the Ngamatak Turkana-Eriopul Kiapa by name—to make friends with us. He was an enormously fat man, with such a glorious expanse of-waist, perhaps I had better call it, that he was generally known to the traders as 'Tumbo' (stomach). He was so very striking a personality that I will digress for a moment in attempting to describe him. His physical proportions have already been touched on. His dress consisted of a hat of cowrie shells, to which were attached a couple of flaps covering each ear, the main framework of cowries running fore and aft over the centre of his head. The old gentleman was quite bald-you don't often see a bald nigger-and so had this head-gear attached to his long matted hair-bag, presumably to support the bag, as the cowrie hat itself was fixed on to his cranium. The remainder of his dress consisted of many bracelets of iron wire on each wrist. We thought it more befitting the dignity of a Sultan of his importance that he should wear some sort of clothing, so presented the elephantine old man with cloth, and also gave him beads and some tobacco. I am afraid he considered it positively indecent to fold the cloth around him, on the principle that beauty unadorned is adorned the most, as he quietly rolled it up and put it down by his side for future high-festival occasions. The Swahili traders possessed manyg oats and sheep, which they purchased from the Turkana at small prices of five strings of beads each, and we tried to do a deal with them, but, as usual, they overreached themselves by their so considered cunning. I offered a small load of pundamalia beads (about 600 strings) for a flock of fifty, to which they agreed, as they would make a big profit on the transaction, of which I was, of course, quite aware; still, we wanted the sheep, and couldn't eat the beads. They returned to their camp, and later turned up with a flock which purported to number fifty. We counted them; there were only forty-six. We pointed out the deficiency; but they only made excuses, and, seeing our straits, tried to 'pinch' these four out of us, so I told them to take away their animals, which they did, rather crestfallen at having lost a good bargain. As guides with the traders were two natives of Njemps-old Baringo was one, and the other a delightful young fellow, Gania by name-both of whom had the previous year accompanied Norman Macdonald and Bright from Njemps to Save. From Gania we learnt that the traders were paying an average price of five strings of beads for each goat and sheep, and from fifteen to twenty for donkeys. We had to obtain this information surreptitiously, but surreptitiously, but were anxious to ascertain this fact, with a view to subsequent dealings with the Turkana, which I hoped we would shortly embark on, for the traders reported that they had been able to purchase largely from those settled now along the Turkwel. They complained bitterly, however, of the treacherous behaviour of the natives, who sold goats, sheep, and donkeys during the daytime, whilst at night they would lie in wait round the camp and steal back what they could. The Swahilis dared not go out of camp after dark to draw water, as several of their number had been stabbed by the Turkana lying in wait. Ali said his party was too weak and too short of ammunition to take reprisals, and they were compelled, therefore, to bribe the Turkana heavily. The ponderous 'Tumbo' promised to send men out requesting his people to sell livestock to us as we passed south along the Turkwel to Ngaboto; but everywhere from the Turkana we received the same reply: 'We have no sheep or goats here, but further south you will be able to purchase as many as you require.' Judging by the numerous tracks we saw leading to the river, we knew this statement to be false; but we bore with it for some time. On October 13 we were camped on the Turkwel at our former camp near the two small Kalnalechikal Hills, a Turkana kraal being situated a short distance up stream from us. I had sent for the chief, and informed him that we wished to trade for the purchase of goats and sheep. As usual, we were assured none were available here, but further up stream, etc., etc. In spite of these protestations, about mid-day the natives drove almost through our camp flocks of goats and sheep, which must have numbered over 2,000, and proceeded to water them before our very tents. This was a trifle too hot, so the order was quietly given to the Sikhs and Sudanese to surround the flocks on the bank. The Turkana at once fled, leaving this enormous bleating crowd of livestock in our hands. Messengers were at once sent out recalling them, and those reassembled were informed that we had no wish to plunder them of these animals, but that, as it was imperative we should have some 250, it was proposed, with their assistance, to select so many from each flock, and that when the requisite number had been separated they were at liberty to drive away the remainder, and we would pay them at once for those taken. To this they readily agreed, and several of the elders came down to the water's edge and pointed out those that could best be spared, females being avoided, as these they value highly, not only for their milk, but for breeding purposes. Everything was carried out in a perfectly amicable and friendly spirit, and when some 220 had been separated the Turkana were informed that they could now drive off the remainder. That same evening sixty of the animals were paid for liberally in beads, cowries, iron, and brass wire, the owners expressing themselves as more than satisfied. They then promised that the owners of the remainder should attend at our next camp the following day to receive payment for their share of the animals. On October 14 we made a short march of some eight and a half miles to our old camp, where we had first seen elephants on the Turkwel. Camp was pitched, and the animals sent out to graze under guard, whilst we awaited the arrival of the Turkana, who were to |