384 



OUR STAY AT NDORO 



back till the third clay, so I tried to turn the time to account 

 by getting in some more food, sending ten men to the Wa- 

 kikuyu to escort them to the camp if they were still afraid of 

 the Masai. They returned late in the afternoon with the news 

 that we might expect a market to be held the next day. 



I must explain here that for some weeks we had had a 

 guest in our camp in the person of a Masai or a Mkwafi, a so- 

 called Neukop (it is almost impossible to distinguish between 

 these two tribes^), who had told us that he had been on a visit 

 to some relations in Kikuyuland, and was waiting for his 

 people, who would soon be coming to the pastures of Ndoro ; 

 he did not dare go alone to Angata Bus, where his brother was 

 now staying. I had always had ]ny suspicions of the fellow, 

 and was very much vexed and dismayed when I found he had 

 gone with my messengers to the Wakikuyu, and had actually 

 remained with the latter. My own opinion was that he 

 belono'ed to some of the Wakwafi settled on the borders of 

 Kikuyuland, and was really a spy in their service. His not 

 returning now gave colour to my suspicions. 



All remained quiet until dinner-time, and I was just going 

 to begin ni}^ lonely meal when some of my men rushed in with 

 faces full of dismay to tell me that immense numbers of natives 

 were coming down upon the camp from Ivenia. The news 

 was confirmed by Kharscho, whose expression showed how 

 imminent he considered the danger. Knife and spoon were 

 flung clown, and with my Express rifle in my hand, I rushed 

 out of the camp, as I could see nothing from it on account of 

 the height of the palisade. A broad, black stream was 

 certainly advancing upon us, and I had not a doubt of its being 

 the Wakikuyu come to take the long-threatened vengeance. 

 My little handful of men leant against the fence in breathless 



' In the next chapter the author gives the previous history of the Wakwafi, 

 showing that they and the Masai were originally one people. — Trans. 



