CHAPTER TEN 



INTO THE GREAT RIFT 



WIEN I again journeyed to Eldama Ravine and 

 stopped at the tavern, I found Bwana Chai 

 anything but sobef. He had closed the bar, for, on 

 account of his persistent samphng, it could not be 

 made to pay. In order to cinch the matter, he had 

 undertaken the task of drinking up, all by himself, 

 the remaining stock on hand, and when I arrived had 

 not quite recovered from his labors. 



As I drove down the main street next morning, I 

 was hailed by a boy who looked familiar. It proved 

 to be Bwana Chai's cook, who had quit his job and 

 wanted to go with me. Being minus a pishi, I hired 

 him to take Ali's place. I found the path toward 

 Lake Baringo rather good in spots, so made fair time, 

 arriving at the Maraget River about noon. There a 

 runner was waiting with a note from the D. C. at 

 Kabenet, giving my party and self official permission 

 to enter the Lake Baringo area. I had tea here with 

 an officer in charge of a crew fighting the locust 

 swarms, and from him borrowed a boy to guide me to 

 Legumukum. 



This whole country, after driving down into the 

 bottom of the rift, reminded me of Southwest Africa. 

 I found the same small hills, the same fiery hot depres- 

 sions where burning blasts blistered the skin, the same 

 sandy stretches that held the heat and threw it back 



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