48 UNDER THE AFRICAN SUN 



for they abandon the last clearing in order to extract the 

 goodness from the virgin soil of an adjoining area. 



On my last journey, I travelled to the coast with a companion 

 who had only been one year up-country ; he told me he too 

 had noticed a great destruction of forest even in this short space 

 of time. Forest-laws have been recently passed. They weigh 

 heavy on the white man who is to plant ten young trees for 

 every piece of timber he fells, but are a dead letter as regards 

 the wholesale and wanton felling practised by the natives. 

 A well-organised Forest Department, embracing both Protec- 

 torates and placed under an experienced and energetic traveller 

 acquainted with these regions, would certainly add another item 

 to the expenditure, but would as certainly produce incalculable 

 benefits in the future. 



The Wakikuyu women carry their burdens slung from a 

 leather strap which passes across the head. They, too, help in 

 the transport service, and carry European loads and boxes, 

 weighing 40 lbs. and more, exactly in the same way. They dress 

 like the Masai and load themselves with ornaments ; to see 

 twenty to thirty huge rings of beads stuck through one ear is 

 not at all an uncommon sight. They never go uncovered, and 

 appear to be modest and gentle. 



In the latter part of 1895 a large caravan of Wakikuyu and 

 Swahilies was returning from the Ravine to Fort Smith ; it 

 reached the Kedong Valley and came across some Masai 

 kraals. How the subsequent bloodshed arose is not exactly 

 known, as only a few survivors managed to escape. Accord- 

 ing to one story, the Swahilies behaved aggressively towards 

 the IMasai and, relying on their superior numbers, tried to 

 levy blackmail. The Masai resented it, and in a moment a 

 fierce carnage was going on. Over 400 of the unfortunate 

 Wakikuyu and Swahilies were slaughtered ; for the lust of blood 

 once roused, innocent and guilty were indiscriminately butchered. 

 The news of the disaster was brought to Fort Smith, and was 

 immediately followed by another tragedy ; for a trader, Mr. 

 Dick, was on his way up-country. A French scientific mission, 

 also on its way to Uganda, arriving at the Fort, two of their 

 number, military men, volunteered to recall Dick. They found 

 him ; but instead of persuading him to return with them to 

 the security of the Fort, he persuaded them to accompany him 

 across the Kedong. What were the motives which prompted 



