red skin glistening; the long blade of his spear, bound around
with a red strip to signify his office, slanting across his

shoulder; his buffalo hide shield slung from it over his back;
the letter he was bearing stuck in a cleft stick and carried

proudly before him as a priest carries a cross to the heathen-in
the pictures. He was swinging along at a brisk pace, but on

seeing us drew up and gave us a smart military salute.
At one point where the path went level and straight for some

distance, we were riding in an absolutesolitude. Suddenly from
the jungle on either side and about fifty yards ahead of us

leaped a dozen women. They were dressed in grass skirts, and
carried long narrow woodenshields painted white and brown. These

they clashed together, shrieked shrilly, and charged down on us
at full speed. When within a few yards of our horses noses they

came to a sudden halt, once more clashed their shields, shrieked,
turned and scuttled away as fast as their legs could carry them.

At a hundred yards they repeated the performance; and charged back
at us again. Thus advancing and retreating, shrieking high,

hitting the woodenshields with resounding crash, they preceded
our slow advance for a half mile or so. Then at some signal

unperceived by us they vanished abruptly into the jungle. Once
more we rode forward in silence and in solitude. Why they did it

I could not say.
Of this tissue were our days made. At noon our boys plucked us

each two or three banana leaves which they spread down for us to
lie on. Then we dozed through the hot hours in great comfort,

occasionally waking to blue sky through green trees, or to peer
idly into the tangled jungle. At two o'clock or a little later we

would arouse ourselves reluctantly and move on. The safari we had
dimly heard passing us an hour before. In this country of the

direct track we did not attempt to accompany our men.
The end of the day's march found us in a little clearing where we

could pitch camp. Generally this was atop a ridge, so that the
boys had some distance to carry water; but that disadvantage was

outweighed by the cleared space. Sometimes we found ourselves
hemmed in by a wall of jungle. Again we enjoyed a broad outlook.

One such in especial took in the magnificent, splintered,
snow-capped peak of Kenia on the right, a tremendous gorge and

rolling forested mountains straight ahead, and a great drop to a
plain with other and distant mountains to the left. It was as

fine a panoramic view as one could imagine.
Our tents pitched, and ourselves washed and refreshed, we gave

audience to the resident chief, who had probably been waiting.
With this potentate we conversed affably, after the usual

expectoratorial ceremonies. Billy, being a mere woman, did not
always come in for this; but nevertheless she maintained what she

called her "quarantine gloves," and kept them very handy. We had
standing orders with our boys for basins of hot water to be

waiting always behind our tents. After the usual polite exchanges
we informed the chief of our needs-firewood, perhaps, milk, a

sheep or the like. These he furnished. When we left we made him a
present of a few beads, a knife, a blanket or such according to

the value of his contribution.
To me these encounters were some of the most interesting of our

many experiences, for each man differed radically from every
other in his conceptions of ceremony, in his ideas, and in his

methods. Our coming was a good deal of an event, always, and each
chief, according to his temperament and training, tried to do

things up properly. And in that attempt certain basic traits of
human nature showed in the very strongest relief. Thus there are

three points of view to take in running any spectacle: that of
the star performer, the stage manager, or the truly artistic. We

encountered well-marked specimens of each. I will tell you about
them.

The star performer knew his stagecraft thoroughly; and in the
exposition of his knowledge he showed incidentally how truly

basic are the principles of stagecraft anywhere.
We were seated under a tree near the banks of a stream eating our

lunch. Before us appeared two tall and slender youths, wreathed
in smiles, engaging, and most attentive to the small niceties of

courtesy. We returned their greeting from our recumbent
positions, whereupon they made preparation to squat down

beside us.
"Are you sultans?" we demanded sternly, "that you attempt to sit

in Our Presence," and we lazily kicked the nearest.
Not at all abashed, but favourably impressed with our

transcendent importance-as we intended-they leaned gracefully
on their spears and entered into conversation. After a few

trifles of airy persiflage they got down to business.
"This," said they, indicating the tiny flat, "is the most

beautiful place to camp in all the mountains."
We doubted it.

"Here is excellent water."
We agreed to that.

"And there is no more water for a journey."
"You are liars," we observed politely.

"And near is the village of our chief, who is a great warrior,
and will bring you many presents; the greatest man in these

parts."
"Now you're getting to it," we observed in English; "you want

trade." Then in Swahili, "We shall march two hours longer."
After a few polite phrases they went away. We finished lunch,

remounted, and rode up the trail. At the edge of the canyon we
came to a wide clearing, at the farther side of which was

evidently the village in question. But the merry villagers, down
to the last toro, were drawn up at the edge of the track in a

double line through which we rode. They were very wealthy
savages, and wore it all. Bright neck, arm, and leg ornaments,

yards and yards of cowry shells in strings, blue beads of all
sizes (blue beads were evidently "in"), odd scraps and shapes of

embroidered skins, clean shaves and a beautiful polish
characterized this holidaygathering. We made our royal progress

between the serried ranks. About eight or ten seconds after we
had passed the last villager-just the proper dramatic pause, you

observe-the bushes parted and a splendid, straight, springy young
man came into view and stepped smilingly across the space that

separated us. And about eight or ten seconds after his
emergence-again just the right dramatic pause-the bushes parted

again to give entrance to four of the quaintest little dolls of
wives. These advanced all abreast, parted, and took up positions

two either side the smiling chief. This youth was evidently in
the height of fashion, his hair braided in a tight queue bound

with skin, his ears dangling with ornaments, heavy necklaces
around his neck, and armlets etc., ad lib. His robe was of fine

monkey skin embroidered with rosettes of beads, and his spear was
very long, bright and keen. He was tall and finely built carried

himself with a free, lithe swing. As the quintette came to halt,
the villagers fell silent and our shauri began.

We drew up and dismounted. We all expectorated as gentlemen.
"These," said he proudly, "are my beebees."

We replied that they seemed like excellent beebees and politely
inquired the price of wives thereabout, and also the market for

totos. He gave us to understand that such superior wives as these
brought three cows and twenty sheep apiece, but that you could

get a pretty good toto for half a rupee.
"When we look upon our women," he concluded grandly, "we find

them good; but when we look upon the white women they are as
nothing!" He completely obliterated the poor little beebees with

a magnificentgesture. They looked very humble and abashed. I
was, however, a bit uncertain as to whether this was intended as

a genuinetribute to Billy, or was meant to console us for having
only one to his four.