FOOTNOTES:
[2] “Through Masai Land,” by Joseph Thompson, F.R.G.S., p. 222.
CHAPTER V.
ZURA TO M’THARA, AND A VISIT TO EMBE.
The Somalis suffer a reverse in Embe—We reach Munithu—Karanjui—El Hakim’s disagreement with the Tomori people—Arrival at M’thara—N’Dominuki—Arrival of the Somalis—A war “shauri”—We combine to punish the Wa’embe, but are defeated—Death of Jamah Mahomet—Murder of N’Dominuki’s nephew by Ismail—Return to camp.
In the afternoon Dirito came over to our tent to discuss the “habari” (news). Among other things he told us that the Somalis under Jamah Mahomet had arrived at Munithu, an hour’s march distant; that the smaller safari under Noor Adam had arrived some days before the big one; that Noor Adam had been attacked in Embe, and had had many of his men killed, and that the combined Somali safaris were now contemplating reprisals.
As I was still very shaky and weak from my attack of fever, I remained in camp next morning, but El Hakim and George rode over to Munithu to interview the Somalis and verify the news we had heard. They returned in the afternoon, having seen Jamah Mahomet and discovered the truth of what had occurred in Embe. It appeared that the smaller safari, which consisted of about thirty porters under Noor Adam, Bhotan, and Abdallah Arahalli, reached Limeru a few days before the other. They bought what food they required, and then went on to Embe. They were, by all accounts, welcomed by the Wa’Embe, who even made blood-brotherhood with them. The next night without warning their camp was treacherously rushed by a large force of the Wa’Embe, some of their cattle and trade goods being looted, and nine of their men killed outright. They managed to make good their retreat with the remainder of their caravan, and at Munithu met Jamah Mahomet and his party coming up. They asked their assistance, and Jamah Mahomet, having somehow received news of our approach, advised them that El Hakim and the other two Wasungu would be at Munithu in a few days, and suggested that they should wait and consult them, so they had waited. El Hakim heard their account of the affair, and after promising to consider the matter, he and George returned to Zura.
After breakfast the following morning we moved bag and baggage over to Munithu, where we were well received by the chief, old grey-headed Bei-Munithu, an old friend and ally of El Hakim’s. The Somalis had started the same morning for M’thara, so we did not see them. We lunched just outside Bei-Munithu’s village, conversing meanwhile with the old rascal. He brought us some splendid thorn honey. It had a very pleasant acid taste, which we much appreciated. Munithu is about 5000 feet above sea-level, the climate being very moist and warm, though cold at night. Bei-Munithu had a large quantity of trade goods belonging to El Hakim stored at his village, over forty loads in fact, besides two or three dozen head of cattle and some donkeys.
After lunch we started for Karanjui, which is a sort of halfway camp to M’thara. In an hour or so we reached the forest that stretches in one unbroken belt right round Kenia. It was almost impenetrable, but fortunately El Hakim, on a former expedition, had cut a path through it, which we now followed. It was a weird and gloomy-looking forest, the trees being twisted and tangled in every direction with out-spreading branches which, growing low down, made riding impossible. One would look in vain for a straight tree-trunk or branch. Nature had apparently amused herself by twisting them into all sorts of curious and fantastic shapes. The men crept through with silent footsteps, and only the rattle of a rifle or the feeble twitter of a solitary bird broke the intense stillness of the semi-twilight. On the way I noticed some black-and-white hornbills. Presently we reached Karanjui, an oval depression in the ground, perhaps 700 yards long and 500 yards wide, and perfectly clear of trees. In the rainy season it is swampy, but at the time of our visit it was quite dry except for a pool at one end, and covered with coarse grass. All round it and beyond stretched the silent forest. Here we camped for the night.
Near Karanjui live the Tomori people, with whom El Hakim had had a difference of opinion some months before. After our evening meal we persuaded El Hakim to tell us the yarn. Briefly it was as follows:—
Travelling from Munithu to M’thara, he was passing through the forest belt, intending to camp at Karanjui. On his arrival there he found that two of his porters were missing. He thereupon sent his head-man and some other porters back into the forest to look for them. They returned an hour or two later with the mutilated bodies of the missing men, which were perforated all over with spear-wounds and also horribly hacked and chopped about with “simes” (native swords). Their loads had disappeared altogether. El Hakim gave directions for the safari to go on with their camping arrangements, and, selecting four men, immediately set out for the village of the Tomori chief. Arrived there, he stood outside and summoned him. That worthy soon swaggered out, accompanied by fifty or sixty warriors as a bodyguard, and insolently demanded the M’sungu’s business. El Hakim, through his interpreter, quietly stated his grievance, and asked that the young men who had murdered his servants should be given up to him for punishment; also that his missing trade goods should be restored. The chief laughed in his face, and turning to his admiring followers, derisively repeated the M’sungu’s demand, which was received by a shout of laughter, accompanied by threatening gestures in El Hakim’s direction. The chief again turned to him, and in a most insolent manner, shaking his spear, bade him begone, accompanying his words with contemptuous gestures. El Hakim never moved a hair, but quietly repeated his demand, adding that if the murderers were not given up he would hold the chief personally responsible and deal with him accordingly. When this warning was interpreted to him, the chief worked himself into a rage and proceeded to violently harangue his warriors. Suddenly he turned and, with uplifted spear, made a rush at El Hakim, who forthwith shot him. His four men simultaneously poured a volley into the excited crowd of warriors, who immediately fled to the shelter of the village, from which point of vantage they peppered El Hakim and his escort with poisoned arrows. Walking round to the back of the village, El Hakim discovered his missing loads at the foot of a tree, where they had been hurriedly thrown on his appearance. He promptly recovered possession and started for camp, but had gone barely a quarter of a mile when the warriors, reinforced by others from a neighbouring village, made an ugly rush from the rear upon his little force. Telling his now frightened men to go on to camp with all speed, he sat on an ant-hill and put in some fancy shooting at short range, which was rightly interpreted by his assailants as a hint to keep away and not crowd him, a hint they wisely acted upon with considerable promptitude. He then rejoined his men, and they proceeded on their way to camp. Several times during the next hour the natives tried to rush the little party, but whenever they got unpleasantly near El Hakim repeated his former tactics with continued success, until the crestfallen warriors realized that they were getting more kicks than halfpence out of the game, and sullenly withdrew with the loss of twelve killed and wounded; El Hakim returning to camp, perfectly serene in the knowledge that he had come out of a bad business in a very satisfactory manner.