what he did not take with him he had scattered on the ground. After crossing the Guaso Nyiro I found game plentiful; and was much interested in watching a lioness stalking a small herd of water-buck. She was 400 yards distant from me, but I could distinctly make out her movements with the aid of my field- VIII TRAVELS IN) EASTERN AFRICA 349 glasses. She trotted quietly along within forty or fifty paces of the herd, which was quietly feeding up-wind, and seemed unconscious of the proximity of the lioness. I, in my turn, stalked her carefully, but her senses were sufficiently alert to warn her of my approach, and she made off before I could get within 300 yards. As we neared Lolokwi, the caravan was charged by a rhinoceros. One shot from my Winchester turned him, and another, reaching his heart, laid him low. I left some of the men to cut up the meat, and pushed on, in order to meet Lieutenant von Hohnel before dark. I arrived at Lolokwi, where I met Lieutenant von Hohnel, on the evening of July 30, at eight o’clock —just fifteen days from the time we had parted. After he had reached Lolokwi, Lieutenant von Hohnel had made great efforts to secure guides; but his difficulties were increased by the fact that the Wanderobbo we had found there on our former visit had migrated. After days of search on the desert, he managed to fall in with some Wanderobbo, from among whom he procured guides, who promised to take us to their people at a place called Sayer, situated at the base of the Loroghi range, and about three days’ march distant. The disease which had destroyed our donkeys seemed by this time to have run its course, and we had twelve of these animals in the very best condition. The day after our arrival at Lolokwi I was pros- trated with fever, but owing to the small quantity of water there I was unable to make a stay, and was compelled to push on. After two days of tiring march- 350 THROCGH JONGLE AND DES Eis CHAE: ing we reached the Guaso Nyiro at a point where it flows from the Leikipia plateau. There I rested two days, and nursed my fever, while Lieutenant von Hohnel and most of the men pushed on to Sayer. While I was encamped on the banks of the river, a party of Wanderobbo appeared on the opposite bank and begged for food; but as they were unwilling to cross the river for it, they received none. They said that they were and had for many days been starving; and that they had with them plenty of ivory, which they were anxious to exchange for beans and flour. They told me that there was a large force of Masai settled at a place called Kythere, who were possessed of vast flocks of goats and sheep, and many donkeys. On Tuesday, August 8, still suffering frorn fever, I was borne in a hammock to Sayer, where I found Lieutenant von Hohnel and the rest of my men. The camp was surrounded by more than fifty Wan- derobbo, drawn thither by the fact that on the previ- ous day Lieutenant von Hohnel had killed two fine elephants, the tusks of the one weighing eighty-four and eighty pounds, and of the other, fifty and fifty- eight pounds. The Wanderobbo were absolutely starv- ing, and had not Lieutenant von Hohnel succeeded in killing these beasts, many of them would certainly have died. The country was literally alive with ele- phants; but these natives, fearing to spear them, trusted entirely to their traps, which the sagacity of the ele- phant frequently enabled him to avoid. These traps were made by placing across one of the elephant paths a rope which was attached to a weighted spear hung high overhead from the branch of a tree. VIII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 351 The rope, upon contact with the elephant’s leg, breaks, and down comes the spear. This is not often fatal. The spear is thickly smeared with poison, and is so hung that, when it drops, it will strike the elephant DAY Beg Me gs aig sh! Sd te . 4, wy yea (Uj neti SCENE ON THE GUASO NYIRO RIVER just behind the shoulders. All the natives of East Africa who use poisoned arrows or spears in the pur- suit of game, do not for a moment hesitate to eat the flesh of the animals thus poisoned; they are careful, however, to avoid that portion of the flesh immediately surrounding the wound. 352 TAHROCGH JONGLEVAND Dia Eile CHAP; Our camp at Sayer was pitched in a beautiful spot, a little valley nestled between high and rugged hills. Through this valley there flowed a cold, sparkling stream, called Sayer, which rose on the Leikipia plateau, and emptied into the desert between mountains of the General Matthews range. On the banks of this stream we pitched our camp. The air was cool and bracing; in fact, in the early morning it very much reminded me of the cold air of the highlands of Scotland. Under the influence of this change of climate I rapidly recovered, and after a two days’ stay at Sayer I was quite myself again. While I was in a conva- lescent state, Lieutenant von Héohnel went out daily in search of elephants, but was not favoured with any luck. The bush in this part of the country is so thick that elephants, large though they be, are very difficult to find. One day the chief of the Wanderobbo tribe in the neighbourhood of Sayer came with his followers to see us. They gave us some delicious honey and a small tusk of ivory; then begged us for medicine to enable them to kill game. We took many photographs of these people; but they were among the number which turned out badly. They told us they had ivory to sell, and they hoped we would buy it. It was impos- sible to explain to them that I had no use for ivory, as all the traders they had previously met had shown their desire to get it; so I was not much surprised one day to find ten Wanderobbo approaching my camp, each bearing upon his shoulder a tusk. I gave them some tobacco, and told them I should be very glad to buy ivory, but that I had no means of transporting it, VIII TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA 353 as all my men were needed to carry food. They said: “Buy the ivory, and leave it with us, and when you return, or send a man with some token to these parts, we will deliver it to him.” My Masai interpreters, who had traded with the Wanderobbo, said that, strange though it might seem, the Wanderobbo never broke their promises to traders; and if they sold a tusk to a man, they would keep it for him until he returned for it or sent some one with a recognized token. In former times the Wanderobbo used to sell ivory to traders in exchange for beads, wire, and cloth, which they in turn exchanged with the Masai for cattle, goats, and sheep; but since the plague had destroyed the flocks of the Masai, and dispersed the people, the Wanderobbo, in place of beads, wire, and cloth, demanded sheep, goats, flour, and beans. The trading is carried on in this peculiar manner: Upon the arrival of a caravan at a Wanderobbo vil- lage, presents are showered upon the natives, and the question is then asked: “Have you ivory?” The natives usually tell the truth, and state whether or not they have ivory; but sometimes they conceal the fact, as they are often indebted to the traders, and keep the tusks for them until they return. The ivory, unless very small, is not taken to their villages, but is buried where the elephant fell. If the native asks for a present, before he will show the whereabouts of the ivory, it is an indication that the tusks are large; in which case he gets a gift of wire, beads, or food, both before and after bringing the ivory. When the presents have been given (among which tobacco is a simée gua non), then, and not until then, trade begins. 2A 354 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT. CHAP. The Wanderobbo were particularly anxious to get donkeys, as they used these animals to carry the meat slain by their young men to the villages. Two or three of the more energetic younger members of the village asked me to give them special medicine that would enable them to kill elephants; and to humour them I mixed a noxious potion of milk, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and salt. The pecul- iarity of the flavour of this mixture seemed to satisfy them of its efficacy, and smilingly they departed on their way. Daily we asked the Wanderobbo for guides to the north; but they implored that before leaving them we should kill elephants, and supply their women and children with food; which done, they promised to supply us with guides well acquainted with the road. With this end in view, Lieutenant von Ho6h- nel, with five men, set out in one direction, while I, taking twelve, went in another. For the first two hours of our march from the camp at Sayer our road lay through rugged and steep hills, clad with thorn bush; but at length we reached the wide valley stretching between the Loroghi range on one side and the General Matthews range on the other. On our left at a distance of five miles was Loroghi. Here its face was abrupt and wooded, with its top towering 10,000 feet above the sea. On our right stood the peaks of the General Matthews range, — Gerguess, Lasuran, Malon, and Merkeben, — some of them 13,000 feet high. They stretched in a long and unbroken line to the north, and ended in a blue point which my guides informed me was Mount Nyiro. vill . TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 355 The distance from Sayer to Nyiro could be traversed in six days. Knowing, as I did, that Nyiro lay within sight at Lake Rudolph, and that the Turcana with their camels and donkeys lived in the immediate neighbourhood of that lake, it was with feelings of impatience that I realized that we were not on our march in that direction, but were wasting valuable time in order to satisfy the hunger of the Wande- robbo, before being able to induce them to provide us with guides. At 5 p.m. I reached a village of the Wanderobbo called Bugoi from a stream of that name, which flows from the Loroghi range past the village. At first sight this village was similar to any encampment in East Africa. It was surrounded by a strong thorn zeriba, and around the inner side of the enclosure were erected small grass huts. But it differed from others that we had heretofore seen. It was not sur- rounded by plantations; there were no_ storehouses for food; no flocks or herds pastured near it, and animal existence was represented by a group of small and emaciated donkeys, possibly eighteen in number, which fed in a listless manner upon the scant herb- age which the plain afforded. Upon our arrival at the village, although they had been notified of our coming, no reception was accorded us. We _ were allowed to pitch our camp in their immediate neigh- bourhood, send for water, cut wood, and make all preparations for the night, ere a single visitor be- trayed by his presence any interest in our actions. The first man who emerged from the village, and came to my tent, was perhaps fifty years of age, ema- 356 AHROOGH SONGLE AN DED ES ies CHAP. ciated to a startling degree, his flesh clinging with grim tenacity to his bones, and his movements halt- ing and weak. He assisted himself with a long staff. Upon reaching my tent, he seated himself upon the ground, crossed his hands over his stomach, and with an appealing look hoarsely muttered the words, “ Njo njirr” .(Give me meat), Some® of) my inenmavene engaged in cooking strips of giraffe meat, and bits of the hide of that animal were lying about the camp drying, to be made into sandals. I told my men to give him some of their food, which they did. He seized it like a vulture, and, raw as it was, he vora- clously devoured it. Having begged in vain for more of the raw meat, he turned to the bits of partly dried hide, and begged piteously for them. Throughout this scene my ears were assailed with the wailing cries coming from a neighbouring zeriba, and the sounds of hammering. Upon asking what these sounds meant, I was told by my visitor that they were caused by the breaking up of dried bones; while the cries came from the starving people begging for their share of the feast. Our guest told us that with the exception of two or three fortunate hunters, who had succeeded in killing a small wart hog, none of the members of the village (numbering too souls) had tasted food for ten days. Startling though his state- ment seemed, his appearance seemed to warrant it. At length the old man returned to his people; and as soon as it became known that he had succeeded in obtaining food, the entire village came out and surrounded my camp. The inhabitants consisted of people ranging from fifty years of age down to babies VII DRAVIES TN WGASTELIN ARPRICA 357 of a few months. With the exception of four or five youths, the entire community seemed mere bags of skin and bones. Their voices were hoarse, their eyes sunken far within their sockets, and their lips tightly drawn over their teeth; but even in that emaciated condition they seemed to enjoy the pleasures of con- versation, and exchanged remarks and jokes upon the appearance of myself and my men. The headman of the village, called “ Leguinan” (a Masai word, meaning leader), came to me, and after cheerfully expectorating in my face (an act which the Masai, Wanderobbo, and kindred tribes consider the best testimony of their deep admiration and _ friend- ship), proceeded to inform me of the starving con- dition of his people, and prayed that I would lend my powerful aid in supplying them with food. This meant elephant, for the flesh of the elephant is the favourite and staple food of these people. They will eat anything which they can procure; but they pre- fer the elephant, because it has more flesh on it, and the killing of one of these beasts means tons of meat. I told them I had come to them for the purpose of providing them with food, and hoped that on the morrow they would guide me to a place where | would find many elephants; but this proposition did mon seem to meet’the views of the Leguinan of the Wanderobbo. He noticed that we had a good supply of food for our men; and before setting out upon a journey, for the purpose of finding what possibly we might not get, he thought it much better that he and his tribe should be furnished with food from, our stores. He said that he had made bad medicine for 358 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. the last two or three days, and that he had divined from his medicine that the elephants would be wary in the extreme, so that all efforts to kill them would meet with ill success. A long and patient talk ensued (I being the contributor of most of the patience); and this resulted in a promise that the Leguinan and the more active of his tribe would set out with me shortly after midnight for the purpose of finding elephant. He said his medicine had told him that we should find none; but if I told him that my medicine would produce these beasts, he was willing to undergo what appeared to him unnecessary exertion. Neither my men nor myself got much sleep that night. The starving natives spent the entire night in songs and prayers for our success on the morrow. The ham- mering sounds continued several hours after sunset, and when they finally ceased, I realized that even the last bone in the camp was gone, and that it rested with me and my fortune in hunting to keep these poor people from death by starvation. The next day, Thursday, August 17, I awoke at four o'clock, and found standing in front of my tent a band of Wanderobbo, who had been there for some time, waiting to act as guides on the elephant hunt. Most of them were youths. All of them were armed with bows and arrows, and each carried an elephant spear, which they called “Bonati.” This spear is six feet in length, thick at either end, and narrowed where grasped by the hand. In one end 1s bored a hole, into which is fitted an arrow two feet long, as thick as one’s thumb, and with a head two inches broad. Their method of killing elephants is to creep VIII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 359 cautiously up to the beast, and drive a spear into its loin. A quick twist separates the spear from the arrow, and they make off as fast and silently as pos- sible. In all cases the arrows are poisoned; and if they are well introduced into the animal’s body, the elephant does not go far. The Wanderobbo are much afraid of elephants; but, despite this fact, hun- ger drives them to approach within striking distance of these animals, and their lives depend upon the agility and silence of their retreat after striking. I had in all about thirty guides accompanying me, each bearing in his hand a torch. The torch was for the purpose of taking the chill off the air, and warming their bodies. They were clad in_ short cloaks similar to those worn by the warriors on the Jombeni range; and excepting this cloak and _ their sandals, they were naked. I ‘took five of my men, and set out with the guides towards Loroghi. Our path lay among stunted thorn bushes; and as it was lghted by only the torches of the Wanderobbo guides and the stars, progress was extremely slow. Just at sunrise we reached a delightful spring, where I halted, and sent back two of my men to the people I had left at the Wanderobbo village, with instructions for them to come on to this point and make camp. Having done this, we continued the march for three hours more. My guides were perfectly silent; and, spurred on by hunger, their patience appeared to be put to extreme tension by the slow, steady rate at which I ad- vanced. At length we reached a small gneiss hill, which I climbed, and from its top scanned the sur- 360 THROOCGH JSONGLEVAND DES Ewa CHAP. rounding country, in the hope of seeing an elephant. My guides took no interest whatever in this action, and refused to climb the hill. Upon my return they asked me whether I had seen elephants. I said, “No.” “Have you heard elephants?” I said, “ No.” “Come,” said they, “let us waste no more time; we have heard them, and there isa larve herd¥notetan from us.’ I bore in mind the fact that “themlee: guinan had assured me the day before that his medi- cine had told him we should not find elephants; and SOME OF MY MEN WITH IVORY I felt that as I had assured him that my medicine was sufficient to produce these animals, it would be somewhat impolitic to set off in the direction indi- cated by these guides. So I refused to do so, and returned to the:yvantage point at-the>top .or—themhulll There can be no doubt that, though civilization can accentuate certain more or less artificial sensa- tions, it does not increase the faculties of sight, hear- ing, and smell. - Upon my return to the top of the hill, I took with me the Leguinan, and asked him in what direction he had heard the elephants. He indi- cated by pointing. With my field-glasses I was un- rT TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 361 able to distinguish anything in the direction he pointed, and so told him. He seemed much disap- pointed, and by his actions appeared to lose a degree of his faith in my power as a medicine-man. I satis- fied myself by telling him that we should undoubtedly find elephants on that day. I told him we would go where he indicated, and if we did not find any there, we certainly should find them elsewhere during the day. This seemed to please him, and we all set out. Before doing so, the natives removed their sandals and cloaks, and those armed with bows laid them aside. Their right hands grasped their elephant spears, while in their left they carried an extra ele- phant arrow. Two of the men, supposed to be the best hunters of the tribe, preceded me, and we ad- vanced silently and swiftly toward the bushes, where these people assured me they had both heard and seen elephants. After going on for an hour and a half, we entered the bush, and there saw fresh signs of elephants. Then we stopped. The country for some miles from the base of the Loroghi range is covered with dense scrub, thorns, and bush, which is intersected by elephant trails run- ning in all directions. These paths are wide under foot, and the marching is not bad; but at a height omthree feet from the ground the bushes reach over and meet, thus making progress in an upright position impossible; one must creep along almost on one’s knees. The naked savages pass silently, and with suf- ficient rapidity, but I, with my thick boots and can- vas coat, could not move without noise and difficulty. Owing to the dense growth of bushes, it was impos- 362 THROOGH VONGLEVAND DESEia CHAP; sible to see more than twenty or thirty feet aimoma where one stood, in any direction but skyward; so the natives appeared to be guided more by sound than sight. Elephants break the bushes when feeding, occasion- ally trumpeting softly through their trunks, thereby making a sound similar to the loud purr of a cat; so that a hunter possessed of a keen sense of hearing can fix the position of the brute by sound, and need not depend upon sight. Unfortunately my sense of hearing is none too acute; so I depended entirely upon the two natives, who preceded me, to show me the whereabouts of the elephant. After informing me of the position of the brutes, and satisfying themselves that I knew of their whereabouts, most of the Wan- derobbo halted, and I was left with my two gun-bearers and two guides. I had also taken with me Felix, the fox-terrier, and his two puppies, the latter by this time grown sufficiently to follow us on the march. As soon as we came.upon the fresh signs of ele- phants, these three dogs had commenced to whine and evince such excitement, that I left them in charge of the Wanderobbo who remained behind, and pushed on without them. We moved on steadily for half an hour, when my guides suddenly stopped, their eyes blazing with suppressed excitement, and pointed to a small opening fifty feet away. There in the opening I saw a good-sized elephant. When satisfied that I had seen the elephant, my guides silently and swiftly disappeared. It was standing broadside on, and all but its head and ears and the highest portion of its back was concealed by the thick growth. I was armed VIII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 363 mit a 577. I took careful aim at the outer edge of the huge ear of the beast, and discharged my rifle. As soon as the smoke cleared sufficiently to permit mento get another sight, | fired the second barrel. The sound of the report had scarcely died away, when a dreadful crashing and trumpeting was heard, and straight at me through the bush came—I knew not what. I turned for another rifle, but both gun-bearers had fled, and I was alone with an empty rifle. No, not alone; for Felix, the fox-terrier, had by some means escaped from the men who held him, and there stood by my side, his ears pricked to attention, and his tail trembling with excitement. All this occurred in a few seconds, and I had scarcely realized my helpless condition, when I saw five elephants rushing at me, and not more than fifteen feet distant. I leaped to one side, and in so doing pierced my arm and shoul- der with some thorns, which gave me such pain that I stopped, and expected that in a second I should be trampled under foot. What was my surprise at this moment to see Felix, fired with ardour for the chase, dash straight at the foremost elephant, and, leaping upon him, bite vigorously at some portion of his body, all the while barking in his most vigorous manner. The brutes at once halted, and with a scream of fright turned sharply to the right, and—I was saved. I had two extra cartridges in my pocket; but, as I had expected to seize a freshly loaded rifle, I had not at first attempted to place them in my weapon. Now that I had time for thought, I slipped one in, and got a shot at the head of the rear elephant, as it disap- eared im the bush, not six feet from me. I do ot 364 THROOGI VONGLE AND WES igs CHAP. think sixty seconds elapsed between my first and third shots. Had Felix not rushed at the elephamia I think I am truthful in saying that I should have been crushed to death. After a few moments, and some vigorous shouting on my part, the two gun- bearers turned up, full of excuses, which I accepted, having no alternative. After a short search I found that my two shots had proved effective,—a large female elephant was lying on its side, though not yet dead. As we ap- proached it, it endeavoured to rise, and reached for us with its trunk. As a precautionary measure, and also to end its misery, I seized a Mannlicher, which one of my gun-bearers carried, and discharged it point-blank at the forehead of the elephant. Its life fled. | It is supposed that a shot at the forehead of an elephant cannot be attended with decisive re- sults. Many men have told me that even a shot from an eight-bore rifle has proved inadequate to stop the rush of an elephant, when made at its fore- head. However, I have met an English gentleman, Mr. Frank Cooper, who had killed an elephant in Africa with a .50 Winchester, shooting the animal through the forehead; and the force -of the- bullet was sufficient not only to penetrate the vast quantity of bone which defends the elephant’s brain in front, but after passing through this bone and the brain, it shattered