CHAPTER VI 



THE SIMPLE LIFE 



Baruku's wives — dinner-party difficulties — my wild Masai groom 

 — lion scares — Masai levies — our burning garden — baboons 

 — a native dressmaker — King's birthday celebrations — 

 Baruku's elastic religion — pets — oddities of the boys — tick 

 fever — burglars and hyaenas. 



One morning I discovered a woman's head sticking 

 out of Baruku's hut ; it did not seem to me quite 

 right, as I knew his wife was in Mombasa. I asked 

 Baruku who she was, and he answered only, " Ah ! 

 Bibi ! " I suggested that his wife woukl not like 

 it; again he only said, *'Ah! Bibi!" In the end 

 my husband told him he might have one woman only, 

 to cook his food for him, but only one. Later, 

 when I understood Mohammedans better, I took it 

 for granted that Baruku had a wife wherever we 

 went, but he always referred to that one as the 

 " Mshensi " (wild woman), and only the Mombasa 

 woman as his wife. When I gave him anything, 

 such as a long chain of beads I sent home to Eng- 

 land for, I insisted that it was for his wife in Mom- 

 basa, and he, having been a good deal with English 

 people, understood, although he pitied the poor 



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