25/08/2026
On August 27th (1887) we reach Ngongo Bagas, or the spring of Bagas, an important camping-place on the borders of Masailand and Kikuyu. We are now on the eastern side of the Doenye Lamuyo, and the neighbourhood was more hilly. The latter part of our march here had been partly between luxuriant woods and partly across beautiful meadows, or over little watercourses fringed with soft green grass, all alike presenting a marked and delightful contrast to the dreary waterless plateau of the Kapotei.
We met very few Masai, and only saw natives in any number when we passed two kraals at the edge of the wood, from which a crowd of men, moran and moruu, women and children, rushed out to see us pass, chattering, laughing, and screaming.
Many of the women brought eleusine meal, to***co, sugar cane, etc., which they had
got from the Kikuyu, and offered to sell them to us, but we hastened on without stopping as everyone saw the longed-for spring of Bagas behind the next hill. It was not however until near mid-day that we really came to it, and found that it issued from a shallow cleft overgrown with rushes. We camped upon a flat rugged hill, having
now come to a very important stage in our journey.
Our march through Masailand was over and we stood upon the threshold of Kikuyuland, on the eve of a time full of trial and adventure.
It is clear from this passage that Ngongo Bagas was regarded as being on the frontier of Kikuyu
country, and although the Kikuyu villages were several miles on, the land on the north-west side
of the (p.58) Mbagathi River was regarded by travellers in 1887 as "Kikuyuland".
He continues:
Before our arrival little was really known about the land of the people of Kikuyu, with the result that countless tales were afloat of the fierceness and hostility of the natives. A caravan from Mombasa, it was said, had attempted, a few years ago, to enter Kikuyu from the east, and had been destroyed.
Since then no traders had dared to venture within range of the poisoned arrows, which natives hidden in the dense woods were reputed to shoot at every intruder in their land. And two of the men with us assured us that Dr G. Fischer had had to fight every inch of his way when he crossed this redoubtable district somewhere in the north, on his way to the coast from Kavirondo. Moreover the Masai had shaken their heads when we spoke of our intentions, so that there
seemed reason enough for us to change our minds about going to Kenia by way of Kikuyu.
