356 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA CHAP. 



concoct a convincing tale to cover some little 

 delinquency. 



I made no delay at Munyezu, and continued the 

 march to a place called Surah, where I was met by 

 another chief named Mithari, who seemed to be a 

 man of considerable importance in these parts. 

 Here, at the request of all the chiefs concerned, I 

 held a big sliauri and arranged terms of peace 

 between the three tribes which had recently been 

 warring with each other. Mithari represented Domi- 

 nuki's interests, while the other chiefs present were 

 Thularia, Kizitu, and Mundu wa Weru. 



Pymwezu did not turn up, as he was evidently 

 alarmed about his share in the fight, but he sent Kizitu 

 in his place. 



This man brought with him as interpreter a young 

 and good-looking wife, who spoke fluent Swahili 

 and was loaded down with brass and copper wire 

 and many rows of beads. She was evidently a lady 

 of importance, and one who knew how to make her- 

 self respected a thing most unusual in the wilds 

 of Africa, where a woman is considered a mere 

 chattel. In this case, her good lord himself carried 

 an easy camp chair about for her, in which she sat 

 in great state interpreting throughout the shauri. 



By a remarkable coincidence this good-looking wife 

 was an old dito (sweetheart) of my boy Mbusonye, 

 who was a Masai, and it was very amusing to watch 



