proach issued from the starving people; they
threw themselves upon the ground with an in.
difference begotten of despair and misery. They
did not fret, nor bewail aloud the tortures of
famine, nor vent the anguish of their pinched
bowels in cries, but with stony resignation
surrendered themselves to rest, under the scant
shade of some dwarf acacia or sparse bush
Now and then I caught the wail of an infant,
and the thin voice of a starving mother, or the
petulant remonstrance of an older child; but the i
adults remained still and apparently lifeless, each |
contracted within the exclusiveness of individual I
suffering. The youths, companions of Uledi,
and the chiefs, sat in whispering groups, removed
from the sick and grieving, and darkly dotted
the vicinity of the tent; the childless women
were also seen by twos and threes far apart, {
discussing, no doubt, our prospects, for at this!
period this was the most absorbing topic of the
camp.
Suddenly the shrill voice of a little boy was
heard saying, “ Oh! I see Uledi and Kacheche
coming down the hill, and there are plenty of
men following them! ”
What! what!—-what!” broke out eagerly
from» several voices, and dark forms were seen
springing up from amongst the bleached grass,
and from under the shade, and many eyes were
directed at the whitened hill-slope.
“Yes; it is true! it is true! La il Allah il
Allah! Yes; el hamd ul Illah! Yes, it is food!
food! food at last! Ah, that Uledi! he is a lion,
truly’- We are saved, thank God!”
Before many minutes, Uledi and Kacheche
were seen tearing through the grass, and approaching
us with long springing strides, holding a
letter up to announce to us that they had been
successful. And the gallant fellows, hurrying up,
soon placed it in my hands, and in the hearing
of all who were gathered to hear the news I
translated the following letter:—
“ EMBOMMA, “ 6.30 A.M.
“ ENGLISH FACTORY. “ BOMA, 6tk A ugust 1877.
“ H. M. S t a n l e y , Esq.
“ Dear Sir,
“ Ycmr welcome letter came to hand
yesterday, at 7 P.M. As soon as its contents
were understood, we immediately arranged to
despatch to you such articles as you requested,
as much as our stock on hand would permit,
and other things that we deemed would be suitable
in that locality. You will see that we send
fifty pieces of cloth, each 24 yards long, and
some sacks containing sundries for yourself;
several saeks of rice, sweet potatoes, also a few
bundles of fish, a bundle of tobacco, and one
demijohn of rum. The carriers are all paid, so
that you need not trouble yourself about them.