326 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



mane of a lion. It is in shape and appearance, 

 though not in colour, almost exactly like the 

 grenadier's shako of the last century. In addi- 

 tion to this priceless trophy, V. also gave us 

 samples of the cattle bells, both wooden and 

 metal, ivory ear ornaments, bead bracelets, steel 

 collars, circumcision knives, sword belts, and 

 other affairs of like value. But I think that the 

 apogee of his kindliness was reached when much 

 later he heard from the native tribes that we 

 were engaged in penetrating the defiles of the 

 higher mountains. Then he sent after us a swift 

 Masai runner bearing to us a bottle of whisky 

 and a message to the effect that V. was afraid 

 we would find it very cold up there ! Think of 

 what that meant ; turn it well over in your mind, 

 with all the circumstances of distance from sup- 

 plies, difficulty of transportation and all ! We 

 none of us used whisky in the tropics, so we 

 later returned it with a suitable explanation and 

 thanks as being too good to waste. 



Next morning, under guidance of our friend's 

 boy, we set out for the Lower Benches, leaving 

 N'gombe Brown and his outfit to camp indefi- 

 nitely until we needed him for the return journey. 



The whole lie of the land hereabout is, roughly 

 speaking, in a series of shelves. Behind us were 



