overwhelm him by their strength and solid weight of numbers.

We became badly bogged later in a swamp which ran a considerable distance inland, and had to retrace our footsteps in order to work round it. Towards the end of the march we passed through a long, shady wood, with broken hills close to our left and the lake immediately to our right, before reaching a small grassy plain on which zebra and Thomsoni were grazing. I was too much occupied with the survey work in this intricate ground to indulge in shooting, so lent Sali, our interpreter, one of my rifles to try his luck. This youth had accompanied Stanley through Darkest Africa a few years before, and had then been taken to England by that great explorer. He was an extraordinarily keen youngster and was always ready to pursue game, but unfortunately his enthusiasm surpassed his skill with the rifle, and he met with no success on this occasion. He was subsequently drowned during the expedition, in the Nzoia river in Kavirondo, whilst attempting to swim across encumbered with a Martini rifle and ammunition.

The grunts and blowings of hippos amidst the deeper pools, hidden by the inevitable papyrus, formed one of the features of this camp, but it was impossible to get a sight of them. Nevertheless, the mouths of the porters literally watered with eager anticipation when a nearer bellow than usual raised the faint hope that a bullet might find its way to the brain of the noisy monster, and that they would dine on his fat carcase that evening.

Off again early next morning, we were glad to get into our stride, for the air was bitterly keen before the sun made his warmth felt, and the porters crouched shivering over the embers of their fires until all were ready for the road. About midday, on the other hand, with the sun high in the heavens, the heat became more than genial.

We were now approaching the northern limits of Naivasha, and the entire march of eleven miles was occupied in working round a long, narrow bay running almost due north and covered with numerous islands of papyrus. On leaving camp, we struck slightly inland over a low col in a rocky spur jutting out into the lake. By a rough, stony cattle-track we crossed the hills bordering the lake on its western shore, and descended into grassland near the water's edge. Here we encountered mosquitoes of a most fanatical type. In spite of it being broad daylight and the sun well up, these pests issued in clouds out of the

reeds and settled on all exposed portions of our persons; and there they allowed themselves to be slaughtered wholesale, without making the least attempt to escape the avenging hand, so intent were they on regaling themselves on the blood of our vile bodies.

Proceeding over the grassland, we reached the northern extremity of the bay, where the Gilgil stream flows into the lake. It was now a sluggish, insignificant water-way, about twelve feet wide and a foot deep at the point crossed, meandering through a low-lying, swampy tract. This provided excellent pasturage, however, and large numbers of Masai were temporarily located at the head of the bay grazing their grand herds of cattle and countless sheep and goats. Whilst the caravan was making one of its periodical halts near the Gilgil, a band of El Moran suddenly appeared upon the scene in full war-kit. They were waving their spears and shields aloft as they gaily danced towards us, chanting their hongo song. Although informed we were not travelling for the pleasure of paying hongo, they, nevertheless, became quite friendly, and voluntarily treated us to songs and dances for the remainder of the time we rested.

They were fine, athletic, long-limbed, young fellows, and entirely nude save for a tan-coloured piece of cloth which trailed behind them in the breeze, or a flap of hide worn jauntily over one shoulder. Their bodies and hair were dyed a reddish-chocolate hue and glistened in the sun, owing to the liberal mixture of cow's fat with the particular clay utilized for the dye. Their long hair was twisted into numerous mop-like cords, which were gathered together behind and secured with thongs to form a pig-tail. A similar, but shorter, forelock fell gracefully over their foreheads. Some of these warrior dandies sported rakish ruffles of vulture feathers, nigh three feet in diameter, round their necks; whilst others had bedecked themselves with a kind of hood of erect ostrich feathers fastened under the chin. This adornment naturally added considerably to their stature and was intended to increase their ferocity of mien.

In their hands they carried their famous spears and their long, oval-shaped, buffalo-hide shields, decorated with heraldic designs in red, sepia, and black on a white background. Their armament was completed by a knobkerrie thrust into one side of a belt fashioned with leathern thongs and girt about singularly slender waists; whilst their simés, heavy, short-bladed swords and spatulate in

shape, occupied a like position on the other side of the body.

Minor adornments consisted of tassels of iron chain depending from their greatly distended ear-lobes, necklets of iron-wire chain, bracelets of iron wire, and ornaments of horn, or bands of small cowrie shells, about the biceps. Strips of the black and white skin of the beautiful colobus monkey were worn round the ankles after the manner of spurs, and other strips bound just below the knee.

Thus arrayed in their full war-paint, these young Masai warriors created an imposing impression of vigorous manhood. Their songs and dances, too, were of a highly entertaining character, and when we continued our march we thanked the El Moran warmly for their lively performance. As we moved off they departed again to their flocks and kraals, seemingly fully satisfied with having provided so much amusement during our rest on the road.

Turning almost due south now, we proceeded for another three miles through tracts of scrub and grass before camping a few hundred yards from the margin of the lake. Whilst pitching camp the head Pathan with me reported that one of their number was missing. A small party was at once sent off to search for him, but without success. Still, we were only some ten miles distant here from our boma camp, so hoped the absentee would have the good sense to find his way there by following the shore of the lake-if he were not speared by the Masai.

