Weaver, who was up at the stockade; he had been suffering
for some time from dysentery and severe attacks of fever; I
had repeatedly written to him urging him to return to the coast,
but he always wrote back that he would not budge until the
last load had been delivered at the stockade. However, he
got so bad, that when the last' loads from Makongeni arrived
at my camp he, to my great relief, at last consented to leave
for Melindi. Poor fellow, he looked-so dreadfully worn-and
ill when he arrived that I really feared he would never reach
Melindi alive; he had had a trying time at the stockade, and
had been badly bitten by Some horrid species of horse-fly,
which infests the Sabaki, and which, whilst inflicting a painful
sting, a t the same time deposits an egg in the flesh! This
eventually turns into a maggot and causes a painful sore.
Weaver’s dog Fan was attacked to such an extent by these
flies that' it had to be shot.
I felt very much being compelled to send him off alone in
such a state, but I could not desert my post until relieved;
however, I tried to do all I could for him, and as he was too
weak to walk, I rigged up a sort of hammock out of empty
rice-bags and then bade him good-bye. He had a very good
servant, who promised me faithfully to do his best for him.
I am glad to say he got down safely, though he had a terrible
journey, being nearly drowned on the way when carried
through the flooded country. He rather alarmed the officers
of the Survey caravan, who, as they told me afterwards
wondered in what state they would find me !
On January 7, 1892, two days after Weaver had left me, I
started off again for No. 2 Stockade with the last loads
where, having made an inventory of all the stores; I handed
the charge of them over to Aziz and his askaris until the
arrival of the Survey party. They arrived next day under
the command of Captain (now Major) Macdonald, accompanied
by Lieutenant Twining, both of the Royal Engineers’
together with a caravan of stores for Kibwezi under a leader
named Ayubu.
I f this ever happens to meet Captain- Macdonald’s eye,
I- hope he will again accept my cordial thanks for the
champagne which he produced at dinner from his limited