STONES AND SPEARS THROWN AT OUR MEN 



317 



Our camp on the 12th was at a height of about 6,486 feet, 

 and on our way here the clouds had parted once, revealing the 

 rugged peak of Mount Kinangop, some 13,120 feet high, be- 

 longing to the Aberdare range. In the night heavy rain fell, 

 making the paths very slippery. 



The next day's march took us over the highest ridge of 

 Kikuyuland, and we camped at a height of about 6,800 feet, the 

 maximum reached by us so far. The flat summit of the ridge 

 was now completely overgrown with a species of fern from 

 6-J- to 8 feet high, forming whole thickets. 



Utahaj and Kassa had left us the day before, but not with- 

 out providing a substitute, and we went on the next day under 

 the guidance of an old grey-headed man, the chief of one of 

 the valleys before us. The natives became more and more 

 aggressive, and we felt that a struggle was inevitable, in spite 

 of all our efforts to keep the peace. Hitherto only drunken 

 men had clamoured against us ; now some of the sober warriors 

 were for turning us out of their district. Our men, who did 

 not dare to go to fetch water except in large numbers, had 

 stones thrown at them, and were, threatened with spears. Com- 

 plaints increasing, of calabashes being broken by the stones, 

 Count Teleki set out himself with fifty men and a few Somal to 

 warn the evil-doers, and, if possible, catch one of them. The 

 rest of our men were left behind under arms, and the camp pre- 

 sented quite a military appearance. Two natives were caught, 

 crowds looking on the while, and were brought into camp, 

 where they were put in chains. They were strong, well-built 

 young fellows, and evidently thought their last hour was come, 

 for they struggled with their captors with all their might. 

 We demanded three sheep in payment for the broken water- 

 vessels, and ten minutes later the fine was paid, the culprits 

 were set free, and the camp was besieged once more by 

 hundreds of natives. 



