WE ARE ENTREATED TO GIVE RAIN 



365 



journey, but had come to beg us to extend to his land the 

 boon so richly conferred on others. As a matter of course we 

 did not fail to turn such a favourable opportunity to account. 

 To begin with, Jumbe Kimemeta, who had grown grey in 

 negotiations of a similar kind, replied that the great white 

 medicine-man would have nothing to do with the matter. 

 He had granted rain again and again, yet when the ground was 

 saturated, the Wakikuyu behaved badly, repaying all the 

 Leibon's trouble with ingratitude. He and his fellow medicine- 

 men must now see what they could do. At last, after much 

 persuasion, the white Leibon was induced to think about it, 

 and our visitor was promised that an appeal should be made 

 to Ngai, whose dwelling was on the cloud-capped summit of 

 Kiiimara. But that was a long way off, and meanwhile we 

 must not be allowed to be hungry, but must be supplied 

 with plenty of food by the Wakikuyu. Overjoyed with the 

 result of his mission the poor old Leibon hastened back to do 

 his best to get his people to bring us provisions. 



Meanwhile Count Teleki was pressing on with his prepara- 

 tions for the ascent of Kenia, and started on the morning of 

 the 17th with Maktubu, Bedue, the Somal, Mahommed Seiff, 

 and Juma Yussuf, and forty porters, each of the latter carrying- 

 provisions for eight days. Twenty-four sheep were also driven 

 with them, as these animals stand continuous marching better 

 than goats can. Gladly would I have gone too, but I was not 

 in a fit condition for such a journey. 



Soon after the Count had left, a large party of Wakikuyu 

 came into camp laden with provisions, and almost immediately 

 heavy rain clouds darkened the sky. The rain, however, still 

 held back, though a change in the weather was evidently 

 imminent, and just as the old Leibon reappeared the next 

 morning at the head of some three hundred of his people 

 bringing food, the downpour began, which lasted for a good 



