294 
THE KILIMA NJARO EXPEDITION 
gether with my Muscovy ducks, pigeons, fowls, goats, 
and sheep, made up a curious farmyard. A large 
space had been cleared and sown with crops, and a 
tall fence surrounded my domain. The day following 
my arrival I purchased seven more ostriches at an ell 
of cloth apiece ; thus hoping to lay the foundation of 
an ostrich farm. After three days of rest I set out on 
a trip which I had meant to extend to the northern 
side of Kilima-njaro, but owing to the smallness of 
my band of followers I was not able to succeed, as the 
Masai were prepared to give trouble, and I had not 
goods enough to satisfy their demands. I penetrated 
first to Useri, a Caga state on the north-eastern slope 
of Kimawenzi, but the Sultan of that place refused 
resolutely to see me, alleging that I was a powerful 
magician (teste those never-to-be-forgotten fireworks !), 
and would certainly bewitch him if we came in 
visual contact. Nevertheless, he did not wish to 
quarrel with me, and gave his subjects permission to 
trade. I remained here three days, and bought pro¬ 
visions, skins, rhinoceros horns, and two tusks of 
ivory. Had I had the goods with me for barter I 
might have traded advantageously in the last commo¬ 
dity, for the Wa-seri not only obtain many tusks from 
the elephant pitfalls which they make in their country, 
but also buy it from the Endorobo, 1 or helot tribes of 
the Masai, who camp in the vicinity of Useri at certain 
seasons of the year. I proceeded about four miles 
further in the direction of Kimangelia, but received 
the news from a retreating Swahili caravan that the 
Masai in the vicinity of that place had quarrelled with 
the traders and refused to allow any caravan to pass 
1 From -dorob = short, stumpy, inferior. The En- preceding it 
is the feminine article used in a depreciatory sense. 
