time than three months from the first day it was
commenced.
3. That the rate of travel should be two
marches to one halt.
4. That if he accompanied me sixty marches
— each march of four hours’ duration— I should
at the end of that distance return with him back
again to Nyangwé, for mutual protection and
support,- unless we met traders from the west
coast, whom I might accompany to the western
sea, provided Í permitted two-thirds of my force
to return with him to Nyangwé.
5. That, exclusive of the 5000 dollars, I
should provision 140 men during their absence
from Mwana Mamba— going and returning.
6. That if, after experience of the countries
and the natives, I found it was impracticable to
continue the journey, and decided upon returning
before the sixty marches were completed,
I should not hold him responsible, but pay him
the sum of 5000 dollars without any deduction.
These terms I thought reasonable— all except
article 4; but though I endeavoured to modify
the article, in order to ensure full liberty to
continue the journey alone if I thought fit,
Tippu-Tib said he would not undertake the
journey alone, from a distance of sixty camps
to Mwana Mamba, even though 50,000 dollars
were promised him, because he was assured he
would never return to enjoy the money. He
rOct. ii, 1876.-1 A LITTLE TIME FOR CONSIDERING. 139
L Tubanda. J
would much prefer continuing with me down to
the sea, for a couple of thousand dollars more,
to returning alone with his 140 men for 50,000
dollars. He agreed, however, after a little remonstrance,
to permit the addition of article 7,
which was to the effect that if he, Tippu-Tib,
abandoned the journey through faintheartedness,
before the full complement of the marches had
b6en completed, he was to forfeit the whole sum
of 5000 dollars, and the return escort.
“There is no hurry about it,” said I. “ You
may change your mind, and I may change mine.
We will both take twenty-four hours to consider
it. To-morrow night the agreement shall be
drawn up ready for our seals, or else you will
be told that I am unable to agree to your
conditions.”
The truth was that I had opened negotiations
without having consulted my people; and as our
conversation had been private, it remained for
me to ascertain the opinion of Frank, before
my next encounter with Tippu-Tib.
At 6 P.M., a couple of saucers, filled with
palm-oil and fixed with cotton-wick, were lit.
It was my after-dinner hour, the time for pipes
and coffee, which Frank was always invited to
share.
When he came in, the coffee-pot was boiling,
and little Mabruki was in waiting to pour out.
The tobacco-pouch, filled with the choicest