THE MOUNT ELGON COUNTRY 285 



the mountain. It was evident that only a few ever 

 had been up the mountain upon the slopes of which 

 they had spent their lives. 



We began to think that they wanted us to stay 

 in their village just so they could have the pleasure 

 of their daily shauris. 



Finally one sultan promised to get us guides and 

 accepted a generous present on the strength of it; 

 but when the time came he failed to produce them. 

 It was at precisely this point, to be strictly accu- 

 rate, that we abandoned the polite phraseology of 

 the court and told him with many exclamation 

 points that he would have to guide us himself or 

 we would take steps to dethrone him. Of course, all 

 of this had to be strained through two interpreters, 

 but even then I think he caught the gist of it. He 

 said that he himself would guide us to the nearest 

 and largest cave. 



We told him that we would be ready to start im- 

 mediately after luncheon. Only ourselves and a few 

 men to carry cameras and guns were to constitute 

 our party, the rest of the safari remaining in camp, 

 from which certain embassies were sent out to buy 

 grain for the porters' food. 



Soon after lunch the sultan arrived and we 

 marched away. Little by little groups of his janis- 

 saries, mamelukes, and other members of his of- 

 ficial entourage joined us and by the time we 

 reached the slope leading up to the great cave- 

 dwelling we had quite an imposing procession. 

 Most of the natives were armed with spears and 



