VII SECOND EXPEDITION 145 



path, followed by three chickens. On meeting me the latter 

 ran into the grass, and it was touching to see their little 

 mistress stop and alternately coax and scold them till they 

 came out and followed her again. I suppose she had no lamb 

 to make a pet of, so she did the best her circumstances would 

 allow to emulate her elders. 



In Ukambani the women milk the cows. They do it in an 

 awkward manner, as if cattle -owning was not their natural 

 pursuit. One hand only is used to milk with, while the vessel 

 is held in the other, the operator standing the while. A 

 clumsier method of milking I never saw. 



Mtiya's are the last villages of Ukambani towards the 

 Tana, on this route, and some thirty miles south of the river. 

 It is about a month's caravan journey from Mombasa hither ; 

 and, having been delayed two or three days to buy food on 

 the road, we did not arrive till 20th June. 



I was disappointed, though not surprised, to hear, on reach- 

 ing Mtiya's, that the Tana was still too full to cross. I deter- 

 mined, however, to go on and camp on its banks myself, while 

 Abdulla remained to buy a large supply of food, to be taken 

 with us whenever we might be able to proceed. I was delayed 

 a week, making " shauris " about market prices and various 

 other matters — all such diplomatic treating is matter of time 

 in Africa — and making all other preparations and arrangements 

 needed in connection with our further progress, before parting 

 with Abdulla. My plan was to have all our loads carried by 

 the porters to the river, while I waited there, in order that, 

 when the time came for crossing, we might get our donkeys 

 through this " fly " belt as quickly as possible. 



Having finished sorting and arranging the loads and seen 

 the food trade fairly started and in full swing, I started on 

 for the Tana, on 27th June, with the bulk of the caravan, 

 carrying as many loads as they could take, and left Abdulla 

 with two or three men in charge of the remainder of the goods 

 and the donkeys. From Mtiya's to the river is a good thirty 



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