Chap. VII. FIDELITY OF MY COMMI MEN. 127 



the difficulty I was in, and increased their demands 

 accordingly. The cunning of these people is not to 

 be matched by that of the wiliest diplomatist of our 

 race. When settling the price of their services, all 

 the older men took my part in the haggling match, 

 beating down the demands of the younger ones ; of 

 course, looking forward to the natural reward of 

 their partizanship in higher pay for themselves. 

 This v/as a deep-laid manoeuvre to get higher wages 

 for the whole, and was planned secretly by the 

 entire party beforehand ; for, when all were paid, 

 the young men returned and refused point blank to 

 go with me unless I paid them at the same rate as the 

 older ones, who, said they, have no loads to carry. 



My plan now was to get all my own men away 

 from the small-pox by sending them on first with 

 part of the goods to the tan do country, under the 

 guidance of Arangui, myself intending to follow 

 with the rest of the baggage on Arangui's return. 

 To this arrangement my faithful lads would not 

 agree at all. They conferred together, and then told 

 me they would not leave me here alone. " Who," 

 said they, " in the midst of this fearful sickness, is to 

 cook for you, and wash your clothes ? These Ashira 

 may poison you, by putting the gall of a leopard into 

 your food. Some of us must remain with you, come 

 what may ! " I was obliged to accede to their wishes, 

 and chose five of them to remain with me, Macondai, 

 Ngoma, Igala (Quengueza's slave), Igalo, and Re- 

 tonda. The rest, Igala, Rebouka, Mouitchi, Rape- 

 lina, Rogueri, together with the porters, who com- 

 prised all the disposable men of Olenda's clan, 



