A HARASSED MARCH 



347 



green boughs kept between us and them, evidently determined 

 to protect us from molestation. 



At last, without further incident but the loss through theft 

 of some of our sheep and goats, we arrived about mid-day at 

 a broad, shallow, reed-grown brook, and camped at the edge 

 of the forest on the northern frontier. This was our last march 

 in Kikuyuland ; we had only to pass through the wood and we 

 should be again in the open uninhabited wilderness, for which 

 we had longed so often in the previous weeks. 



We should have liked to place this wood between us and 

 the Wakikuyu the next morning, but it would not do to attempt 

 this when we might still be attacked at any moment and were 

 quite unacquainted with the way through. 



A few elders with green branches met us here also to assure 

 us of their friendly feelings towards us, but no Samaki appeared 

 at all, whilst ever-increasing numbers of armed natives gathered 

 round our camp. And our last guide had now disappeared also 

 without having received any recompense from us for his long 

 and faithful service. It was a matter of the deepest regret to us 

 that we were unable to make him a present, for a whole estate 

 in Kikuyuland would not have been beyond his deserts. 



The day passed over quietly, although we saw the natives 

 consulting constantly together, of course about us, and we had 

 to be continually on our guard against surprise. The night, 

 too, wore away without our being molested, though once we 

 had to fire at some warriors who approached the camp too 

 closely. 



Early the next morning we saw the natives eagerly talking 

 together at a distance of from 1,000 to 1,500 paces from the 

 camp, and as meanwhile we noticed crowds of heavily laden 

 women and children hurrying away, we came to the conclusion 

 that the result of the shauri was to be war on us. Great then 

 was our surprise when, at about eleven o'clock, instead of the 



