OVER THE LIKIPIA ESCARPMENT 



Cuninghame's man was an educated coast Swahili 

 named Abba Ali. This individual was very smart. 

 He wore a neatly trimmed Vandyke beard, a flannel 

 boating hat, smart tailored khakis, and carried a rat- 

 tan cane. He was alert, quick, and intelligent. His 

 position was midway between that of personal boy 

 and headman. 



Of the rank and file we began with twenty-nine. 

 Two changed their minds before we were fairly 

 started and departed in the night. There was no 

 time to get regular porters; but fortunately a Kikuyu 

 chief detailed two wild savages from his tribe to act 

 as carriers. These two children of nature drifted in 

 with pleasant smiles, and little else save knick- 

 knacks. From our supplies we gave them two thin 

 j erseys, reaching nearly to the knees. Next day they 

 appeared with broad tucks sewed around the middle! 

 They looked like "My mama didn't use wool soap." 

 We then gave it up, and left them free and untram- 

 melled. 



They differed radically. One was past the first 

 enthusiasms and vanities of youth. He was small, 

 unobtrusive, unornamented. He had no possessions 

 save the jersey, the water bottle and the blanket we 

 ourselves supplied. The blanket he crossed bando- 

 lier fashion on one shoulder. It hung down behind 

 like a tasselled sash. His face was little and wizened 



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