SECOND EXPEDITION TO EAST AFRICA 183 



and willing workers, were absolute savages, 

 and cries of " Nyama, nyama " (animal) used 

 to follow us when we went out to hunt in the 

 evenings. Any meat, even that of a rhino, 

 was better than none; but the buffalo and the 

 zebra appeared to be in great favour. When 

 there was no time to cook the meat it was eaten 

 raw, and an oryx, which I shot on the march 

 to Meru, was devoured in this way. On another 

 occasion, on our return journey from the Lorian, 

 Gimlette shot a Grevy's zebra, a large animal, 

 which ought to have provided a meal for the 

 whole camp. About ten men were sent out to 

 bring in the meat ; and, as the camp had been 

 short of meat for some days, Gimlette said they 

 started off leaping in the air like antelopes. After 

 about two hours Abdu came to me and said, 

 " Those damned fellows eat the whole of that 

 zebra " ; and only the thighs of the two hindlegs 

 reached the camp. 



Savages though they were, there was something 

 about them which was attractive. It is frequently 

 said that Africans have no gratitude, but I had 

 a friendly leave-taking with all my men, and 

 Saasita and the mule attendant, who was also a 

 Wakamba, came down to the railway station at 

 Nairobi to see me off, several days after they had 

 been paid their wages and discharged. 



When I first visited Africa I was advised by 

 a friend, who had had considerable experience of 

 the country, to carry my own rifle, and to have 

 it in front of me always, ready to shoot at a 

 moment's notice. The advice was perfectly 

 sound, but it did not suit me. When much 



