IN THE JUNGLE 



After appropriate greetings, we learned that these 

 were the chief and his prime minister of a nearby 

 village hidden in the jungle. We exchanged polite 

 phrases; then offered tobacco. This was accepted. 

 From the jungle came a youth carrying more ba- 

 nanas. We indicated our pleasure. The old men 

 arose with great dignity and departed, sweeping the 

 women and children before them. 



We rode on. Our acquired retinue, which had 

 waited at a respectful distance, went on too. I 

 suppose they must have desired the prestige of be- 

 ing attached to Our Persons. In the depths of the 

 forest Billy succumbed to the temptation to bargain, 

 and made her first trade. Her prize was a long water 

 gourd strapped with leather and decorated with 

 cowry shells. Our boys were completely scandalized 

 at the price she paid for it, so I fear the wily savage 

 got ahead of her. 



About the middle of the afternoon we sat down to 

 wait for the safari to catch up. It would never do 

 to cheat our boys out of their anticipated grand en- 

 trance to the Government post at Meru. We finally 

 debouched from the forest to the great clearing at 

 the head of a most impressive procession, flags flying, 

 oryx horns blowing, boys chanting and beating the 

 sides of their loads with the safari sticks. As there 

 happened to be gathered, at this time, several thou- 



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