184 
EAST AFRICA AND ITS BIG GAME. 
Unfortunately our trip to Mount Meru was rather 
knocked on the head, as some natives reported that, 
owing to the excessive dryness of the season, the 
Masai had come down in great numbers to within 
one short march of our Kikavo camp, in search of 
fresh grazing for their cattle. Upon hearing this, 
Martin advised us not to go any farther west, as he 
said that, with only a hundred men, we were not strong 
enough to meet the Masai in force, and that even if 
we were, we should have a great deal of bother with 
them. This was a great disappointment to us all, as, 
when Ave Avere safely stoAved away in the forest of 
Taveta, Martin had assured us Ave Avere strong enough 
for anything, and that Ave could shoot right up Mount 
Meru. HoAvever, people’s ideas are in the habit of 
being modified someAvhat Avhen there is no place of 
refuge handy in case of a reverse. It Avas all the more 
tantalising, as Ave Avere apparently just getting into 
good game-country, and personally I Avas in favour 
of going on, thinking that, at the Avorst, should the 
Masai prove hostile, Ave could ahvays run aAvay. We 
argued the point out in council, and I Avas overruled, 
on the ground that the Masai could probably run much 
faster than any of us; and, perhaps, on the whole it 
Avas only reasonably prudent to be guided by Martin’s 
counsels. 
We had a day’s shooting from our Weri-weri camp, 
but an interruption occurred in the form of a scare 
about the Masai. 13 - and II- had gone Avest 
to photograph H-’s buffalo, Avliich had been left 
