T8 SPORT IN ASIA AND AFRICA 



we had done up to this time ; and accordingly 

 obtained a permit to enter Laikipia, which was 

 then reserved country for the Masai. 



Taking leave of my friends, I started on the 2nd 

 of March for the Boma, or headquarters station 

 in Laikipia, with Mr. Black, a hunter friend of 

 Judd's, whom we fell in with when we were at 

 one of our camps in the elephant country, and 

 who kindly undertoook to control the Kikuyu 

 porters. As I proposed to march to a considerable 

 distance from the railway, my friends very 

 unselfishly gave me the mule and the donkey, 

 so that both Black and myself might be able to 

 ride. The gun-bearer, whom Judd had engaged 

 for me, had not been a success, and was, moreover, 

 entirely ignorant of English. In his place, 

 therefore, I took, as gun-bearer, one of the tent- 

 boys, who went by the name of Johnny, and 

 who could talk a little English. I had also 

 picked up and employed an Indian by the 

 name of Imam ud Din, and had a Muhamma- 

 dan body-servant ; so that, so far as my 

 personal wants were concerned, I was well pro- 

 vided for. 



Black was a capital fellow ; but, before we had 

 proceeded far, he happened to meet an officer 

 from the Boma, who informed him that if he 

 entered Laikipia he would be arrested, as his 

 name was not in the permit. In the circumstances 

 Black was constrained to return, and, leaving 

 the mule and the donkey with me, he walked 

 back to Naivasha. 



This misadventure interfered with the success 

 of the expedition. Johnny, the tent-boy, and 



