A BORAN GIRL JOINS THE CARAVAN. 24 
un 
animals appeared, however; so I sent twenty men with 
some trading goods to Lenja, with orders that, as soon as 
it got light, they were to seize fifteen bullocks, drop the 
trading goods, and drive the animals back to the camp. I 
knew the natives would not attack my boys without Abofi- 
lato’s orders, and so it happened; for by ten o'clock the 
next morning my boys arrived in camp with the bullocks, 
and off we started on our journey. 
After marching nearly six hours, we came to a brook 
of crystal-like water, and camped in the midst of several 
villages. The natives appeared very friendly, and were 
glad to sell us three oxen, telling me I had served the 
people of Lenja right in taking their animals by force, as 
they considered it a matter of duty to be miserly and never 
on any account to part with their cattle. 
The camels needed a rest, and we were told the road 
was very rough ahead, so we halted for a day with our 
friends. A young Boran girl, named Ola, asked permis- 
sion to accompany the caravan, as she said her parents 
were both dead and she was very poor; and on her prom- 
ising to make herself useful in every way, in bringing 
wood, cooking, etc., I told her that she might come along 
with us. Her only garment was a short skirt of rough 
cloth, but the upper part of her body was nearly concealed 
by huge chains made of porcupine quills, coffee grains, 
plaited reeds, and a very few beads. Telling her to throw 
away her old skirt, I gave her a piece of clean white 
American sheeting, which covered her whole person, and 
with which she seemed greatly delighted, strutting about 
among her people and causing much envy. She told me 
she did not mind where she went; that sooner or later she 
would find a husband among some of the tribes we passed. 
Going a good way north on our next march, we came to 
the edge of the plateau, and saw the Galana once more, 
