238 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



finally inducements to be held forth to all our 

 visitors to accompany me as porters. 



Everything worked to perfection ; there was as 

 much order and discipline evinced in carrying out 

 my instructions, as is so apparent in a well com- 

 manded regiment when it receives the route. At 

 first the Mantatees made demurral about the distance 

 they were going from home, and the hostility they 

 might encounter on their return journey, but even 

 these scruples were overcome, and the old camp was 

 soon resonant with the voice of energy and good will, 

 for its inhabitants strove to outvie each other in 

 willingness to carry out the white man's will. The 

 Mashoona were partly going my way, but they could 

 not carry two loads, their own ivory and mine ; so I 

 made them a liberal offer for theirs on condition 

 that they delivered it in safety at the termination of 

 my proposed journey. This entailed a new sorting 

 over of the precious animal product, and the rejec- 

 tion of much that I would have been pleased to have, 

 but for superior being now in my possession. What 

 I was unable to transport I buried, marking the 

 place and an adjoining tree with the information 

 what was to be found underneath, in case any white 

 man, should at a future date come this way, in search 

 of tusks ; and moreover it might save the life of 

 many a noble bull elephant. The paint I used to 

 write these signs with was iodine, selected in the 

 belief that it was the least indestructible substance 



