292 RETURN FROM LAKE BARINGO TO THE COAST 



delight, the water actually did sink during the night to a depth 

 of about two feet only. The steep, slippery banks, however, 

 made the transit difficult and tedious, and we were no sooner 

 over than progress was stopped again by a number of Masai, 

 who brought oxen and cows for sale. We got eight healthy 

 oxen in exchange for twenty-four sheep and goats, and then 

 pushed on over an undulating grass steppe to the Murenta 

 stream, which, like the Naitolea, generally contains little water, 

 but was now swollen in consequence of the almost daily rain. 

 It was some thirteen yards wide and about six feet deep, with 

 a very strong current, so that it brought us to a standstill. 

 We had to camp on the right bank, and again trust to the 

 sinking of the water or the discovery of a ford. This time 

 after a long hunt we found the ford somewhat higher up stream, 

 where the width was about twenty-one yards, but the depth not 

 more than three feet. The crossing was accomplished the next 

 morning without difficulty, in rather less than an hour, an 

 incredibly short time when it is remembered that we had with 

 us 200 heavily laden porters, fifty-five laden donkeys, twenty- 

 five oxen, and 300 sheep and goats. Under ordinary circum- 

 stances half or a whole day would have been consumed over 

 the transit, but now that we were on our way home after our 

 arduous and protracted journey, the people, longing to be back 

 with their wives and children, worked with quite eager enthu- 

 siasm. With a ' Hip hip hurrah ! ' the loads were flung from one 

 shoulder to the other, and in double quick time everything was 

 on the other side of the river. 



Our further march was across a dusty plain opposite Lake 

 Naivasha, dotted with a few isolated stunted trees, their cone- 

 shaped crowns of leaves reminding us of the morio. We camped 

 near two deserted Masai kraals swarming with fleas. 



Lake Naivasha, which, in Masai dialect, means simply the 

 lake, is more than 6,000 feet above the sea-level, and is the 



