state, and carried with him testimonials of good conduct
from every one he had served. In temperament he
showed but few negro traits — he appeared to be actually
fond of work, and, until his allotted task was completed,
never allowed himself to rest. He was silent
and attentive; somewhat stern with his fellow-servants
during work time, but when work was over, and he was
stretched at ease among his companions, he was one of
the most garrulous talkers it has been my lot to hear.
He had a round bullet-head, supported on the slightest
possible frame; round, but intelligent, eyes; scarcely any
nose; and lips full, to be ju re, but firmly pressed together.
The other boy, Baraka, was an absolute contrast to
his companion, being strong and sturdily built. His experience
in caravan work was nearly as great as that of
Sururu, but of a very different sort, for Baraka had been
employed in every capacity, from that of donkey-boy to
porter. His disposition was cheerful and even, and resembled
in greater degree that of an American negro
than any other native African I have met. For Lieutenant
von Hohnel I was able to procure one of the servants
whom he had employed on his former journey.
Lieutenant von Hohnel and I sailed from Europe on
the 12th of June, 1892. On August 14 we reached
Lamoo with all of the men and some of the beasts of
burden. There we met George, who had arrived some
days before with the goods from Europe.
Town-life in Africa is not well suited to the native
members of a caravan. Temptations, small to the
civilized European, surround the native- at every turn;
so that it was with all speed that we shipped our men
and goods upon small native dhows, and transported
them to a village called Mkonumbi, twenty-three miles
from Lamoo and its dangerous allurements. Here we
pitched our first camp.
We had already ascertained that it was possible to
buy camels at Kismayu, a little over 100 miles north
of Lamoo. Shortly after our arrival at Mkonumbi,
Lieutenant von Hohnel, attended by four of our Somali,
set out by steamer for Kismayu in order to procure the
camels. During his absence I devoted my time to putting
the camp in order, and arranging everything for
our departure into the interior.
Mkonumbi, till within a few years of our arrival, had
been a portion of the Sultanate of Witu. The Sultanate
of Witu consisted of the territory lying between the
Tana River and the town of Lamoo. Its autonomy
was not recognized by the Sultan of Zanzibar, who had
at many different times sent expeditions thither for its
subjugation; none of which, however, proved successful.
In 1886 the Germans established a protectorate over
this sultanate; and, following upon the protectorate, a
number of Germans settled in the neighbourhood of
Witu as colonists. In 1889, eleven of these settlers
were murdered at the instigation of the Sultan, Fumo
Omari by name.
By treaty, dated 1890, Witu was transferred by the
Germans to the British, who at once sent an expedition
for the punishment of the natives who had murdered the
eleven Europeans. This expedition was crowned with
the usual success of such undertakings. The town of
Witu was totally destroyed, and the Sultan, Fumo
Omari, together with most of his followers, fled to the