A VISIT FROM ONE OF OUR BLOOD-BROTHERS 



349 



shallow brook not more than 100 paces from the outer edge of 

 the forest. As soon as we halted, the natives reappeared. We 

 took no notice of them at first, but when we saw numbers 

 creeping up from every side we drove them off with a few shots, 

 which, however, hurt no one, except perhaps the ape Hamis, 

 who was always almost thrown into convulsions by the sound 

 of firing. They served, however, to convince the natives that we 

 were well on our guard, and to put a stop to their attempts to 

 steal our sheep. Peace then reigned in camp. 



We were now at a height of about 5,750 feet above the sea- 

 level, the average height of our previous camping-places in 

 central Kikuyuland having been from 4,550 to 5,000 feet. It 

 had begun to rain on the march, and the weather remained 

 cold and foggy the whole day, so that everyone stopped in the 

 tents or in the huts hastily constructed of branches. This was 

 how it happened that at five o'clock twelve men and women, 

 bringing food for sale, led by the Lygonani with whom we had 

 made blood-brotherhood, suddenly appeared in camp opposite 

 Count Teleki's tent, but without our having had any warning of 

 their approach. We were astonished that none of our people had 

 seen them coming, but one of our men, Jibu wadi Kombo, whose 

 bright straightforward answers had often delighted us, told 

 us naively that they had seen them, but that the gleam of the 

 sugar-cane they were carrying had been too much for the poor 

 fellows to resist. The Lygonani, to whom we pointed out the 

 danger he had run, also told us that he had been warned against 

 approaching us by some of our people whom he had met, but 

 he had not taken any notice of what they said, for was he not 

 our blood-brother now ? 



He remained with us now to act as our guide the next day, 

 but the natives who had come with him returned home. Very 

 much to their surprise and delight we allowed our captives to 

 go too, giving them all a number of presents. The women and 



