200 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



I had had a dream during the night that some of the 

 Embe people were inspired with treacherous ideas ; 

 so that I was afraid that the blood-brotherhood just 

 made would be broken by some of their people ; in 

 which case they knew what would result. Then I 

 advised them to run and tell the young men the 

 folly of attacking us. The eyes of these people rested 

 upon Motio while he was speaking; but as soon as 

 he ceased, they fixed their eyes upon the cattle and 

 flocks. These were the coveted prize. Had they 

 taken them, not one would have reached the Wam- 

 sara. A woman is quoted in the East African mar- 

 ket at only five goats (in the Embe country), and the 

 value of a cow is equivalent, in the minds of these 

 people, to the lives of ten men. 



On we pressed, and soon came in sight of the boma 

 of which Motio had spoken. It was deserted by all 

 but a few old men, and we hoped our warning had 

 proved effectual. Not so, however. Just as we had 

 passed the boma, and entered a path, somewhat wider, 

 it is true, than the one along which we had just passed, 

 but edged on both sides with a hedge which made 

 ambush easy, one of my men behind me shouted : 

 " Washenzie " (savages), and pointed to the hedge on 

 our left. Through the thick branches I could distin- 

 guish a large number of painted warriors, peering with 

 fierce eyes over the rims of their many-coloured shields. 

 In a moment a number of large stones and arrows flew 

 over our heads. Crack ! went our rifles, and the natives 

 broke and fled. Not fifty yards beyond where we had 

 seen these warriors, we were met by a small body of 

 determined young men, charging down the path toward 



