348 



TO KENIA 



expected rash of warriors, fifteen old men approaclied the camp 

 holding on high green branches and singing in a kind of chorus. 

 Arrived in camp, they squatted down and a long peace shauri 

 began. They informed us that all night long consultations 

 had been going on, the people of the villages destroyed by us 

 having tried to persuade the warriors to avenge them, but that 

 in the end it had been decided that peace should be made with 

 us ; if anyone had stolen sheep or goats from us, on the head 

 of that one be the blame ; they themselves were ready to make 

 blood-brotherhood with us. 



This was more than we had dared to hope, and never had 

 the ' Orioi muma ' sounded sweeter in our ears than now. 

 Blood-brotherhood was made between Qualla and a dignified 

 young warrior, the Lygonani of the frontier, who came into 

 camp without a sign of fear. The ceremony was witnessed by 

 a large crowd. We on our part now asked for food enough 

 to last us till we got to Ndoro, at the foot of Mount Kenia, or, 

 as the natives here call it. Mount Kilimara, whilst the Wa- 

 kikuyu demanded rain, a request which had not been made 

 to us since September 11. We promised to set free all our 

 captives as soon as we had crossed the frontier, stipulating 

 that we should not be followed by any natives on our way 

 through the wood, and should be at liberty to treat as an 

 enemy anyone who infringed this condition. 



Maktubu was now sent out with thirty men under the 

 guidance of one of our female captives to make a reconnois- 

 sance of the forest, and soon returned with the favourable 

 report that it was of very small extent, with a good path lead- 

 ing through the thick bush, &c. 



Tlie next morning, October 5, dawned cold and foggy, but 

 we were ofi" again early, and first skirting round a little swamp, 

 we tramped through the thick bush, soon leaving-^ the only 

 two wooded heights behind us, and camping at mid-day by a 



