"WE SHOW OFF OUR 'FIRE-SPEARS' 



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much excited, was the cause. We were constantly on foot, 

 gomg about amongst our people to prevent any careless action 

 of theirs fanning the smouldering fire ; but at last, when arrows 

 began to fall thickly, and the warriors on a hill on the north 

 grew more and more insolent and aggressive, we thought it was 

 time to clamp their ardour by bringing our own weapons into 

 evidence a little. Some of our friends were entrusted with a 

 message that, in gratitude for their performances with their 

 arrows, we would show them what we could do with our fire- 

 spears. Utahaj lent us some buffalo-hide shields ; they were 

 set up at a distance, and, making the natives stand aside, we 

 fired at our targets. The shields, riddled with holes, were then 

 exhibited to the warriors, and they were warned that if we 

 were attacked we should point our guns at them. The answer 

 was a cry of ' Kutire kimandaja ! ' from a thousand voices. 



So passed the day in anxiety and excitement, but with 

 twilight the natives dispersed and in the evening Jumbe Kime- 

 meta, Utahaj Uajaki, and Terrere came to Count Teleki's tent 

 to hold a shauri with us. Utahaj was in a very serious mood, 

 and feared that there would certainly be bloodshed if we did not 

 give up our purpose of going through Kikuyuland. He seemed 

 really interested in our fate, and begged us in any case to go to 

 his village the next morning, where he could ensure our safety, 

 and give us the necessary material for a good fence for our camp. 



When night fell we sent up a rocket every now and then 

 in one direction or another, the unusual apparition serving to 

 keep the natives in awe. Eockets are extremely useful for 

 this purpose amongst the negroes of Africa, and we secured a 

 quiet night with them now. We were careful, however, also 

 to make forty men watch all night, relieving guard at midnight, 

 and at 3 o'clock a.m. We mustered the men, inspected 

 their weapons, and gave them the strictest orders as to vigilance 

 and readiness for an emergency. After our tiring day's work 



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