94 



C!HAPTER III 



STAY IX TAVETA AXD TPJPS TO MOUNTS KILIMANJAEO AND MERU 



April 30 to July 15, 1887 



Taveta an El Dorado — Meeting with the English hunting party — Hut-biiilding 

 and life in camp — Our ape Hamis — The Wataveta — Qualla Idris — The wild 

 animals of the forest — Two caravans return to the coast — We start for Mount 

 Meru — Rhinoceros hunt — Three days on Kilimanjaro — Along the base of Kili- 

 manjaro to Mount Meru — Further hunting adventures — Meeting with Masai — 

 By the Engilata — AVeather conditioiis and state of the road in the rainy season 

 — Buffalo himt — First acquaintance with the Wameru — We make peace — Life 

 among the Wameru — Lake Balbal — Sultan Matmida — On the Dariama — 

 Across the Eonga to Little Arusha — Kahe — Back again at Taveta — Overhaul- 

 ing of our stores — A hunting expedition — Start for the ascent of Kilimanjaro — ■ 

 A night with the thermometer at — 11° Centigrade — Attempt to ascend Kibo — 

 Return to Taveta — The start for Masailand. 



It is but a sliort time since tlie grandparents of tlie present 

 inhabitants of TaAT'eta, driven from their previous homes by 

 their powerful neighljours, took refuge in the shady woods by 

 the Lumi. The absohite quiet reigning in the depths of the 

 forest, the clear waters of the stream, the fruitful soil, which 

 repaid a hundredfold the tillage l^estowed on it — in a word, 

 everything combined to tempt them to found a new settlement 

 here, and so with eager haste they quickly made a clearing 

 with axe and fire, sowed their crops, and settled down. 



Here, cut off from all the world, the woodlanders led their 

 simple, peaceful life till they were one day discovered by some 

 traders from the coast. Henceforth tjiey were constantly 

 visited by caravans, and Taveta, with its shady banana-hedges, 



