neither inoculated nor vaccinated, the mortality-
had been excessive from this fearful pest.
At Rosako, the second camp from Bagamoyo,
I had foreseen some such event as this, and had
vaccinated, as I had thought, all hands; but it
transpired, on inquiry now, that there were several
who had not responded to the call, through
some silly prejudice against it. Five of those
unvaccinated were dead, and five were ill, as
also was one who had received the vaccine.
When I examined the medicine-chest, I found
the tubes broken and the lymph dried up.
The Arabs were dismayed at the pest and
its dreadful havoc among their families and
slaves. Every house was full of mourning and
woe. There were no more agreeable visits and
social converse; each kept himself in strict seclusion,
fearful of being stricken with it. Khamis
the Baluch was dead, his house was closed, and
his friends were sorrowing. Mohammed bin
Gharib had lost two children; Muini Kheri was
lamenting the deaths of three children. The
mortality was increasing: it was now from fifty
to seventy-five daily among a population of
about three thousand. Bitter were the complain-
ings against the hot season and close atmosphere,
and fervent the prayers for rain!
Frank had been assiduous in his assistance to
our friends. He had elevated himself in their
opinion by his devotion and sympathy, until
sickness had laid its heavy hand on him. The
Wangwana were now his sincere admirers, and
the chiefs were his friends. Formerly, while
ignorant of the language, he and they were,
perhaps of necessity, mutually distant; they now
fraternized warmly.
Our messengers had not returned with our
letters from Unyanyembe, but, to escape the
effects of the epidemic, it was necessary to move
and resume our journey westward. The Wangwana
were therefore ordered to prepare, and my
last letters were written; but, though I hoped
to be ready on the 17th to strike camp, I was
attacked by a serious fever. This delayed me
until the evening of the 25th.
When, on the morning of the 25th August,
the drum and bugle announced that our travels
were to be resumed, I had cause to congratulate
myself that I had foreseen that many desertions
would take place, and that I was prepared in
a measure for it by having discarded many
superfluities. But I was not prepared to hear
that thirty-eight men had deserted. Thirty-eight
out of 170 was a serious reduction of strength.
I was also told by the chiefs of the Expedition,
who were almost beside themselves with fear,
that this wholesale desertion threatened an entire
and complete dissolution of our force, that many
more would desert en route to Kabogo, as the
people were demoralized by the prospect of
THROUGH THE DARK CONTINENT. VOL. I l l , Q