XII LAKE RUDOLPH 271 



Swahilis are very fond of zebra meat, especially when fat 

 (and they do get very fat), so there was great rejoicing in camp 

 at the news of my success, and more so still when I announced 

 that in consequence of this windfall we would rest a day here. 

 This would enable the men to partially dry a quantity of meat, 

 so that they could carry much more, as in the dry air the 

 strips soon part with a large proportion of their moisture and 

 become very much lighter. As it was not very far from camp, 

 and in the perfectly open country the place would be easy to 

 find, I had left Juma (who had been with me) to begin skinning 

 while I brought word myself ; and on my calling for volunteers 

 nearly every one set off eagerly in the direction I pointed out. 

 The meat was all brought in by sundown and soon distributed 

 among the various " messes." (For it is always better to have 

 this done by the headman, in camp, to avoid quarrelling and 

 unfair division.) 



In the morning a strange Swahili turned up at our camp. 

 This was a surprise, as Swahili caravans hardly ever visit this 

 region (the few that have reached Reshiat went round to the 

 west of the lake, and only very large parties venture so far). 

 Our visitor explained that he belonged to a small party of 

 Swahili traders who were on their way back from the north end 

 of the lake, and were then encamped a short distance away. 

 They had heard my shots in the afternoon, and he had 

 come on to see who it was. Later the whole caravan arrived, 

 and camjjed near us. There were only some thirty of them, 

 and it ai)peared that they had followed us from the coast with 

 the intention of asking my permission to travel in company with 

 my caravan ; but while we were at El Bogoi they had passed up 

 by another route and come on, supposing us to be in front of 

 them, until they met Dr. Donaldson Smith's party, and had 

 then followed his track back to Kere and Magu, up the river 

 which runs into the lake from the north. They were now on 

 their way to the coast. They said their trading had not been 

 a success, but gave us a lot of useful information about the 



