332 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA CHAP. 



close to the only waterhole for miles round in 

 the neighbourhood. 



I felt that to a certain extent we deserved this 

 rebuke, for on our first night at Kavai, numbers 

 of wild animals of all kinds came round our boma on 

 their way to the waterhole, but were so startled 

 by our appearance that they went away again. On 

 this second evening they had come again, evidently 

 very thirsty, and seeing us still there, had to 

 retire once more without drinking. I felt exceed- 

 ingly sorry for them, as I knew they must be suffering 

 considerably by this time, and if it had been safe 

 to do so, I should certainly have moved the camp 

 some distance from the water, so as to give them a 

 chance to drink; but I feared to do this in case of an 

 attack by the natives. 



Soon after this alarm, at about one o'clock in the 

 morning, Munyakai returned, shouting out to us 

 from afar off so that we might know who he was. 

 He brought us the glad news that the camels were 

 following close behind and that all was well. His 

 ap|>earance was greeted with loud cheers by the 

 safari, as it meant that their posho was at 

 hand. 



It appeared, from what Munyakai told me, 

 though I never quite fathomed the whole story, 

 that the villain Karogi, as soon as we had 

 marched off from Nayssoe, tried to get for himself 