the rear wall of the brain-pan. It took more than an hour to reassemble my scat- tered men and the natives. According to their own story, the Wanderobbo ran at least a mile upon VIII TRAVELS IN EASTERN. AFRICA 365 hearing the first shot. My Masai interpreter told me he did not move, but added that on the next occasion he would; for while standing at the edge of the elephant path, he suddenly became aware that a herd of elephants was approaching him at a tre- mendous rate of speed. He at once threw himself into the sharp thorn-bush on the side of the path, braving the pain it inflicted rather than the onslaught of the beasts. He managed to get perhaps three feet from the path into the thick thorns, by the time the leading elephant arrived at the place where he was standing. There the elephant stopped, and began to search for him with its trunk; and finally, having sat- isfied itself of his whereabouts, reached for him. He had his sandals in his hand; and being unable to move on account of the thorns, as the trunk of the elephant neared him, he instinctively held out the sandals, which were promptly seized. The sandals seemed to satisfy the curiosity of the beast; for hav- ing taken them with its trunk, it dashed them to the ground, and trampled upon them. Then with a loud trumpeting of rage it passed down the path, followed by its fellows, leaving Hassan (the inter- preter) greatly terrified, and offering thanks to Allah oi his escape. When the natives found I had killed a large ele- phant, their joy knew no bounds. They one and all dashed at it, and plunged their spears into its life- less carcass. They sang and danced upon it, and in every possible manner testified their joy. After these mirthful capers, the Leguinan of the Wanderobbo said to me that one elephant was not sufficient for 366 LHROCGH VONGCLE AND DES2iT CHAP. the wants of his people, and he wished I would set out at once and kill more; so I took five Of “them number, and again went into the bush. We had not been five minutes away from the spot where I had just slain the elephant, and from which we could hear shouts and all sorts of human noises, when I was surprised to hear loud trumpeting not thirty feet away from me. At the sound my five guides left me, and I whispered to my gun-bearers that they must stand by me. We cautiously peered through the bush, and I could see the outlines of an enormous male elephant, armed with beautiful tusks, and standing broadside to me, . with his trunk raised high in the air, as if trying to find us. I aimed directly at his shoulder, and fired; then, waiting until the smoke cleared, I fired my sec- ond barrel. Again the dreadful trumpeting and crack- ing of bush. I could see nothing, but I hastened to throw myself out of the path, and my example was speedily followed by my gun-bearers. We had scarcely done so, when seven elephants passed within one foot of our prostrate forms. This was hot work, and | began to think the game was not worth the candle. Owing to the dense bush, I could not see more than one beast at a time, but there always seemed to be nearly six or seven. As soon as I fired, they dashed rapidly down-wind, and, as one goes up-wind to get elephants, I was always directly in their path. The range is so close that there is not time to reload; and even if one does reload, the brutes are upon one ere aim can be taken and a shot fired. It is most dangerous work, but exhilarating. VIII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 307 When the elephants passed by, I went on, and found plenty of blood, but no elephant. We searched about in the bush, and finding no further signs I de- cided to go farther and try again. My guides returned in a moment, and were much disappointed at learning that there was no meat for them; but upon my assur- ance of more success another time, we again set out —always, of course, up-wind. After a lapse of about twenty minutes, we reached a place where the bush was more open; and there I suddenly came upon a. herd of six elephants, standing in a line and placidly feeding. I wished to kill the largest of the six, and, in order to get a good shot at him, it was necessary for me to make a slight change in my position. As I was doing so, the entire herd became conscious of my proximity, and charged down-wind, but fortunately misingle file. J had time to leap to one side, and fire, but at such close range that the barrel of my rifle touched the hide of the animal I shot at. There was no apparent result; so, being tired out with the work of the day, I returned to the first elephant we had killed, and, taking the tusks, returned to camp, which I reached after dark. The next morning after dawn all the men of the Wanderobbo village who were able to walk, together with seventeen donkeys, passed our camp on their way to get the meat. The don- keys carried curious saddles. They consisted of a net like a snowshoe, made of strips of skin stretched on an oval frame, one for each side. These were held in place by straps, and between them was piled the meat. I followed them to the elephant, which by this time 368 THROOCGH JONGLE AND DESPA CHAR: had been entirely cut up by the natives who accom- panied me on the previous day. They had built huge fires, and worked the entire night. The Wanderobbo eat all parts of the elephant except the skull—the skin, bones, sinews, intestines, and all. The natives had found another elephant dead, probably the one I last fired at; so I had succeeded in getting two of the four I had attempted to kill. The second ele- phant had but small tusks. Upon reaching the place where the Wanderobbo had piled the meat taken from the carcasses of the elephants, the women gave vent to pzeans of joy, and, like hyenas, seized bits of the raw meat, which they devoured with avidity. I took some guides, and again went in search of elephants, but found none; and re- turned to camp thoroughly tired out. From these three days’ constant marching my feet were very sore; so I spent forty-eight hours in rest. From our camp at Sayer we had taken but suff- cient food to last two days; so I was now forced to subsist entirely upon bits of elephant heart, which I found to be quite a delicacy, when roasted upon the end of a sharp stick. All other parts of the elephant I have tried, and all but this portion I found unpala- table; but the heart is a fine morsel, and reminded me somewhat of a mince pie. On the evening of the second day of my rest, the Leguinan of the Wanderobbo village appeared with some of his followers, and said that on the following day he would take me to a place near by, full of elephants, which were not nearly so difficult to shoot as those we had last taken. He frankly told me VIII TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 369 that his people never for a moment thought of ven- turing into the place where they had cheerfully taken me a few days before. They said that, owing to the thorns, their retreat had been almost impossible; but at the place where they were about to take me there were very few thorns, and the cover was so thick that one might approach quite close to the elephants without being discovered. My experiences in ele- phant hunting had not been such as to render me very confident of my ability either to kill or to escape those I had not wounded; so with anything but a light heart, I agreed to set out in search of further Same.) Liese poor people seemed so much in need of meat that I could not resist their importunate entreaties for assistance in procuring it. One of the men who came with the Leguinan said that he had been shooting with Lieutenant von Hohnel two days before, and that Lieutenant von Hohnel had had a very narrow escape. ‘The story of the event was as follows: he had shot a fine cow elephant three times in the head, and it dropped. He advanced toward it, and when he was quite close, the elephant, with a scream, arose and charged. He presented his rifle, which the elephant seized, and broke to pieces, Lieutenant von Héhnel escaping by a miracle. The infuriated beast then seized and de- stroyed two of the water-bottles, which the frightened porters had dropped. The elephant, having satisfied itself with this revenge, made off. meine time | heard the story, 1 doubted its truth, but the narrator swore to its credibility. On Sunday, August 20, I set out with five Wan- 2B 370 THROOGH JUNGLE AND DES CHAP. derobbo. We marched one hour; then I called a halt, as our guides said their brethren were en route to Bugoi from their village. In half an hour they appeared, and then we all entered the bush together. This place was called Bugoi, and is situated upon the banks of the stream which eventually flows past the Wanderobbo village. Close to the borders of the stream the valley was quite clear of bush; else- where there was a dense growth, but, happily, free from thorns. This place is the favourite hunting- ground of the Wanderobbo. ‘The thick cover enables i ‘tt | Heya DONKEYS CROSSING DRY RIVER-BED them to get close to their quarry, while the absence of thorns makes flight painless and easy. Where I hunted a few days before, it is deemed by the na- tives too dangerous for any but the most expert; but of this fact the natives thoughtfully did not apprise me until after I had been there. We walked to a small savannah, and then sat down to watch for signs. Soon, with the aid of my glasses, I saw a fine bull about 1000 yards away. He was in the midst of a dense growth, and the wind was very shifty and treacherous, so that I felt uncertain how to approach him. Upon telling the VIII TRAV ILES WIN HASTERN “AP RICA Bui Leguinan that I had seen an elephant, he stood and prayed to Ngai that the day’s operations might be crowned with success. A few of his followers joined him in prayer; but most of them tried their spears on imaginary tuskers, thrusting them into the air and recovering bravely. The prayer finished, I went forward with fifteen men, while the rest disappeared in the bush. At the end of an hour, I came in sight of a good-sized bull, standing upon the steep edge of the slope of Loroghi. There was a valley about 500 yards in width between my position and that of the elephant, and, the wind being so shifty and uncertain, I felt that approach in his direction would be attended with unsatisfactory results. I knew the Mannlicher would carry 500 yards with accuracy, and, as the elephant was in full view, standing with his back towards me, I got a very fair shot. The bullet struck him, for he sharply turned in our direction, raised his trunk, and then quickly lowered it to the ground; which signified that he had become aware of our position, and was prepared to charge. I have never seen an elephant charge with its trunk in the air. If the trunk is poised in the air, it indi- cates that the animal is not quite certain of the where- abouts of its tormentors; but when satisfied of the direction in which it must go, the trunk 1s lowered, and the charge follows. As this bull lowered his head, I gave him a shot in the forehead, which knocked him down. He rose again, and charged straight at us. I had great hopes of getting him, and endeavoured to induce the natives 372 THRKOCGH JUNGLE AND DESERT: CHAP. to remain quiet until he should again come in sight; for, as he had disappeared in the intervening valley, I could not catch another glimpse of him until he had reached a point almost upon us. But the eagerness of the natives was so great that they were unable to control themselves. Upon seeing him approach, they set up a cry as to which portion of him each of them should get. This frightened the elephant, and he turned off, and did not reappear. I went after him, and saw more elephants at a great distance; but was unable to get near them, as the other Wanderobbo were yelling all about us in the bush, and they suc- ceeded in making all the animals take to flight. I was able with the aid of my glasses to see and count eighty elephants in view at one time. I do not know whether the elephant is disappearing with great rapidity from other parts of the world; but I think I am safe in asserting that it will be many years before they are driven from the shelter of the bush mean Loroghi. Before leaving camp in the morning, I had instructed my men to move it to the neighbourhood of the Bugoi stream. Just before sunset I found them encamped near a village of the Wanderobbo, who had moved farther up-stream, in the hope of being nearer the elephants they felt confident I should kill, On my way to the village I heard that some of the Wande- robbo had succeeded in killing two elephants. When this fact was announced to their women, they set up a scream of joy, and danced about with delight. The Wanderobbo who live upon elephant meat have no fixed abode, but rear habitations in any place where VIil TRAVELS [IV EASTERN AFRICA 373 they are likely to find elephants, and move from one place to another, as the wanderings of the herd of elephants may dictate. ip to this time I had met three types of Wan- derobbo: (1) Those that lhved near the plains, and subsisted upon antelopes, zebras, and giraffes; (2) those that hid upon the sides or tops of mountains, and lived upon honey and such game as they caught in their traps; (3) those at Bugoi, who had no beehives, and lived entirely upon the flesh of elephants, which they sometimes entrapped, but oftener succeeded in slaying with their spears. The Wanderobbo, as a race, are a low type of natives. The true Wanderobbo has nothing to commend him; but, owing to the fact that some Masai and Berkenedji have mixed with them, a cross has been produced, which is much more vigorous and better developed physically than the pure strain of Wanderobbo. Whom the Wanderobbo sprang from will probably never be definitely known; but much evidence points to the opinion that they were the original inhabitants of what is now called Masai Land. As the Masai in- creased in numbers, and extended the sphere of their influence, they slew or drove to the mountain tops all the former possessors of the soil. From the fact that the Wanderobbo prefer starvation to cultivation, one might suppose they were a pastoral people, and unaccustomed to tilling the soil. All of them with whom I came in contact spoke the Masai language; but it was stated by my Masai interpreters that the Wanderobbo had a language of their own, which they used among themselves. This 374 LHROCGH JONGLE AND DESERT CHAP. I cannot vouch for. Love of freedom and laziness are the only apparent inducements which cause the Wanderobbo to lead their precarious life. They im- pressed me as being more like wild animals than men. Restraint of the slightest nature they could not brook; and although they readily admitted the advantages accruing from cultivation of the soil, they flatly refused to have anything to do with such work, notwithstanding the fact that I offered them hoes and seeds, and told them how to plant and cultivate. Later, during my journey, two of these people at- tached themselves to my caravan, and from them I gathered some idea of their mode of life. In the rainy season, when the bees make no honey, and the able-bodied men are unable, on account of the moist- ure, to use their bows with effect, they have but one means left for supporting life. This is, for some one to climb a tree, or ascend some high hill, and there watch for vultures. When they see these birds cir- cling about and finally descending to the earth, word is sent to the village, and all sally forth in search of food. They will eat anything in the shape of meat, be its state of putrefaction what it may; and I was told that they frequently battled with hyenas and vultures for the remains of the carcass of some beast, slain by a lion or other animal, long after an ordi- nary human being would be willing to approach within 100 yards of it. From the Masai who had settled among the Wan- derobbo I gathered the following information con- cerning the dispersal of the Masai, after the plague had destroyed their flocks and herds. When the VIII TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA B75 cattle began to die, those villages which first suffered from this cause banded and raided their more fortu- nate neighbours. Thus there sprung up an_ inter- necine war, which destroyed nearly all the warriors inhabiting the country of the Masai north of Kili- manjiro. According to my informants, there were but two bands of Masai at that time in all this terri- tory. One of these two bands, by far the larger, occupied a place called Kinangop, lying to the north of Lake Naiwasha. This division of the Masai was called the Leburego. They had proved most success- ful in the wars following upon the death of the cattle, and at this time they had sufficient sheep and goats to support life. Another party of Masai, occupying three villages, and numbering perhaps 4000 in all, settled with the Kythere people, who inhabited a portion of the coun- try lying between the Jombeni range and Mount Kenya. The latter, besides having sheep and goats, sustained life by small cultivation of the soil, and were fast becoming merged in the people whom they joined. However, they retained their racial charac- teristic of ferocity to such an extent that traders dared not visit them. With these Masai at Kythere were two bands of Wanderobbo, who were very suc- cessful elephant-hunters. From the fact that they had no opportunity of disposing of their ivory to traders, they were at this time supposed to have vast stores of ivory in their possession, and likely to prove a prize to the first visiting caravan. Besides these two large bands of Masai, numbers of women and little children, who had survived the 376 THROOGH JONGLE AND VDESER CHAP. famine, joined the people on the Jombeni range (not- ably the Wamsara and Janjy), and some had merged themselves with the inhabitants of Kikuyu and Ukambani. I was struck by the fact that the vast plains of the Leikipia plateau were deserted by all but a few bands of Wanderobbo, who wandered over them in search of game. Owing to the good pastur- age afforded by this country, it seems probable to me that when the Rendile learn that it is uninhabited, they may be tempted to move thither with their camels; for the place they occupied at this time was a mere desert in comparison with the Leikipia plateau. From the Wanderobbo whom I had seen I gath- ered by a rough estimate that the total number of their tribe inhabiting the country between the head- waters of the Mackenzie River and the Lorian Swamp and the Loroghi range could not exceed 500. From the reports of travellers who had visited the Masai before the dispersal of that tribe, various esti- mates of the total number of Masai had been made, some stating, as the result of their information, that there were at least 2,000,000. I very much doubt if, even when they were most numerous, the total num- ber of Masai ever exceeded 200,000 to 300,000; and these figures do not seem to me a low estimate. Now that the British occupy the Uganda, and a rail- way 1s 1n course of construction between that coun- try and the coast, which passes through Masai Land, and will undoubtedly prove a great check upon the marauding instincts of these people, I think it likely that not many years will pass before they lose their present characteristics and are forced to settle down VII TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA 377 and cultivate the soil, like the other and less inter- esting natives inhabiting East Africa. The day following my last hunt at Bugoi I re- turned to Sayer. Lieutenant von Hohnel had already returned from an unsuccessful shooting expedition. The adventure related to me by one of the natives I found to have this shadow of foundation. Lieu- tenant von Hohnel had seen one large cow elephant, and had shot her twice in the head with a Mann- licher; but each time he aimed at her she moved her head so that he was unable to reach the brain. Having received two shots, the elephant charged directly at Lieutenant von Hoéhnel, who was attended by five men. These men scattered in all directions, one of them dropping his tin water-bottle, while the elephant, after stepping upon it, and trying to destroy it, passed on, and disappeared in the bush. . Although Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had at this place killed four elephants, we had not thoroughly satisfied the hunger of the poor Wanderobbo; so we decided to take one more trip, and, if possible, kill sufficient game to satisfy their wants for at least a short time; after which we were to set out for the north. During my absence Lieutenant von MHohnel had discovered the source of the Sayer River to be a small lake called Lilley, situated on the top of the Leikipia plateau. CHAR TVET ax On August 23, Lieutenant von MHéhnel and IJ, with twenty-five men and six donkeys, went to the top of the Loroghi range, called by the natives Subugo (forest). The Leikipia plateau stretches in a southwesterly direction as far as the eye can see, and is covered with high, waving grass, dotted at intervals with bushes. This place seemed to afford perfect pasturage for cattle, sheep, and goats, and | have no doubt that, at some day, owing to the healthy climate consequent upon its high altitude, it will be used for that purpose by Europeans. Even in the heat of the day the air on the Leikipia plateau is cool, while at night the thermometer falls to forty- tarecs Paliienitery. Upon reaching the Leikipia plateau we camped, and the following morning set out for Subugo. In the early hours the forest seemed all but inviting. As we neared it, we saw many indications of the presence of elephants and rhinoceroses; hence we felt confident of laying in a good supply of meat. At II AM. we reached a place where the forest became interesting in appearance, the trees being for the most part what are termed in this country Morio. This is a tree which very much resembles a holly bush, and from its sap the natives procure 378 CHAP. IX TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA 379 some of their poison. Among other trees growing here, there was an excellent variety of cedar, growing very straight, with trunks suffciently thick to have planks sawn therefrom. About noon we heard a rhinoceros charging up- wind at us, but-it did not reach the caravan. The cover was so thick that we did not see the animal until it was quite upon us. Although this rhinoceros did no damage, the fact that it charged so near-us caused Lieutenant von Hohnel to seize his rifle and carry it himself, contrary to his usual custom of en- trusting the weapon to his gun-bearer. Five minutes later we came upon fresh elephant tracks; the ground was strewn with small branches, from which the bark had been stripped, and in the soil were many marks of ponderous feet. This discovery added caution to our movements, and we pressed on as rapidly and _ noise- lessly as possible. A few moments passed, when suddenly I heard upon my left the snort of another rhinoceros. I looked sharply in the direction from which the sound came, and saw one of these animals coming through the bush. It was not coming directly at me, but appeared to turn off toward the rear of the caravan, so I did not fire, being loath to disturb the elephants which we knew to be near. Thinking the beast had passed harmlessly, I continued on my way. Soon my attention was arrested by loud shouts from the rear, and fierce barks from Felix and his two puppies. I stopped a moment and looked back, but could see nothing, owing to the thick bush. In an instant, however, I heard the snorts of the rhinoceros coming in my direction. Presently there emerged 380 THROCGH JONGLE AND DESERT CHAP. from the bush my tent-boy, Sururu, and one of the Wanderobbo guides, their eyes starting out of their heads, while they were running as hard as they could, and endeavoured to dodge behind trees. In a second — the rhinoceros dashed past me, but so quick was its rush by and disappearance in the bush that I had not time to shoot it. Irritated by the noise and trouble it caused, as well as its near proximity, I plunged into the bush after it. As I sighted it, standing about twenty feet away under a cedar tree, I heard my name called in loud and anxious tones by Karscho, my gun- bearer. He said: “Turn back, master; Lieutenant von Hohnel is killed.” I at once turned back and followed Karscho, who led me to a spot under a tree about fifty yards away, where lay the apparently life- less body of my friend and companion. Upon hearing the rhinoceros approach, Lieutenant von Hohnel, who, had he not had his rifle in his hand, would have contented himself by dodging it, faced the rush. He saw it approaching him, and waited before firing until the brute presented a fair mark; but as the animal approached, the men with him became nervous and ran across his line of fire, which prevented him from shooting. Being unable to shoot, on account of the men, and the beast having arrived at close quarters, he attempted to step aside and hide behind a tree; but was unable to do so, for he found this point of vantage already taken by two or three