HUNTING IN THE RIFT VALLEY 13 



rely on a mistaken confidence tliat mere altitude in the 

 crag-faces lent security against a rifle-ball. It was, 

 nevertheless, difficult enough to distinguish precisely 

 their, small grey forms, 300 ft. above, from the broken 

 rocks that surrounded them. 



Next morning, while watching a group of reedbucks 

 on the crags, in hopes of securing an opportunity to 

 stalk, suddenly three impala (one good buck) appeared 

 on the hill above. Then, to our disgust, six Masai 

 walked right across our front, taking not the slightest 

 notice till we hailed them with a request that they 

 would be good enough to go somewhere else. Each of 

 these savages carried the usual double-edged spear and 

 customary ornaments (such as quarter-pound 'baccy 

 tins) stuck in their ears, being otherwise stark naked. 

 Later on we discovered that these were the advance- 

 guard of a migrating tribe, a body of which had sj^ent 

 the night in one of the huge volcanic chasms, where they 

 might have enjoyed warm baths free. It is doubtful, 

 however, whether nomad Masai apj^reciate such luxuries. 



This intrusion was most unwelcome when we needed 

 a whole country to ourselves. Nairobi, moreover, when 

 we left it a week before (July 1904) had been seething 

 with rumours of native unrest, Masai risings, and the 

 like. These, we knew, were quite unfounded, resting on 

 a reported decision of the authorities to move the 

 aborigines back from the railway so as to make room 

 for settlers. Then, as it were lending grounds for such 

 fears, a detachment of 400 " Yaos " (King's African 

 Rifles), arriving in three train-loads — the troopship 

 Clive from Berbera had entered Mombasa with us — 

 created quite a small panic. But these good black 

 troops were, after all, only returning from chasing the 

 Mad Mullah ! Those who select savage lands for a 

 home should not give way to fears of " excursions and 

 alarms." 



The removal of the Masai into the Laikipia 

 "Reserve" was eventually carried out without the 

 shghtest disturbance of the peace. 



