74 



FROM THE COAST TO KILIMANJARO 



tlie Usambara range, Count Teleki came the same day, after 

 passing Kumbaja and Kimungu, to Kambula, tlie place of resi- 

 dence of Kimueri, a son of Sembodja. Kimueri himself and 

 numerous natives visited the camp, affording the leader an 

 opportunity of noting the differences in the complexions of 

 the inhabitants of Usambara, which varied from pale yellow to 

 the deepest brownish black. Amongst the visitors was a 

 Masai warrior, who amused himself, in a perfectly unabashed 

 manner, by brandishing his spear and showing us how he 

 killed the Wangwana. This performance, accompanied by 

 wild gestures and horrible yells, was watched with anything 

 but pleasure by the men, so Count Teleki thought he would 

 take his pride down a bit by showing him the working of our 

 ' spears.' He therefore had a few shots fired at a tree hard 

 by ; but this did not have the desired effect, for the self-satisfied 

 warrior was sure he could have protected himself quite well 

 with his shield. Then Count Teleki persuaded the Masai to 

 let his shield be placed against the tree, and ordered the Somal 

 to fire at it with their repeating-rifles till it was riddled with 

 shot. Silent and crestfallen, the Masai took back his now 

 useless shield, and slunk out of the camp. 



At Kambula the base of the Usambara range was left be- 

 hind, the path leading across a burnt-up, arid steppe. On the 

 7th the Mkomasi river was reached, and the next day Miko- 

 cheni, our appointed rendezvous. Already, on the way there, 

 ostriches, giraffes, and zebras, with a few buffaloes, had been 

 seen, and Count Teleki did not find the time hang heavily at 

 all, in spite of the enforced inaction, for in the wild districts 

 round about the camp there was plenty of game, and he suc- 

 ceeded in bringing down no less than five rhinoceroses and a 

 leopard ; but he only shot two Mpala antelopes, one water- 

 buck, one wild boar, and an antelope with a very small body 

 and bio- legs. 