of the men. Even when he discovered that he was unable to obtain shelter, Lieutenant von Hohnel hesitated to fire, fearing that he would alarm the elephants of which we were in search. He had already had much experience ox Ji TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 381 with rhinoceroses, and being accustomed to their mad rush, was perfectly cool when charged by one. To this coolness and temerity his accident was undoubtedly due. Even when the rhinoceros was upon him, he trusted to his agility, and hoped to leap to one side and avoid the rush of the animal; but he then noticed that the thick bush would prevent such action; so he quickly changed his mind, and decided to fire. In raising his gun to his shoulder, it caught in the branch of a tree, and at that moment the nose of the rhinoc- Ay, 4 WA iy a, A, —- AY Nia NAY) Yee. Bae ¥ 4 Lay, NRE i iW / Ai “es f i oy De pip My / Hine i ee Hi ay ee ae a Com Y ey Ms as ‘a A K Ui vie Z e ty IN TROUBLE WITH OUR DONKEYS eros struck him in the stomach, and bore him to the earth. Having thrown him down, the beast trampled upon him, and struck him once with its nose and once with its horn. Fortunately the horn was_ short, but it was long enough to make a ghastly wound in Lieutenant von Hohnel’s thigh, and chip off a bit of the thigh-bone. While he was lying under the beast, the men who accompanied him seemed prostrated to such a degree that they were unable to shoot. One man, however, Herella, a Soudanese, who, upon the approach of the rhinoceros, had nimbly climbed a cedar tree, shouted 382 THIROCGH JONGLE AND DESEicE CHAP. from the coigne of vantage where he was safely ensconced, “‘Dereb! Dereb!” (Shoot! Shoot!) smite man to whom he shouted was apparently unwilling to divert the attention of the rhinoceros to himself, and so neglected to take advantage of the opportunity. Almost as soon as Lieutenant von Hohnel was knocked down, Felix and the two other fox terriers ferociously attacked the rhinoceros, and by their barks and the vigour of their attack finally succeeded in diverting the attention of the animal toward them- selves; thereby, without doubt, saving Lieutenant von Hohnel’s life. The rhinoceros, by that time thor- oughly aroused, having left Lieutenant von Hohnel, charged the men behind the trees; and catching sight of poor Sururu, who had had a prior and pain- ful experience with these animals, thundered in his direction, but he managed to elude it. Fortunately the beast did not succeed in doing further damage; but it is a matter of the deepest regret to me that it escaped with its life, and is now doubtless lying in wait for some other unfortunate traveller. Upon reaching Lieutenant von Hohnel, I found him still conscious; in fact, he assured me that he was able to walk. In that he was mistaken. We carried him to a soft spot under a tree, stripped him of his clothing, and attended to his wounds as well as our slight means and skill would permit. I told my men to take their cloths and make a hammock. This, for a moment, they actually refused to do. Probably they were yet dazed by the recent .occurrence; sand thereby deprived of that mite of reason which in their calm moments they possess. IX TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 383 The reader can well imagine my feelings upon realizing the extent of the injuries sustained by Lieu- tenant von Hohnel. Not only were we hundreds of miles from the coast and a doctor, but most of our store of medicine was at Daitcho, and what we had with us was barely sufficient for a few days’ treatment of his wound. My skill in surgery was very meagre; and although Lieutenant von NHohnel (despite the acute pain he was suffering) was able to direct in what manner I should bind and dress the wound, I was overcome with a sense of my impotence, and felt that it was the irony of fate that my friend’s life should in great measure depend upon my unskilled treatment of his wound. Of course, nothing remained but to remove Lieutenant von Hohnel as quickly as possible back to Daitcho. I feared the wound would prove fatal, but he bore up so wonderfully, that it seemed well worth trying to get him to the coast. That night we camped within a stone’s throw of where we had camped the preceding night — but under what changed conditions! When we left this spot in the morning, our men had left their camp-fires burning (contrary to orders). Fanned by the breeze, these started a prairie fire, and for thousands of yards around the spot the earth was black and charred. Far across the desert a wall of flames could be seen dancing in the twilight. It was on this. charred ground near the Sayer River that we pitched our camp that night. Everything was done to make Lieutenant von Hohnel as comfortable as_ possible; but with our rude equipment his sufferings were but little allayed by the care and attention we bestowed. 384 THROUGH JONGLE AND DESERT, CHAP. The next day we reached our camp at Sayer. There we were forced to wait several days, as Lieutenant von Hohnel suffered too much from his wound to be moved. During our stay at this place I sent Karscho and some Soudanese daily in search of game, and their skill with the rifle kept us supplied with fresh meat. My feelings of grief at Lieutenant von Hodhnel’s accident were accentuated by the fact that I was per- fectly aware that from that time the expedition would be unable to profit from his skilled assistance; also, by the further fact, that 1t would require months to trans- port him to the coast. Notwithstanding this immense drawback, I decided not to forego my plans of con- tinuing the expedition; and with that purpose in view when we set out from Daitcho, I left six of my men behind in charge of a store of flour and _ trading- goods. These men received instructions to wait five months, unless otherwise ordered. By the end of that time I hoped to be able to profit by the presence of this food station in that wilderness. A few light showers of rain had fallen, and the Wanderobbo had assured us that in this high country the Guaso Nyiro was apt to rise at very short notice; so we decided to cross it at once, while it was shallow, lest we should be delayed by a rise in the river. We left our camp on September 1, and reached Daitcho on September 18. Reviewing in my mind this march from Sayer to Daitcho, I can conjure up nothing but a nightmare of continuous horror and anxiety. The anxiety was occasioned by the suffer- ings of my friend; the horror was caused by the fact that during this entire march, from Sayer until we IX TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA 385 reached Daitcho, all the rhinoceroses in East Africa seemed to have clustered about our pathway, and to have religiously devoted all their attentions and ener- gies to charging us as frequently as possible. On this journey we marched in the following order. In front, at a distance of 100 yards, I with Karscho my gun-bearer cleared the road of these beasts; then came two Soudanese, who were good shots; then the porters. Following these, and bringing up the rear, borne upon the shoulders of four men, lying in a lit- ter, and surrounded by a body-guard of six of the best shots in the caravan, who had orders, in case a rhinoceros charged, never to desert their master, came Lieutenant von Hohnel. The country over which our path near the Guaso Nyiro lay was close to the stream, and varied in char- acter from small, grassy savannahs covered with tall acacia to vast stretches of thorny bush. For some reason the rhinoceroses had left the plains, and gath- ered near the banks of the river. From the time we left Sayer until we arrived at Daitcho, I saw more than 100 rhinoceroses. Though not more than twenty- five charged the caravan, the proximity of the others kept my nerves upon a continued stretch. Often, de- spite my care and watchfulness, I would pass by one of these brutes, which would reserve its charge until the appearance of Lieutenant von Hoéhnel and his lit- ter. I would be made aware that something had hap- pened by hearing a fusilade of shots, and looking back would see my men throwing down their loads and running in all directions. One of these charges proved fatal. It was in the Za ¥ 386 THROUGH JONGLE AND DESERE CHAP. early morning; the sun had just appeared above the horizon, and our path lay through a small opening in the bush, perhaps ten acres in extent. We were in need of meat, and seeing a giraffe in front I fired a shot at it from my Winchester. The report awoke two rhinoceroses taking a morning nap, not fifty feet to the left of the caravan, and in close proximity to the porters. In a moment loud cries of ‘‘Faro! Faro!” (Rhinoceros!) were heard; and looking back I saw my men scattering in all directions, but no rhinoceros. Soon from among the mass of my men I saw one of their number shot up into the air to the height of twenty feet, and presently there emerged from the crowd a rhinoceros with horn lowered to the earth. He first viciously charged a large wooden packing- case, which lay in his path; and having smashed that he tossed to one side a tusk of ivory weighing eighty- six pounds. These, however, were but diversions, his latent intent being to overtake two of my fattest por- ters, who were running, yelling, perspiring, and pufhng in front of the infuriated beast. Owing to the mass- ing of my men I was unable to shoot until these two fleeing negroes had passed within a few feet of me, and the rhinoceros was almost upon them. I gave him a shot from my Winchester; it seemed to have no effect but to cause him to make a perceptible gain upon my men. His horn appeared to be within a few inches of them, when a second and more fortunate shot from my rifle broke his fore leg, and brought him to the ground. He fell just three paces from where I stood. Not knowing where I had struck him, and seeing him fall, I thought he was dead; but when I IX TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 387 approached him, he rose on his hind legs, and sup- ported himself with his head, madly snorting all the miatle, Seeing he could not move, ! left him, and tan back to see what had happened ’in the rear of the caravan. The men in charge of Lieutenant von Hohnel’s litter reported that the other rhinoceros had passed within a few feet of them, being diverted from them by one of the porters the rhinoceros had elected to pursue, but luckily did not overtake. The poor fellow who had been tossed into the air received a hideous wound in the buttocks, and as he lit upon his head when he fell to the earth, the hard soil had broken away his entire scalp. He lived but twenty-six hours after this mishap. A propos of this man’s death, I will relate an inci- dent which shows the weak degree of affection the Zanzibari exhibit even toward near relatives. The wounded man, a Manyema (a cannibal tribe on the Congo), was a slave of Tippoo Tib, and had joined my force at Zanzibar with two of his brothers, also slaves. I naturally concluded that his brothers would take more interest in his welfare than would other porters; so I instructed them to make a hammock, and carry him between them, slung from a _ pole. After a few hours of this work, they said it was far better to let their brother die than fatigue them with carrying him. They added that it was absolutely God’s order that he should die, and they were greatly annoyed by the trouble their brother caused them on the march. On another occasion, while passing through a very thick bush, a rhinoceros appeared from behind a 388 THROCGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. large ant-hill, within ten feet of where I stood, and charged directly at me. At the time, | did noti@iaye my rifle in my hands, and so I satisfied myself by jumping to one side, and allowing the animal to pass on. He charged straight at the portion of the cara- van just behind me. In a moment I had seized my rifle, and sent shot after shot into his receding form. As he neared the porters, they, having heard my shots and being on their guard, received him with a volley from their carbines. This, however, did not turn him; he charged on and on, until finally slain by Lieutenant von Hohnel’s body-guard, within ten feet or hrs iter, By this time, owing to the frequency and results of these rhinoceros charges, the men were completely demoralized. At the crack of a twig or the cry of a bird they would throw down their loads, and clam- ber with agility into a bush. On several occasions the porters detailed to bear Lieutenant von Hoéhnel, allowed his litter to fall to the ground in their eagerness to escape. At night, our camp was filled with murmurs; the men said a “shaitan” (devil) was evidently following the caravan, and would not be appeased, until every one of us had been killed. I could hear them say to one another that the presence of a dying man like Lieutenant von Hohnel in ‘a caravan would certainly incur disaster; it was much better to stop until he died; and then, perhaps, all trouble would cease. One night we were encamped near the river, and all of us, with the exception of the two Soudanese on guard, were sound asleep. Suddenly from the IX PRAVEES IN ELASPERN: AFRICA 389 opposite bank of the river (at that point wide and shallow) the fierce snort of a rhinoceros was _ heard, and soon my camp was a scene of the wildest confu- sion: men, crying to their far-off mothers for help, stumbled over one another in their frantic efforts to get behind or up trees. Although I had my rifle in hand, I was unable to shoot. through fear of winging some of my scampering porters. The rhinoceros did not charge through and at once leave the camp; not he; stamping on one of the camp-fires seemed to amuse him. Having satisfied his curiosity, or what- ever else prompted him to pay us this nocturnal visit, he moved on with a snort, and disappeared in the bush. Not only did the country seem to abound with rhinoceroses, but lions also claimed the place as their habitat. The latter, however, gave us no _ trouble, much to my disappointment, as I had longed to get a fair shot at one. On one occasion I saw three very large and beau- tifully maned lions stalk into a growth of bush about 200 yards from where I stood, but I was unwilling to stop the caravan in order to pursue them. On an- other occasion ‘we were encamped upon a perfectly bare spot (fifty or sixty acres in extent), and the ground, covered with sulphate of magnesium, gleamed white in the starlight. I was sitting up in a chair one night while at this camp, watching Lieutenant von Hohnel, who at the time seemed very low and suffer- ing a great deal, when I heard one of the Soudanese night-watch fluently blaspheming in Arabic. I shouted to him, and inquired the cause of his strange oaths; 390 THROOGH JONGLE, AND VDESH ios CHAP. and he replied, “ Assad” (Lion). I leaped to my feet and ran toward him, just in time to see a lion can- tering off into the darkness. The Soudanese said that for an hour or so he had heard the deep breathing of one of these beasts, but for some time was unable to find the whereabouts of the animal, till at length in the darkness he distinguished the flaring eyes of the lion turned towards him, at a distance of fifty or sixty feet. Not knowing I was awake, nor wishing to disturb the camp, he contented himself with hurl- ing stones and curses at the animal; and these, to- gether with the sound of my voice and feet, as I ran toward the watch, were sufficient to frighten the lion away. One of the few amusing occurrences which happened to relieve the dreary monotony of the continued nerv- ous strain to which I was during this time subjected, was the following. Early one morning I came upon a fine water-buck standing fifty or sixty yards from the river, and not many more from me. We sighted one another simultaneously, and the animal broke for the neighbouring bush— not, however, before he had received a shot in the hip from my rifle. At once Felix and the two puppies bounded after him in full cry. The bush was so thick that I could not see them, but I could hear their shrill barks, and the cracking of the bush, as the water-buck dashed through it. Presently he came straight at me, his horns lying along his back, and the three dogs at his heels. The sight was so interesting, that I stayed my hand. On he dashed, and plunged into the river, where the dogs followed him. The Guaso Nyiro at that point was IX TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA 391 narrow, and in consequence the current was very strong. The antelope crossed to the other bank, and then stood at bay, endeavouring to strike the dogs with his fore feet and horns. He cut two of them slightly, but this in no degree abated their ardour; so, fearing the dogs might get injured, I at length despatched him with a shot in the brain. It was only in the early morning or late afternoon that the dogs proved of any service in hunting. While the sun was blazing hot, all their energies seemed expended in keeping up with the caravan; and even if a rhinoceros was killed within a few yards of them, they took mo interest in the event. But when the air was cool, they were most useful in chasing game of any sort. On one occasion just after sunrise they caught sight of a rhinoceros standing at a distance of 200 yards from our path, and were after him at full speed, barking vigorously, and snapping at his legs. The beast knew not what to do, in order to escape his little tormentors, and so kept turning round and round. At length Felix managed to seize one of his ears, to which he clung tenaciously. The rhi- noceros then began a series of rapid revolutions for the purpose of shaking off the dog, but Felix held on like grim death; although at times by the swift motions of the rhinoceros his body was swung at right angles from perpendicular. As the attention of the beast was monopolized by the dogs, I was able to approach as close as I wished, and I despatched him with a shot in the heart. The only animal which filled my dogs with timidity was the lion. If we crossed the track of one of these beasts, the little dogs would 392 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. run to me, drooping their tails, and evincing every indication of terror. Once we had a little adventure with a group of dog-faced baboons. We first heard them barking, and finally came in sight of them, running along for all the world like school children on a holiday. The young ones were playing together, carefully watched by their elders, who preserved the most staid demeanour. Upon catching sight of them, the dogs rushed at the band in a furious manner. ‘The young ones fled, but two or three old gentlemen with bushy whiskers and benignant eyes seated themselves upon their hams, and gazed unruffled at the enemy. The dogs dashed on, but their barks became less determined, and their steps more cautious as they neared, and realized the dignity of the animals they were to attack. These made no sign, but calmly awaited their charge. Hav- ing reached a point within fifteen feet of them, the courage of the dogs seemed to ooze rapidly from them. Frightened perhaps by the steady and_ philosophic stare with which the apes regarded them, they turned tail, and with crestfallen manner retreated to the caravan. While marching along the Guaso Nyiro River, and at a point near the ford, we fell in with ay parigeet 100 Wanderobbo, who were encamped on the opposite bank. Among them we were pleased to find our old friend, Mayolo. He was fat, healthy, delighted to see us, and a father. His wife had presented him with a bouncing boy, and the presents we had given him permitted him to assume a position of great importance in his village. He said that after he had left Lieu- Ix TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 303 tenant von Hohnel at Seran, having no food or water, he wandered five whole days, until at length he fell in with his people. While on his journey, he had found water in holes; but food he had none, with the exception of a few berries which he picked from bushes on the desert. At this point we rested one day, and there I watched a party of Wanderobbo hunters preparing to set out in search of meat. They had with them two donkeys, one of which they had painted with white stripes, in order to have it resemble a zebra. To the head of the other donkey they had afhxed a pair of oryx horns, as a decoy for oryx beisa, in case they fell in with any. Before starting, all the hunters took a dip in the river, and then smeared their wet bodies with mud and sand, in order to give themselves as much as possible the colour of the earth. They must be excellent. hunters. | learned from my experiences that the game in that part of the country was very shy, owing to the continued hunting of the Wande- robbo; yet, notwithstanding this shyness of game, they were able to get close enough to an antelope to kill it with one of their small arrows. We had but one other event before reaching Daitcho of sufficient interest to relate. After marching a long distance, we had camped near one of the small afflu- ents of the Mackenzie River. As darkness had set in before we reached camp, we were unable to build a zeriba of any sort, and for the first half-hour or so all the men were busied gathering wood for fires. Just as the fires were made, and Lieutenant von Hohnel’s tent was pitched, two lions began to roar 304 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. near the camp; so near that we could easily hear the deep breath they would take after each roar. There was a little moonlight, but not sufficient to disclose their whereabouts) My men were very anxious to procure water from the stream, but seemed loath to set out in quest of it. We waited at least half an hour, but although the lions did not seem to approach any nearer, they continued their magnificent roarings. I think they had just finished lie CN XY un “~ NY \ AT THE HEAD-WATERS OF THE MACKENZIE a hearty meal, and so did not care whether they warned us of their proximity or not. At length, seeing that they were unlikely to leave us that night, I got the men together, and told them to take sticks and beat their water-bottles loudly, as they went to the stream. They demurred, and said they preferred to do without water that night. After a little per- suasion they set out, at first in a hesitating manner, all of them beating their water-bottles vigorously, and giving vent to halfhearted yells; but as they ad- vanced, the chorus swelled sufficiently to drown the i. x TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 395 roars of the lions. They succeeded in getting their water and returning to camp without mishap. On their return, the cook shouted to them: “ Watu wapum bavu! Ugopa nini? [Foolish men!. What are you afraid of?] Have you not already had sufficient proof of the white man’s medicine? ‘These lions may roar as long as they will, but their feet are tied by the magic of master.’ As the men had succeeded in getting their water without ill result, they freely assented to the cook’s remarks, and shouts of “Mganga!” (Medicine-man!) rang through the camp. The following day was the 18th of September, and at four in the afternoon we succeeded in _ reaching Daitcho. It was with a feeling of relief that I caught sight of the Stars and Stripes waving over our camp. Many times during the journey from Sayer I had despaired of the ability of Lieutenant von Hohnel to bear up until we reached Daitcho. Dur- ing the entire journey his sufferings were very acute, and they had not been lessened in any degree by the rough manner in which we were forced to transport him, nor by the poor quality of food he had been forced to eat. Now, however, that we had reached Daitcho, where we had medicines in plenty, and where he could be nursed with greater care, I hoped for his recovery; and, indeed, I indulged for a few days the pleasing thought that he would recover sufficiently to continue with me on the journey. But this was not to be. Although for the first few days after reaching Daitcho he seemed to quickly recover his strength, a relapse set in, and it was made’ 396 LHROGCGH JONGLE AND DES iva CHAP. perfectly clear to all of us that, if his life was to be saved, he must be taken with all speed to some place where he could receive the treatment momma physician. ‘The nearest one lived at a mission station called Kibwezi, more that 200 mules distant; so we decided that Lieutenant von Hohnel should be carried thither with all possible despatch. During our absence from Daitcho, George had continued to maintain the friendliest relations with the natives. He had learned by experience that the key to their friendship was an ample supply of meat; and, being an excellent shot, he had spent at least three days of each week on shooting-expeditions in the vicinity of the camp. Although provided with a 577 express, he used for every species of game a Mannlicher; and judging from the variety and quantity of game he succeeded in killing, one is tempted to come to the conclusion that the Mann- licher can achieve more satisfactory results than any other rifle. His bag had consisted of giraffe, hippo- potamus, rhinoceros, lion, and several varieties of antelope — animals both thick and thin skinned, large and small, timorous and aggressive. Three of his adventures are worthy of mention. One morning just before dawn he was walking along the banks of the Ura River, which at that point were clad with a thick growth of a stunted mimosa. He was in advance of his followers, and marching carelessly through the bush, when he was startled by a rhinoceros emerging from the river, about forty feet distant and on his nght | Initwe bright light of midday the rhinoceros cannot see Ae IX TIAVES WIN AST ERIV APRIGA 397 without difficulty; but in the early dawn, late after- noon, or night, his sight is very keen. Upon seeing George, this particular beast made for him. A Mannlicher contains in its magazine five car- tridges. George discharged two without checking the onrush of the rhinoceros, and the animal was almost upon him, ere a shot in the spine, just over its rear horn, brought it to the ground at his feet, lifeless. This animal had just fallen, when George’s attention was attracted by the sounds of crashing bush on his left, and through the leafless growth he could see an- other rhinoceros, charging straight at him, about forty feet away. He had not time to place more cartridges in the magazine, but was fortunate enough to kill the beast with a second and the last shot in his rifle. From the place where he stood, when the animal charged him, and from which he had not moved, he was able, by stooping down, to place his hands upon the heads of both the rhinoceroses; so close had they come to him before death checked their rush. { know of no double-barrelled rifle which has such aetecord to its credit. On another occasion, George had just killed two antelopes, and reduced the number of cartridges in his rifle to two, when his little party was charged by a female rhinoceros, followed by its yearling offspring. Two shots brought down the mother, and emptied the rifle; when the parent’s death seemed to fire the baby rhinoceros with a desire for vengeance. It made straight at George. A yearling rhinoceros is not much larger than a Shetland pony, and of but little greater weight. Its nose is armed with but one horn, and 398 LTAROCGH JONGLEVAND DESEiase CHAP. that not three inches long. This is the forward one; the rear horn does not appear until the animal is several years old. Owing to the size of this animal, George treated its rush with more or less contempt, and made no effort to get out of its way, until it had nearly reached him. He then leaped to one side — so did the little rhinoceros. Finding it pertinacious, and determined to reach him, George took to his heels. For ten minutes he sprinted up and down, and dodged, as best he could, the determined charge of the orphaned rhinoceros. During this diversion George’s followers indulged in the heartiest and most unsympathetic laughter at his expense; and although he continued to shout lustily for a gun, none was brought. At length, when he was panting for want of breath, and momentarily expecting to be knocked down by the little avenger, one of the men slipped a rifle into his hand, with which he quickly brought down his pursuer. Another of his adventures resulted in the death of a fine male lion; it was during the excursion upon which he succeeded in killing the two rhinoceroses at close quarters. The time was early morning, and he was suddenly startled by seeing within a few feet of him a lion and a lioness. They were standing and facing him, but did not seem aggressively inclined. He quickly brought the Mannlicher to his shoulder, shot the male through the body, and it fell. The lioness bounded off; ‘George after it) He hunted some time, but could find no traces of it. Upon returning to the spot where lay the lion he had shot, he found all his men safely ensconced in trees, at the b.4 TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 399 foot of which the king of beasts stalked about, growl- ing and sweeping his tail. A second shot deprived the animal of hfe. George’s men told him that, for a moment or so after receiving the first shot, the animal remained on the ground, apparently lifeless. Suddenly they saw him rise to his feet; and, acting upon this hint, they ascended the trees. Examination disclosed the fact that the first bullet had penetrated the entire length of the animal’s body, but had failed to reach its heart; the second shot successfully performed this mission. The paws of the lion were as full of thorns as the back of a _ porcu- pine of quills; which perhaps explains the fact that, with the exception of a bunch of dried grass, its stomach was entirely empty. The thorns in the lion’s feet probably rendered it painful and difficult to hunt game; hence the empty condition of its stom- ach. Upon my arrival at Daitcho, I was much surprised at not finding Hamidi returned from the coast with the new men, donkeys, and stores I had ordered. He was many weeks overdue. Knowing that his ex- perience in African travel would enable him to reach the coast and return without difficulty, particularly as the country through which his path lay was not dangerous, I began to suspect that in some way he had played me false; and made up my mind to face the future without other means than those I had at hand. As before stated, Lieutenant von Hohnel’s alarm- ing condition necessitated his transport to a place where he could receive the skilled attention of a phy- 400 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. sician. It was impossible to trust him to the care of negroes while he was in his helpless condition; so I sent George to accompany him as far as the mis- sion station at Kibwezi. A journey from Daitcho to Kibwezi would require at least a period of six weeks’ duration, and that time I proposed to spend in rest- ing from my labours and in a study of the Masai language. For the quick transportation of Lieutenant von Hohnel twenty-five men were needed. To this num- ber I decided to add eighteen porters, who, from sick- ness and other causes, had proved unfit for further travel in the interior. Should George sueceed in bringing back the twenty-five able-bodied men from Kibwezi, I should then have at my disposal 112 thoroughly hardened, more or less disciplined, and experienced men; a force which I deemed sufficient for a prolongation of my journey into the interior. With Lieutenant von Héhnel I went over the plans, and we both came to the conclusion that it would be possible for me, if attended by good fortune, to reach either Kismayu (proceeding to that point via Reschatt and the Juba River) or, under specially fav- ourable circumstances, the Red Sea at Berbera. De- prived of the skilled assistance of Lieutenant von Hohnel, the difficulties would be greatly enhanced, and the scientific results of such a journey would be small in the extreme; nevertheless, I could not for a moment permit myself to consider the expedition as ended. The difficulties and disappointments, which up to this time had dogged our footsteps at every turn, IX TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 401 served more as a spur to increased effort, than as an inducement to “throw up the sponge.” Our _ expedi- tion had been carefully planned, and its preparations had been made with such care and forethought as Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had been able to be- stow upon the subject. Far from unsatisfactory were the results we had already achieved; but, nevertheless, I could not bring myself to admit that they were Af hy VY fy) GY \ i if “fly ; i Is, \ WU. SNS Me fi 4 commensurate with the SSS > [S=Ss Jer = = Ws Ath ly, “ff Bh) / RBS eel | 3 = > — _S NATIVE VILLAGE. WALL AND GATEWAY. idea which had induced us to undertake the journey, or with the pains and suffering we had undergone in their accomplishment. When Lieutenant von Hoéhnel was first wounded, it required four men to carry him, but at this time he was so wasted by his sufferings that two were sufficient to bear him as quickly as the rate of cara- 2D 402 LTHROCGH JONGLE AND WDESERG CHAP. van marching required. We made for him a capital swinging hammock from the midribs of a palm, which grew on the banks of the stream near Daitcho. These we split into lathe-like strips, and wove to- gether with rope, and then we stiffened this by cross- pieces. This hammock was suspended from a pole which was carried on the shoulders of two men. Before Lieutenant von Hohnel’s departure a trading- caravan arrived from the coast, bringing news of the death of Seyd Ali, who had been the reigning Sultan of Zanzibar at the time our caravan set out. This news seemed to excite much interest among my men; they gathered in groups, and I could overhear them discussing the probabilities of the successor attempting to free the Sultanate of Zanzibar from British influ- ence. One and all they seemed to think the time had come when the natives of Zanzibar should rise, and, throwing off the European yoke, make Arab influence paramount along the coast. Had I been a stranger in Africa, it might have seemed odd to me that these men, for the most part slaves, should feel that their interests were im far greater. degree with their masters than on the side of the British, who were ostensibly their friends and anxious to free them from servitude; but I had associated sufficiently with these people to feel that their sympathies were firmly attached to Arab rule. They were willing to accept any benefits which the European might bestow upon them, but not for a moment did they wish to adopt European habits and customs. For most of them Arab rule meant a condition of servitude; at the same time it also meant a condition of affairs IX TIRAVIZES VIN TDASTIRIN AFRICA 403 with which they were familiar and_ perfectly recon- ciled. I had frequently questioned my men whether they preterred being freemen or slaves. The younger members of the caravan, fascinated perhaps by the novelty of the idea, preferred freedom; but when the question was asked the older men, they shrugged their shoulders, and said: “It is much better to have Yorn Y; hi if Ly Ae i) A : 7’ Ys WV i P| y {Ws ) i | eA) bY VL Mi a woe | Dy (i! WR gle alg [: ty, Wis, Me Hl hi, Ne fe ‘ HMA) i Wg" ft Zz va At hy J q 1 Yy, Z q cA iy “fp Opin AN a i ey el " oy yf, ‘| ( Sieg: Hof “ wT . wW S SS \\ WG YN m\) WS FANS a lh SN 5 SES ee: SS KAW \Y NN wt = Se RQQAQHUAN Ws AAT at —= —— = AAS \\) w\\ vn il ( \) od ON ES tet \ SEN Sw ‘ | Sere WE NY ne NW es . SS = ’ . \ ‘ \e\y, z =s = R : AS) Nay 2 \ ENE = . \eaae eA F See es we SS ae” IP Z Z BYEZ Gi ts Yu ty, v, ‘ ‘ a A 7 7 ail i) a > “2 i as o wi . eo { ’ fa . t . . 4 = —— ( < re a ene . 2 ‘ 2 o ny) : » rT - ; 7 ; _ UU 7 f 7 t A CHAP. X TRAVELS [VM EASTERN AFRICA 479 carried forty loads between them; so my few men had their work cut out for them. The Somali worked splendidly. At 8.30 we began to take over the cattle; these gave us no trouble, seeming to have faith in us. The donkeys proved conservative of their character- istic obstinacy, and much effort had to be expended in inducing them to cross. One by one they were dragged on the structure, and, forced behind by four men and pulled in front by four others, we at length landed them upon the slippery rocks. They had to be dragged and pushed in the same manner, until they reached the last stream, and were finally landed on the bank of the river, reeking wet and seemingly stunned by the fact that they were now across what had ap- peared to their dull minds as an entirely impassable place. We reached the opposite bank at 3.30 in the afternoon, tired out by the exertions of the past two days. We had scarcely encamped when the sound of rifle shots near by told us of the arrival of Hassan and the men we had left at Sayer. They had been gone twenty-two days from Daitcho. Of course, they had numberless excuses in explanation of their delay, but the truth was plain—they had taken it easy. When a day or two out from Sayer, they had met a party of Wamsara, who had come to them in the most friendly manner, and asked them the whereabouts of the Ren- dile, as they wished to raid them. Hassan told them, and then the leader of the Wamsara asked him if he thought their party sufficiently strong to make a suc- cessful attack upon the Rendile. Hassan said it de- pended upon the courage they possessed, as well as 480 THROCGH, JONGLE AND WD ESE CHAP. their skill in battle. After further questioning on the part of the Wamsara chieftain, the raiders decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and concluded to return home to their country without attempting to increase their wealth by raiding a people who, from Hassan’s account, appeared well able to take care of themselves. Upon arriving at Daitcho, Hassan said that he found the entire surrounding country in a state of excitement, and that his appearance was greeted with shouts of fear and terror. After reaching the village of Bykender, where he was warmly welcomed, the cause of the excitement was disclosed. Several of the loads of brass and iron wire, which I was unable to carry, I had buried in the neighbourhood of my camp at Daitcho, and, in order to prevent the natives from stealing it, I had told them it was protected by a spell, which would have the most disastrous effect upon them, should they venture to dig up the things I had buried. With the wire I had also buried a few .577 cartridges. The natives had hardly waited until I was out of sight, ere greed overmastered their caution, and they dug up the wire, divided it among themselves, and carried it away to their villages—at the same time taking with them all the .577 ammunition. The people of Daitcho were very fond of the brass shells of cartridges, which they converted into snuff- boxes, and when they saw these cartridges they at once appropriated them for the purpose aforesaid. But their rude tools and lack of skill proved inade- quate for the extraction of the bullets from the shells. Finally some inventive genius suggested that they put x TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 481 them in a fire, and for that purpose a large one was built, and they all gathered around it to watch the result of the experiment. Of course, the cartridges exploded, and, I regret to record, with unpleasant results to the Daitcho; three were killed, and five or six severely wounded. At once, those not so fortu- nate as to have possessed themselves of any of the wire or cartridges, reminded the wounded and the friends of the dead of what I had told them before I set out, and the minds of these credulous people forth- with accounted for the explosion by the terrible spell which I had pronounced over the goods upon burying them. During the following day all those who had stolen the goods and wire returned them to Bykender, with whom they left them to await my return, fearing to keep the smallest possible quantity. CWA wy wy tn MEY GING Uy AYiiet UA. i: Neg Hy ie (ti I) a) ili ii Nag Mette fi ‘is core se Wife a 7, | a Us i ~ 4 Hh \ \ i ANS wh IN \Y ay, H We bay i Ai > bi a VCs 21 y if a) ny wa Wig Ss =e CHAPTER Xi Tue next day we left the Tana, and after a short march reached Mitio’s village. Mitio was a great man in this part of Ukambani. At the time I arrived at this village he had gone with 600 warriors to fight the Rendile, in revenge for their slaughter of twenty of his men during the previous autumn. There I found my faithful Somali, Abdee Achmet, who had been left by George in charge of the donkeys. “he had been deserted by his companions, and he _ had with him then twenty-five donkeys and_ forty-three goats. His account of the appearance and behaviour of the runaways was as follows. He said that at first there came some sixty porters led by Mwalim Hamis, who was their leader on the day they deserted from Daitcho. These men fired repeated volleys, and then took all the food he had bought for me,—about 500 pounds. Two days later came the Beloochi and their party, who had been ferried across the Tana in our canoe, upon payment of all their trading-goods. Gwaharam said he had wished to return and help me; but Hamidi said he would shoot him if he attempted to cross the river. Hamidi stayed at the river until the Soudanese came, and then, four days after the porters arrived at Mitio’s village, Hamidi and the Soudanese put in an appear- 482 CHAP. XI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 483 ance. The Soudanese told their story about the chains ; moreover, they said that their time was up. Upon Hamidi’s arrival at Mitio’s village, he at once cut up the loads George had left there for me, and divided them among his men. Abdee Achmet and Gwaharam remonstrated with him, but Hamidi insisted upon taking them; whereupon Gwaharam said: “I will bear witness to your conduct at the coast.” Then the men cut up all the ox-hides I had left for donkey saddles. When Abdee Achmet remonstrated, some of the men threatened to shoot him. He said the men seemed to throw aside all restraint, and to be gov- erned by no particular impulse. Some were for going down the Tana to join the Arab, Suliman Kemenya, and, becoming his followers, to wage war against the English. Others, already timid at the behaviour of their companions, and doubtful whether they should receive any pay at the coast, wished to return to me at Daitcho; but the counsels of Hamidi and his ring- leaders prevailed, and the whole party, after a stop of one day at Mitio’s village, marched for Mombasa. Hamidi said that the reason they had left me was that their time was up, and that he was convinced he should get his pay either from General Matthews or the Sultan of Zanzibar. At Mitio’s village we remained one day purchasing food. All this portion of Ukambani is in a capital state of cultivation, two kinds of millet being staples; but there are also many plantations of Indian corn and pumpkins. Before we set out from this place two or three men came to me and offered their ser- vices as guides; which offer we foolishly accepted. 484 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. They led us in a roundabout way through a tangled mass of bush and over dried watercourses, and then deserted us. Their purpose in this was to prevent our passage through their plantations, as Zanzibari caravans in so doing usually robbed them. WAKAMBA MEDICINE-MEN Two days’ march from this village we entered a beautiful rolling country, which was formerly thickly populated by natives, but was then deserted. Emi- gration was caused by the continued raids of the Masai. XI BIA EES HIN. TOASTER MATHRICA 485 The Wakamba at this place appear to be a fine, hardy race. They are not particularly well built, but seem capable of undergoing severest fatigue. Their weapons are bows and arrows. The manners of the Wakamba among themselves are almost polite, particularly in the courtesies which pass between the men and women. Among them the women seem to occupy a much higher position than in other tribes of East Africaa When a young man met a young woman, he invariably made a wide detour in passing, to avoid blocking her way. On the road I met an old man, who related to me a strange story. He said that eight years before, 120 men started after ivory, and after reaching Lake Ru- dolph they continued their march for three months beyond it; when all at once they came in sight of a large lake with an island in its centre. On the island was a town composed of stone houses, such as those at the coast; and at sight of the Wakamba many canoes set out from the island to meet them. The canoes were filled with people who wore gar- ments made of a rough cloth used by the Galla, and wore long hair. They spoke the Swahili language, and at once asked for news of their brethren at the coast. There was plenty of ivory in the country, and the people were most friendly. They carried long guns. Near that village lived a tribe of Wakamba, with similar language and customs to the Wakamba in these parts. My informant told me that these people were the remains of a large expedition, which many years before had ‘set out from the coast, and had become so thinned 486 THROOGH JUNGLE AND DESPRE CHAP. out by disease, that they did not consider themselves strong enough to return through the dangerous country lying between them and their homes. They had there- fore settled down, hoping that at some time they would be able to reach their homes again by going with some caravan bound to the coast. Years rolled by, and no saviour came; so they married with women of the neighbouring tribes, and relinquished their idea of return- ing to the coast. The entire story was in all probability purest fiction, and it is related only for the purpose of conveying an impression of the vivid imaginations possessed by the natives of East Africa. On the 20th of January we reached a group of villages called Kitinga. There the natives were dif- ferent from those we had before met. They filed four of their front teeth to points, and from a belt they wore there was suspended a narrow cloth in front and behind. As the moon was full, we held market during the night, and bought a quantity of food at very low prices. The country between Tana and Kitinga was rolling, beautiful enough, and in a fair state of cultivation; but from that point the appearance of the country underwent a remarkable change. The surface was broken by a number of very steep, grass- covered mountains. In the multitude of valleys, villages were much more numerous, and what portion of the soil was not under cultivation was given up to the pasturage of cattle, sheep, and goats. The natives of this portion of Ukambani were very cheerful in disposition; they sat in numbers in the shade, comfortably watching their flocks and _ herds. Occasionally the sound of a reed-pipe was heard, ‘and XI TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA 487 one might see a youth rendering rude music to a gath- ering of his fellows. The very atmosphere seemed impregnated with peace and friendship; and even the many drunkards to be found reeling about seemed cheery, and anxious to exchange greetings with the European. This peace-and-good-will attitude was not the result of missionary effort, as they had not been visited by the preacher of the Gospel, but of the repeated thrashings given these people by the British, who had a station not far away, called Iveti. There is no doubt that with Africans severity must come first, and then kindness. The place was a veritable Switzer- land in miniature. One day’s march from this we again reached the rolling country. On the afternoon of January 22 we reached a village ruled by a chief named Mwyru. There was a flag flying, and we ascertained it to be a_trading-post owned by a Scotchman named Dick, who lived at Mombasa. It formerly was under the management of Mr. Dick’s brother; but he had died a short time before, and was then buried within the confines of the station. In charge of the station at the time of our visit was an English-speaking negro, named David, who had been educated at the mission at Zanzibar. I had last seen this man in the chain-gang at Witu, on the coast, where he had been placed on account of his continued thefts and general lawlessness. The view from this village was beautiful—a wide plain stretching on all sides, shut in far to the west by blue mountains and the Kikuyu hills. At sunrise and just before sunset both Kenya and Kilimanjiro were vis- ible. 488 THROUGH JONGLE AND DESH RE CHAP. Here we saw a large party of traders from Giriama, a country not far from Mombasa. Formerly they feared to come to this place, but at this time they could trade in security. They said they were not afraid to go any- where, provided European influence had rendered the natives peaceful. I was told that this place was a slave-trading centre, and that caravans which had been \) \ sy > i ‘ a A 4 i al | ANY fi q . nally . Sagi We yA I OO? ty, Nore, $4 MN \ NS oN KC if iy YY y Yy YY Lapa GY. Ty " a} aN i Fined Yj Lh, Li Ny 5), Ve | py Lyi f Nt PM LAM Yin | if il y iy iy if } Z UE Mihi Wy YA Y i) ! | i } Ys bi yy NS - i | bs WELZ ZAI Na ili x ( ” Z' 2\ ff = t — = 1ZZ en: || Baa, — ee ee === fg a eee ZEEE! g Cae ee, ee ————— ZALEA EE a OA ty " Bea ee a cZ 4 ee g Ze Zn DICK’S GRAVE AT MWyRuU trading at Kikuyu, and had acquired slaves, sold them here for goats and cattle. The Wakamba were the purchasers, and they employed them in work upon their plantations. The price of a good-looking Masai or Kikuyu girl was three goats. They also had a few Galla slaves. The inhabitants of Kikuyu are a most treacherous lot, and since the British East Africa Com- pany established stations in the neighbourhood they have behaved in the most hostile manner. The day I TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 489 after I arrived at Mwyru’s, two Zanzibari turned up, covered with wounds. They said they were the sole survivors of a party of thirty traders, who had spent the preceding three months in the purchase of slaves amay ivory from the Kikuyu. After setting out on their way home, and when two days’ march from the confines of the Kikuyu territory, they were fallen upon at night, their property stolen, and all but them- selves slain. As soon as my arrival at Mwyru’s village became known, several slaves ran to my camp, and craved my assistance for them to return to their people. Those who lived far away I could do nothing for, but two of them were Kikuyu women, and I knew that I could take them to the mission at Kibwezi, whence they could be forwarded to Kikuyu by one. of the British trading caravans marching in that direction. On January 24 we set out from Mwyru’s. We had hardly left the village ere the air was filled with shouts, and a party of from 500 to 600 Wakamba ap- peared. They sent a party of their old men to us, for the purpose of insisting upon a return of the slaves. I asked the women if they wished to return; but they shuddered, and said “No.” So I refused to give them up; whereupon the Wakamba gave vent to fierce shouts, placed their arrows in their bows, and the old men made a dash at the women as though to seize them. My caravan by this time had proceeded on its way, and was almost out of sight; but I had two men with me. We laid about us with the butts of our rifles, and soon had the old men flying back to their companions. Luckily not an arrow was discharged. 