332 



TO KENIA 



feet, whereas in the earlier portion of our march their altitude 

 had been from 6,220 to about 6,550 feet above the sea-level. 

 The difference was marked by a considerable increase in the 

 heat of the sun. 



The next two days we marched in a north-easterly direction, 

 at a distance of from 3^ to 4-| miles from the boundary wood. 

 Crossing several flat hills and a very fruitful district, where 

 we were again harassed by numbers of natives, we came, on 

 September 23, to a swampy little brook, flowing through a 

 wide valley, on the bank of which we camped. The people 

 seemed disposed to be friendly here, and we noticed, as a 

 general rule, that it was the natives of the districts we had 

 just left, or were about to enter, who threatened us ; those we 

 were actually amongst fearing for the safety of their property 

 in case of a quarrel with us. 



During our march here we had passed through districts so 

 carefully and systematically cultivated that we might have been 

 in Europe. There was very little bush, and we should have 

 given up all idea of a fence if the natives had not themselves 

 always brought us a supply of material, which they had got 

 from a distance. Of course they did not let us have it for 

 nothing, and it cost from 150 to 200 strings of beads, but they 

 never failed to appear with it in Kikuyuland, before they dreamt 

 of trading with us or molesting our camp. 



Although we were in a very fertile valley we could not get 

 up a market. The people did not trust us thoroughly enough 

 to allow their women and children to visit us. As usual, crowds 

 of old men and warriors gathered about the camp in an inso- 

 lent and aggressive manner, our guide trying to get them to 

 draw back. Now and then, too, the war-cry was raised, and 

 we saw warriors, mostly from a distance, trying to incite the 

 natives to attack us, but nothing came of it. 



Our porters and donkeys sorely needed rest, so we remained 



