Truth to tell, the Maasai really didn't know what to make of the stranger. For starters, they'd never encountered a raccoon before, or heard of a place called New Haven. They were forgiven for thinking that she was just some rich foreigner out on a lark, and to a certain extent they were right.

Part of Bernice Wallingford's Grand Tour took her through the Suez Canal from Egypt to British East Africa (today's Kenya), landing at Mombasa. She went on a safari with a group of guides, but seemed more interested in the Maasai. She'd even learned some Swahili on the boat from Egypt.

Here she's seen taking part in a native jump dance. The men will leap prodigiously as the women sing and keep time. One of the lionesses seems to be coaching Bernyce along, while the other is still a little suspicious of the visitor. For her part, Bernice is displaying an open desire to actually learn from another culture.

Returning to Mombasa, Miss Wallingford took ship to Bombay, then across India to Calcutta; from there to Singapore, Tokyo, San Francisco, and finally across the United States to return to her native country.

Bernice Wallingford (later Bernyce Pratt-Wallingford) ©  walt46

Art by  capt_hairball