308 RETURX FROM LAKE BARINGO TO THE COAST 



hunting or from half-starved home-returning caravans. Of 

 course they are dreadfully fleeced in their transactions in towns, 

 all manner of rubbish being palmed off on them ; but they re- 

 main perfectly unconscious of that, and being imbued, like all 

 peasants, with a full belief in their own cunning, they do not 

 shrink from long journeys. 



Of course we were not going to give them ivory, and, 

 thinking that they could intimidate us, they began the usual 

 u-u-i screaming, and drove the men and women with things 

 for sale away. But Count Teleki ordered our interpreter 

 to make the real state of things clear to them, and to warn 

 them against any hasty action. This had the desired effect ; 

 there was no more shouting, no more crying out for ivory, 

 and the camp soon resounded with the chatter of eager crowds 

 of men, women, and children. 



Intercourse with the coast has not at all destroyed the 

 individuality of the Wakamba, and the inhabitants of Iveti, 

 the district furthest removed from the seaboard, especially 

 retain all their original tribal characteristics. But for their 

 ornaments, which are numerous and pretty, the men go almost 

 naked, wearing round their loins only a number of rows of 

 mikufu or thin brass chains, or a girdle about a quarter of an 

 inch thick made of fine twisted brass wire. On the legs, 

 beginning at the ankles, are wound rows of white Masai beads 

 from four to six inches deep, looking like socks. Bracelets 

 and necklaces are also worn. Suspended from necklaces or 

 fastened on the forehead we also noticed a few finely- chiselled 

 round metal plaques of different sizes, resembling medallions, 

 and betraying an artistic skill and taste far exceeding anything 

 we had noticed elsewhere in Africa. 



Wakamba weapons consist of bows, arrows, and swords 

 only, the last differing from those used on Kilimanjaro in 

 having shorter blades. To atone for the absence of spears. 



