246 THROUGH TIIRKANA AND SUK 



if you take my advice you will hide quietly where you are. 

 lu the Trrawell Laremett there is no dhurra this year, and my 

 cows give me no milk. Here we have shade and water, and 

 are in the midst of camels, oxen, sheep, goats, and donkeys. 

 Even if there be, after all, a little dhurra yonder, you may be 

 pretty sure the owners will bring it to us here. Let the moran 

 (the young fellow from Mount Nyiro) go and make inquiries, 

 and if his report is favourable you can, if you like, go on to 

 the Laremett to-morrow.' Our Nyiro friend was ready enough 

 to fall in with this suggestion, and went off at once, whilst we 

 made a clearing at the edge of the bed of the stream for the 

 camp. The channel itself soon presented a very lively scene. 

 Cattle came down to drink, scraping holes in the sand for 

 themselves, and crowds of men and women gathered round, to 

 stare curiously at our proceedings. Lemagori and his comrades 

 explained our wishes, and Qualla unpacked our barter wares. 

 An hour later goats, sheep, and donke3^s were brought for sale. 

 We already had as many of the last as we wanted for carrying 

 purposes, but as so far it had been impossible to get cattle, I 

 thought it best to tell Qualla not to reject any of the animals 

 offered. 



' But why, master ? ' asked Qualla. 



' We shall eat them,' I replied. 



' But no one will eat donkey's flesh in our caravan, master ! ' 



' Never mind, when there is nothing else left. Count Teleki 

 and I at least will eat it ; the rest of you can satisfy your 

 hunger with beads, wire, and merikani.' 



We knew well enough that Zanzibaris, as a rule, have a 

 horror of donkey's flesh, but as we thought then and found 

 from experience later, it really was not so bad, and we there- 

 fore bought as many donkeys as we could get. 



Peaceful bartering had not been going on long before 

 a few men came, and driving the women away demanded 



