340 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA CHAP. 



there is hardly ever any trouble with them. At the 

 same time I had heard that the last party that 

 went through this district, not so very long before, 

 had had sixteen men killed in a fight; I must 

 admit, therefore, that I was by no means free from 

 anxiety, as these tribes have undoubtedly from 

 time immemorial suffered from the depredations 

 of passing safaris, and might therefore treat us as 

 hostile visitors and give us a very warm reception. 

 After much consideration of all the pros and cons 

 I came to the conclusion that it was necessary to 

 take the risk and go by this route, as I was 

 practically certain, by so doing, of obtaining food 

 supplies for the men. 



Luckily, on the very morning after crossing the 

 Guaso Nyiro, while our commissariat was in this 

 low state, I was fortunate in obtaining, from an over 

 inquisitive giraffe, a couple of days' supply of meat. 

 The unlucky creature came rather close to our camp 

 to breakfast off the green tree tops, and as I was not 

 well enough to stalk it, I requested my companion 

 to do so; although she was naturally loath to shoot 

 one of these beautiful and harmless animals, yet the 

 needs of the safari had to be considered and so, all 

 unwillingly, she laid the giraffe low with one merciful 

 bullet. 



Before striking south we first made our way to 

 the Samburu village ruled over by Legurchalan, 