490 THROCGH JONGLE AND DESERT CHAP. As we marched along, all the Wakamba we met appeared sullen, and the guides we had taken with us said that they would surely come at night and rescue the slaves. At the end of the day’s march we camped in a small valley, and all night long our sleep was broken by continued shouting and bawling of war- songs. The natives of the neighbouring villages came to us hour by hour, each bringing a small present of milk, or perhaps a goat. This they did from fear that if we were attacked by the natives, and they had not previously made friendly overtures, we would wreak vengeance upon them. They said that all the inhabitants of the villages of Mwyru were encamped near us, and vowed to fall upon us and take back the slaves. However, the demonstration amounted to noth- ing but bluster. We made an early start the following morning, and after a few hours’ march reached a village presided over by a dwarf, named Mgundu. This little fellow was not more than three feet high, and spoke Swahili fluently. He said that he had been on several ex- peditions to the coast. He showed me his wives (women, if anything, above the average height) and his children, who were tall and well-developed speci- mens. He was a freak of nature. He was reputed to be a great warrior; but owing to his short stature it was necessary, when he went to battle, for his sons to carry a high stool for him, upon which he stood, and from which he could discharge his arrows above the tall grass. I wished to take his photograph, but he refused, saying I would be able to kill him by stabbing the picture with a knife. I thereupon XI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 491 offered to become blood brothers with him, and assured him that our lives would then be as one; and that, as I was a much younger man, it meant that in all probability he would live to a great old age. This seemed to tickle him, and he allowed me to take several photo- graphs of him. As soon as he saw the slaves, he became very angry, shook his baby fist, and threatened war; but as his threats tf | "lf q i aN A\\ met with laughter 4 VAN iN NAW oud i hi ye | Hy vidi Vy My i j i He il AA PAN Git | f} AAPA TTOGS f ye | | \ ‘ WT fi Ha ort nn i ' | j! Y tj! ! Hf only, he went away much disgruntled. hie next day we had a long march before us, so we started early. We marched until just before sundown, and then rested until moonrise, when we again set out, intending to march all night. At about two in the morning I came upon a camp of sleeping people, and seeing a European tent I went to it, and awoke its occupant, who proved to be a Mr. Neumann, bound upon an ivory-trading expedition to Daitcho. It was delightful to see him—the first European except the members of my caravan whom | had met since leaving the coast in September, 1892, and this was January, 1894. We sat up until eight o'clock the following morning, talking and chatting; 492 LHROUOGH JONGLE AND DESER CHAP. and with him I smoked, for the first time since leaving civilization, some excellent Havana cigars, and drank also a pint of dry champagne. At seven o'clock I had sent my caravan on its way, and Mr. Neumann had started his. At eight we were about to shake hands, and go our several directions, when two of the members of his caravan came hurrying back, saying that the natives had attacked them. George and I, followed by the two boys, returned with Mr. Neumann, and ascertained the attack to have consisted in the discharge of a couple of arrows, which had fallen harmlessly far from Mr. Neumann’s men. At first, I thought this might have been caused by the fact that I had taken the slaves; but upon inquiry I learned that it was because some of Mr. Neumann’s men had on the previous day plun- dered the plantations of the Wakamba inhabiting the neighbourhood of his camp. The difficulty was soon smoothed over, and, wishing each other good luck, we shook hands and separated. During the follow- ing year I saw several letters from Mr. Neumann, which had been published in Zhe Feld, of London. From these it appeared that he had had excellem® sport shooting, and, I am happy to say, had found the natives of the Jombeni range most friendly to him, although he was accompanied by but a small LOLCE: On the afternoon of January 27 I reached the German mission station, Ikutha. It is usually occu- pied by two missionaries, but I found only one at home: the other had gone with a party of) @¢ie British East Africa Company’s men to free some XI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 493 slaves. The mission station at Ikutha is pleasantly situated on the side of a hill which slopes down to a small stream called the Tiva River. It is surrounded by a well-kept garden; and there was, of course, the inevitable and neat grave, wherein reposed the last remains of some European. I cannot say that during my short stay at Ikutha I was much impressed with the degree of interest taken in religion by the natives. The mission was supplied with a sweet-toned bell, and three times daily was it tolled. It sounded delightfully peaceful in my ears, but did not seem to have any effect upon the natives, for none came at its summons. The Wakamba people are so happy in their exist- ence,’so free from trouble of any type, that I fancy it is a most difficult matter to interest them with thoughts of a future life; but the missionaries at Ikutha are loyally performing their work, and if they do not succeed in caring for the souls of the natives, they at least do a good deal of good for their bodies with medicines. Daily the mission is surrounded by a number of sick and ailing, who are treated as well as the supplies of the mission permit. At 2 pM. January 30, we reached Kibwezi mission, and there found the missionaries, Mr. Watson and Dr. Charters. It was Dr. Charters who had operated on Lieutenant von Hohnel and started him on the road to recovery before sending him to the coast. The mission station at Kibwezi is the most beautiful of any I had seen in Africa. Through its grounds flows the Kibwezi River, the waters of which are ice- cold and clear as crystal. All the houses are built 494 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. in a substantial manner, and the gardens are laid out and tended most carefully. They are under the supervision of a lay missionary, a Scotchman. The mission was founded by the beneficence of Sir Wil- liam McKinnon, and its purpose was a most practical one. The idea of its founder was that it should prove a means of educating the people as well as of converting them; and to this end men equipped to teach them industries of a practical nature had been sent out for its management. At the time I visited it, however, the natives had not as yet shown much interest in the efforts of their teachers; but I suppose the in- terest, though delayed, will come in time. Dr. Charters was a most interesting man. He had spent six years on the Congo, and while there had taken Stanley and a part of the Relief Expedition as far as Yambuya, on the little mission steamer “ Peace.” He was the best equipped missionary I have ever seen, being a clergyman, a practical engineer, and a doctor of medicine. Poor Dr. Charters! His end was a sad one. In September of the year I met him (1894) he, in com- pany with a Scotchman named Colquhoun and a few men, went on a shooting-trip in the neighbourhood of the mission. They never returned. It is supposed that they were slain by a party of raiding Masai, for the exact manner of their death could -nevemmse ascertained. If more missionaries like Dr. Charters could be sent to Africa, I feel convinced that the task of raising the standard of native life would be a much easier one. He was devoted to his work, and from XI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 495 his long experience in Africa had learned (what it is impossible to teach missionaries fresh from home) that the native must first of all be taught to work a little harder than is absolutely necessary to support life; this fills the native with an interest in his future lite on this earth. Then, and not until then, is he ripe for religious instruction. At this mission station I left the two slaves I had freed at Ukambani— Dr. Charters offering to care for them, and send them home by the first caravan passing toward Kikuyu. I was told that Hamidi had been employed in the construction of this mission some years before, but owing to his fondness for intrigue against the Euro- peans he had been sent away. I wished that I had known this before I engaged him; but alas! it is almost impossible in Africa to learn the character of one’s men until acquired by painful experience. From Kibwezi to Mombasa there stretches a cap- ital road, fifteen feet wide and clear of all brush. It was a great treat to us to find a smooth road under our feet, and to be relieved from all anxiety as to water. Mile-posts were placed along the side of the road, and the whereabouts of water was ascertained from large painted sign-boards. The distance from Kibwezi mission to Mombasa is just 200 miles, and this we accomplished without undue effort in less than ten days. The march was uneventful. At a place called Voi, about half-way to the coast, we came to the camp of Mr. Wilson, who was employed in the road-making. He had under him a few Zanzibari, but most of the work was done by a force of over 200 496 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. Teita people. These Teita people had for years been a thorn in the side of travellers passing through their country. A missionary had been stationed among them five or six years, but he had been unable in any way to soften their hard and worthless natures. a \ M hy \ y ; ay ‘\ MN ies . fi WAN i \ \\\ \ \\ Ny} WAI AM lj | i ii. oi ily et ‘i . i \ i \ ms NI nt MM ; @,! | tN) XS \’ i “G Mi 4/ \| a) a! 2 ts: RR e | | at it Nye ; | Ni of iy \, . \\ ! | \\ aN ; WN eae Se Ne Ans ! (\y it Ie / AN iret a he Fat i ee rea | ate jb ie | | /\ RAMAZAN AND MGUNDU When I passed through Teita on my former jour- ney to Kilimanjiro, I met a party of ivory traders who had just been robbed by these people. They inhabit a range of mountains called Bura, and are perhaps 10,000 in number. They possess a few flocks XI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 497 of sheep and goats, and live almost entirely by agri- culture. In physique and habits they are very much akin to the Wakamba, though less daring. I have found it almost invariably to be the case in East Africa that those natives who inhabit the hilly coun- try (possibly because in their homes they feel greater security from attack) seem to have in great degree lost the manliness and independence of character which go in great measure to redeem the disagreeable traits of the inhabitants of the plains. The Teita people are very superstitious. One story which reached my ears concerning their religious beliefs is worthy of mention. Some years ago their country had been visited by a devastating drought, in consequence of which they were threatened with starvation. The wise men assembled, and for days discussed the probable cause of the drought and the means adapted to hastening its end. These people worship their ancestors, and one of the rites of this worship is carefully to heap the skulls of the de- ceased males of the tribe in piles near their villages. While casting about for the cause of the drought, one old man suggested that they count the skulls of their ancestors. This was done, and to their horror they found many were missing. To appease the wrath of these familiars, the Teita people decided to slay sheep and add their skulls to the piles of their ancestors. This was done, and immediately the flood-gates of the heavens opened, and the drought ceased. The capital condition of the road from the mission to the coast is owing entirely to the efforts and intel- 2K 498 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT. CHAP. ligence of Mr. Wilson. He had scant means at his disposal, but the force of his individual efforts added to these has changed what was in former years one of the most disagreeable and difficult marches in Africa, to a journey which can be accomplished with perfect ease by a woman. I found that he, too, exces- sively dishked to use negroes as porters, and as a means of obviating it had begun to use bullocks and donkeys as a means of transport. Although he had lost several by fly, nevertheless he had been success- ful enough to satisfy himself that it was not only possible, but also cheaper, to do without porters. On Saturday, February 10, at noon, just thirty days from Daitcho, we arrived at Mombasa. Of the thirty days, five had been spent in resting upon the road; so that the distance (450 miles) had been accom- plished in twenty-five days. To my surprise, upon reaching Mombasa, I found that the runaways had not been detained, but had been sent to Zanzibar at my expense by dhow. The authorities at Mombasa seemed somewhat chagrined at my surprise, and said they could have done nothing else. In this connec- tion I will say that their behaviour was entirely with- out precedent. Hamidi and the deserters had reached Mombasa without letters of any sort from me; yet the authorities had seen fit to accept his statements, and treat him and the men not as deserters, but as people worthy of every consideration and assistance. I waited at Mombasa five days for a steamer, then left for Zanzibar. Upon reaching Zanzibar, I found that no steps had been taken to arrest my men; but, on the con- XI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 499 trary, they had been sent to my agent by General Sir Lloyd Matthews, who directed him to supply the men with food at my expense until the time I should arrive. I rented a comfortable Arab stone house just off the main street of the town, and therein established myself with such of my followers as had remained faithful to me. I found that the American Consul, Mr. Jones, who had been in charge of the interests of the United States in 1892, had left Zanzibar, and that Mr. Allen was at that time acting Consul. Mr. Allen had been less than two years in Zanzibar, during which time he was in charge of the mercantile house of Arnold, Cheny & Co., of New York. Prior to his arrival there he had had no experience in diplomacy or con- sular matters; but throughout the time I remained in Zanzibar he showed himself thoroughly equipped for such work, and did all in his power to look after the interests of his Government, and to prevent my being treated with injustice. A short time after reaching Zanzibar I paid a visit to General Sir Lloyd Matthews, who was Prime Minister to the Sultan’s government. During my absence up-country Great Britain had declared a pro- tectorate over the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba; and, as an easy mode of ruling these islands, had made use of the machinery of the native government, which was controlled and directed by means of General Mat- thews, the Sultan’s Prime Minister, who in turn was controlled by the British Agent and Consul-General. Unfortunately for me, Mr. Rennell Rodd, who had succeeded to the post of British Agent and Consul- 500 THROUGH JONGLE AND VDES Hie CHAP. General upon the death of Sir Gerald Portal} had been forced to leave Zanzibar on account of illness, and at the time of my arrival in Zanzibar, affairs there were managed by General Matthews and the acting British Agent and Consul-General, a Mr. Cracknell, who for many years had been the judge of the British Consular Court. Had there been a regularly accredited agent in Zanzibar when I arrived, I feel certain that the difficulties I met with would not have occurred; but owing to the fact that affairs were in the hands of men who had been for many years inhabitants of the coast of East’ Africa=samdt@acme natural result of long stays had become in large measure Arabized in character, I found that instead of pursuing the simple and direct road to justice, the treatment of my affairs was made subservient to purely local, and I may also say private, ends. When I paid my visit to General Sir Lloyd Mat- thews, I was surprised to find that, without waiting until I had arrived and stated my case, that gentle- man had come to the conclusion that my porters were justified in their desertion, and he had therefore taken it upon himself to order my agent to supply them with means of transport to Zanzibar, and with food after their arrival there. This action of General Mat- thews was another wholly without precedent. The difficulties and dangers incident to the man- agement of a caravan consisting of a large number of half-savage porters would be so great as to render exploration absolutely impossible, were it not for the fact that the traveller can feel assured that amy gall behaviour or desertion on the part of his men will XI TAN LES) VEN MGA SIAN VALALTCA 501 meet with prompt punishment upon their return to the coast at Zanzibar. It is this knowledge alone which has prevented not only the desertion of entire caravans, but in many cases the massacre of the Euro- pean in charge. Up to the time of the arrival of my deserters at the coast, runaways upon reaching Zanzi- bar had invariably been promptly imprisoned and held until the European should arrive and testify against them. As can readily be supposed, negroes who de- sert from a caravan have plenty of time on their way COCOANUT-OIL MILL to the coast to invent a plausible story explaining their desertion; but these stories, as the Europeans in Zanzibar well knew the character of the Zanzibari, were never credited until the arrival of the European with his side of the story. Upon visiting General Matthews, and demanding the punishment of the men who had ruined my ex- pedition, I was not offered assistance, or even asked tomtell my story; but, on the other hand, was met with a demand on the part of the Government of Zan- zibar for the full amount of the pay due these men 502 LHROUGH JONGLE AND DES Eis CHAP. up to the time of their desertion. This I promptly refused. Upon the arrival of the deserters they had been taken in charge by General Matthews, and brought into the presence-of Mr. Allen, ‘the acting 7Uimitea States Consul, who took down at full length their statements. These statements in many cases were conflicting, but their general trend was, that through- out the journey I had treated them with the grossest cruelty; that I had shot down numbers of them while upon the march, and that many (some said twenty, others said thirty) had died from excessive flogging. They also said that I had engaged them for a period of eighteen months, and that upon the expiration of this period, finding me still desirous of continuing my journey, they had, after long and fruitless endeavours to induce me to return to the coast, been forced to leave me and return to their homes in Zanzibar. Upon arriving at Zanzibar, I had sent to our Con- sul those men who had remained faithful to me. He subjected them to a rigorous examination, and they one and all offered testimony which absolutely refuted in every particular the statements of the deserters brought to Mr. Allen by General Matthews. General Matthews was invited to be present upon this occa- sion, but refused. The statement that I had engaged my porters for eighteen months was absolutely untrue, as was soon made manifest. Porters are engaged on different terms at Zanzibar. Those who are enlisted for the purpose of performing a fixed journey over a known road are engaged for a certain number of months; as, for ex- XI VRAVELS TN EASTERN APRICA 503 ample, for caravans which are sent with mission sup- plies to posts in the interior or with Government supplies for Uganda. These men are aware, when they enlist, of the exact duration of their journey. For purposes of exploration, however, a force is not enlisted after that manner. The explorer can never tell how long it will take to accomplish the task which he has set for himself, and in enlisting men he can- not with honesty agree to lead them by fixed roads to certain places; as his purpose is to explore an un- known country, and he is ignorant of the route and the time necessary for its accomplishment. In engag- ing my men, the usual agreement had been drawn up by my agents, Smith, Mackenzie & Co., of Zanzibar. In this agreement there was not one word stipulating the length of time I intended to be gone. It con- tained simply a statement of the wages I intended to pay the different men, and the amount of money I had advanced each of them prior to departure from Zanzibar. The deserters, upon being questioned by Mr. Allen, had been unable to mention a single man of the many whom they alleged I had killed by shooting or exces- sive flogging, with the exception of the one porter, who had been accidentally killed early in the journey by the Soudanese, Mahomet el Hussein; but they said, and on this point they all concurred, that all the alleged shooting and beating to death had occurred prior to our first arrival at Daitcho in March, 1893. The fact that this one man was killed, seemed, in the mines of the authorities at Zanzibar, ta warrant the desertion of my entire caravan, although it was admit- 504 THROUGH JONGLE AND DESZict CHAP. ted that this unfortunate man met his death more than a year before the desertion of the men, and that after this man’s death, and before my men deserted, Hamidi had visited the coast, and had seen General Matthews, who had, with apparent willingness, author- ized Hamidi to carry out my orders, and to return to me with a supply of stores and an increase in the per- sonnel of my caravan. Hamidi, at the time of his visit to the coast, certainly could have made no men- tion of any brutality which I had exercised toward the men, else would General Matthews have made some mention of the charge to Mr. Allen, the acting United States Consul. But although it was before the depart- ure of Hamidi for the coast that the porter had been shot, and that some eighteen or twenty of my men had died from dysentery, pulmonary complaints, and other ills incident to life in Africa, and none after the re- turn of Hamidi, General Matthews did not make any complaint to Mr. Allen until after the arrival of the deserters at Zanzibar. The total wages due my porters at the time of their desertion was in the neighbourhood of £1000. This sum, bearing in mind that my men had deserted me and ruined my expedition, and that I was guiltless of having given them any cause for desertion by my treatment of them, I refused emphatically to pay. I, being an American citizen, the proper tribunal for the hearing of any complaint, charge, or claim against me on behalf of the Government of Zanzibar or other party, was the Consular Court of the United States; and General Matthews was notified that I was ready and willing to remain in Zanzibar a sufficient time to XI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 505 enable him to bring suit in that court against me. This General Matthews refused to do, alleging that fire Allen, the acting Consul, being an American, would be biased in my favour; and said that, on the contrary, I should appear before a British tribunal, and submit my case to-it. It struck me not only that this suggestion was childish, but that, should I act upon it, I should by so doing cast a slur upon the consular courts of my own country. Through the United States Consul I continued to ° press my claims for the arrest and punishment of the deserters, but without avail, and the authorities of Zanzibar continued with all the vigour at their dis- posal to press the claim against me on behalf of the porters. The native who had been killed while in my em- ploy was the slave of an Arab at Zanzibar. Under Arabic law a slave represents so much money, being considered a chattel; and although I considered my- self in no way responsible for the man’s death, never- theless, as he had been shot while in my service, and by a man in my employ, and as his master was poor, I turned over to him a sum of money supposed to represent the slave’s value to him. About a week after my arrival at Zanzibar I was prostrated by a severe attack of fever, and was taken to the French hospital to be nursed. This hospital is in the charge of nuns, and I feel that it is entirely owing to their kind and thoughtful nursing that I Recovered at all.) It may seem incredible to . the medical profession, that upon my arrival at the French hospital my temperature was 106.5 Fahrenheit. 