WE PKEPAKE FOR WAR 



139 



with me and twenty men to guard them, whilst he advanced to 

 the attack with the rest. 



The next thing we did was to fortify the camp. The gravity 

 of the situation w^as recognised by all, and not an unnecessary 

 sound was made. Nothing was heard but the blows of the axes 

 as the trees were felled, whilst ten men with loaded repeating 

 rifles were told off as watchmen. The work proceeded rapidly, 

 but we had not nearly finished it when tlie first Ijrown figures 

 appeared, creeping stealthily amongst the trees. We took no 

 notice of them, but worked the harder at our defences. The 

 quiet determination of our attitude, which was at once noted 

 by the observant natives, had the desired effect. They guessed 

 what our intentions were, and presently a shot, followed by 

 shouting, was heard from the forest. Tlie natives wanted peace, 

 and begged for an interview. Kimemeta, though suffering 

 dreadfully, stepped forward at once, and, accompanied by two 

 Askari only, went to the edge of the wood, hoping, by the 

 smallness of his following, to reassure the natives. It was 

 some time, however, before anyone dared approach, and not 

 until Kimemeta had declared that a mere shauri was all we 

 wanted did w^e see the dusky forms cautiously advancing, 

 sheltering themselves as they did so behind tree after tree, and 

 finally emerging trembling on the clearing, with bunches of 

 leaves in their hands. 



In about an hour and a half Kimemeta came back to the 

 camp, accompanied by two native representatives, who wished 

 in the name of the community to express their regret for the 

 melancholy occurrence. They explained that it had not been 

 the Wameru who had treated our men so badly, but some 

 Wakwafi warriors, who were drunk at the time, from Arusha- 

 wa-ju, on the south of Mount Meru. They assured us that 

 they did not know before that our men had lost their weapons, 

 and promised to do their very utmost to get them back. Their 



