was a great laibon (medicine-man). They asked eagerly
about the countries through which we had passed, and
seemed relieved when I told them all was peace. Again
and again, they made me repeat that assurance, and tell
them that I had seen no signs of the Masai, of whom
they seemed in great dread. I told them that I had
come to them for the purpose of trade, that in a few
days my caravan, laden with all sorts of good things,
would reach me, and that I hoped to exchange some
of my goods for camels, horses, and donkeys. They
said they would willingly trade with me, and asked if
I had cloth.
One circumstance struck them as very peculiar, and
that was that we dared to travel in the night. They
said they were brave people, and were one and all
warriors; but that they never for a moment dared to
venture from their camp after dark. They said I
must indeed be a great medicine-man, if willing to
venture upon the road at night, and run the risk of
being killed by a rhinoceros, or eaten by lions.
They asked for a present, and I told them they
should receive one upon the arrival of my caravan.
They said they wished to make me a present, and
asked what I wanted. I replied that the European
judged of his friends by the size of their gifts, and
hoped they would bring me horses* camels, and donkeys.
They acquiesced. Then the conversation languished,
and the chiefs, apparently overcome by their
exertions, yawned in my face several times; so I bade
them farewell, shook hands, and expressed the hope
that I should see them on the morrow.
The following morning Lieutenant von Hohnel
turned up with all the men; and we all at once set
to work building a strong zeriba. Only a few Ren-
dile visited us during the day, and they were principally
young men. They seemed as friendly as possible,
and said they wanted to trade. They brought some
curious wicker jars, and several gallons of camel’s milk.
This had a very smoky taste, but was not unpalatable.
The Rendile possess but few ornaments. The
chiefs wore upon the upper arm rudely carved ivory
armlets, and Lokomogul had a large porcelain bead,
as large as a pigeon’s egg, strung from his neck.
The young men wore about their necks rings of wire,
and upon the first joint of the thumb several rings
of the same material. Each of these rings, they said,
signified a man slain in battle. The warriors rarely
carried shields; a few, however, had them. These were
curious in shape, and utterly unlike those carried by
the Masai. Some were made of woven twigs; others
of oryx hide. They were not more than three feet
high, and eighteen inches wide at both top and bottom.
In the centre they were much narrower; and
on the rear at the centre there was a small loop of
hide, which was grasped by the hand.
Nearly all the warriors painted their faces with a
white clay, which lent ferocity to their appearance.
They all wore their hair 'cut short, and I was much
struck by the fact that it appeared perfectly straight
and of fine texture.
During the conversation which I had had with the
Rendile chiefs on the previous day, I had told them
of the camel tracks we had seen in the desert; and
they at once sent forty warriors in the direction indi