506 LHROCGH JONGLE AND DESPRE CHAP. I remained in the hospital two weeks before I was able to return to my house. Upon my _ recovery, Captain Charles Campbell of H.M.S. “ Philomel ” kindly offered to take me for a six days’ cruise on his vessel to recover my strength. Upon my return from the cruise, which did my health a deal of good, I found stationed in front of my house at Zanzibar two of the Zanzibar police force. Having dismissed them, I entered the house, and found George and my follow- ers in a state of excitement and much relieved at my FeLUEn: It appeared that the day I embarked on the “ Philo- mel ” —in fact, less than an hour after I left the shore — about fifteen of the deserters from my caravan, armed with clubs, entered my house and attacked George. He was roughly handled, but made good his defence. He had been attacked while sitting at a desk writing, and during the struggle his endeavour was to reach a pistol! hanging upon the wall. This he finally secured, whereupon his assailants fled. The object of this attack I never could learn, but I think it was undoubtedly actuated by a desire to seize the person of either George or myself. Such an attack upon an European, as far as I could learn, had not occurred in Zanzibar for more than twenty years; and it struck me as strangely coincident with the hostile attitude of the authorities at Zanzibar. Through the United States Consul, complaint was made against these men, but few steps were taken for their arrest, and only a few of them, although all their names were handed in, and they were all well known to the authorities, were shut up in the XI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 507 barracks of the Zanzibar troops. Even these few were released after a few days’ confinement without further punishment. My house was situated just off the main street of Zanzibar. The attack had been made upon it in broad noonday. The men, in order to reach my house, must have passed through the main street of Zanzibar bearing clubs in their hands. The main street was plentifully supplied with police, but they had made no effort to stop the progress of the negroes, though it 1s customary never to permit natives to walk thus armed through the streets of Zanzibar. The Soudanese who deserted from me were taken into the service of the Sultan; Mohamadi, the head- man who deserted from me at Seran, and who had stolen the ivory, was rewarded for this meritorious con- duct by being placed in an office of trust in the Zanzibar jail. Lieutenant von Hoéhnel upon reach- ing Zanzibar had made a specific complaint against this man, but was unable to procure his punishment in any way. I waited in Zanzibar several weeks, hoping that some means would be arrived at for the settlement of the difficulty, but no steps were taken by the authorities of Zanzibar to bring suit in the Consular Court. Knowing that if I should leave Zanzibar with- out making strenuous attempts to settle the matter, my course of action would be misrepresented, I of- fered to submit the question at issue to arbitration. This suggestion was agreed to by the authorities at Zanzibar. It was determined that I should appoint an arbitrator, that the government of Zanzibar should 508 - THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. appoint one, and that these two should decide upon a third member of the board; the decision of this commission to be final and binding upon _ both parties to the* question at issue. Mr Allensaiie United States Consul, chose to represent me in the matter Mr. Seth A. Pratt,a gentleman of standing at Zanzibar, who had formerly been United States Consul at that port. The Government of Zanzibar entrusted its interests to a Mr. Wilson, at that time its legal adviser. Mr. Pratt suggested eight men, from whom a third arbiter was to be chosen, the list embracing English, German, Italian, and French gentlemen. As the ques- tion at issue required the introduction of a large quantity of native testimony, Mr. Pratt, knowing from long experience the impossibility of getting a correct translation of answers through a native interpreter, had nominated men who understood and spoke the Swahili language, and had also counted length of residence in Zanzibar as important, and consequent acquaintance with the character of the people whose testimony was to be heard. The representative of the Government flatly refused to consider any one of the eight gentlemen suggested by Mr. Pratt; but demanded and insisted that the third member of the board should be one of three whom he named, two of whom in the hearing of Mr. Pratt had expressed opinions hostile to my interests, and the third had just received a decoration at the hands of the Government of Zanzibar for services ren- dered them. Mr. Pratt laboured long and earnestly in order to bring about an agreement as to the third XI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 509 member; but at length, finding his efforts balked by the obstinacy and discourtesy of the gentlemen repre- senting the Government, he felt called upon to resign all connection with the matter; so my efforts to settle the thing by arbitration fell through. Finding me unwilling to submit to threats and unwarranted demands for the payment of the entire sum (£1000) insisted upon by the Government of Zan- zibar, a communication was received from General Sir Lloyd Matthews, to the effect that the Government would be satisfied with the payment of one-half that amount. Finally, shortly before my departure from Zanzibar, a request was received by Mr. Allen, to the effect that I pay to the Government of Zanzibar “some substantial sum.” Among the records of the United States Consulate at Zanzibar is to be found a letter written during the height of the incident by General Sir Lloyd Matthews to Mr. Allen, then acting Consul, in which General Matthews states over his own signature that it is his opinion that the desertion of the men was caused not by any cruelty or unjust act of mine, but by plotting and intriguing on the part of the Somali, who had accompanied my expedition, and who, having become tired of the journey, wished by this means to force a Re uT 1. The Zanzibari who had remained faithful to me throughout the journey refused to leave me, but con- tinued to work for me during my stay in Zanzibar. Most faithful among these were Sururu, my tent-boy, and Mhahoma, the cook, a cousin of Hamidi. These men passed a most unpleasant time during my stay, 510 THROCGH JONGLE ANDY ESE igs CHAP. as they were the victims of insult and bullying on the part of the deserters. Upon one occasion; @aiter I had paid a visit to the house of Mhahoma, this poor fellow was attacked and severely beaten by some of the deserters. I paid several visits to Sururu’s home, which was situated quite upon the outskirts of the town of Zan- zibar. He had four or five acres of land under culti- vation, where he grew bananas, oranges, and vegetables. He had two wives and three slaves. It had always been his ardent wish to own a town house as well as a country seat; so I gave myself the pleasure of pur- chasing him one in the native quarter of Zanzibar. The edifice was constructed of clay and wattles, white- washed, and thatched with palm leaves. Sururu was delighted with it, and divided the establishment into two parts, saying, with glee, that he was then just like an Arab—he could live in town during the sea- son, and when the hot weather set in, he could go out to his plantation. His one remaining ambition was to own a donkey, so that he could ride from his town house to his country seat in a dignified and _ be- coming manner. I hope that by this time he has amassed sufficient wealth to gratify this desire. The fever again returned, and both George and I be- came ul. As I found all of my efforts to obtain justice at the hands of the authorities of Zanzibar unavailing, I decided to return home; and so on April 3, 1894, | set out by the French M. M. Line for Aden athe few of my followers who had remained faithful to me, and who lived in Zanzibar, came to see me off, bring- ing with them presents of oranges and native mats. XI TRAVELS [IN EASTERN AFRICA 511 The Soudanese and Somali joyfully turned their backs on Zanzibar. In six days we reached Aden. We were due at this port in the early morning, and I expected to have at my disposal six or seven hours of daylight in which to pay off my faithful followers; but, unfortunately, we reached Aden at midnight, and the captain of the vessel told me he would sail, without fail, on the fol- lowing morning at eight. The town of Aden consists of two parts, the sea- port and the main town, the latter lying about four miles in the interior. All places of business both at the seaport and the main town were closed long before we arrived, but that did not deter me from endeavour- ing to satisfy the just claims of my men. My agents at Aden were a Parsee firm, named Cowasjee Din- shaw; so immediately upon casting anchor I set out with the Somali and Soudanese for the house of my agents, which was situated near the shore. The town was wrapped in silence, and the sandy streets gave forth no sound beneath our footsteps. Had it not been for the knowledge that my personal supervision was necessary to guarantee the payment of my men, I should not have attempted to transact business at that hour of the night. In front of the office of Cowasjee Dinshaw there stretched a wide veranda, and upon it there slept a motley band of Sepoy soldiers, half-naked Somali armed with clubs, and a large Ethiopian door-keeper. In a few words I told my men it rested with them whether they should get their pay or not; and their eyes gleamed with responsive intelligence. The sleep- 512 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. ers on the veranda, disturbed by our approach, refused to assist us in any manner to enter the house. Most of them were vagrants; but the Sepoy soldiers and the door-keeper said that they had been stationed there to prevent anybody entering the house and dis- turbing its inmates at night, and, therefore, that we should have to go away. I gave a sign to my men, and they seized some bits of timber and a chair lying on the veranda. VARIETY OF PORTERS’ HABITATIONS Armed with these they rushed at the door with loud shouts. It was strongly built, else it would have been burst in. At length a querulous voice was heard from inside, and footsteps, as of some one approaching. The door opened, and one of the members of the firm appeared, and in a frightened manner asked the cause of the trouble. As suavely as possible I intro- duced myself, and apologized for disturbing his slum- bers; then I stated my wishes. He said that it was impossible to get any money at that time of night; XI TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 513 that all his cash was kept in a strongly built house in the main town; and that at night it would be un- safe to send for it, as the road was filled with marauders. After a long talk I succeeded in getting an order on his bankers for the amount I wished; and then, hailing a couple of night-hawk cabs, the entire party of us set off for the town, which we reached at 3 a.. I spent two hours in smoking and chatting with my men, and at 5 a.m. I took the liberty of awakening the American Consul, whom to my great joy I found compe Mr. Jones, formerly Consul at Zanzibar. He was kindness itself, and sent a couple of Sepoys with my order upon the bank, who soon returned bearing between them a great bag of rupees. I shall never forget the scene which closed my relations with these men, who had remained faithful to me throughout the trials of so many long months. They were paid off in one of the large rooms of our Consul’s house. The bag of rupees had been emptied upon a rug in the centre of the apartment, and a little white moun- tain of silver, illumined by the rays of the rising sun, greeted the eyes of my followers. Mr. Jones spoke Arabic as fluently as he did Eng- lish, and that language was familiar to both the Sou- danese and the Somali. The names of the men were called in turn; the number of months they had served was stated to them; the amount of advance money received by each was mentioned; and after each state- ment, Mr. Jones paused, until the man who was being paid endorsed it by a silent nod, or the word “ Taib” (Good). When the account of wages due each man 2L 514 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. was settled, he was told the sum he would receive in addition as a present. Throughout the transac- tion my watch was in my hand; for I knew that the French vessel was getting up steam, and _ that but a short time would elapse before she would leave Aden harbour, four miles away. When at length all was completed, and I began to bid my men farewell, they one and all said, “ Mas- ter, we will not leave you here. We will accompany you at least to the shore, and, if possible, go with you to the ship.” To one who is familiar with the character of the Somali and the Soudanese this be- haviour would appear almost incredible. It meant that they would leave the pile of silver —their hard- earned wages—zin the hands of a man who was an utter stranger to them, for the sake of a sentiment; and that, contrary to their instinct (which in regard to money, at least, may be expressed by the words, “Safe bind; safe find”), they were willing to jeopardize the results of almost two years’ labour for the sake of see- ing the last of one who perhaps had treated them, as far as in his power lay, with the utmost justice and consideration, yet in the accomplishment of his purpose had led them through dark and toilsome paths, and caused them much keen suffering. It was six o'clock when I bade farewell to my friend, Mr. Jones, and dashing downstairs leaped into a carriage waiting below. At this time Aden was astir, and there were several carry-alls in the streets. My men piled into them, and off we set; Mahomet Aman, Karscho, and Ramazan went with mie. found it really difficult to maintain my composure XI TRAVELS [N EASTERN AFRICA 515 throughout the rapid gallop to the seashore. They seized my hands, and kissed them, or stroked my knees, all the while repeating, “Don’t forget us, master. Come again, and we will travel with you.” Meinen “at length we: reached the dock, and 1 paused for a moment to bid a silent farewell, I found that George had in his possession a small bag of rupees —a coin useless to me away from the East. I hesitated a moment, thinking to whom to give it. Before my eyes rose the vision of Hussein Mahomet returning alone to my almost deserted camp at Daitcho, having left, at the peril of his life, his deserting companions. The memory of his dumb gratitude at my treatment of him upon that occasion, and of his excellent be- haviour throughout all the times of trial and difficulty which had preceded the desertion of my men, surged in my mind, and I pressed the little gift into his hands. He took it in a lethargic manner; and then realizing that he had been singled out above all the men, burst once more into the fervent Mohammedan prayer, which throughout the journey had been his only means of ex- pressing feeling: “El Hamdililahi bismillahi irrach- man irrachim” (Praise be to God, the All-Righteous, the All-Merciful). To these words and to a chorus of cries from the others, wishing me God-speed upon my journey, I set out in a row-boat to join my steamer, which I reached just as she got her anchors up and was almost under way. A few days more, and George and I had reached Cairo, where we remained three weeks, regaining our strength and recovering from continued attacks of fever. From there we sailed to Trieste, where I was 516 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT CHAP. XI greeted upon my arrival by my friend Lieutenant von Hohnel, then thoroughly recovered from the effects of his wound, and, as can well be imagined, eager to hear the story of the events which had occurred since his departure. We reached Trieste on the first of May, 1894,— just six weeks less than two years from the time we set out from Europe. FINIS APPENDIX WiLiiamM ASTOR CHANLER, Lsgutre, New York City. Dear Sir: —I am very glad to know of the prospect of the immediate publication of the narrative of your expedition to the Tana River region, and regret exceedingly that it is not possible to furnish at the present time a detailed list of the collections obtained by you, since there are many new and exceedingly interesting forms of animal life among them. It is possible, however, to present a preliminary report. The National Museum is greatly indebted to you and to your companion Lieutenant von Hohnel for this valuable collection, which must of necessity occupy a considerable time in its study, but which is sure to yield very important results to biological science. I hope that you will convey to Lieutenant von Hohnel the warmest thanks of the Smithsonian Institution for his generosity in consenting that his collection should accompany yours to the National Museum. It is prized exceedingly here and will be pre- served always with the utmost care, and we hope that within a few months a goodly amount of literature will have been published in regard to the joint collection received from yourself and from him. The mammals have been studied carefully by Mr. True, who has published a paper in the Proceedings of the National Museum, Volume XVI., pages 601 to 603 (‘ Notes on a Small Collection of Mammals from the Tana River, East Africa, with Descriptions of New Species”’), enumerating four species of small mammals, of which two are new, namely : a small dormouse, which has been described under the name of Lhomys parvus, and a mouse somewhat resembling the ordinary house mouse, which has been called AZus ¢ana. In addition the collec- tion contained a specimen of a new antelope, which has been named Cervicapra Chanéert, in your honour, in one of the publications of the Tring Museum. The specimen has been finely mounted, and is a most welcome addition to our series of African antelopes. ‘The species is a 517 518 APPENDIX very beautiful one, differing from the more southern form in its delicate gray colour. The reptiles are still under investigation by Doctor Leonhard Stej- neger, who has already published in the Proceedings of the National Museum, Volume XVI., pages 711 to 741, quite a number of new species (“On Some Collections of Reptiles and Batrachians from East Africa and the Adjacent Islands, Recently Received from Dr. W. L. Abbott and Mr. William Chanler, with Descriptions of New Species”). He enu- merates thirty species, of which five are new, among them the A/abuya Chanleri and the Stmocephalus Chanleri, thus named as a memorial of your expedition. ‘There is also another species, Hvemzas Hohnel, named after Lieutenant von Hohnel. Another collection subsequently received will soon be reported upon, and the following preliminary list has been furnished by Doctor Stejneger : — Reprites— 1, Hemidactylus mabuya; 2, Chameleo roperi; 3, Cha- meleo sp.; 4, Rhampholeon Kerstent. SNAKES—5, TZyphlops uniteniatus; 6, Causus rhombeatus ; Vat GHES “SD. Toaps AND Frocs—8, Bufo regularis ; 9, Phrynomanits bifasciata ; 10, Hyperolius sp.; 11, Rana sp. The collection of insects contained many interesting forms, but com- ing as it does from a country so little known, there has been unexpected delay in its identification, especially since two or three persons to whom material has been intrusted for study have recently died. ‘The Lepidop- tera first received, those from the Tana River region, East Africa, were submitted to Chancellor W. J. Holland, of the University of Pennsyl- vania, and a report upon this collection is now in press (“ List of the Lepidoptera Collected in the Tana River Region, East Africa, by Mr. William Astor Chanler and Lieutenant von Hohnel,” Proceedings of the United States National Museum, Paper No. 1063, Volume XVIII., pages 259 to 264). This includes thirty-three species, of which two are new. These are [phthima Chanleri and Charaxes Chanlert. Others are pos- sibly though not certainly new. Another and much larger collection more recently received, from the Jombeni range, is now in the hands of Chancellor Holland. Several species of Neuroptera were received ; among these was an interesting species of ant-lion, identified by Mr. Linell as Palpares tris- wis Hagen; also a considerable number of Odonata, which have been described by Mr. Philip Calvert, of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia (“‘ Notes on the Odonata”). This includes seven species. APPENDIX 519 The collection of Orthoptera was sent to Professor Lawrence Bruner, at the State University, Lincoln, Nebraska. Professor Bruner has not yet completed his study of the collection, but is satisfied that there are many new and interesting forms included in it. The collection of beetles is very large and contains numerous new forms. This collection has been in the hands of Mr. Linell, Aid in the Department of Insects, who has a paper based upon it in press (“ List of Coleoptera collected by Mr. William Astor Chanler and Lieutenant von Hohnel on the River ‘Tana between the Coast and Hameye during the Expedition of 1893, and on Jombeni Range, Northeast of Mount Kenya, in 1894, with Descriptions of New Genera and Species”). He informs me that among the one hundred and ninety-one species repre- sented there are four new genera and thirty-four new species. The collection is very full, and represents in an excellent manner the con- spicuous forms of beetle fauna of the region. The collection of Hemiptera and Hymenoptera is not so large as some of the others, but Mr. Ashmead, to whom they were sent, is satis- fied that they will prove very interesting. He has not yet, however, determined how many new forms there are among them. The Spiders and Scorpions were sent to the late Doctor George Marx. The elaboration of this collection was interrupted by his death, and opportunity has not since been found to place them in the hands of another specialist. Many of the forms, however, are large and striking, especially the scorpions. I regret that it is not possible, at this time, to say how many new forms were found. Of the Diptera, there are eleven species, including two specimens of a Tsetse fly, Glossina longipalpis, a species which replaces in East Equa- torial Africa the well-known Glossina morsitans of the South. I have now mentioned, I believe, all the groups of animals that were represented in your collections. In closing I beg to assure you again of our great gratification in receiving these valuable series of specimens at the Museum. Yours very sincerely, G. Brown GOODE, Assistant Secretary, Smithsonian Institution, in charge National Museum. wey eee IND) 1 26 Abdee Achmet, his account of the run- aways, 482. Abdullah Ben Hamed, governor of La- moo, 15}; governor, visits camp at Mkonumbi, 33. Abdurachman and Gwaharam, two Be- loochi, 438. Achmet Dualla, 26, 290, 331; deserted by Mohamadi and six men, 332. Aden, Somali engaged at, 7. aden, S11. African, characteristics of sick African, a2: African traveller, impossible to be an expert in all branches of science, 272% African tribes prefer war to trade, 325. Allen, Mr., 508, 509. Antelope and zebra, herds of, 113. Antelope, Chanleri,” 431; small herds, 124. Ants, red, called by natives ‘“ boiling new species, “ Cervicapra water,” 63. Apes, attracted by camp-fire, 128. Baboons and the dogs, 392. Balook Bashi (Mahomet el Hussein), 46; shoots a deserter, 58; reduced to the ranks, 61. Balooki Bashi, chief of Soudanese, 21. Baobab tree, girth forty-eight feet, 109. Baraka, tent-boy, 9; his experience in caravan work, 10; marches with Chan- ler, 164; tent-boy, drowned in the Tana, 434. Barfalatta, 12. 521 Beasts of burden, difficulty of procuring, 230. Beasts of burden in East Africa, 147. Benayo village, 67. Berkenedji or Samburu tribe, 281. Bird, honey bird, 277. Birds, singing birds on the Guaso Nyiro River, 124: Blood brothers with the white man, 159. Blood-brotherhood, 185, 186; manner of performing the ceremony, 187; cere- mony performed with the Rendile, 305. Blood-brotherhood with the Daitcho, 219. Boat, a canvas Berthon, 63. “ Boma,” a zeriba, held by warriors as an outpost, 198. Borana tribe, enemies of the Rendile, 318. Borana, distance from Kome, 319. Bridge over the Guaso Nyiro, 117. Bridges, constructing, across the Tana, 474- British East African Company, 7, 12, 15, 69. Buffalo, 141. Bugoi, village of the Wanderobbo, 355. Bykender, married to a Rendile woman, 223; tells the story of his Rendile wife, 223; a rich native of Daitcho tribe, 223; visits camp, 405. Bykender, 225, 457, 467. Camels, death of, 65; the Rendile tribe supposed to possess 80,000, 313. Camp at Hameye, a paradise, 70. Camp, building at Daitcho, 234. 