CHAP. IX THE EXPLORATION OF LAIKIPIA 147 



expedition had been fitted out by the Royal Geographical 

 Society, and one of its main purposes was the exploration of 

 Mount Kenya. Thomson entered Laikipia by the second of 

 the above routes, and, working his way round the northern 

 flanks of the mountain mass known as Settima, struck eastward 

 toward Kenya. He soon, however, got into trouble with the 

 Masai, who were present in force. Their attitude was so 

 threatening that Thomson could not cross the Nyiro. He had 

 to abandon his camp under cover of night and escape north 

 toward Njemps, which he reached after a series of adventures, 

 which are well described in his fascinating work Through Masai 

 Land. Four years later Count Teleki, with his accomplished 

 assistant Lieut. Ludwig von Hohnel, marched across Laikipia 

 along the main Suahili trade route, along which they were 

 guided by the great Suahili trader. Jumbo Kinameta. The 

 Masai were then not very numerous, and Teleki's force was so 

 powerful that it suffered no interference from the natives. Von 

 Hohnel mapped the line of march with his usual skill, and 

 made two branch excursions to the east, to track the course of 

 the Guaso Narok and Guaso Nyiro, the two main rivers that 

 drain the plateau. 



Laikipia was crossed a third time in the winter of 1889- 

 90 by the German Emin Pasha Relief Expedition under 

 command of Dr. Karl Peters. The Masai, ignorant of the 

 power of field-guns and repeating rifles in the hands of trained 

 Somali soldiers, were aggressive. Dr. Peters' attitude was not 

 conciliatory, and his caravan was accordingly attacked by 

 hordes of infuriated El-Moran. Dr. Peters' victory was com- 

 plete ; he burnt most of the leading kraals, and captured great 

 herds of cattle, which had no doubt been originally pillaged 

 from other tribes. Some other attempts have been made to 

 cross Laikipia, but without success. 



With von Hohnel's map to guide us, it would have been 

 comparatively easy to follow the Suahili trade route ; but I 

 resolved to leave it, and cross the plateau along a new line, 

 partly for the sake of the exploration, and partly in the hope 

 of avoiding the Masai. After the treatment they had received 

 from Peters, it was certain that they would be thirsting for 

 revenge, and that if we met them we should have to fight. The 

 route I proposed to attempt was not only new, thus offering 



