ON THE WAY TO THE GUASO NYIRO 



401 



able to relate their deeds of valour to the Lagomba. One moran 

 had killed three, another five Wakikuyu, and so on. But we 

 were in a hurry, and so resumed our march. We crossed the 

 Guaso Narok close to where we had camped with the whole 

 caravan a few days before, and then, with a M'ndorobbo to 

 guide us, pushed on under rather heavy rain to Mpujui's camp, 

 which we reached about three o'clock in the afternoon. 



A week ago this had been a deserted wilderness, but now 

 the camp was the centre of a scene of the greatest liveliness 

 and activity. Mpujui, or, as the Masai call him, Sukuta, did 

 not join me quite so soon as the other traders, for he had felt 

 it necessary to don in my honour his gala attire — a fine green 

 silk embroidered shirt. He was quite in his element here as 

 the leader of a big caravan, and seemed to be on the very best of 

 terms with the Masai. He told me at once that there were 

 a good many of them in the neighbourhood, that I could do 

 as I liked about giving a hongo, but his advice was that I 

 should make the moran a present of about a hundred strings 

 of beads just to ensure their goodwill. I replied that I was 

 quite ready to do so, and he at once summoned the warriors 

 with a commanding ' Totona I ' told them to squat down, and a 

 shauri began in which he held forth in fluent Masai at con- 

 siderable length. The beads were duly given, and the assembly 

 was broken up. Mpujui remained with me for a short time 

 afterwards till business called him away, and told me amongst 

 other things that he had managed on this trip to reach Leikipia 

 without paying a single hongo. 



The next morning the Leukop led us first southwards 

 through wooded ravines and then in a north-easterly direction 

 chiefly across dry and often rugged steppes. We met a good 

 many parties of Masai, who delayed us again and again till we 

 managed to outstrip the last of them. We had to be very 

 careful in these encounters as our appearance startled their 

 VOL. I. I) D 



