xxix THROUGH THE MERU COUNTRY 361 



a great interest, with a view to reproducing it for 

 the amusement of her little son when she returned 

 to England. I am indebted to her for the detailed 

 description which is given in the Appendix. It 

 shows the ingenuity and cleverness of the native, 

 who constructs the entire trap with a few sticks and a 

 string made out of the fibre plant. 



As we approached our next camping place, I had 

 a practical illustration of the state of savagery in 

 which these tribes dwell. I was attracted by the 

 loud wailing of a poor woman by the wayside, and 

 discovered that she was weeping for her husband, 

 who had been killed on the previous day merely 

 because he had attempted to penetrate into the 

 neighbouring district. It was no wonder that I 

 had failed in my efforts to secure a runner to take 

 letters on to Nairobi. For some time past I had 

 tried to get a messenger, but although I offered a 

 handsome reward, I could find no one willing to 

 undertake the task, all protesting that they would be 

 set upon and killed by the other tribes on the way. 



We reached Makinduni late in the afternoon 

 of the 22nd April, and camped under the shade of 

 some spreading trees. The guide went off to a 

 stockaded village about half a mile away, and 

 brought back the local chief, who promised with 

 much vehemence that we should have lots of food 

 for the men. Luckily we were not in great need 



