A number of Masai women visited us, laughing and joking with Billy in their quizzically humorous fashion.  Just as we were sitting down at table an Englishman wandered out of the greenery and approached.  He was a small man with a tremendous red beard, wore loose garments and tennis shoes, and strolled up, his hands in his pockets and smoking a cigarette.  This was V., a man of whom we had heard.  A member of a historical family, officer in a crack English regiment, he had resigned everything to come into this wild country.  Here he had built a boma, or enclosed compound, and engaged himself in acquiring Masai sheep in exchange for beads, wire, and cloth.  Obviously the profits of such transactions could not be the temptation.  He liked the life, and he liked his position of influence with these proud and savage people.  Strangely enough, he cared little for the sporting possibilities of the country, though of course he did a little occasional shooting; but was quite content with his trading, his growing knowledge of and intimacy with the Masai, and his occasional tremendous journeys.  To the casual and infrequent stranger his attitude was reported most uncertain.

We invited him to tea, which he accepted, and we fell into conversation.  He and C. were already old acquaintances.  The man, I found, was shy about talking of the things that interested him; but as they most decidedly interested us also we managed to convey an impression of our sincerity.  Thereafter he was most friendly.  His helpfulness, kindness, and courtesy could not have been bettered.  He lent us his own boy as guide down through the canons of the Narossara to the Lower Benches, where we hoped to find kudu; he offered store-room to such of our supplies as we intended holding in reserve; he sent us sheep and eggs as a welcome variety to our game diet; and in addition he gave us Masai implements and ornaments we could not possibly have acquired in any other way.  It is impossible to buy the personal belongings of this proud and independent people at any price.  The price of a spear ordinarily runs about two rupees’ worth, when one trades with any other tribe.  I know of a case where a Masai was offered fifty rupees for his weapon, but refused scornfully.  V. acquired these things through friendship; and after we had gained his, he was most generous with them.  Thus he presented us with a thing almost impossible to get and seen rarely outside of museums—­the Masai war bonnet, made of the mane of a lion.  It is in shape and appearance, though not in colour, almost exactly like the grenadier’s shako of the last century.  In addition to this priceless trophy, V. also gave us samples of the cattle bells, both wooden and metal, ivory ear ornaments, bead bracelets, steel collars, circumcision knives, sword belts, and other affairs of like value.  But I think that the apogee of his kindliness was reached when much later he heard from the native tribes that we were engaged in penetrating the defiles