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ees and water tower of Juja ahead； and by four o'clock had turned into the avenue of trees。 Our approach had been seen。 Tea was ready； and a great and hospitable table of bottles； ice； and siphons。
The next morning we inspected the stables； built of stone in a hollow square； like a fort； with box stalls opening directly into the courtyard and screened carefully against the deadly flies。 The horses； beautiful creatures； were led forth each by his proud and anxious syce。 We tried them all； and selected our mounts for the time of our stay。 The syces were small black men； lean and well formed； accustomed to running afoot wherever their charges went； at walk； lope or gallop。 Thus in a day they covered incredible distances over all sorts of country； but were always at hand to seize the bridle reins when the master wished to dismount。 Like the rickshaw runners in Nairobi； they wore their hair clipped close around their bullet heads and seemed to have developed into a small compact hard type of their own。 They ate and slept with their horses。
Just outside the courtyard of the stables a little barred window had been cut through。 Near this were congregated a number of Kikuyu savages wrapped in their blankets； receiving each in turn a portion of cracked corn from a dusty white man behind the bars。 They were a solemn； unsmiling； strange type of savage； and they performed all the manual work within the enclosure； squatting on their heels and pulling methodically but slowly at the weeds； digging with their pangas； carrying loads： to and fro； or solemnly pushing a lawn mower； blankets wrapped shamelessly about their necks。 They were harried about by a red…faced beefy English gardener with a marvellous vocabulary of several native languages and a short hippo…hide whip。 He talked himself absolutely purple in the face without； as far as my observation went； penetrating an inch below the surface。 The Kikuyus went right on doing what they were already doing in exactly the same manner。 Probably the purple Englishman was satisfied with that； but I am sure apoplexy of either the heat or thundering variety has him by now。
Before the store building squatted another group of savages。 Perhaps in time one of the lot expected to buy something； or possibly they just sat。 Nobody but a storekeeper would ever have time to find out。 Such is the native way。 The storekeeper in this case was named John。 Besides being storekeeper； he had charge of the issuing of all the house supplies； and those for the white men's mess； he must do all the worrying about the upper class natives； he must occasionally kill a buck for the meat supply； and he must be prepared to take out any stray tenderfeet that happen along during McMillan's absence； and persuade them that they are mighty hunters。 His domain was a fascinating place； for it contained everything from pianola parts to patent washstands。 The next best equipped place of the kind I know of is the property room of a moving picture company。
We went to mail a letter； and found the postmaster to be a gentle…voiced； polite little Hindu； who greeted us smilingly； and attempted to conceal a work of art。 We insisted； whereupon he deprecatingly drew forth a copy of a newspaper cartoon having to do with Colonel Roosevelt's visit。 It was copied with mathematical exactness； and highly coloured in a manner to throw into profound melancholy the chauffeur of a coloured supplement press。 We admired and praised； whereupon； still shyly； he produced more； and yet again more copies of the same cartoon。 When we left； he was reseating himself to the painstaking valueless labour with which he filled his days。 Three times a week such mail as Juja gets comes in via native runner。 We saw the latter； a splendid figure； almost naked； loping easily； his little bundle held before him。
Down past the office and dispensary we strolled； by the comfortable； airy； white man's clubhouse。 The headman of the native population passed us with a dignified salute； a fine upstanding deep…chested man； with a lofty air of fierce pride。 He and his handful of soldiers alone of the natives； except the Somalis and syces； dwelt within the compound in a group of huts near the gate。 There when off duty they might be seen polishing their arms； or chatting with their women。 The latter were ladies of leisure； with wonderful chignons； much jewelery； and patterned Mericani wrapped gracefully about their pretty figures。
By the time we had seen all these things it was noon。 We ate lunch。 The various members of the party decided to do various things。 I elected to go out with McMillan while he killed a wildebeeste； and I am very glad I did。 It was a most astonishing performance。
You must imagine us driving out the gate in a buckboard behind four small but lively white Abyssinian mules。 In the front seat were Michael； the Hottentot driver； and McMillan's Somali gunbearer。 In the rear seat were McMillan and myself； while a small black syce perched precariously behind。 Our rifles rested in a sling before us。 So we jogged out on the road to Long Juju； examining with a critical eye the herds of game to right and left of us。 The latter examined us； apparently； with an eye as critical。 Finally； in a herd of zebra； we espied a lone wildebeeste。
The wildebeeste is the Jekyll and Hyde of the animal kingdom。 His usual and familiar habit is that of a heavy； sluggish animal； like our vanished bison。 He stands solid and inert； his head down； he plods slowly forward in single file； his horns swinging； each foot planted deliberately。 In short； he is the personification of dignity； solid respectability； gravity of demeanour。 But then all of a sudden； at any small interruption； he becomes the giddiest of created beings。 Up goes his head and tail； he buck jumps； cavorts； gambols； kicks up his heels； bounds stiff…legged； and generally performs like an irresponsible infant。 To see a whole herd at once of these grave and reverend seigneurs suddenly blow up into such light…headed capers goes far to destroy one's faith in the stability of institutions。
Also the wildebeeste is not misnamed。 He is a conservative； and he sees no particular reason for allowing his curiosity to interfere with his preconceived beliefs。 The latter are distrustful。 Therefore he and his females and his young…I should say small…depart when one is yet far away。 I say small； because I do not believe that any wildebeeste is ever young。 They do not resemble calves； but are exact replicas of the big ones； just as Niobe's daughters are in nothing childlike； but merely smaller women。
When we caught sight of this lone wildebeeste among the zebra； I naturally expected that we would pull up the buckboard； descend； and approach to within some sort of long range。 Then we would open fire。 Barring luck； the wildebeeste would thereupon depart 〃wilder and beestier than ever；〃 as John McCutcheon has it。 Not at all！ Michael； the Hottentot； turned the buckboard off the road； headed toward the distant quarry； and charged at full speed！ Over stones we went that sent us feet into the air； down and out of shallow gullies that seemed as though they would jerk the pole from the vehicle with a grand rattlety…bang； every one hanging