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TO KENIA 



was quite cold. At night and in early morning the centigrade 

 thermometer marked -f 11°, but, chilly as it was, the natives 

 arrived before daybreak the next morning with all manner of 

 things for sale, waking us with their Moratta, moratta, &c. 

 They were all so very friendly that we could not help thinking 

 the traders who had had such difficulties in these parts had 

 only themselves to blame, probably because in their nervous- 

 ness they always fired a few shots with a view to overawing 

 the people before breaking up camp. This would, of course, 

 at once suggest hostile intentions on their part. There is no 

 doubt, however, that the Wakikuyu are of a very restless and 

 excitable temperament, easily roused to action, their swords 

 starting readily from their scabbards, as proved by the many 

 scarcely healed wounds and scars on the bodies of all the full- 

 grown men. 



Count Teleki, accompanied by Kassa, Terrere, and a few 

 other natives, went in the afternoon to the clearing already 

 several times alluded to, hoping to be able to make arrangements 

 for the further journey. There he found a certain Utahaj 

 Uajaki and a troop of natives, who requested him to stop and 

 coofer with them. Utahaj then told the Count that he was 

 the Samaki of this district, not Kassa, nor any other man ; and, 

 turning to Kassa and his companions, he reproached them for 

 having taken upon themselves to invite us and treat with us. 

 Kassa said nothing, but looked very crestfallen. The chief 

 then went on to impress upon the Count that it would be very 

 foolish of us to attempt to travel in Kikuyuland accompanied 

 only by inexperienced men, but that, as he had heard a good 

 report of us and understood that we would give rain to the 

 land, he would take upon himself the heavy responsibility of 

 seeing us safely through our enterprise. Meanwhile a great 

 crowd of natives had assembled, and Utahaj, who seemed 

 uneasy, suggested a return to our camp, explaining that he 



