426 



ACROSS LEI-KIPIA 



suffering time before me, and was glad indeed to receive from 

 Qualla a big bowl of fresh, sweet milk, which he had thought- 

 fully secured for me. As soon as I could get away, I shut 

 myself up in my tent to enjoy it in peace. 



The next morning Jumbe Kimemeta and Qualla entertained 

 me with a long account of what had happened during my 

 absence. All had gone on well on the whole. Soon after we 

 left, the last Masai had withdrawn, and the ivory business had 

 begun. Kimemeta was not altogether satisfied with the results, 

 as he had had to share what was brought with the little 

 caravan settled near ours. In his share, however, which 

 amounted to some 1,100 pounds, there were some tusks weigh- 

 ing from 90 to 110 pounds. One night a herd of elephants 

 had come down to drink, but had got off uninjured. As the 

 neighbourhood became more and more deserted by the natives, 

 the game had increased. 



I was also told of the death of two of our men from 

 dysentery, and a raid made by some 800 or 1,000 Masai, who 

 had started intending to fall upon the people of Suk on the 

 north of Lake Baringo, in revenge for the carrying off by them 

 of a quantity of cattle from Leikipia six weeks before. Unfor- 

 tunately for the Masai, they could not agree as to the direction 

 to be taken, and separated into two parties, one turning back, 

 the other going to attack the Kamasia living on the west of 

 Lake Baringo, as they did not wish to have all their trouble 

 for nothing. But they got a warm reception there, and had 

 been seen hastening back in small detachments. According to 

 their own account, they had met with a well-organised resist- 

 ance, and had left behind some fifty dead. 



Owing to the scarcity of our provisions it was absolutely 

 necessary that we should soon start again. True, we still had a 

 good many sheep and goats, but they must be reserved for an 

 emergency, and we had but two days' rations of vegetable diet. 



