i6 



IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA 



CHAl' 



important, as on the western verge of it Nairobi, 

 the official capital of the country, is situated. The 

 inhabitants are called Wakamba, and are spread 

 more or less over the whole province. Not very 

 many are to be seen, however, about Nairobi, as in 

 their densely populated villages round the Machakos 

 hills, a few marches to the eastward, they contrive 



"NAIROBI, THE OFFICIAL CAl'ITAL.'' 



to produce all the necessaries of life, and for more 

 than these they as yet show but little ambition. 



The Wakamba are a numerous agricultural tribe, 

 with keen instincts for travel and barter. They 

 are good hunters and fighters, their weapons being 

 the bow and poisoned arrow, in the use of which 

 they are so expert that they have more than 

 once inflicted a crushing defeat on their hated 