52 2 INDEX Campbell, Captain, takes Chanler for cruise in H.M.S. “ Philomel,” 506. Caravan, personnel of, 5. Caravan, trading in charge of two natives of Beloochistan at Daitcho, 237. Carroll, Royal Phelps, 9. Cataract on the Tana River, 475. Cattle bitten by flies, 204. Chabba, Mount, a high gneiss hill, 147; herd of rhinoceros, 148. Chanler, object of journey, 1; personnel of caravan, 5; goes to Zanzibar, 7; obtains permission of Sultan of Zanzi- bar to engage porters, 7; secures one hundred and thirty porters, 8; engages Sururu and Baraka as body servants, 9; arrives at Mkonumbi, 12; goes to Kau on the Tana, 16; engages boat- men for river column, 16; his method of dealing with complaints of Sou- danese, 23; leads expedition with six Soudanese, 36; in bed with fever, 47; speaks to porters about desertion, 58; crosses the River Tana in canvas Ber- thon boat, 63; visit to chief of Galla tribe, 68; journey to the north in search of Lake Lorian, 73; uses a Winchester with express sight, 77; letter to London Field on results achieved with Winchester and Mann- licher, 79; expedition from Hameye, 81; shooting hippopotamuses, 86 ; shoots a rhinoceros, 92; adventure with a rhinoceros, 96; views the sur- rounding country, 97; with Lieutenant Hohnel, ascends the mountain, 98; an attack of fever, 99; attack of fever near Mount Kenya, 103; carried in a hammock, 105; trouble with the Sou- danese about food, 107; health re- stored, 107 ; chair, 111; Christmas Day a day of 117; Guaso Nyiro River named Chanler shoots grantii from a rest, discovery of falls in the Falls, 119; on the plateau of Marisi Alugwa Zombo, 127; adventure with a rhinoceros, 132; shoots the rhinoceros that tossed Sururu, 134; attack of fever, 137; adventure with buffaloes, 141; adventure with a lion, 143; in the country of the Wamsara tribe, 152; head covering worn, 155; sur- veys the Wamsara country, 160; mes- sage to the Wamsara, 172; palaver with the Embe, 180; on watch expect- ing to be attacked by the Embe, 196; talk with Motio, 197; prostrated by sickness at Hameye, 205; blood- brotherhood with the Daitcho, 219; interview with Bykender’s wife, a Ren- dile, 224 ; journey to the Embe coun- try, 238; goes through the ceremony of muma with the Embe, 260; twenty- sixth birthday at Ngombe crater, 269; searching for gold in the Guaso Nyiro, 273; aS a great medicine-man, 282; night march in search of Rendile, 289; the Rendile visit camp, 294; interview with the Rendile chiefs, 297; interview with a Rendile chief, 310; tempted to attack the Rendile, 329; march from Seran to Daitcho, 334; camp on the Guaso Nyiro, 334; at Daitcho, covering a distance of sev- enty-five miles in three days and a half, 334; men in the camp at Daitcho excited by the tales told of the Ren- dile, 336; starts to rejoin Lieutenant von Héhnel at Lolokwi, 339; cautions his men to use water sparingly, 340; two of his men mad with thirst, 340; his adventure with a serpent, 342; camp at Ngombe crater, 343; sends Karscho and all the men to bottom of crater for water, 344; adventure with a lion, 345; arrives at Guaso Nyiro, 348; prostrated with fever at Lolokwi, 349; carried in a hammock to Sayer, 350; Wanderobbo act as guides in the hunt for elephants, 358; elephant hunting with the Wanderobbo, 362; adventure elephant hunting, 363; dan- gerous work elephant hunting, 366, 367; elephant hunting, 370; return to Sayer, 377; on the Subugo, 378; his adventure with rhinoceros, 379; his INDEX sorrow for the injuries sustained by Lieutenant von Héhnel, 383; march to Daitcho, 384; rhinoceros shooting, 386; the water-buck and the dogs, 390; planning for the future, 400; hunting hippopotamuses, 409; on a Misity to the Embe, 417 ; Hamidi’s arrival from the coast with eighty men, 417; 423; expectation of starting north doomed to disappointment, 424; health failing, 424; talk with Zanzibari from Njemps, 425; the new men cause trouble, 432; new men wish to return ~ to the coast, 433; assists the Daitcho to repel hostile natives, 434; sends letter to George, 437; word from George, 438; natives ask him to stop the raid of locusts, 440; negro with sun-umbrella to stop locusts, 441; treat him with reverence and awe for put- ting to flight the locusts, 442; Hamidi returns with letter from George, 442; news of drilling the new men, bad news, porters revolt, 448; con- fronts the mutineers, 448; the Somali and Soudanese come to his assistance, 449; porters desert in a body, 450; interview with Gwaharam, 452; sends letter to Hamidi, 453; interview with Hamidi, 455; Hamidi promises to bring back deserters, 457; the Sou- danese desert, 457; the Soudanese Hussein Mahomet returns, 459; six- teen men all told in the zeriba, 461; his belief that Hamidi had been acting under orders received during his visit to the coast, 466; distributes food among the Daitcho, 467; distributes goods among the traders at Daitcho, 467; destroys ammunition, 468; burns goods for trading, 468; force of eigh- teen men all told, 470; departure from Daitcho, 470; the country of the Daitcho opened to Europeans, 471; march to the coast, 472; meets the Wakamba, 472; arrives at the Lan- galla, 474; crossing the Tana, 474; constructing bridges across the Tana, 523 476; meets Hassan and men from Sayer, 479; arrives at Mitio’s village 482; group of villages called Kitinga, 486; slaves crave assistance to return to their people, 489 ; Kikuyu women from slavery, 489 ; rescues two Wakamba insist upon the return of slaves, 489; drives off the Wakamba, 489; meets Mr. Neumann, 491; at the German mission station, Ikutha, 492; at the Kibwezi mission station, 493; from the Kibwezi station to Mombasa, 495; arrives at Mombasa, 498; thirty days’ journey from Daitcho to Mom- basa, 498; at Zanzibar, 498; visit to Sir Lloyd Matthews, 499; the govern- ment of Zanzibar demands full amount of pay due deserters, 501; deserters’ false statement to Mr. Allen and Sir Lloyd Matthews refuted, 502; exami- nation of deserters, 503; refuses to pay deserters, 504; presses his claims for arrest and punishment of deserters, 505; sick with fever at Zanzibar, 505; authorities at Zanzibar press the claim of porters, 505; pays for slave acci- dentally shot, 505; deserters attack Chanler’s house at Zanzibar, 506; difficulties submitted to arbitration, 507; visit to Sururu’s home, Zanzibar, 510; homeward bound, 510; Aden, 511; at Cairo, 515. Chanler Falls, 119. Chapmani and burcheli as food, 141. Charters, Dr., the missionary who oper- ated on Lieutenant von Héhnel, 493; clergyman, engineer, and doctor of medicine, 494; his death, 494. Christmas Day in Africa, 113; at Daitcho, 463. Cowasjee Dinshaw, of Aden, 511. Cracknell, Mr., acting British Agent and Consul-General at Zanzibar, 500. Crocodile kills Felix, the fox-terrier, 410. Daitcho tribe, 191; fermented honey, 220; their manner of tilling the soil, 220; on the eastern slope of the 524 Jombeni range, 213; their plantations and cattle, 219; 221; men kept employed, 335; camp marriage customs, in charge of George in good condition, 335; capture of robbers, 338; native dance, 410; children dance, 414; full- dress dance, 414; dancing a serious business, 414; tribe and the locusts, 440; to Mombasa 450 miles, 470; the zeriba at, 470; the country of, opened to Europeans and missionaries, 471 ; disastrous results of digging up car- tridges left by Chanler, 480. Dance, native, by Daitcho tribe, 410. David, English-speaking negro, at Dick’s trading-post, 487. Denhardt, Gustave, first to ascend the Tana River, 3, 16; at Lamoo, 15. Deserters, 46-48, 56, 65, 205; the most serious difficulty, impossible to over- come, 209; sent to Zanzibar by Sir Lloyd Matthews, 500; their false state- ments to Mr. Allen and Sir Lloyd Matthews refuted, 502. Dick, trading-post owned by, 487. Dogs, fox-terrier and native, 206; Felix, the fox-terrier, and the hippopotamuses, 211; Felix, the fox-terrier, and the elephants, 363; and water-buck, 390; Felix and two other fox-terriers attack a rhinoceros, 382; afraid of a lion, 392; Felix, the fox-terrier, seizes the ear of a rhinoceros, 391; only useful in the early morning or late afternoon on account of ‘heat, 391; ‘and the baboons, 392; Felix, the fox-terrier, killed by a crocodile, 410. Donkeys, die of fly-bites, 123; death of, 288. Donyo Loldeikau, mountain range, 149. Donytuli Mono Vomari, a mighty wizard, 248. “ Dthombon” robbers, 289. Dukuli, 49. Dundas, 4. Elephant hunters in the camp at Tuni, 53. Elephants, herd of twenty-two, 131; traps | LIND PX used by the Wanderobbo to capture them, 350; in search of, with the Wan- derobbo, 360; hunting, 366, 367, 369; heart of, a delicacy, 368. Embe tribe, near Mount Kenya, 105; their knowledge of agriculture, 105; country of, 179; assist the expedition on the march, 182; anoint their skins with castor oil, 188; religious sanctity for anything of extraordinary size, 188; natives chew bark of “ Miraa,” 189; their physique, 190; attack expedition, 200 ; visit of leaders to camp at Daitcho, 228; native women traders, 239; their market-places, 239; brac- ing air 5000 feet above the sea-level, 241; native story, 242; old men sub- sist entirely on meat diet, 242; their government, 242; questions of moment discussed exclusively by old men, 245; the population, 245; home and foreign policy, 246; raids of the warriors, 246; marriage customs, 247; superstition of, 247; advice of Donytuli Mono Vomari, a wizard, 248; married men, 248; men divided into two classes, warriors and old men, 248; their religion, 249 ; local deities wise men, 250; circumci- sion, 251; courtship, 251; young girls and boys naked, 252; articles manu- factured, 253; manner of burying the dead, 253; dancing their sole amuse- ment, 253; dig pits as traps for elephants and rhinoceros, 254; iron, tools, and arms, 254; their bows and arrows, 254; women weave bags, 254; natives en- gaged in clearing forests, 255; proprie- tors of land, 255; their language, 255 ; as soon as a man becomes powerful or rich he is poisoned, 257; poisons used, 257; their equality, 257 3) the poisoner, 257; how they measure time, 258; their manner of trading, 259. Emin Pasha, 209. Expedition, to explore region lying be- tween Tana and Juba Rivers. CHAPTER I. — Expedition of Count Teleki and Lieutenant von HG6hnel, 3; INDEX 525. route decided upon, 3; to ascend the River Tana, 4; personnel of cara- van, 5; beasts of burden for trans- portation of goods, 5; purchase of stores in London and Vienna, 6; seven Somali engaged for care of beasts of burden, 6; twelve Soudanese soldiers engaged, 6; intelligence of porters, 6; difficulties in finding porters at Zanzi- bar, 7; engaged Somali at Aden, 7; engaged Soudanese at Massowah, 7; kindness of Italian authorities at Mas- sowah, 7; engagement of one hundred and thirty porters, 8; wages paid to porters, 8; headman of porters, 9; town life not suited to natives, 10; first camp at Mkonumbi, 11; at Mkonumbi, 12; assistance of Teide and Denhardt, 16; engagement of boatmen and canoes for river column, 16; Sadi, captain of the fleet, 17; camp at Mkonumbi, 18; arms of men, 21; Soudanese armed uniform and _ fire- with Mannlicher repeating rifles, 21; the Soudanese, 21; uniform of Soudan- ese, 21; Somali men most useful, 26; arrival of Lieutenant von Héhnel with camels at Kismayu, 20; Jama Yusef warns the chiefs at Kismayu against expedition, 27; instructing natives in use of rifle, 27; shooting at target, 28; a day’s work in camp at Mkonumbi, 28; danger of small-pox, 29; prepara- tions for departure from Mkonumbi, 30; visit of Arab governor to camp, 33; porters carry eighty pounds, 33; retrievers and fox-terrier, 34; drilling men loading and unloading camels and donkeys, 34; caravan breaks camp at Mkonumbi, 35; joy of native porters at departure for interior, 35; farewell visit of governor of Lamoo, 35; order of marching, 36; reach camping- place, 36; trouble with pack animals, 36; at Merifano, 38; arrival at the Tana, 39. | CHAPTER II. — Expedition, trading with the Pokomo, 40; load of ammu- nition missing, 41; march from Mare- fano to Kinekombe, 41; appearance of the country, 42; caravdn as seen on the march, 42; guides poorly in- formed, 43; encampment on banks of Tana, 43; opposite the village of Kine- kombe, 44; in camp at Kinekombe, 45; deserters, 46; crosses the Tana, 47; at Massa, 48; men raid a planta- tion, 49; punishment of men and stolen property restored, 49; march to Dukuli, 49; suffers from heat, 49; guides desert, 50; cutting road through tangled undergrowth, 50; search for water, 50; death of dogs, 51; camp at Tuni, 52; difficulties in purchasing food, 52; loss of nine men and two valuable loads by desertion, 57; de- parture from Tuni, 57; deserters to be shot, 58; deserter shot by Balook Bashi, 58; cuts a way through the bush to the river, 62; attempt to cut a road to Malkakofira, 63; finds a store- house with 3000 ears of Indian corn, 64; attempt to force a way along the river, 64; harassed by thick under- growth, 65; leave behind the impene- trable bush, 66; finding of the canoes with provisions, 67; march to Tulu Kuleso, 67; visit of Galla chief, 68; endeavour to get information concern- ing the Rendile, 69; ferried over the stream, 70; canoes returned to the coast, 70. CHAPTER III.— Expedition, changed appearance of the country, 82; na- tive zeriba deserted, 82; first sight of the Kenya, 83; Soudanese make bad shikaris, 84; hilly country, 84; arrive at the Mackenzie River, 85; follow the Mackenzie River, 91; view of range of . mountains, 92; beauti- ful aspect of the country, 95; cara- van charged by rhinoceros, 96; sur- vey of the surrounding country, mountains and forests, 97; build a zeriba, 98; natives at work, 100; na- tive men and women chopping down 526 trees, 100; two men held as hostages, 101 ; capture two natives of the Kikuyu tribe, 101; Kikuyu warriors threaten expedition, 102; four warriors capt- ured as hostages, 102; friendship among the tribes near Mount Kenya sealed by the slaughter of a sheep, 103; preparation for attack, 104; march con- tinued, 110; 3500 feet above the sea- level, 110; journey continued down- hill, 112; camp at Ngombe, 112; short of water, I14. CHAPTER IV.— Expedition, Christ- mas Day on the Guaso Nyiro, 117; na- tive bridge over the Guaso Nyiro, 117; along the banks of the river, 118; dis- covery of falls on the Guaso Nyiro River, 119; named Chanler Falls, 119; 119; travelling over jagged lava blocks, 122; mosquitoes troublesome, 123; effects of a mosquito bite, 123; night-scare in camp, 127; on the plateau of Marisi Alugwa Zombo, 127; crossed the Guaso Nyiro, 128; in sight of what appears to be a large sheet of water, 128; apes attracted by camp-fire, 128; charge of a rhinoceros, 130; through forest of acacias, 131; elephant trails, 131; dis- content of men, 134; stricken with fever, 137; no Lake Lorian, nothing but a vast swamp, 138; camp in the swamp, 138; tormented by mosquitoes in the swamp, 139; abode of pestilence and death, 139; food nearly exhausted, 139; recovery of health, 140; death of Soudanese and porter, 140; nine days marching back to Christmas camp, 140; left at Christmas camping- place on the Guaso Nyiro, 145; start for the Jombeni Mountains, 146; ex- amine the rifles of men, 148; view of Mount Kenya, 149; search for water in the neighbourhood of Chabba, 150; arrives at the river, 151; in the coun- try of the Wamsara, 151; interview with the Wamsara, 152; armed warrior of the Wamsara, 152; build zeriba, encampment below the falls, INDEX 152; expectation of food supply from the Wamsara, 153. CHAPTER V. — Expedition, the negro in cold weather, 154; the Wamsara visit camp, 156; the Wamsara suspicious, 158; Wamsara refuse to bring food, 159; warriors of the Wamsara again visit camp, 160; preparations to leave the Wamsara, 162; short of ammuni- tion, 163; start for Hameye, 164; suffer from hunger, 164; order of marching, 164; American flag carried at the head of caravan, 165; one of the Wamsara tribe made prisoner, 166; an exciting moment, 167; Wamsara refuse to trade, 167; seize a few head of cattle from the Wamsara, 168; fight with the Wamsara, 168; Wamsara defeated, 168, 171; release of prisoner, 172; dangerous road through the Wamsara territory, 173; natives follow the line of march, 173; attacked by the Wam- sara in the ravines, 174 ; the Wamsara wish no more war, 175; treachery of the Wamsara, 175; continuous sharp fighting, 176; wounds inflicted on the men, 177; goats slaughtered and milk served to men, 178; last of the ammu- nition served out, 178; greeted by the Embe with signs of peace, 179; a pala- ver with the Embe, 180; road downhill to the Mackenzie River, 181; the Embe warriors threaten to attack, 182; camp in the country of Embe, 183; native Embe bring honey to camp, 184; the Embe wish to make blood- brothers of, 184; interview with some elders of the Embe, 185; another palaver with the Embe, 186; the Embe cleans the road over which the caravan passed, 186; ceremony of blood-brotherhood with the Embe, 187; treachery of the Embe during the night, 192; old men visit the camp, 193; superstition, 194; fear of night attack, 196; start in a thick mist, 197; difficulties on the march, 199; in sight of the “boma” (camp of warriors), INDEX 527 200; attacked by the Embe, 200; de- feat of the Embe, 201; emerge from the bush, 201; march to Hameye con- tinued, 201; arrive at Hameye, 202; George’s “ good news,” 202. CHAPTER VI. — Expedition, camp at Hameye, 203; presents to the men - who went to Lorian, 204; George makes a food station, 205; ten deser- tions, 205; reducing the stores, 206; departure from Hameye, 207; dis- content among the men, 207; search- ing for deserters, 209; at the food station established by George, 210; camped near the Tana, 210; along the banks of the Ura, 212; shooting giraffes, 213; meets Zanzibari caravan at Daitcho, 216; the Daitcho bring food to camp, 218; blood-brotherhood with the Daitcho, 219; purchase of donkeys from the Daitcho, 222; death of the donkeys, 225; eclipse of the sun and the Daitcho, 226; ruse to make the natives believe that Chanler possessed occult power, 227; natives frightened at the ruse, 228; visit of leaders of the Embe, 228; chief men of the Embe held as hostages, 229; efforts to procure beasts of burden, 230; rainy season in camp, 232; camp on fire, 233; rebuilding the camp, 234; hostages released, 234; join George in Embe country, 238; visit of the Daitcho hostages, 240; visit of thirty old men, 241; visit of Liria, Embe chief, 260; ceremony of muma with the Embe, 260; George arrives with thirty-seven donkeys, 260; return to Daitcho, 262; Beloochi visit camp, 263; Hamidi de- spatched to coast, 263; preparations for journey to the Rendile, 264. CHAPTER VII. — Expedition, two days’ journey from Daitcho, 266; search for water, 267; spring shaded by acacia trees, 269; photographs taken, 271; fords the Guaso Nyiro, 273; a deserted village of the Wanderobbo, 275; at Lolokwi, 277; in sight of Mount Ger- guess, 280; obtains information about the Rendile from Wanderobbo, 280; return of Wanderobbo men from hunt- — ing, 281; Wanderobbo offers to act as guide to Seran, 282; on the march to the Rendile, 283; water supply on the march, 284; arrive at Kamanga, no water, 285; night march, 285; arrive at Lokoli, 286; questioning the guide, 286; arrive at Seran, 287; Wande- robbo guide urges them to turn back, 287; Mayolo’s ignorance of the coun- try, 288; tracks of “dthombon” rob- bers, 290; men fear the Rendile, 291; first sight of the Rendile, 292; first in- terview with the Rendile, 293; Chanler and four men alone with the Rendile, 295; the chief of the Rendile visit camp, 296; the Rendile ask for pres- ent, 298; Lieutenant von Héhnel joins Chanler, 299; must perform the cere- mony of biood-brotherhood before trading with the Rendile, 304; smali- ness of gifts from the Rendile, 304; ceremony of blood-brotherhood with the Rendile, 305; build a zeriba, 306; Lokomogul brings an old camel to trade, 306; difficulty of trading with the Rendile, 307; the Rendile refuse to trade with expedition, 308; fruitless en- deavour to trade with the Rendile, 308; an expected attack, 309; a native Ren- dile tells of the customs of his tribe, 314; Lokomogul asks why they travelled without wives, 322; Mayolo advises them to leave the Rendile, 323; temp- tations to raid the Rendile, 324; un- able to procure sufficient animals for porterage of goods, 326; decide to go to the country of the Turcana, 326. CHAPTER VIII. — Expedition, at Seran, 327; departure of the Rendile, 330; send for donkey saddles left at Lolokwi, 331; to return to Daitcho, 333; pushes on to Sayer, 350; camp at Sayer, 252; wasting time to satisfy the hunger of the Wanderobbo, 355. CHAPTER IX.— Expedition, men 528 INDEX start a prairie fire, 383; to take Lieu- tenant von Héhnel back to Daitcho, 383; rhinoceros charge them during the march to Daitcho, 385; porters demoralized by rhinoceros charges, 388; camp scared at night by rhinoce- ros, 389; country seemed to abound with rhinoceroses and lions, 389; lions near the camp, 389; camped near the Mackenzie River, 393; arrive at Daitcho, 395; plans for future jour- neys, 400; farewell to Lieutenant von H6hnel, 404; camp visited by hyenas, 409; rifle practice at Daitcho, 410; men brought to the camp by Hamidi unfit for work, 418; Hamidi’s men bring false news from the coast, 419; purchase of donkeys by George, 424; making saddles for donkeys, 426; rainy season at Daitcho, 427; anxious time at Daitcho, 428; five men of the party sent to Ukambani desert, 431; new men complain of Somali and Soudan- ese, 431; the new men return to the coast, 433; men sent to assist George to cross the Tana, 436; natives ask for medicine to stop plague of locusts, 439- CHAPTER X.