IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA chap. 



Masai youths, named Abbudi and Mellauw, who 

 had been actino- as scouts in the district for some 

 time and therefore knew the way thoroughly. 

 They were both very bright and inteUigent, and 

 soon became great fav^ourites of mine. 



Abbudi especially proved himself most useful and 

 amusing. He was full of information about the 

 country, so I always took him with me every- 

 where ; he used to stride along by my horse's side, 

 recounting unending, and to me most entertaining 

 stories about his interesting nation, the Masai. I 

 shall have to mention him constantly when relating 

 what befell us on this trip and on another longer 

 expedition which I subsequently made to the 

 Northern Game Reserve beyond the Guaso Nyiro. 

 Abbudi was a rather good-looking youth and but 

 for his prominent teeth, which are characteristic of 

 the Masai, would have been quite handsome. I 

 gathered a good deal of useful information from 

 him, but found that many of his statements had to 

 be taken with a grain of salt. It is a strange but 

 undoubted fact that no wild native ever seems to 

 be capable of telling the exact truth, for he has a 

 way of suiting his statements to his audience, and 

 saying what he thinks will please and make a 

 good impression. 



Personally I can quite bear out the remarks made 

 by Lieutenant-General von Liebert, formerly 



