Taveta* 363 
one, viz., to secure a hearing for the Gospel. To some 
extent I succeeded in this, but I could not expect to 
do much with them in the short space of a very few 
days. I enquired for the chief, and was told that there 
was not such a being. Are there no leading men V I 
asked, and was answered, " No." Several young men 
were introduced to me as the sons or other relatives 
of a former chief, but no one of them had succeeded 
to his place and power. I wished to explain my 
position and design to the authorities of the place, but, 
as it appeared there were not any, I had to do this in 
a general way. 
I wished to have left Taveta on the 4th, but the 
Wataveta no sooner heard of this than they sent a 
message to the effect that it was hoped I would not 
leave without meeting with the heads of the place ! 
This was strange, as I had done my best to find out 
the magnates, and had been informed that there were 
none. However, if after all there were such men, I 
expressed a wish to see them, and promised to remain 
at Taveta another day for this purpose. 
Accordingly on the following morning the Waze 
or greybeards came to hold palaver, but it was some 
time before business could be commenced. The 
house was not a large one, some forty men only 
being present. They sat down in rows before the tent. 
There were a few old men among them, but most of 
them were middle-aged, and some were young. 
Proceedings opened by my giving an account of 
myself to the guide, in Kisuahili, who then recounted 
what I had said in Kikuavi. He stood up, asked for a 
club, posed himself for a great effort, and began his 
speech. He spoke the language fluently enough, but 
