THE NATIVES OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA 



Kijabe and implored the aid of the missionaries to save 

 her from the brutal chief. 



One day the parents succeeded in kidnaping their 

 daughter from the mission station. Suddenly heartrend- 

 ing cries were heard from the bushes not far away, and 

 running there one of the lady missionaries saw how the 

 girl was being mercilessly beaten by her cruel parents and 

 others, who tried to take her away by force. Instantly this 

 courageous young American girl rushed at the assailants, 

 grabbed the victim, and, tearing her away from the kid- 

 napers, brought her back to the mission house, where she 

 then was closely guarded. 



The rascally old chief had, however, made up his mind 

 to get the girl at any cost. He therefore applied to Nairobi 

 for aid, and, strangely enough, the government supported 

 him, and ordered the girl to be delivered to the chief, as he 

 had already paid for her according to the law of his tribe. 

 The missionaries now interviewed both the father of the 

 girl and the old chief, and through their influence it was 

 arranged that the father should return the cattle to the 

 chief, who promised to leave the girl alone. In the mean- 

 time the young lover had been working hard so as to be 

 able to buy his bride, and he succeeded finally with the 

 help of others in bringing the required number of cattle 

 and sheep to her father, after which the happy couple were 

 married according to Kikuju rites. 



Farther up along the line, in the Rift Valley, and on 

 the Laikipia Plateau, live the Masai, who are perhaps the 

 most intelligent and courageous people of East Africa, 

 although extremely lazy and insolent. There has been a 

 great deal of speculation as to the origin of this tribe, 



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