948 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



tramp, and the donkey was already engaged. All the vessels being filled 

 with water, we made a fair start, I leading the caravan according to promise. 

 When we had gone about two miles we came upon a fine lot of ostriches feed- 

 ing not far from the road. The temptation was too great. I left the road and 

 went to try and get a shot at them. They quietly moved off in their fashion, 

 always managing to keep out of range, yet tempting me on. I did not, how- 

 ever, lose sight of the caravan. When I had followed these birds for some 

 time, and was about to give them up, I happened to cast my eye forward 

 across the hollow of the Brack River which now lay before me, and I saw in 

 the distance a long black line of natives coming in our direction. 



"I could see at a glance that they were not an ordinary caravan by the 

 absence of the usual white bundles of up caravans. What could they be? I 

 bent my course towards the path, still watching them and wondering what 

 they could be. Then I looked round to see whether my own men were ob- 

 serving the black line in front of us. *At that moment they halted, and the 

 next thing I saw was the two men I had just hired putting their loads down 

 and bolting as hard as they could back along the road. I then went up to 

 the caravan and found the men in a state of considerable consternation. 

 That black line coming towards us were the Masai, and no mistake about it. 

 What was to be done ? We decided to cross the ravine and halt on a bit of 

 a knoll on the other side until they should get nearer, for they were still a 

 good way off. The loads were put down and the animals driven into the 

 midst of us, and there we stood to see what was to come next. 



" That they were not ordinary caravan natives was becoming more and 

 more evident as they approached. But what else should bring such a large 

 number of them (about seventy) to that place? I breathed a prayer that all 

 danger might be averted, and that there might not be the necessity for us to 

 act even on the defensive. I thought, however, it would be prudent to follow 

 still further the spirit of the advice which it is said Cromwell was wont to 

 give to his soldiers. I had not hitherto been in the habit of carrying the 

 powder-flask and balls, as the two loaded barrels were generally all I found 

 use for at a time. Now, however, I thought I might as well put a few spare 

 balls in my pocket, and take over the powder flask from Hassan. I can scarcely 

 venture to describe my feelings as I stood on that little knoll in the midst of 

 my comparatively unarmed little army, except that I had no inclination to 

 follow the example of the two Washensi and bolt. But afterwards, when the 

 supposed danger was past, and we exchanged jambos (good morning) with the 

 long line of swarthy, naked, savage-looking fellows, each one of whom was 

 armed to the teeth with ugly bows and arrows and spears, I remember dis- 

 tinctly feeling particularly brave and jocose. 



" They were the veritable Wakamba Masai. But as they drew nearer, 

 the practised eye of Zaidi, the carrier of my medicine chest, and an old 



