304 



TO liENIA 



the only vegetation of the valley. These trees, of which illus- 

 trations are given on pp. 303 and 305, are thought by Schwein- 

 furth and Ascherson to belong to the dracsena group. Of course 

 we could not make a fence with so few materials at hand, and 

 there was no fuel to be had but a little brought to us for sale 

 by women and children. We stacked the bales under the trees 

 and allowed our men to camp about them. The natives, many 

 of whom had followed us, watched our proceedings from the 

 neighbouring heights, and were kept from intruding on us by 

 Utahaj and his warriors, who drove them back with clubs every 

 now and then. Our situation was anything but pleasant, as 

 our men could not even fetch water without the escort of our 

 friends. 



When we had got things a little in order the natives were 

 allowed to enter the camp. They soon flocked in in consider- 

 able numbers, some only out of curiosity, others bringing food 

 for sale ; and now began a very trying time for us, as the men, 

 women, and children, every feature expressive of terror and 

 excitement, hurried to and fro amongst us. Every now and 

 then from the hills near by rose a cry of warning, when our 

 visitors would gaze about them in fresh terror, and if a louder 

 shout than usual was heard outside the camp, or some specially 

 bold warrior raised his voice, off' went all the natives like the 

 wind, tumbling helter skelter over tents and fires. Now and 

 then, too, a real war-cry, an oft-repeated long-drawn-out u-u-u-i, 

 rang out, and a few arrows were let fly at us, but they always 

 fell short. 



Our native friends did all they could to restore calm and to 

 inspire their people with confidence in us. We too did our 

 best by constant shouts of 'Kutire kimandaja,' and our 

 visitors would creep cautiously back only to flee again at the 

 slightest alarm. Seven times that afternoon did we witness a 

 regular stampede, and once our ape, Hamis, who was also very 



