TA1TA TO KILIMA-NJAR 0. 
77 
relationship, and it was soon noised about Taveita that 
Bwana Tamsan’s brother was come, and many of 
Thomson’s old friends flocked to greet me. 
Our camp was established in one corner of a vast 
clearing, nearly square in shape, whereon certain Swahili 
traders, en route to Masai-land, had built a temporary 
and straggling village of palm-thatched huts to ac¬ 
commodate their wives and concubines during their 
absence in the wilds. As soon as my tent was up, and 
my goods were properly stored and placed under the 
supervision of a trusted man, a food allowance was 
measured out to the hungry porters of the caravan. 
That is to say, a bale of cloth was unpacked, and each 
man received three ells (or “hands,” as they were here 
called) of white American sheeting, which was to pur¬ 
chase him sufficient food for three days. After the 
distribution of cloth the men dispersed for the rest of 
the day to forage in the Taveita market, and I was free 
to attend to my own affairs and to receive my new 
acquaintances. Firstly, however, the tent was closed, 
and I had a good and much-needed bath, for almost 
since leaving the coast water had been so precious that 
we had feared to lavish even a teacupful on the toilet. 
But here we had a glorious running river, crystal clear, 
and cool; and were it not for the inconvenient publicity 
which a dip in the stream itself would occasion at this 
moment, I should have strongly preferred it to a cramped 
bath in the hot tent. Nevertheless, a wash of any 
kind and a complete change of clothes was very refresh¬ 
ing, and when once more my tent door was thrown 
open to the throng, and I appeared before the elders 
of Taveita seated on my camp chair, I felt sure my 
white face was several shades lighter than on my arrival. 
This little colony of quiet agriculturists, known as 
