teers from native caravans who are desirous of
returning to their homes, and who, day b y day,
along the route, will straggle in towards it until
the list is full and complete.
T h e s e , then, were the principal reasons for
my selection o f Bagamoyo as the initial point,
from whence, after inoculating the various untamed
spirits who had now enlisted under me, with
a respect for order and discipline, obedience and
system (the true prophylactic against failure), I
should be free to rove where discoveries would
be fruitful. This “ inoculation” will not, however,
commence until after a study o f their natures,
their deficiencies and weaknesses. The exhibition
o f force, at this juncture, would be dangerous" to
our prospects, and all means gentle, patient, and
persuasive have, therefore, to be tried first.
Whatever deficiencies, weaknesses, and foibles
the people may develop must be so manipulated
that, while th ey are learning the novel lesson
o f obedience, th ey may only just suspect that
behind all this there lies the strong unbending
force which will eventually make men o f them,
wild things though th ey now are. F o r the first
few months, then, forbearance is absolutely
necessary. T h e dark brother, wild as a colt,
chafing, re stle s s , ferociously impulsive, supersti-
tiously timid, liable to furious demonstrations,
suspicious and unreasonable, must be forgiven
seventy times seven, until the period o f probation
is passed. L on g before this period is over,
such temperate conduct will have enlisted a
powerful force, attached to their leader b y
bonds o f good-will and respect , even, perhaps,
o f love and devotion, and b y the moral influence
o f their support even the most incorrigible
mauvais su je t will be restrained, and finally
conquered.
Many things will transpire during the first few
weeks which will make the explorer sigh and
wish that he had not ventured upon what promises
to be a hopeless task. Maddened b y strong
drinks and drugs, jealous o f their status in the
camp, regretting also, like ourselves, thht they
had been so hasty in undertaking the journey,
brooding over the jo y s o f the island fast receding
from them, anxious for the future, susceptible
to the first and every influence that assails them
with temptations to return to the coast, these
people require to be treated with the utmost
kindness and consideration, and the intending
traveller must be wisely circumspect in his intercourse
with them. From my former experiences
o f such men, it will be readily believed that I
had prepared for the scenes which I knew were
to follow at B a g am o yo , and that all my precautions
had been taken.
Upon landing at Bagamoyo, on the morning
o f the 13th, we marched to occupy the old house
where we had stayed so long to prepare the