4 8 
EAST AFRICA AND ITS BIG GAME. 
kilt, and carried their children, in a cloth, slung over 
their backs ; they dare not attempt to keep many cattle 
in consequence of the yearly raids of the Masai. In 
the evening, at a Durbah of the elders, Martin with all 
due ceremony translated the Sultan’s letter, but they 
only replied, “What was the use of a letter without 
any present? ” however we did not take the hint, broad 
as it was, for Martin said it was quite unnecessary. 
December 14 th .—A day of rest; a supply of three 
days’ food for the porters being required, which was 
obtained very cheaply here, only costing us twelve 
shillings per day to supply two hundred and fifty men. 
We took the opportunity of photographing some 
groups of the natives as they did not seem to object, 
and we also photographed our head men and askaris. 
II-shot four doves, one quail and a landrail. In 
the afternoon I held a levee of natives, arid showed 
them the pictures in Mr. Thomson’s book, “ Through 
Masai Land,” and in Mr. Selous’ book, “ A Hunter’s 
Wanderings in South Africa,” with which they were 
delighted ; but I had to give it up after a short time, 
as the odour of unwashed savages became rather too 
strong. Some of our men got up a dance in the 
evening, each carrying the branch of a tree ; the music 
consisted of a rude drum and reed pipes, accompanied 
by the howls of the dancers. 
December 15th .—We started at 5.45 a.m., and had a 
monotonous march of fourteen miles through a level 
country covered with dense bush; the camp was 
pitched at Ariangulu, in the Taro district, close to a 