After marching some miles in an easterly direction next morning through scrub and thinly wooded country, we reached and crossed the river Morendat. It was a

fine stream, about thirty feet wide and then two feet deep, flowing between well-defined banks bordered with trees and dense creeper-like bushes. Naivasha is entirely fed by the Gilgil and Morendat, and though their waters are quite fresh it is a curious fact that no fish exist in the lake; yet the smallest streams in East Africa usually abound with them.

A short distance on we entered a conspicuous belt of trees, on the outskirts of which a Swahili trading caravan was camped; and near-by we came across the Pathan lost the previous day. We had fired rifles at intervals during the march to attract his attention should he be in the neighbourhood, but were greatly surprised to alight suddenly upon him walking between three stately Masai, two El Moran and an El Moru-the latter a married Masai, and therefore regarded as in the sere and yellow.

It then transpired that the Pathan had been seized with a sharp attack of colic the previous day. Without informing anyone of the fact, the stupid fellow lay down early in the march and fell asleep-apparently for some hours. When he awoke the caravan was nowhere in sight; and after wandering about for a long while he encountered these Masai towards nightfall. By signs he made them understand he had lost his way and was hungry. Instead of spearing him-their usual procedure in those unregenerate days towards interlopers-the Masai took him off to their kraal, killed a goat, handed him chunks of it roasted on the ends of their spears, showed him where to sleep, and set off that morning with him for our boma camp.

Such unlooked-for behaviour on their part was well worthy of reward, so I intimated to them that if they would accompany us to headquarters they should there receive presents. We were distant only five miles from it now, and marching south along the narrow, grassy plain between the lake and the low, stony escarpment on our left, we joined our chief and the other officers of the expedition a couple of hours later. The Masai then each received several yards of white cloth embellished with red designs, chains of iron wire, and some coils of iron wire. These simple gifts pleased them beyond words, as iron wire was much valued by them for the fashioning of their splendid spears; whilst they indulged in most laughable antics after wrapping the cloth round their naked bodies, for they kept admiring themselves after the manner of ladies in a new gown before a cheval-glass. They set out for their kraal radiantly happy, the two young bloods with their new garments trailing bravely in the breeze, in order, doubtless, to create a furore on their arrival among the Dittoes, the unmarried girls with whom they shared their kraals. But one could not help wondering what the Pathan's views of life were during the night spent by him alone in a Masai kraal. He was probably glad to rejoin us.

The circuit of the lake by the route followed proved to be forty-six miles in all. Fresh and enchanting scenes of water, wood, and mountain had presented themselves throughout, whilst we surveyed Naivasha's charms from many different angles. We remained some days longer on its shores, stocking a food depot on the summit of Mau beyond the Ndabibi plain. As this task was entrusted to me, I traversed the plains at the south end of the lake several times and enjoyed much good shooting before we finally left for Uganda. From the point where the forest

of Mau is entered, on the Sotik route to the Victoria Nyanza, a superb view is obtained of Naivasha, lying more than 2,000 feet below and backed by the lofty Aberdare range to the east, extending many miles in an unbroken line from north to south.

Though keenly looking forward to an examination of the little-known country stretching between us and Lake Victoria, by the route it was our purpose to follow, it was with sincere regret that my companion and I bade adieu to Naivasha, and plunged into the gloom of the dank, primeval forest which let the curtain down on this wonderful panorama.

Four months later, on our return from Uganda by yet another route, we were held up several days by the swollen condition of the Morendat river. Our food supply was then nearly exhausted, and the caravan was largely dependent on the game secured by our rifles. Thus there was much satisfaction in finding that the neighbourhood of Naivasha was capable of providing us with the wherewithal to exist whilst waiting for the waters to subside.

After an interval of five years Naivasha again burst upon my view, when the Macdonald Expedition of 18971899 passed along its shores bound for the territories to the north. Beyond the fact that a Government post was now established on the low, stony escarpment near the eastern margin of the lake, little change was noticeable in its charming environment. But big game had moved farther afield, so, whilst encamped for a week on its shores, during our return journey in 1899, I conducted two officers of the expedition on a shooting trip to the Ndabibi plain at the south-west corner of the lake. Here, off the beaten track of the now frequent caravans passing up and down the road between the coast and Uganda, game was as plentiful as in the halcyon days of 1892, and we enjoyed excellent sport in the few days we were able to spare for that purpose.

When last I traversed the shores of that beauty spot, however, at the close of a long trek from the Sudan via Lake Rudolf in 1901, it was in the comparative comfort of a train from Nakuru-then railhead. We were hurried indecently past familiar attractive scenes of early East African days. Nature had been conquered. Little or no game was now to be seen in the vicinity of the line about Naivasha. Crowds of Indian coolies constructing the railway were obtruded on the once restful landscape instead. The romance of Naivasha had fled.

H. H. AUSTIN