WE ARE NOT TRUSTED 



289 



a stream of men and women issued directly we arrived. 

 We would not, however, let tliem into the camp, as we did not 

 want to have any more things stolen. The natives, knowing 

 nothing of the previous theft, of course thought us very un- 

 friendly ; but they soon had an opportunity of changing this 

 opinion, for three hours later some fifteen moran appeared 

 from the other kraal, one carrying our lost spear, another the 

 handle of a second spear, a third a string of beads, a fourth an 

 empty brandy flask, a fifth a broken shovel, a sixth an empty 

 jam-pot — all things stolen from us, but none of which, except 

 the spear, had been missed. The Lygonani of the party made 

 endless apologies, and entreated us to believe that he was 

 guiltless of the theft. Of course we were mollified by this proof 

 of respect, and the party were sent back loaded with presents. 



We were told here that the whole district surrounding the 

 bitter lake is called Nakuro, and that Sekelai is the name of 

 the Masai who formerly dwelt in this district. A few years 

 previously a bitter struggle had taken place between the Sekelai 

 and the rest of the Masai, in which the former were worsted 

 and driven off, taking refuge in Mundi, a forest district in the 

 highlands on the west. 



The next morning we pushed on again. Heavy banks of 

 cloud brooded over the valley and lay on the dark wooded 

 mountain slopes, giving the landscape anything but a tropical 

 appearance. The path led us close by the moran kraal, near to 

 which we had camped, to a ford over the now swollen Guaso 

 Nagut. The cattle of the natives had not yet been driven to 

 pasture, and in spite of our peaceable behaviour we were evi- 

 dently not quite trusted, as the kraal was in a state of defence. 

 In every nook and corner bristled spears, whilst sulky faces 

 gazed out upon us. The warriors were, in fact, so anxious to 

 put the river between us and them that they even helped over 

 the goats and sheep, which were timid about entering the water. 



VOL. II. ■ u 



