THE BORAN SUE FOR PEACE. 203 
caravan in fighting order. There was no use now going 
to Abofilato, so I made up my mind to march by the com- 
pass, in as near a direct line as possible, to Lake Rudolf. 
We made our way slowly at first, over fairly open coun- 
try, in grass up to our knees; but later the bushes began 
to increase in number, and after about an hour and a half 
we found ourselves upon a perfectly circular, basin-shaped 
depression, at the bottom of which was a pond. 
mle believe: this: to: be ‘the’ top-ot .a: broad’ mountain 
which once was a volcano; but the basin is all that is left 
to mark the crater, which has been nearly filled up. After 
filling our water-cans, we were just about to march again, 
when voices were heard behind us calling, ‘ Nageia!’ 
‘Nageia!’ (Peace! Peace). Stopping the caravan, I or- 
dered the Boran prisoners to answer that we also would 
have peace; and then, after repeated shouting, three horse- 
men came out of the bush toward us. We pitched 
camp at once. The principal man of the three told me 
that he was a brother of Abofilato, and that the other two 
were powerful chiefs; and indeed they looked to be very 
important individuals, from their corpulence, and from the 
large necklaces, made of the coarse hair of giraffe-tails, 
that hung in plaits down their backs, as well as from the 
many brass and copper ornaments that decked their bodies. 
“ They acknowledged that their only object in attacking us 
had been to loot (‘ Why, your houses are made of cloth, 
they said, pointing to our tents), and that now, being ex- 
ceedingly repentant, they would bring back all my cattle, 
donkeys, and mules, besides giving me guides. They would 
let the brother of Abofilato go home to arrange matters, 
while the other two chiefs remained in our camp as hos- 
tages; but the cattle could not be returned before three 
days, as they had been driven far away. The question is 
whether these protestations of peace are a ruse to put us 
