“ Never mind ; do you give me an interpreter, and I will
go as I am.” “No,” said Maliamed, “ that will not do, as
the Bari people are so savage, you could not get through
them with so small a force ; besides which, just now
there is a stream which cannot be crossed for a month
or more.”
Unable to stand Mahamed’s shifting devices with equanimity
any longer, I accused him of trying to trick me in
the same way as all the common savage chiefs had done
wherever I went, because they wished me to stop for their
own satisfaction, quite disregarding my wishes and interests
; so I said I would not stop there any longer ; I would
raft over the river, and find my way through the Bari, as
I had through the rest of the African savages. We talked
and talked, but could make nothing of it. I maintained
that if he was commissioned to help me, he at least could
not refuse to give me a guide and interpreter ; when, if I
failed in the direct route, I would try another, but go I
must, as I could not hold out any longer, being short of
beads and cows. I had just enough, but none to spare.
He told me not to think of such a thing, as he would give
me all that was needful, both for myself and my men ;
but if I would have patience, he would collect all his
officers, and the next morning would see what their
opinions were on the subject.
5 tJi.—I found that every one of Mahamed’s men was
against our going to Gondokoro. They told me, in fact,
with one voice, that it was quite impossible ; but they said,
if I liked they would furnish me guides to escort me on
ten marches to a dépôt at the further end of the Madi
country, and if I chose to wait there until they could
collect all their ivory tusks together and join us, we
would be a united party too formidable to be resisted by
the Bari people. This offer of immediate guides I of
course accepted at once, as to keep on the move was my
only desire at that time ; for my men were all drunk, and
Kidgwiga’s were deserting. Once more on the way, I did
not despair of reaching Gondokoro by myself. In the
best good-humour now, I showed Mahamed our picture-
books ; and as he said he always drilled his two hundred
men every Friday, I said I would, if he liked, command
them myself. This being agreed to, all the men turned
out in their best, and, to my surprise, they not only knew
the Turkish words of command, but manoeuvred with some
show of good training; though, as might have been expected
with men of this ragamuffin stamp, all the privates
gave orders as well as their captains.
When the review was over, I complimented Mahamed
on the efficiency of his corps, and, retiring to my hut, as
I thought I had him now in a good-humour, again discussed
our plans for going ahead the next day. Scarcely
able to look me in the face, the humbugging scoundrel
said he could not think of allowing me to go on without
him, for if any accident happened he would be blamed for
it. At the same time, he could not move for a few days,
as he expected a party of men to arrive about the next
new moon with ivory. My hurry he thought very uncalled
for; for, as I had spent so many days with Kam-
rasi, why could I not be content to do so with him ?
I was provoked beyond measure with this, as it upset
all my plans. Kidgwiga’s men were deserting, and I feared
I should not be able to keep my promise to Kamrasi of
sending him another white visitor, who would perhaps do
what I had left undone, when I did not follow up the
connection of the Little Luta Nzigd with the Nile. We
battled away again, and then Mahamed said there was not
one man in his camp who would go with me until their
crops were cut and taken in; for whilst residing here
they grew grain for their support. We battled again,
and Mahamed at last, out of patience himself, said, “ Just
look here, what a fix I am in,” showing me a hut full of
ivory. “ Who,” he said, “ is to carry all this until the