AFRICAN CAMP FIRES 



him for this trip as possessing some knowledge of the 

 country. He was a small person, with stripes 

 about his eyes; dressed in a Scotch highland cap, 

 khaki breeches, and a shooting coat miles too big for 

 him. His soul was earnest, his courage great, his 

 training good, his intelligence none too brilliant. 

 Timothy, our cook, was pure Swahili. He was a thin, 

 elderly individual, with a wrinkled brow of care. 

 This represented a conscientious soul. He tried hard 

 to please, but he never could quite forget that he had 

 cooked for the Governor's safari. His air was always 

 one of silent disapproval of our modest outfit. So 

 well did he do, however, often under trying circum- 

 stances, that at the close of the expedition Billy 

 presented him with a very fancy knife. To her vast 

 astonishment he burst into violent sobs. 

 "Why, what is it?" she asked. 

 "Oh, memsahib," he wailed, "I wanted a watch!" 

 As personal boy Billy had a Masai named Leyeye.* 

 The members of this proud and aristocratic tribe 

 rarely condescend to work for the white man; but 

 when they do, they are very fine servants, for they 

 are highly intelligent. Leyeye was short and very, 

 very ugly. Perhaps this may partly explain his 

 leaving tribal life; for the Masai generally are over 

 six feet. 



*Pionounce every syllable. 



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