212 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA chap. 



old blind wife, and asked me in simple faith, as if it 

 were a small matter that I could easily put right, to 

 be so good as to restore her sight, and also to 

 cure his little son, who was covered with bad 

 ulcers. 



I told him that I feared it was impossible for me 

 to cure his wife, as her blindness was the work of 

 Ngai (God) and it would be useless for me to attempt 

 to undo it. I comforted him, however, by telling him 

 that I would cure his little son by giving him some 

 daiva (medicine) for daily application. 



I decided to remain at this place for another day, 

 as I was anxious to explore the hilly country, to the 

 west of our camp, through which the Guaso Nyiro 

 flows after taking the sharp bend to the eastward. 

 I also wished to obtain some idea of the game that 

 was to be found in this direction. 



We accordingly set out westward in the early 

 dawn along the southern bank of the Guaso Nyiro. 

 I was anxious to cover as much ground in the cool 

 of the morning as was possible, and made my way 

 towards a high peak named Nandaydo, from which 

 I hoped to obtain a good view of the surround- 

 ing country, and, perhaps, be able to see as far as 

 the eastern bend of the river. 



The sun had not been up for more than an hour 

 when Abbudi came to tell us that he had spotted 

 a fine waterbuck, so Mrs. B. set off to stalk it, and, 



