ACROSS LEIKIPIA 



of the river. They gave satisfactory rephes to our questions 

 about the position of the vihage, but would not show us the 

 way to it or even tell us where we could ford the stream, which 

 appeared almost impassable here. 



I thought it best to go myself to the village with Juma 

 Mussa, whom I did not care to trust alone, and a rapid march 

 of three-quarters of an hour brought us to it, the ashes on the 

 ground guiding us as far as the thicket, where some natives, 

 who were collecting fuel, directed us further. They did not 

 seem either surprised or alarmed at our appearance. The 

 village, which was protected by a strong thorn hedge, was so 

 hidden by the thicket that it could scarcely be seen at all from 

 outside. The huts were set down without any attempt at 

 regularity. Near the entrance sat an old man mending a bee- 

 hive, and some children who were playing near him ran away 

 at our approach. Perfect stillness reigned in the village, a few 

 women and girls peeped shyly at us from between the huts, but 

 drew back if we looked towards them. They resembled the 

 Masai women in every respect. But for these timid glances 

 not the slightest notice was taken of us, the old man even going 

 on with his mending with perfect unconcern. As we wanted 

 to have a shauri to get information about the further course of 

 the Guaso Nyiro I begged the old fellow to call out some of the 

 men of the place, and slowly, one by one, a few at last appeared 

 and squatted down, but they did not so much as look at us or 

 utter a word of greeting. They really seemed to be all half 

 asleep. When eight men were assembled Juma Mussa seized 

 his orator's club and, brandishing it, explained who we were, 

 whence we came, what we wanted, &c. Silently his audience 

 listened, not answering a word till the name Lorian struck 

 upon their ears ; then they observed that it was a long way off, 

 twenty days' journey perhaps. On that point they were agreed^ 

 but whether this Lorian was a swamp or a lake they could not 



