I started early next day for Wange, having sent two
askaris on the night before to engage boats to take us across
the Mongoni creek. I arrived at Wange at 9 a.m., two hours
after leaving Shimbwe ; we had passed over a rich and fertile
area, covered in parts with thick Hyphaene palm woods, and
also passed through some extensive rice-fields. The country
much resembles that lying between Wange, M’Kauoni, and
Shimbwe. Crossing the creek took a very long time, as we
had only a couple of very small canoes, and the sea being
THE FORT— MOMBASA.
rough, we could only send a few people and loads at a time.
1 crossed the last, reaching Makumba on the other side at
2 p.m. After twenty minutes’ halt we went on to M’Gini,
over a flat swampy country, through thick belts of Hyphaene
palms and many fan palms and low bush, all growing in
grey loamy soil; then after crossing a shallow sea-creek, and
ascending a low ridge beyond, we travelled across a low flat
grass country with scattered bush. The soil was of a grey
to black loam, with numerous tracks of big game, lion and
buffalo e tc, in it. We reached M’Gini at 4 p.m., and the
moment my tent was pitched I went straight to bed. The
next morning I could not move, it was a clean collapse, so I
had to remain in bed the whole of the day. I sent off half of my
porters with all the askaris under charge of the corporal to
Lamu, with a letter to Rogers announcing my return, and
asking him to send my letters up to Jipe, where I hoped to
camp next day. I passed a miserable night, and on the afternoon
of the following day started for Jipe. I was unable to
hire a donkey to ride, and being too weak to walk, was obliged
to be carried by my porters, but after an hour’s experience of
that mode, I found myself so terribly jolted that I preferred to
' stagger along; so sending all but my faithful Dumgu and my
servant ahead, I eventually managed, with their help, to reach
Jipe. Here I rested another day, and then started on my
last march to Lamu on June 28. Great was my gratitude
and pleasure on reaching Makowe to find that Mr. Rogers had
come to meet me in the steam launch, Dr. Rae of Witu being
also with him. I was soon comfortably established in Rogers’
hospitable house in Lamu, where I was able to recover a little
from the fatigues and hardships of our long tramp of 300
miles in the bush.
I remained at Lamu until July 7> w^en I went on to
Zanzibar in the B.I.S..N. Co.’s steamer Java, after a hearty
good-bye from Rogers, who came to see me off, and whose
cordial kindness and hospitality I shall never forget. The
Java stopping at Mombasa on her way, I was just able to
pay off the balance of my porters, for when I got to Zanzibar
I broke down completely with a bad attack of fever, complicated
with inflammation of the lungs. The doctor wished
to send me to the hospital, buT Captain Wake, second in
command of the Sultan’s troops, not only insisted on taking
me to his house, but actually gave up his own bed for my
use; indeed I have very pleasant recollections of many
kindnesses received from all.
When I left Zanzibar they were already beginning their
preparations for the final attack on Fumo Omari’s stronghold,
which, with the co-operation of the naval contingent furnished
from the men-of-war on the station, was destined to be ¿0