NG'URU TO KAGEI AND UKERE WE. 77 We heard no news of Lieutenant Smith till the 24th, Christmas Eve, when a man arrived bringing a letter from him, and two baskets of mangoes and bananas, which formed a pleasant addition to our Christmas dinner; the letter said that Smith had been much hindered by sickness and other delays, and did not expect to be able to reach Ng'uru for another week at least ; so, as the sowing was nearly over and several gangs of men had offered themselves as porters, it was decided that O'Neill and I should make up a small caravan and go on to the Lake, to select a suitable spot for a permanent encampment, and build huts if necessary.

Christmas Day was passed quietly, the only events to break the monotony of the day being an attack on the village by Kuga Euga, or highwaymen, and a good dinner, the former of which ended in an ignominious flight on the part of the Euga Euga without any more mischief being done than a little corn stolen ; the latter was prepared by the Doctor, who superintended the commissariat department. We tried hard the previous day to procure a bullock, that we might have the traditional roast beef, but none was to be found, and we fell back on some tinned beef brought out from England ; we had also a famous plum-pudding given us in England to take out to Africa, with cheese, fruit, and coffee to conclude.

The next few days were busily employed in preparing for the journey, and after one or two