dry up. I now succeeded in getting Lùmórési to send
his Wanyapara to go and threaten M’yonga, that if he
did not release Grant at once, we would combine to force
him to do so. They, however, left too late, for the hongo
had been settled, as I was informed by a letter from
Grant next day, brought to me by Bombay, who had just
returned from Kazé after six weeks’ absence. He brought
with him old Nasib and another man, and told me both
Bùi and Nasib had hidden themselves in a boma close
to Lùmérési’s the day when my hongo was settled ; but
they bolted the instant the drums beat, and my men
fired guns to celebrate the event, supposing that the noise
was occasioned by our fighting with Lumérési. These
cowards then made straight for Kazé, when Fùndi San-
goro gave Nasib a flogging for deserting me, and made
him so ashamed of his conduct that he said he would
never do it again. Bùi also was flogged, but, admitting
himself to be a coward, was sent to the “ right-about.”
With him Bombay also brought three new déolés, for
which I had to pay 160 dollars, and news that the war
with Manùa Séra was not then over. He had effected
bis escape in the usual manner, and was leading the
Arabs another long march after him.
Expecting to meet Grant this morning (25th), I strolled
as far as my strength and wind would allow me towards
Rùhé’s ; but I was sold, for Rùhé had detained him for
a hongo. Lùmérési also having heard of it, tried to interpose,
according to a plan arranged between us in case
of such a thing happening, by sending his officers to
Rùhé, with an order not to check my “ brother’s ” march,
as 1 had settled accounts for all. Later in the day, however,
I heard from Grant that Rùhé would not let him
go until he paid sixteen pretty cloths, six wires, one gun,
one box of ammunition, and one load of mzizima beads,
coolly saying I had only given him a trifle, under the
condition that, when the big caravan arrived, Grant
would make good the rest. I immediately read this
letter to Lumdresi, and asked him how I should answer
it, as Grant refused to pay anything until I gave the
order.
To which Lumeresi replied, Riihe, “ my child,” could
not dare to interfere with Grant after his officers arrived,
and advised me to wait until the evening. At all events,
if there were any further impediments, he himself would
go over there with a force and release Grant. In the
evening another messenger arrived from Grant, giving
a list of his losses and expenses at M’yonga’s. They
amounted to an equivalent of eight loads, and were as
follows:—100 yards cloth, and 4600 necklaces of beads
(these had been set aside as the wages paid to the porters,
but being in my custody, I had to make them good); 300
necklaces of beads stolen from the loads; one brass wire
stolen; one sword-bayonet stolen; Grant’s looking-glass
stolen; one saw stolen; one box ammunition stolen. Then
paid in hongo, 160 yards cloth; 150 necklaces; one scarlet
blanket, double ; one case ammunition ; ten brass wires.
Lastly, there was one donkey beaten to death by the
savages. This was the worst of a ll; for this poor brute
carried me on the former journey to the southern end of
the N’yanza, and in consequence was a great pet.
As nothing further transpired, and I was all in the
dark (26th), I wrote to Grant telling him of my interviews
with Lumerdsi, and requesting bim to pay nothing;
but it was too late, for Grant, to my inexpressible delight,
was the next person I saw; he walked into camp, and
then we had a good laugh over all our misfortunes. Poor
Grant, he had indeed had a most troublesome time of it.
The scoundrel Ruhe, who only laughed at Liimeresi’s
orders, had stopped his getting supplies of food for himself
and his men; told him it Was lucky that he came
direct to the palace, for full preparations had been made
for stopping him had he attempted to avoid i t ; would not