STARVING SAVAGES 



Undoubtedly, it was necessary that the guilty man 

 should be punished, and I said at first that I would 

 leave the matter to the Askari, who at once announced 

 that he would give him " twenty-four," that is, twenty- 

 four lashes with a hippo-hide sjambok. But I put my 

 foot down on this idea promptly, and substituted an 

 equally effective, though less repulsive, punishment 

 of my own devising. It was not a pleasant incident, 

 though I was thankful it had ended without any serious 

 harm being done. 



The following day we tramped on to the junction 

 of the Thika and Tana Rivers. On the way we passed 

 considerable numbers of the Wakamba tribe, who were 

 evidently in a starving condition. They were trying 

 to shoot game with their poisoned arrows, and it was 

 only too plain that they had not met with any success. 

 The mere sight of our caravan seemed to terrify them, 

 and they cleared off into the scrub. However, we 

 managed to outflank and corner them on the bank 

 of the river. I shall never forget the impression 

 which this flight, combined with their generally 

 miserable condition, made on me. After a few 

 minutes, however, our Masai managed to make them 

 understand that, so far from wanting to injure them, 

 we would do all we could to get them some food. 

 Of course, like all African savages, they gave no 

 outward sign of gratitude, but I suppose that at heart 

 they were thankful for what we were able to do for them. 



8 113 



