214 THROUGH TURKANA AND SUK 



inland district was about to begin, and tliat they must keep a 

 sharp look-out on the men, some of whom would be sure to 

 try and get off on this their last opportunity. To which Jumbe 

 Kimemeta had replied that he had too many slaves to be able 

 to keep them all together. 



Jumbe Kimemeta really was a thoroughly good fellow, and 

 we were specially struck with his behaviour just now, for 

 though he was generally rather a careless Mahomedan he 

 kept his fast for this sacred month, in spite of marching daily 

 from ten to twelve hours and of the very inferior nature of the 

 food we had with us. We pointed out to him the unreasonable- 

 ness of his conduct, and that even Qualla, generally a fanatical 

 follower of the prophet, did not think it necessary to fall in 

 with the requirements of Eamadan. Our own private opinion 

 was that Jumbe Kimemeta had taken a vow relatincf in some 

 way to the desperate prospects of our return journey. 



During the next tw^o days we marched along the eastern base 

 of the Longendoti mountain to our camping-place of March 16, 

 the Count shooting two rhinoceroses and a zebra by the way. 

 We were not this time obliged to halt by the water-holes 

 already mentioned, as we could easily get water by digging in 

 the dry bed of the streams. 



Just as we reached the camping-place two of our guides 

 brought the news that they had seen Matchako. These guides 

 had stopped behind at the place where we had rested at mid- 

 day to search amongst the bushes for stragglers and fugitives, 

 and had seen a dark form approaching from a northerly 

 direction. They watched it carefully, suspecting it to be that 

 of one of the men who had run away, but alas ! poor Matchako 

 had no thought of flight. He had been attacked with small- 

 pox, and, knowing that when it was discovered he would be 

 driven out of the caravan, he had of his own free will kept at 

 a distance from his fellows. He carried a catfish on his head. 



