MAKING FEIENDSHIP 



291 



offered to be an intermediary between us and tlie natives. It is 

 a noteworthy fact that the women on both sides are always per- 

 fectly safe, in spite of the constant feud between the Masai and 

 Wakikuyu, and knowing this we appointed the old lady our 

 diplomatic agent. The next day she acted as guide to our people, 

 and a market was held on the brook already mentioned, to which 

 many women but only four old men brought food for sale. The 

 rest of the natives could, however, be seen watching proceedings 

 from the wood. In the course of the afternoon Count Teleki 

 went over to see what was going on, and his appearance at 

 first aroused the greatest terror amongst the Wakikuyu, but 

 they were soon reassured, and gave the white Samaki or chief, 

 as they called him, a friendly reception. Juma Mussa, who 

 understood the language of the natives, now had to make 

 friendship with one of the more important of the men, which 

 .ceremony consisted in each taking a little water from the brook 

 and pouring it over the head of the other. As the drops 

 trickled down the face they must be caught in the right hand 

 and drunk. After this Count Teleki had to pick a few blades 

 of grass and place them on the head of the Kikuyu, whilst the 

 latter did the same for Mussa. The market went on quite 

 quietly after this, and our men returned to camp with heavy 

 sacks full of sweet potatoes. 



We had already noticed how badly rain was wanted, and 

 Nakairo told us as a first result of her mission that the way 

 ■through Kikuyu would be open to us as soon as we had brought 

 the country rain. We had expected this and hastened to tell 

 our representative to assure the natives that we were greatly 

 disposed to meet their wishes, but we could not do so till we 

 had reached a certain spot in the heart of their land. 



The next morning Nakairo went to the Wakikuyu accom- 

 panied by Qualla. She did not intend to stop by the stream 

 this time, but to lay our wishes before the assembled Samaki of 



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