240 



THROUGH TURKANA AND SUK 



The next morning, after a short marcli, we camped in Gaterr 

 at the base of the Doenye Erok, yet again by the dried-up bed 

 of a stream. So far we had not seen a blade of grass in 

 Turkana, and we were at a loss to understand on what all the 

 animals lived, but here was a little sprinkling of green herbs, 

 and as a result there were considerably more cattle than at our 

 last halting-place. On the other hand, fewer natives came into 

 camp, and the district seemed to be but sparsely inhabited. 

 Here, too, we had to get water by digging. Soon after our 

 arrival a dozen quite distinguished-looking old men came to 

 visit us, all of them wearing the stiff felt hats of different forms 

 alluded to above, from which we gathered that such hats are 

 everywhere the fashion in these parts. Several of these old 

 gentlemen, all true-bred Turkana, were of abnormally stunted 

 growth, not one of them being more than four feet eight 

 inches high. Their manner and conversation were alike most 

 friendly, and they asked why we wandered to and fro as we 

 did, without stopping long anywhere, making it impossible 

 for them to bring us cattle for sale. They then assured us 

 that we should find peace throughout Turkana. They wanted 

 our wares ; we wanted their cattle, and they would gladly 

 bring us all they could spare. Finally 'medicine' once more 

 came on the tapis, and there was a long talk about war and 

 rain medicines. 



This year very little rain had fallen in Turkana, and in 

 consequence there was no dhurra in the Laremett of the 

 Kerio or Trrawell rivers. Of course, what they had feared had 

 come about — there had been a famine in the land — and want 

 of food had driven the Turkana to make the raid they had on 

 the people of Samburuland. 



Of course we endeavoured to turn the position to account, 

 and assured our visitors that we were the fortunate possessors 

 of various most efficient medicines, but we could not part with 



