I.EMBASSO LEAVES US 



239 



assertion was far from convincing, for where men and cattle 

 managed to live, there must certainly be water and grass. The 

 Count, therefore, finally decided to give up the Kerio Laremett, 

 and pitch his camp in Gaterr, as the latter district was on the 

 way to Ngamatak, the south-western frontier land of Turkana, 

 whence he could start on the return journey to Lake Baringo. 

 A few years ago Jumbe Kimemeta had been the first to reach 

 Ngamatak from Lake Baringo, so that when we got there our 

 wanderings through unknown districts would be at an end. 



The Kerio river, which had contained a little water the day 

 before, was now quite dry, but we got water easily by digging 

 quite shallow holes. The cattle of Turkana seemed used to 

 these water conditions, for when driven to the river they would 

 at once begin to scrape in the sand for themselves. 



Before we left our camp here we dismissed our guide 

 Lembasso, with whose behaviour we had been perfectly satisfied, 

 and whom we now rewarded with such big presents that he 

 found himself in the very rare position, for a native, of having 

 nothing left to wish for. His sudden wealth had another 

 delightful result for him, for the Burkeneji woman with the two 

 little daughters was so dazzled by it, that she at once decided 

 to go to Mount Nyiro with him as his wife. Lembasso would 

 probably now be the richest man in his village, and his face 

 beamed with delight when he took leave of us. 



Three hours' march over a flat district and through deep 

 sand brought us to the dried-up bed of another brook, where 

 we were advised to camp. We had not yet reached Gaterr, 

 but there were plenty of oxen and camels here, so we readily 

 agreed to do as our guide suggested. A market much brisker 

 than the last in Turkana was soon in full swing, and we bought 

 some sixty sheep and goats, as well as a few donkeys. We 

 even bargained for two camels, but could not get them without 

 tobacco to pay for them. 