— Expedition, porters revolt and desert, 448; Somali and Sou- danese protect Chanler, 449; Mwalim Hamis leader of mutineers, 450; gate of the camp, 451; Gwaharam and Beloochi in camp, 453; letter to Hamidi, 453; list of men left with Chanler, 454; Hamidi denies all knowledge of mutiny, 455; Zanzibari traders refuse to take charge of goods, 461; completely broken up, 461; Gilo asks forgiveness, 463; Christmas dinner, 463; distrib- uting the trading-goods, 467; depart- ure for the coast, 470; Daitcho will welcome Europeans, 471; set out for the coast, 472; cataract on the Tana, 475; bridges across the Tana, 476. CHAPTER XI. — Expedition, at Mitio’s village, 482; Abdee Achmet with the donkeys, 482; Hamidi ar- rives, 483; Wakamba and their women, 485; at Kitinga, 486; an African Switzerland, 487; at Dick’s trading- post, 487; the dwarf Mgundu, 490; meet Mr. Neumann, 491; German mis- sion station, 492; meet W. Watson and Dr. Charters’ missionaries, 493; slaves left at the Kibwezi mission, 495; the Teita people, 497; at Mombasa, 498; at Zanzibar, 499; case of de- serters before the American Consul, 505; Mr. Seth A. Pratt represents Mr. Chanler, 508; George at Zanzibar, 510; for home, 511. field, London, \etter concerning fire- arms, 79. Fight with the Wamsara, 168. Fish in the Guaso Nyiro River unfit for food, 123; from the River Guaso Nyiro filled with small worms, 123. Flags carried at head of Zanzibari cara- vans, 215. Fleas, camp at Daitcho infested with, 337: Flowers on the banks of Guaso Nyiro River, 124. Forest on the slope of Mount Kenya, 100. Fumo Omari, raids Arab plantations and native villages, 12; Sultan of Witu, Il. Galla, 61; legend of the sacred book, 37; village and tribe, 37. Galla and Pokomo tribes, 62; moun- tains located on map by Dr. Peters invisible, 62; chief visits camp at Tulu, 67; tribe threaten violence, 67. Game, elephants, 82; zebra, oryx beisa, walleri, and rhinoceros, 82; plentiful on the Mackenzie River, 92; mara- bout storks, 95; East African antelope excellent food, 96; rhinoceros shot by Lieutenant von Hohnel, IIo. George Galvin, servant to Chanler, 2, 10, 51, 57, 58, 66; left at Hameye, 73; aS a sportsman, 77; carries a —-- INDEX 529 Mannlicher, 78; in charge of camp at Hameye, 202, 203; reports runaways, 208; working at the loads, 208; skill in arranging loads, 210; goes to the Embe country, 228; purchasing don- keys of the Embe, 229; builds zeriba in Embe country, 240; camp well supplied with meat, 335; sleeps outside the 2377; hyena captures his dog, 337; his shooting expeditions, 396; his comical adventure with a baby rhinoceros, 397; shoots a male lion, 398; starts for Kibwezi with Lieutenant von Hoéhnel, keeps his palisade, 400; letter from, telling of purchase of donkeys, 424; on an island in mid- stream, 436; unable to cross the Tana, 436; starts to join Chanler via Ham- eye, 443; arrives at Daitcho, 444; the story of his sufferings, and attempts to cross the Tana, 444; arrives at Zanzi- bar, 506; attacked by porters in Zan- zibar, 506. Gerguess, Mount, 280. Germans at Witu, II. Gilo, the Galla interpreter, asks forgive- ness, 463. Giraffes, 129. Grantil, 129. Guaso Nyiro River, its source on the western slopes of Mount Kenya, 107, 115; not emptied into the Tana, 115; bridge over, 118; fall of sixty feet named Chanler Falls, 118; current, 118; lava dust on one side, its swift mica on the other, 118; course ever changing, 122; fish unfit for food, 123; 123; and Lorian Swamp, 140. Guides, desertion of, 50. Gwaharam and Abdurachman, Beloochi in charge of caravan, 237, 452. mosquitoes troublesome, Hameye Station, description of, 69. Hameye, limit of navigation of the Tana, 69; shortest route from the Wamsara to, 162; improvement of zeriba, 203. Hamidi, headman of porters, 9; head- 2M man of porters, addresses the men about desertion, 208; after deserters, 209; many weeks overdue from the coast, 399; with porters unfit for work, 418; com- returns from the coast municates with George across the Tana, 438; builds a canoe, 443; prob- able leader of deserters, 451; denies all knowledge about desertions, 455, returns to the camp at Daitcho, 455; at one time employed in the construc- tion of Kibwezi mission, 495. Hammock made with the midribs of a palm, 401. Hassan Burgan, 55. Hassan Masai, interpreter, 297; sent to Sayer, 463; the interpreter, his ad- venture with an elephant, 365; and men return from Sayer, 479. Head covering for the tropics, 155. Headman of porters, 9. Herella, a Soudanese, 25. Hippopotamus, 85; eaten by all mem- bers of caravan except the Somali, 89; furious antics to reach deep water, 132. Hogs, wart, 287. : H6hnel, Lieutenant von, I, 3; engages Soudanese and Somali for expedition, 7; arrives at Lamoo, 10; goes to Kismayu for camels, 11; arrives with camels, oxen, etc., at Kismayu, 27; his medicine chest, 29; in charge of the rear guard, 36; sore feet, 46; at Tuni, 51; leaves Tuni with river col- umn, 57; gets an observation, 64; visit to Galla chief, 68; Mannlicher rifle, 79; starts on an ex- power of pedition with Chanler, 81; endeavours to induce natives to bring a sheep and make friends, 103; shooting antelope 107; shoots climbs hill to Christmas Day with Mannlicher rifle, male rhinoceros, 110; take bearings, III; working on his map, 117; injured his knee, 119: Rendile, 121; on the Marisi Alugwa Zombo, 127; stricken with fever, 137; shoots rhinoceros at distance of eighty Somali tells him of the 530 INDEX yards, 145; in the Wamsara country, 160; asa medicine-man, 161; on the knoll in Wamsara country, 165; checks the rush of native Wamsara on the rear guard, 170; sharp fighting, 177; and the Embe, 194; attack of fever, 218; joins George, 238; kills a rhinoc- eros, 270; shoots an elephant, 274; surrounded by a party of Wakamba tribe, 284; and the Rendile, 328; at Lengaya, 331; at Lolokwi, 333; pro- cures guides from the Wanderobbo, 349; kills two elephants, 350; his dangerous adventure with an elephant, 369; discovers the source of the Sayer River, 377; true story of his encounter with an elephant, 377; nearly killed by a rhinoceros, 380; dangerously wounded, 382; his sufferings on the march to Daitcho, 395; his departure for Kibwezi missionary station, 400; reports from George that he is im- proving, 446; at Trieste, 516. Honey, fermented, 220. Horse and trappings of the Rendile, 311. Hunting game for hungry men, 119; an exciting experience with rhinoceros, 120; female-antelope;) 124;;eshot a koodoo, 124; shot female oryx beisa, 124; large game plentiful, 131; buf- faloes, 141; killed zebra at distances varying from 600 to 800 paces, 142; 143; hippopotamus and Felix the dog, 211; shooting giraffes, 213; shooting rhinoceros with Mannlicher, 266; herd of zebra, 270; oryx beisa, 270; rhinoceros, 270; elephant shot by Lieutenant von MHohnel, 274; giraffes, 287; rhinoceros, 287; shoot- ing wart hogs, 287; shooting zebra, 327; rhinoceros charges the caravan, 349; elephant, with the Wanderobbo, 362; ‘elephants, 366, 367, °360,) 370, 271.0 3725 yhinoceros, 370: - buck and the dogs, 390; George’s shooting expeditions, 396; water-buck, 406; hippopotamuses in the Tana, 408. lion, water- Hussein Mahomet, a Soudanese, 25, 459; tells the story of the desertion of the Soudanese, 459; discloses Hamidi’s treachery, 462; tells how the desertion was planned, 464; re- ceives present from Chanler, 515. Hyena and rhinoceros hide, 130. Hyena captures George’s dog, 337; near the camp at night, 409; howling about the camp, 473. Ikutha, German mission station, 492. Janjy tribe, praying at the Ngombe crater, 348. Jombeni, the highest peak of the moun- tain range, 106; Mountains, 146; mountain range, 201 ; eastern slope, 213: Jones, Mr., American Consul at Zanzi- bar, 7; acting American Consul at Zanzibar, 499; American Consul at Aden, formerly of Zanzibar, 513. Jongeni, 16. Juba River, 4. Juma Moussa, a Soudanese, 23. Kamanga, 285. Karscho, Somali, 26, 121, 164, 289, 290; wounded by a rhinoceros, 97; and rhinoceros, 110; gun-bearer, 143; at Ngombe crater, 344; trip to Sayer, 405; returns from food station at Sayer, 423. Kenya, Mount, 3, 83, 149; the northern side, 151. Kibwezi mission, 493; Dr. Charters, the missionary in charge, 494. Kikuyu tribe, hostages as guides, 102; warriors, 102. Kinakombe, eighty miles up the Tana, 30. Kismayu, 11; natives alarmed, 27. Kitinga, a group of villages, 486; friend- liness of natives, 486. Kome, 313% 314: Kora, an extinct crater, 105, 109. Koran, carried in Zanzibar expedition, 215; INDEX 531 Kula, chief of Kinekombe, 45. Lamoo, mouth of the Tana, 6; the in- habitants of, 15 ; customs of natives, 15; purchase of cattle, 33. Langalla, flows from the Jombeni range and empties into the Tana River, 474. Leikipia plateau, almost deserted, 376; perfect pasturage for cattle, 378. Lendovie, 286. Lengaya, 331. Lesegetetti, chief medicine-man of the Rendile, 314. Lion, adventure with a, 143; Chanler’s adventure with, at Ngombe crater, 345. Lions, 389, 393. Liria visits Chanler’s camp, 417. Locusts, dense as a cloud, 439. Lokoli, 286. Lokomogul, of the Rendile tribe, 305; brings an old camel to trade, 306; chief of Rendile, 296. Lolokwi, Mount, the appearance of, 277; expedition at, 277; send to, for donkey saddles, 331. Lomoro, a Rendile chief, 296; tribe of the Rendile, 307; chief of Rendile, 310; presents Chanler with a dog, 338. Worian,, Lake, 107; search for, 121; a myth, a vast swamp, 138. Lorian Swamp, the end and limit of the Guaso Nyiro River, 140. Loroghi range, 361, 378. Lyserege, a Rendile chief, 297. Mackenzie River, 73, 85, 201. Mahomet el Hussein, chief of Soudanese, 22; his incessant importuning, 22. Malkakofira. Galla village, 61, 63, 67. Manda, Isla___ of, 15. Mannlicher i eating rifle, 77. Marching, fr Seran to Daitcho, sev- enty-five miles in three days and a half, 335; Marisi Alugwa Zombo, plateau on the River Guaso Nyiro, 124, 127. Masai language spoken by Wanderobbo, 282; settled among the Wanderobbo, 374; tribe before their dispersal, 376. Massa, expedition arrives at, 48. Massowah, engaged Soudanese, 7. Matthews, General, mountain range, 83. Matthews, Sir Lloyd, 7, 499, 509; his ac- tion with regard to the deserters, 500. Mayolo, Wanderobbo guide, 286; his ignorance of the country, 288; unable to march at night, 289; advises that the expedition leave the Rendile, 323; at Lengaya, 331; his experience after leaving Lieutenant von Héhnel, 392. Measure, mode of measuring cloth in Africa, 307. Meat, cut into strips and dried in the sun, 287. Medicine-man, natives’ faith in, 218. Merifano, 38. Mgundu, the dwarf, 490. Mhahoma, the cook, 509. ‘‘ Miraa,” natives of Embe chew leaves and shoots of, 189. Mission, German, at Ikutha, 493. Mission station at Ikutha, 493; at Kibwezi, 493. Missionaries, their influence with natives, 493: Mkonumbi, first camp at, 11; surround- ing country, 17; camp at, 18. Mohamadi, second headman of porters, 9; punished for raiding, 51; head- man of porters, 150; and six men de- sert, 332. Mohammedans refuse to eat elephant meat, 275. Mohamet Aman, Somali, 26 ; canoes to Kinakombe, 30; with river column, 44. Motio, native guide, 105, 146, I51, 152, £55, 164, 173, 197, 212, 228,405 ;) his appearance and history, 106, 110, 113, 118; his opinion of Lake Lorian, 121; suspected of treachery, 162; his gal- lant conduct during the fight, 179; his explanation of the blood-brotherhood, 192; his last visit, 443. Mountains seen from the Mackenzie River, 92. takes §32 INDEX Mountain slopes 3500 feet above the sea level, 110. Mountains, peaks of the General Mat- thews range, 354. Mwalim, Hamis, headman of porters, 464; headman of deserters, 450. Mwyru, chief, 487; slave-trading centre, 488. Native customs, blood-brotherhood, 186. Negro in cold weather, 154. Neumann, Mr., on an ivory-trading ex- pedition, 49I!. Ngombe, a crater, 112, 268, 341, 343. Night march, from Kamanga, 285; in the desert, 289. Oryx beisa, 129. Osman Digna, 25. Ostrich, 129. Patta, Island of, 15. Peters; Dr) 3: Photography, cameras carried on the ex- pedition, 270. Poisons, 257. Pokomo, native tribe on the Tana, 16; a kindly race, 38; bring presents to camp, 40; their knowledge of agricult- ure, 44; at Massa, 48; and the Galla, 61; meeting expedition on the march to Hameye, 202. Portal, Sir Gerald, 7. Porters, wages paid to, 8; burden borne by each, eighty pounds, 33; carry burdens on their heads, 33; afraid to go for water owing to hippopotamuses, 85; have little protection from the weather, 85; carry dried meat on the march, 90; effects of meat diet,90; death of, 131; sick from dysentery, 150; their dread of the Somali, 212; men excited with Munchausen tales of the Rendile, 336; killed by a rhinoceros, 387; demoral- ized by rhinoceros charges, 388; and the lions, 394; old men prefer slavery to freedom, 403; prefer the Arab to European for master, 404. Pratt, Mr. Seth A., 508: Pumwani, 12, 16; and Jongeni, their raids, 17. Rain, rainy season on the banks of the Tana, 52; changes the appearance of camp at Hameye, 81; camp during the rainy season, 232; rainy season at Daitcho, 427; the Tana not fordable at any point dur- ing rainy season, 443. Ramazan, interpreter to expedition, 22; chief of Soudanese, 457. Rendile tribe, 4; exact habitat of tribe unknown, 4; their wealth, 4; wander- ings of, 4; tribe, 107; to be found near Lorian, 121, 280; woman, married to Bykender, 223; gathering of armed natives, 292; their appearance, 294; their craving for tobacco, 295; chiefs visit camp, 296; never heard of Euro- peans, 297; never travel at night, 298; their ornaments, 299; warriors paint their faces, 299; war dance, 300; re- covery of camels taken by the dthom- bon, 300; their language, 303; muti- lated in an extraordinary manner, 303; “we are the great Rendile tribe,” 304; warriors visit Chanler’s camp, 306; loathe any colour but white, 308; mounted upon a horse, 311; women of, and their costume, 312; tribe, num- ber about 20,000, 313; possess in round numbers 80,000 cam- els, 313; their huts and wanderings 313; express contempt for the rifles used by the Somali, 314; their belief in a God, 315; are circumcised and na- vels cut away, 315; polygamy in vogue, 315; their funeral ceremony, 316; primogeniture, 316; adultery, 317; murder, 317; theft, 317; the older men act as judges, 317; their food, 317; their shields and spears, 318; a chief presides over each village, 318; strings of beads around a man’s neck indicate the number of men he has slain in battle, 318; as to the origin of the sickness in supposed to INDEX Rendile, 319; their familiarity with Masai tongue explained, 320; their idea of a deity, 320; their govern- ment, 321; position of their medicine- men, 321; their most powerful village presided over by Lokomogul, 321; un- able to penetrate the mystery sur- rounding them, 323; Chanler’s camp at Seran, 328; aston- ished at the power of a rifle bullet, 330; spread false reports, 418; recep- tion of Zanzibari caravan, 426. Rhinoceros, 129, 151; herd of, 148; Lieutenant von Hohnel nearly killed by, 380; charge the caravan, 385; and the dogs, 391. Rifles used to slay game, 77; which rifles best for general use, 78; letter to /oz- don Field concerning, 79; large game, 80; used in shooting hip- warriors visit shooting popotamuses, 86; carried by men in an unsatisfactory condition, 148. Rivers having their sources at Mount Kenya, I15. Road from Voi to the coast, 497. Rudolph, Lake, 1. Sabaki River, 115. Sadi, captain of the fleet, 17. Saleh’s Hill, 83. Samburu, 306; forced into semi-serfdom to the Rendile, 316. Samburu tribe, 281. Sayer, camp at, 352; River, its source, 377. Scenery, view from camp in the moun- tains, III. Scientific travellers and sportsmen, 76. Seran, 327; oasis in the desert, 287. Seyd Ali, Sultan of Zanzibar, 7; news of his death, 401. Shooting, walleri antelope, 70; water- buck and antelope, 76; use of rifle in provisioning caravan, 76; for food, 77; Soudanese noisy enthusiasm at the sight of game, 84; water-buck, 84; hippopotamus, 85; rhinoceros, 92, 96; antelope with Mannlicher, 107; rhi- noceros, shot by Lieutenant von 533 Hohnel, 110; herd of oryx beisa, 111; herd of grantii, 111; male oryx, 114. Sissini, 51. Siu, Island of, 15. Skin of oryx beisa used by Somali for shields, 111. Slavery in East Africa, 404. Slaves purchased by Arabs leased out to European travellers, 5. Slave-trading centre at Mwyru’s, 488. Snake, Chanler’s adventure with, 342. Somali, 212; wanderings of Somali tribes, 4; engaged for the care of beasts of bur- den, 6; good knowledge of shooting, 28; attack elephant-hunters, 54; and Soudanese, jealousy between the two races, 743 them to eat, 89; their custom to spend the night in prayer on the eve of a certain beasts unlawful for dangerous enterprise, 164; good fight- ing men, 178; enemies of the Rendile, 303; robbed by the natives of Daitcho, 472; their superstitious fear of strange noises, 473; and Soudanese, discharged at Aden, 511. Soudanese as soldiers, 21; excellent shots, 28; dissatisfaction of, 46; attempt to assert their independence, 74; violent discussion over the relative merits of hippopotamus, 92; refuse to eat meat, 108; threaten to starve themselves unless grain diet, 108; good fighting men, 178; desert the expedition, 457; de- serters taken into the service of the Sultan of Zanzibar, 507. Stairs, Captain, 9. Stanley, 5. Stephanie, Lake, 1. Subaki, 47. Subugo (forest), 378. Suliman Kemenya, an ardent revolution- ist, 420. Sulphate of magnesium, ground white with, 115. Superstition of natives, 194. Sururu, his character, 9; tent-boy, 9, 509; wounded by a rhinoceros, 133. rhinoceros and they have 534 INDEX Swimmers, the Wathaka tribe good swim- mers, 445. Tana River, 3, 4; used as a means of transportation of goods into the inte- rior, 16; forests along the banks, 18; reports of the natives starving, 30; building camp, 52; tribes on its shores, 61; flows through narrow valleys and rocky hills, 82; its source Mount Kenya, 115; hunting hippopotamuses, 408; swollen by rain, 427, 436; not fordable at any point, 443; a cataract, 475: Teide, German at Lamoo, 15. Teita tribe, 496. Teita superstitious, 497. Teleki, Count, 1, 3. Tobacco as used by the Wamsara, I6I. Traders encamped at Daitcho complain | of natives, 457. Trading-post owned by a Scotchman | named Dick, 487. Trail, mountain, II2. Trees, palm, and acacias, 122; the bao- bab, 100; group of poplars, 131; dhum palms, 287; the Morio, etc., 378. Tulu Kuleso, 67. Tuni, 51; departure from, 57. Turcana, expedition starts for, 327. Uganda, 7. Ukambani, 483. Ura River, 212; Vanderdecken, Baron, 3. Villiers, Captain, expedition, 203. Wadi Farhan, his death, 438. Wakamba tribe, 284; trading and hunt- ing for ivory, 406; how they travel, 406; arrow, 408; good material in them for soldiers, 408; acts as guide, 469; strange story told by an old man, 485; excellent shots with bow and courtesies to women, 485. Wamsara tribe, 146; natives pasturing cattle, 151; huts of, 151; armed war- riors, 152; efforts to trade with them, 154; 157; manner of dressing the hair, 157; their weapons, 157; blood-brother- hood, 159; beautiful aspect of the country, 160; manner of burying the dead, 160; their manner of using to- bacco, 161; war dance, 162; attack the expedition, 168; again attack the expedition, 174; their physique, 190. Wanderobbo tribe, 145; acts as guide to the country of the Rendile, 264; old man and seven old women brought to camp, 276; and the honey bird, 277; live in a state of chronic starvation, 278; their mode of life, 279; gives information about the Rendile, 280; fine appearance of the men, 281; guides quarrel over hog meat, 287; their method of trapping elephants, 350; saved from starvation, 350; beg for medicine to kill game, 352; offer to sell ivory for meat, 352; their man- ner of trading, 353; honesty in trad- ing, 353; beg Chanler to kill ele- phants before leaving them, 354; village at Bugoi, 355; breaking up of dried bones for food, 356; offer to guide expedition whence they would find elephants, 357; headman of vil- lage “ Leguinan,” 357; their joys at the killing of an elephant, 365; eat all parts of the elephant except the skull, 368; again offer to guide Chanler to find elephants, 369; live upon ele- phant meat, 372; no fixed abode, 372; a low type of natives, 373; prefer starvation to cultivation of the soil, 373; three types, 373; their mode of living, 374; their number about five hundred, 376; hunters and their don- keys, 393. Wanyanwezi tribe as porters, 56. Wasania tribe on the Tana, 61. Water, carrying water in the 108. Waterless march, 340. cloaks of untanned goatskin, desert, INDEX Water-buck and the dogs, 390. Wathaka tribe, extraordinary swimmers, 445- Weapons carried by the warriors of Wamsara, 156. ~ Werndl carbine, carried by porters, 21. Winchester rifle, 77; as a sporting gun, PII. Wilson, Mr., 508; road-making at Voi, 495- Witu transferred by the Germans to the British, 11. Women, native women of tribe of Kikuyu, IOI; trade in products of soil carried on by women of the Embe, 239. Worship, native, 188. 535° Zanzibar, enlistment of porters, 7; gov- ernment of, 509. Zanzibari, porters used in East Africa, 5; caravan, its composition, 214; cara- van, a white flag carried at head, 215; caravans, rifles carried by men, 217; not fit for work in desert country, 284; discuss the probabilities of freeing the Sultanate of Zanzibar from British in- fluence, 402; visit to the Rendile, 426; traders refuse to take charge of goods, 469; who remained faithful to Chanler, 509. Zebra, 129, 147; small herds, 124; as beasts of burden, 147. Zeriba, deserted zeriba, 55, 130. BooKS OF TRAVEL AND DESCRIPTION. BLENNERHASSETT and SLEEMAN. — Adventures in Mashonaland, by Two Hospital Nurses. Rose BLENNERHASSETT and Lucy SLEE- MAN. With Map. New and cheaper edition. 8vo. $1.25. “The book is written in direct, unconventional language. It will, we are con- vinced, be widely read and widely enjoyed.” —London Times. “Their book is emphatically a book to be read; not only for its own sake, for the entertainment which it affords, and for its pleasant and unpretending merit, but also because it is one which makes one think more highly of human nature as a whole. To speak well of themselves was evidently the very last thing in the authors’ minds, who, indeed, studiously avoid any reference to their feelings; nevertheless, it is a book that should make Englishmen proud of their fellow-countrywomen.” — Spectador. BOWER. — Diary of a Journey across Tibet. By Capr. HAMILTON Bower, 17th Bengal Cavalry. With many Illustrations. —8vo. Cloth. $3.75. “‘ A valuable book — which will be found extremely interesting.” — S. /. Chronicle. CARPENTER. — From Adams Peak to Elephanta: Sketches in Ceylon and India. By Epwarp CarPENTER. With Illustrations. 8vo. $3.50. COLE. — The Gypsy Road. A Journey from Krakow to Coblentz. By GRENVILLE A. J. Cote, M.R.LA., F.G.S. With Ilustrations by Edmund H. New. t12mo. $1.75. FIELDE. — A Corner of Cathay. Studies from Life among the Chinese. By ApvELE M. FieLpe, author of “A Dictionary of the Swatow Dialect,” ‘‘ Pagoda Shadows,” “Chinese Nights’ Entertainment,” etc. Illustrated by artists in the celebrated school of Go Leng, at Swatow, China. Small 4to. Cloth. $3.00. “Graphic and intimate sketches of Chinese life and manners, by an American lady well acquainted with the country, its people, and their language; very attractively illustrated in colors from original sketches by artists of the celebrated school of Go Leng at Swatow.” — London Times. “With charming illustrations by native artists. . . . Contains some very interest- ing facts about the life of the Chinese.” — Westminster Gazette. “Her new volume, in addition to an engaging exterior, shows many proofs of literary art as well as of abundant material and a wise selection.” — V. Y. ation. MACMILLAN & CO., 66-EPrE TE AVENUE, NEW > YORK I BooKS OF TRAVEL AND DESCRIPTION. JACKSON. — The Great Frozen Land. Narrative of a Winter Journey across the Tundras and a Sojourn among the Samoyads. By GrorcE F. Jackson, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and Leader of the Jackson-Harmsworth Polar Expedition. With Illus- trations and Maps. Edited from his Journals by ARTHUR MONTE- FIORE. 8vo. $4.50. KIPLING (J. L.).— Beast and Man in India. A Popular Sketch of Indian Animals in their Relations with the People. By Joun Lockwoop Kipiinc, C.I.E. With numerous [Illustrations by the Author. 8vo. $6.00. LANDOR. — Corea, or Cho-sen, the Land of the Morning Calm. By A. HENRY SavAGE-LANDoR, author of “ Alone with the Hairy Ainu.” With numerous text and full-page Illustrations from drawings made by the author, and Portrait. 8vo. Cloth. $4.50. “ About the Coreans as they are we obtain a great deal of information in this volume, and are thereby enabled to comprehend the conditions of the problem which the civilized Japanese have undertaken to solve in the Asiatic peninsula.” — ew York Sun. MILLAIS. — A Breath from the Veldt. By JoHN GUILLE MILLAIs, F.Z.S., etc., author of “Game Birds and Shooting-Sketches.” With 150 Illustrations by the Author, and frontispiece by Sir J. E. Millais, R.A. Imperial 4to. Buckram. $25.00, mez. “The splendid quarto in which his admirable descriptions and drawings have been published is justly named. It is a veritable ‘Breath from the Veldt’ that comes to the reader from the pages of this volume. There is not a trace of dulness. His Spirited conversation holds the attention from the beginning to end.” — WV. Y. Tribune. McFALL. — With the Zhob Field Force. 1890. By Capr. CRAWFORD McFatt, K.O.Y.L.I. With ninety Illustrations from drawings by the author, and Colored Plates. 8vo. Cloth. $4.50. “This royally made volume is one that will have a special value for readers inter- ested in the latest knowledge and details of all matters relating to the boundary of British India, the country and people adjoining it. Rich in minute accounts of the country and the tribes, which leaves nothing to be desired as to accuracy, fulness, and variety of geographical and ethnographical information.” — WV. Y. /ndependent. PIKE. — The Barren Ground of North Canada. By WARBURTON PIKE. With Map. 8vo. Cloth. $2.00. YOE.— The Burman: His Life and Notions. By SHway YOE, Subject of the Great Queen. 8vo. Cloth. $3.75. XN MACMILLAN & CO., 66, FIFTH AVENUE, NEWS WORK: 2 ‘4 { } t t ‘ i ia ' ce | yt i rf [ 7 nit Sandy filtock W 4° 7 5 z 37° = 38° 39° 6 : = 4 ; BD 2 0s Sac ssi eter ees tS i | Same = = Wasania cand Waboni rae 1.0% 30° P % fatine Pits: 22mm ETT SoRETROIE Sas Smal seatered lantalions . eS sometimes scoured b a a a | Midgan Somali € 9 ® ae 2 1 = : THE TANA DISTRICT © = iO Ul | x ae 5S) Som “Scale 1:750.000 2 5 : B yo} P a Course of River according qt” to Cpt. Dundas F 4 on = LU | | tt 5 f < A ae a = 38° ap i Ge fe | | a | | : | | | Git 5 Madyiyi = roti Ste I dary . OSW akombe Sept.30.- Oct. 2. | Ki n a. kph) m b @ : . * oO . Sept29 eo | ai dere Seph:28. | ‘ roa z 2° | : ae | Sandy soil ! | amu Sept.27. | | Hon a i ™ | ~ cording” itvle- 5) ry, es = ee vores pees Plain | Flatland “ee 3 il saMoy 1] ag te € Sept. 25-206. ! yoshi g 2.3 BS Qpane ge x] Seinntarnrasnt NG emacs AON Somme Seatianesaturt The Wnts excpreod he Porgir Lt ecbowe coe eek over Ft 6550 (Salt Steppes Langata-Ndamess gub2?. DelebYalirisy mS. tu Seph19=22, Inhabited by Randile in rainy season) Maton! Uerdeyde Han “(Grete) District occasionally inhabited by Wandorobbo fe aa ii i; j J Beret Barua Marea) ey ND) LE and SAMBURU Haldayan Han Rs ; poe on lea Cattle, Sheeps Donkeys) (Water scarce) Langay Upate a ‘Along the GuasoNyiro ¢ ore Cremuacins of ancient Weniorobbo: orobbo so} Blade Ditlocke Acacia ~Bush yin habited SyRemeles in ay rai wi i NE SS x July 18! : g : == pe rater Ph acwrabledy Raging) Yee. gee ss are) oi sf, = Kirrimar Plain sake : pte «0.11000 aur : formerly inhabited by Randile 4 % * Outflore during ramy season Vuinhabited di. ecormig further Et discpp ig turther-East. Ion natrepeare bon F “ : M i Fa Lt. Satisbury é SMombasa-—|—= E NERAL | VIEW of a portion of rs showing the route OF THE EXPEDITION Scake 1: 2,400.000 Statute Miles 20 40 & 80 L ri 34 i 0 Geographical Miles ° 35 41 42, 43° Longitude East fram Greenw. ye Fhorotithographed and punted at re Inrp.and Roy. Mikiiacy Seographical Inatilule im Verma i f 4 : ‘ t M 7 : ; \ ‘ \ i ’ o © & ur ' ave ‘a i ike: f r o's rote 1t ti Pte cS Watch sah 8 ees ne are pele’ Core ag &