I much regret that I have no notes by me describing Macdonald's interesting journey over the Guas' Ngishu route back to the Uganda road at the Ravine station, and must, in default of giving some account of it, ask the reader to accompany me with the main portion of the expedition along the Uganda road towards the coast. I had three times previously either reached Mumia's or left it on my way to and from the coast, and each time proceeded by a different route, and now was to travel along a fourth not hitherto traversed by me, so was fortunate in seeing and surveying new country to me on each occasion. In 1892 Captain (now Major) Pringle, R.E., and I had reached Mumia's from Lake Naivasha, viâ Sotik, Lumbwa, and the present terminus of the Uganda Railway on the Victoria Nyanza. On our return to the coast we travelled viâ Elgeyo, Kamasia, and Njemps to Lake Nakuru. Early on the present expedition our journey viâ Njemps, Marich, and Save to Mumia's has been described, and now the best known route of all, viâ Nandi and the Ravine station, was to be traversed by me for the first time, and then along a well defined cart-road.

CHAPTER XVIII

MUMIA'S TO NGARE NYUKI ALONG THE UGANDA ROAD

On the early morning of January 6, 1899, the return journey to the coast was commenced by the main portion of the expedition, numbering some 450 souls, and accompanied by 177 donkeys, filing out of Mumia's. Being our first day on the road, after nearly a week's halt, we only marched some seven and a half miles, generally in an easterly direction, keeping to the high ground which constitutes the water parting between the Nzoia and Narogare rivers. We camped on the bank of the latter after crossing it by means of a large tree-trunk, which spanned the stream some 20 feet above the water-level. The river was there about 20 yards wide, and flowing south, before swinging west again and ultimately joining the Nzoia not far below the ferry. We passed several small villages during the march, but the country, consisting of open rolling grass-land, is almost devoid of anything that could be utilized as firewood, which has generally to be purchased from the natives.

The following day we proceeded in a south-easterly direction for some eleven and a half miles before reaching a powerful stream, which had been skilfully bridged by Sclater's road party. This stream was probably the main tributary of the Narogare, and appeared to rise in the Nandi highlands to the north-east. We had crossed two other streams, about a mile and four and a half miles respectively from our previous camp, all of which help to form the main Narogare River. The country hereabouts is a network of small

valleys running north and south, but the cart-road adheres to the various water-partings by a somewhat devious track, avoiding the majority of these depressions. Shortly before camping we met another company of the Uganda contingent, consisting of Punjabi Mohammedans, under command of Keene, also on its way to Kampala-a very finelooking body of men. By a circuitous route we proceeded generally due east, in the shape of a great bow, travelling south-east for the first half of the march and then northeast on January 8. The country is extremely complicated, being broken by numerous valleys, which must have exercised considerably the ingenuity of Sclater and his men in selecting the best means of avoiding them. Some nine miles from the start we reached a large food store garrisoned by Somalis at Kakamega's—in the midst of a well-cultivated and populous district. The natives there were, however, somewhat untrustworthy, as they had recently, on several occasions, speared small parties of Swahilis sent out to purchase food, and punitive columns had been despatched to deal with them. Up to this point the country generally had been fairly open, but subsequently we entered a forest belt before reaching an open grassy clearing leading to the Yala River, which flows at the bottom of a densely-wooded ravine midst forest. This stream is rapid, and at the point where a bridge had been constructed across it narrow.

We were approaching the edge of the Nandi escarpment, and were soon confronted with much more difficult country, intersected by numerous streams, all of which would appear ultimately to join the Yala. Several thick forest belts were traversed, consisting of fine tall straight trees-excellent timber, I should imagine. In order to obtain suitable grades for waggon traffic the road had necessarily to be very winding, as we rose steadily during the march, crossing one well-defined ridge, in addition to numerous less prominent spurs and valleys. Eventually we found ourselves on the

Nandi plateau, and camped on a fine grassy spur between two deep valleys. The general features of the country very much resemble those of Sotik and Lumbwa, although the deep valleys and ridges of the latter are more boldly defined. On the road we had met S. S. Bagge and J. P. Wilson, of the Uganda Protectorate Service, on their way towards Kakamega's, and after camp had been pitched we were visited by some of the Wa-Nandi, who were decently clad in skins, and the primitive nudity of Kavirondo was now left behind us. Civilization was, however, making great strides, for the previous day we had been joined by a party of WaKavirondo, who had been sent after us by Hobley, as these men were anxious to proceed to the coast. Such an idea seven years before, when we were first surveying for the Uganda Railway, would have been regarded by their friends as denoting a weakening of the intellect. It was very different now, and these then but little known regions were almost teeming with life; for almost daily we had met caravans of porters, donkeys, and so on, bound for Mumia's and beyond, carrying rations, etc., for the Baluchis. Comparatively few of these porters were Swahilis, the larger majority by far being Wa-Teita and Wa-Kamba, who in the old days would never have dreamed of entering their neighbour's territory, or leaving their own villages even.

On January 10, marching almost due east for some eleven miles, we reached the Nandi post, in which Bagnall had been made a prisoner by the Sudanese mutineers when they deserted from the Ravine station. Soon after leaving our camp of the previous day we entered a dense belt of forest, in the centre of which we crossed a large stream, known as the Rakusi, which I imagine flows into the Yala. After the first seven miles we entered fine grassy undulating country, and before long sighted the post, which was situated on a plateau between two small valleys, and lying below the ridge over which the cart-road ran. There was

quite a colony of Englishmen in occupation here, consisting of Cooper and Anderson, of the Uganda Rifles, with a Somali company; Copeland, a doctor; Johnson, of the Army Service Corps, doing duty with transport on the road; and Bathurst, a civilian. The altitude of this post is some 6,000 feet above sea-level, and in many ways the surrounding country reminded one strongly of Kikuyu, the turf being short and green, and interspersed with clover-excellent grazing grounds. Some of the Wa-Nandi brought us in fine fat-tailed sheep, which they wished to exchange for our somewhat jaded female goats, which was readily agreed to, to our mutual satisfaction. We were struck, however, by the little cultivation visible, and learned that the WaNandi had been in the habit of purchasing their flour from the men in the fort. Latterly, however, they had commenced growing their own crops, and brought in a few baskets of flour to camp for sale. We were very hospitably entertained during our short stay at Nandi by the officers of the garrison, of whom we saw a good deal, for we remained halted on the 11th; and as they had cultivated a most excellent vegetable garden, we obtained the luxury of fresh vegetables.

In many respects the Wa-Nandi are like the inhabitants of Sotik, with whom they would appear to be closely allied. We did not see a great number of them, but of those we did the majority of the men wore the hide-cloak jauntily across their bodies, and in their hands carried broad-bladed spears and hide shields. Their chief ornaments consist of iron wire and a few beads. Their ear-lobes are much distended to receive various articles, such as circular blocks of wood. These natives appear to be the last circumcised race met with on the road between the coast and Uganda, as this rite is not performed amongst the Wa-Kavirondo, Wasoga and Waganda, although invariably so amongst those nearer the coast, such as the Swahilis, Wa-Kamba, Masai, and Wa-Kikuyu. Further north, again, the Suk, Turkana, and