I70 THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 



He disappeared. Presently in came singly and in 

 groups women from the various houses carrying each 

 her contribution. These varied in quantity from a 

 peck to a mere handful, but each swelled the total un- 

 til the quantity was made up. We paid at the rate of 

 one half cent per pound.* 



Second — could we get porters? 



"Not here, but at a village across the valley." 



"All right, you can take us there to-morrow. " 



They then, as usual, begged for meat, so I went out 

 with one man as guide. He took me across the river 

 and through rich bottom lands where fed hundreds of 

 their fat cattle, and so over the swells of the valley, but 

 all we saw were three oribi and two Nakuru hartebeeste 

 that skipped as soon as they saw us. 



A feature of this country are the long safaris of 

 driver ants. They are like a twisting brown rope 

 several inches in diameter, moving steadily onward, 

 with their big askaris guarding the flanks. I stepped 

 one fifty-six paces long ! Think of the millions of indi- 

 viduals ! 



Beautiful sailing moon in the evening. Four and a 

 half hours; lo miles; morning, 64; noon, 92; night, 74. 



September 12. — An omelette for breakfast. An 

 old savage brought in about thirty eggs in a half gourd. 

 Being not exactly sure of the customs of the country, 

 I asked the chief 's son, our new retainer. 



* Equals one sixth of a cent our money. 



