grass 6 to 8 feet in height. Struggling for two miles through this, the ground being pitted with deep indentations caused by elephants' feet in swampy patches, we at length reached a swift-flowing stream out on the plains. The current was so strong that the men fording could barely keep their feet, even with the assistance of poles held across to act as a handrail, and several men, with their loads, had pretty severe duckings. It was mid-day before the caravan was over and ready to continue to push straight across to the foot of the opposite hills. The distance was only three miles, but progress was most laboured, especially for those in front, who had to trample down the grass, which was now 10 to 12 feet in height and very dense, in order to allow the passage of the caravan through it. At 2.30 p.m. we reached the slopes of the hills near banana plantations, and whilst camp was being pitched were subjected to a terrific downpour of rain, which literally fell in sheets, and then changed to hail, the stones being the size of a dove's egg. Every fire was put out and the camp deluged, so it was 7 p.m. before we got anything to eat, and as our previous meal had been at 5.30 a.m., we did it justice. The men were so fatigued after all our recent clambering that we halted on July 9, and were visited by a few natives, the hillsides being profusely cultivated with bananas. We had hoped the next day to reach our food depot at Mbai, but, owing to the difficult nature of the track-one stream alone delaying us for three hours-along the hillsides, and to the existence of other streams formed by magnificent waterfalls, and the dense nature of the growth in the valleys, consisting of long, coarse grass, thick bush, and bamboo, our progress was very slow, and we were compelled to camp some three and a half miles short of Mbai, where we arrived the following day-July 11, 1898. Many natives thronged out to meet us as we passed through endless banana groves, and the difference between them and those we had lately been amongst was most striking. Instead of the poverty-stricken looking crowd we had become accustomed to, these men were smartly got up, their bodies nicely oiled and dyed, their hair neatly worked, and altogether bearing a sleek, well-groomed appearance. Cowrie shells were conspicuous everywhere, thanks to the quantities expended by Tracy in the purchase of banana flour. So popular were these little shells that one cowrie purchased about 1 pounds of flour, or, in other words, one load of cowries, numbering about 12,000, purchased close on 300 loads of flour. (NOTE.-When I speak of a load, its weight must be understood to average from 50 to 60 pounds.) On arrival at our depot at Mbai we found only a few Swahilis and three Masai there, under charge of a headman, who reported that he already had some 400 loads of flour ready for us. Tracy and Bright had left for Ngaboto on June 24, carrying some 332 loads of flour with them, the bulk of which they hoped to keep stocked against my arrival there. Moody, the subordinate who had been sent to help them from Mumia's, was left in charge of the lower Save post-at the foot of the hill, it will be remembered. He was to return shortly with the Wa-Kavirondo porters we had brought with us from Mumia's by the route to the east of Mount Elgon. Tracy and Bright had reached Save on June 10, at which time the upper and lower posts were still occupied by men left behind when they had proceeded to Uganda to take part in the operations. The Mbai post had been withdrawn, so Bright was sent to reopen the market at Mbai, and build the necessary store-houses. He was followed by Tracy on the 14th, and at the request of the Mbai people, who were being annoyed by the Wa-Ucia, a punitive expedition was organized against that tribe, who were reduced to order after some fighting. Leaving a garrison to continue the purchase of food at Mbai, Tracy and Bright had returned to the lower Save post by a new road at the foot of the mountain, which, however, was found too swampy for general use with transport animals. On arrival there, they found Moody had joined from Mumia's. On June 21 Tracy visited the upper Save post, and entered into an arrangement with Sheriff, one of the Swahili traders, regarding the purchase of donkeys and camels in Karamojo for the expedition. Finding food was coming in abundantly at Mbai, he and Bright left on the 24th for Ngaboto, which place they reached on July 5. They at once made friends with the Turkana, and constructed a stockaded fort there, which they occupied until my arrival in the middle of August. The Swahilis left behind at Save by Tracy and Bright in the previous February to look after the expedition stores at the foot of the mountain had twice been attacked by the Wa-Kimama from the neighbourhood of the chain of small lakes in the plains to the west. On both occasions the natives were successfully repulsed, but for better security the garrison removed all the stores to the hill camp, and abandoned the lower boma (post). The details regarding further arrangements for the exploratory work to be undertaken I must leave for another chapter, now that we have reached our permanent base on the beautiful spurs of Mount Elgon. CHAPTER IX PREPARATIONS FOR EXPLORATORY WORK WE who had just arrived at Mbai, including our WaKavirondo porters, numbered between 500 and 600 souls, all of whom had to be fed, and required close on twenty loads of food per diem. We did not wish, however, to draw on the food already collected, and as plenty was obtainable locally at Mbai, and little or nothing at Save, as we knew from previous experience, Macdonald decided to halt for a time at Mbai. Meanwhile, arrangements had to be made to transport the large amount of food already collected to the lower Save boma, and with this object Ferguson and Pereira left Mbai on July 13 with the whole caravan, carrying all the loads we brought from Mumia's and some seventy-five food loads in addition, which were stocked at Sore. Next day Pereira returned to Mbai with all the WaKavirondo and Swahili porters empty. They then, in addition to mine and the Major's kit, carried some 250 loads of flour back to Sore, where we also marched. On the 15th Headquarters halted at Sore, whilst Pereira proceeded to the Upper Save camp with the Wa-Kavirondo with the loads brought from Mumia's and some seventy loads of flour. At the same time 150 Swahilis went back to Mbai to bring on more flour from that place, both parties returning to Sore the same day, the former empty and the latter with 143 loads of flour. Next day Macdonald and Pereira proceeded to Save with the whole caravan loaded up, leaving Ferguson and me at Sore with a few men to look |