I 



TRAVELS m EASTERN AFRICA 



3 



caravan. Throughout the narrative, I shall speak of 

 him as George ; and as the story progresses, the reader 

 will be able to judge of his behaviour. 



The expedition of Count Teleki and Lieutenant von 

 Hohnel determined the northern limit of the Masai 

 race, and penetrated almost to the regions inhabited 

 by the Galla. Between Lakes Rudolph and Stephanie 

 and the Indian Ocean there lies a large area of country, 

 which until our journey had resisted attempts at explo- 

 ration. The natives inhabiting that portion of the 



Outskirts of Lamu 



coast are Somah, and they proved in every way hostile 

 to Europeans. Baron Vanderdecken had met his 

 death at Bardera, a few miles from the coast, in the 

 year 1867. Since that time few efforts had been 

 made, and they were attended with anything but 

 success. 



Both Lieutenant von Hohnel and I had had some 

 experience in African travel, and we decided that an 

 exploration of this part of the country was feasible, 

 provided entrance was made south of the region over 

 which the Somali held sway. The River Tana, which 

 flows from Mount Kenya to the Indian Ocean, had 

 been proved by the journeys of Denhardt, Peters, and 



