CHAPTER XIII 



A SOJOURN AT RESHIAT AND KtRK 



Among artless savages — Scene of a massacre — Egrets and their hosts — Myriads of 

 mosquitoes — A satisfactory morning's work — Good out of evil — A new antelope 

 — A revolting disfigurement — The metropolis of Kere — Exchanging greetings — 

 \Yaifs from a European expedition — New Year's Day — A melancholy event — 

 Pacifying a chief — A consequence of lavish expenditure — Exorcising a marauder 

 — A model in ebony — Getting rid of a nuisance. 



Having reached once more a countr}^ with settled inhabitants, 

 the first thing to be done was to make their acquaintance. I 

 had an interview with the head of the kraal, which was 

 satisfactory so far as it went. He brought one of his wives, 

 who knew the Masai language, as his interpreter, while I 

 employed Mnyamiri, who spoke it fluent!}-. I found these 

 satisfactory people to deal with : it is a treat — and a rare 

 one nowadays even in Africa — to meet with simple, unspoiled 

 savages. They cultivate nothing but " mtama " (millet), and 

 even that only to a very limited extent, just along the damp 

 margin of the lake. The crops there were in ear and looking 

 splendid. It appears that the uncertain rainfall deters these 

 not at all energetic cultivators from extending their operations, 

 though the soil is alluvial and probably fertile all over these flats. 

 It often struck me, while sojourning in Reshiat, that the lake 

 water might be used for purposes of irrigation b}- means of 

 windmills, for there is generally a good strong breeze blowing 

 from a south-easterly direction. Hills were now visible to the 

 northward over the intervening flat country and beyond the 



