A MARCH ALONG THE COAST 



"Jambo!" quoth I, and went on reading. The 

 sun was dropping, but the old man seemed in no 

 hurry. 



"Jambo bwana m'kubtva sana (greeting most 

 mighty master) !" he boomed at last. 



"Jambo!" said I. 



This would seem to strike the superlative, and 

 I expected now that he would state his business, 

 but the old man had one more shot in his locker. 



"Jambo bwana m'kubwa kabeesa sana (greeting 

 mightiest possible master) !" it came. 



Then in due course he delicately hinted that a gift 

 of tobacco would not come amiss. 



F. returned a trifle earlier than usual to admit 

 that his quest was hopeless, that his physical forces 

 were, for the time being, at an end, and that he was 

 willing to go out. 



Accordingly very early next morning we set out 

 by the glimmer of a lantern, hoping to get a good 

 start on our journey before the heat of the day 

 became too severe. We did gain something, but 

 performed several unnecessary loops and semicircles 

 in the maze of beaten paths before we finally struck 

 into one that led down the slope toward the sea. 

 Shortly after the dawn came up "like thunder" in 

 its swiftness, followed almost immediately by the 

 sun. 



99 



