NATIVE MODE OF RECKONING 



149 



ings, so that there were plenty of witnesses. It was interesting 

 to note the way in which the natives reckoned up the amount 

 to be paid. For this purpose empty ears of maize were 

 used. One kind represented stuffs, such as cloth or merikani, 

 another so much wire, and so on. The ears were carefully 

 sorted, and the various piles stood for the number of dotis of 

 stuff, senenjes, mikufus, and strings of beads. At least a 

 hundred times did the natives name the price, that there might 

 be absolutely no mistake about it, and then at last the 

 happy seller packed up the ears of maize and walked off with 

 them. The next day, when payment was made, he demanded 

 double, but we stuck to the original amount. 



The weather continued so bad that we had to give up all 

 idea of getting to the top of Mount Meru, but we determined 

 to go as far as possible after all the difficulties we had sur- 

 mounted by the way. But for this it was absolutely necessary 

 to have articles of barter, so we should have to get them from 

 the camp. It will be remembered that our chief aim in this 

 journey to Mount Meru was to buy pack-animals at Aruslia- 

 wa-ju. We were now but one day's journey from the Wakwafi 

 settlement, on the south of the mountain, so that it really seemed 

 best to get the whole caravan together again here. But there 

 were difficulties in the way. Jumbe Kimemeta had somehow 

 got wrong in his reckoning, and we had not brought nearly 

 enough articles for barter and presents with us from Taveta, 

 so that, bearing in mind the covetousness of the natives with 

 whom we should have to deal, we ran a risk of failing in our 

 object. We talked the matter over in the evening, when the 

 natives had left us, with the result that it was decided for me 

 to return to the camp below and consult Kimemeta. If he 

 thought we could manage with what we had at the camp, I was 

 to bring the whole caravan back with me, but if not, only what 

 was necessary to pay our debts. 



