144 EXCURSIONS FROM NJEMPS part ii 



was the argument that this was my original plan. I had started 

 intending to go to Kenya, and so to Kenya I resolved to go. 



I told the Arabs that I was going, and explained to Azizi 

 that, as I could not return the food, I must pay him for it by 

 " chit " (or cheque) in Mombasa. He then refused to accept 

 that method of payment, though when he had lent me the 

 food he had himself suggested it. He now demanded all my 

 " kiketi," a kind of large blue bead, and cowries, and a cheque 

 for 300 rupees to be paid in Mombasa. The ordinary price 

 for food at Njemps is one pice per kibaba ; he wanted more 

 than ninety pice for each measure, besides sufficient trade goods 

 to buy the food five times over. After a stormy conference 

 that lasted for four hours I consented to give him all the cow- 

 ries and half the kiketi, and to pay his agent in Mombasa 160 

 rupees. Even this was a frightful swindle, but I was too 

 fagged to fight the matter further. 



At daybreak next morning (5th June) the camp was 

 roused by the shouts of " Safari ! Safari leo ! Funga ! Fannya 

 tiari ! " (A journey ! A journey to-day ! Tie up the loads ! Make 

 ready ! ) We were delayed for some time by the difficulty of 

 catching the donkeys, which had run wild, and had to be broken 

 in again. The natives would not help us, for they were holding 

 a great war shauri, to decide whether they should make an 

 attack in force upon the people of Kamasia. 



We marched round the north wall of the town, and then east- 

 ward across the plain. We were soon stopped by the swamp of 

 the Nyuki. When the guide saw it he said we could not cross 

 it, and sat on the ground, folded his arms, shut his eyes, and 

 refused to move. Fundi and I tried to get through but failed, 

 and I feared the guide was right. When Omari came up he 

 simply set his teeth and said, " Bwana, we must go through." 

 Thanks entirely to his pluck and resolution, we did get 

 through. 



Beyond this swamp there was no water for a long distance, 

 so we had to camp beside it. I spent the afternoon drying a 

 load of plants that had been dipped into the swamp during the 

 passage. This and two other incidents that happened at this 

 camp considerably lessened the pleasure of the departure from 

 Njemps. 



One of the flour sacks was cut open during the night, and 



