packing up the loads. The sight of these rouses the
sultan: he, his family, and all the people of the place,
begin to pester you for presents, and you would give
worlds to be away from such intolerable bullying.
H a lf your number of porters at last being collected to
receive their pay, a momentary suspense takes place :
the first man hesitates to accept the hire he had agreed
for; each man strives to lay the responsibility upon
another; but as soon as one accepts, instantly the rest
scramble for it. Here are some extracts from my
Journal previous to the march :—
“ 8 th September.—Attempt to push all the engaged
men ahead with their loads, in charge of Said, but fail,
and h a lf the day is lost by the native procrastination.
Said no better than the rest of them. After a
long day of it, started off 40 loads and three donkeys
ahead to first march, where they will wait for us. Ten
paid-up porters not present. One says, ‘ My wife is
ill; I return my hire:’ another, ‘My father and
mother won’t allow me to accompany you.’ I chastise
him ; he puts himself under the protection of the sultan,
and bolts, leaving his hire of calico blackened by one
day’s wear. A third will not go because I refuse him
the leadership. Last night my men returned from
searching for porters, saying, ‘ None will go unless you
give them four times the usual hire.’
“ 9 th.—Three of my men have been away all day,
and have not brought back a man. Wezees had promised
to come, but I have no faith in what they say;
others ask triple hire. Twelve loads sent out by men
of the advanced camp.
“ 10th.—Cannot see a prospect of marching from
here. Ordered Manua to Eoongwa for porters; saw
him at night. ‘ Have you been for porters V i Yes,
there and back. I laughed at this cool assertion, and
asked, How many did you get?’ ‘Four are coming
in the morning.’ This was too much, as all the Seedees
satisfied me that he had never been out of the place;
I therefore ordered him to receive two dozen. Rehan
(cook) said, ‘I won’t give it.’ ‘You must,’ I said;
but ultimately the matter was settled by Manua running
away, all the Seedees after him ! (Manua afterwards
became a great friend of mine, as he knew the
names and uses of every plant and tree in the country.)
“ 1 Ith.—Yesterday sent a note to Speke, but find
the bearer did not start, because he had a Wezee
lady in tow. Verily these Africans are a self-pleasing
and most trying set. Two men off for porters.
My leader reported sick. Manua (the man I ordered
to be flogged yesterday) not to be found. Four porters
arrive, but won’t start till to-morrow, as they
feel tired!
12 th. Start three loads; fourth man not present;
he had gone away to sleep in another village.
Ten men came in from camp ahead to carry away
my remaining traps. Sultan demands a present,
but on consulting my men, we all agreed that as
he had already got eight fathoms of cloth, a large
quantity of beads, some gunpowder, and had lost four
cows placed, in his charge, no more was necessary for
him. At this decision he struck my porters and drove
them out of his village, and seized some cases of
ammunition and a rifle. The quarrel was made worse
by the drunkenness of my chief interpreter, Rehan,
who in this state threw his gun and accoutrements
at my feet, spat upon one of my men, and gave his
H