128 EXCURSIONS FROM NJEMPS part ii 



of the lake, either with one another or with the facts. Von 

 Hohnel omits the Ndow, but I found out later that he must 

 have passed a little distance to the west, on the platform that 

 forms the lowest of the foot-hills of Kamasia, under which the 

 Ndow flows by a subterranean course. Where we forded it, the 

 river was 30 feet broad and 3 feet deep, and flowed with a 

 powerful current between banks raised above the level of the 

 surrounding plain. 



Next day I intended to camp at the north-west corner of 

 the lake, while the men seemed determined not to march at 

 all, and it was only after some delay that a start was made. 

 I pointed out the position where I wanted camp pitched, and 

 then struck off westward to examine some old lake beaches, 

 formed when the level of Baringo was much higher than at 

 present, and to look for fossil shells and living antelope. 

 Farther to the north I returned to the shore to pick up the 

 trail of the men, but could not find it, so I sent Lomweri back 

 with a note to Philip ordering them to hurry on, while I 

 climbed a lava crag to sketch, and take a round of angles for 

 the map. An hour later the guide returned with a somewhat 

 impudently-worded letter from the boy, telling me the men 

 refused to come on, and asking me to return and hear what 

 they had to say. I rushed back at once and found that the 

 loads had been dropped in disorder, the microscope smashed, 

 a lot of preserving spirit thrown away, and that the men had 

 bolted, leaving the two boys to guard the goods. Later on 

 the Askari came sneaking up to us, but he would say 

 nothing except that the men were hiding in the swamp, and 

 were going back to Njemps as soon as it was dark. A little 

 before sunset the others came near and sent in a message to 

 ask if I would hold a shauri, which I was only too glad to do. 

 Wadi Hamis acted as spokesman, and a very insolent spokes- 

 man he proved. He said they had seen Wasuk, that it was 

 not safe for so few men to travel alone in that country, and 

 that they would not go on or obey orders any more. I had 

 no trouble in pulverising these arguments, for the guide con- 

 fessed that Sukuta — the country of the Wasuk — was some 

 days' journey to the north, and that he had seen no signs of 

 any strangers in the district ; and, as I reminded the men, both 

 Kizizi and the Arabs had said in their presence that we 



