work to arrange the chains, these foolish creatures
thought their time had come. They must have ■ run
like stags, for I was never able to catch sight of
them. Mahomet el Hussein said that after walking
about eight miles his common sense returned, and he
decided to come back to me. He told his friends,
and they threatened to shoot him. He said, “ All
right; if I die,, it will be in a good cause.” He then
L a r g e B a o b a b T r e e
placed his back to a tree, and brought his rifle to
his shoulder. This determined stand on his part
made his companions change their minds; for after
cursing him they went away.
Just fancy the idiocy of these people; they form
the wildest conclusions upon imaginary hypotheses,
and then act at once without hesitating long enough
to ascertain the facts! This is one of the greatest
difficulties in dealing with negroes.
I called the Zanzibari traders to me, and had a
long talk with them about leaving my goods in their
charge, while I returned to the coast, and formed a
fresh expedition. They seemed unwilling to do this ;
so we came to no agreement. We now had in the
zeriba sixteen men in all, including George and me
— a truly noble force! However, our camp was
strong; and although the natives might possibly attempt
to take advantage of our small numbers, I felt
strong enough for defence; so I decided to wait at
least until after Christmas before taking any action.
The Beloochi had promised that, as soon as they
reached the place where George had left the donkeys,
they would send back word as to the way
matters there stood, and as to what the deserters
had done.
A t this time our position was not one to fill me
with good cheer. We were fairly safe where we were,
but the expedition was utterly broken up, and there
remained no thought, but how to get back to the
coast; for I felt confident that the men upon their
arrival there would spread tales which would reach
Europe and frighten my people. I had six men at
the food station at Sayer; but though I felt convinced
they would have joined the mutineers, had
they been present, still they had not, and consequently
I could not leave them behind.
Hussein Mahomet was surprised that I neither shot
him nor put him in chains for having deserted.
One day he came to me without solicitation, and told
me that Birindgi and Moussa had for the preceding
month been very thick with the porters; and as they