. 40 



AT NYEMPS 



the terrible condition of the porters until Qualla told us the 

 tale of their adventures. 



They had reached Miansini, a Wandorobbo settlement east 

 of Lake Naivasha on the frontier of Kikuyuland, where to his 

 great surprise he found a wretched state of things prevailing, 

 famine having begun there as well as in the districts further 

 north. Three trading caravans, under the leadership of 

 Mpujui, Muyuji Hamis, and Mbaruk, were camped there, and 

 in the greatest distress, for want of food. Mbaruk, moreover,, 

 in whose expedition our Jumbe Kimemeta had an interest, had 

 quite miscalculated his chances in Leikipia, and had not only 

 obtained no ivory, but had lost thirty men from starvation. 

 He had decided too late to turn back and had not been able 

 to get any food from the Masai. 



This was bad news indeed, but though the traders, with 

 no idea how they were to get back to the coast, were simply 

 waiting in apathetic despair, Qualla did not lose his head. He 

 was told that all dealings with the Wakikuyu were carried on 

 through the Wandorobbo ; but he took no notice of that, 

 merely, in spite of every warning, pushing on over the frontier 

 in order to deal with the natives direct. He could get nothing 

 from them, however, as they were in want themselves ; and he 

 hardly knew how to support his men. The cold, too, was 

 intense, Miansini being some 8,200 feet above the sea-level. 

 He wandered about for five days, and then went to the district 

 where lived our old friends Terrere, Kassa, and Utahaj Uajaki. 

 He was everywhere kindly received ; tribute was not once 

 demanded, nor was there any shouting or gathering together 

 of the people. He was led from village to village by natives, 

 who bought for him what little food could be spared. He 

 came thus to the site of our seventh camp, keeping his men 

 on half rations of green bananas, half-ripe sweet potatoes, 

 yams, &c., so as to keep back the little meal, millet, maize^ 



