v.] MEN STRUGGLING FOR FAVORITE LOADS. 65 



CHAPTER V. 



Our Porter's Vanity. — A Rocky Gorge. — Camping on a Slope. — An Impudent Beg- 

 gar. — Mirambo. — Monster Trees. — Wife -beating. — Its Remedy. — A Blunder and 

 its Consequences. — Fortune-seekers. — Several Caravans join us. — An Elephant- 

 hunter. — A Distressing Sight. — A Terekesa. — A Dry Country. — Death from Ex- 

 haustion. — Water once again. — Strange Doctrine of a "True Believer." — Tembe 

 Huts. — The Wadirigo. — A Warlike Race. — Their Arms. — Harvesting. — Bitter 

 Waters. — The Marenga Mkali. — Sharp-eyed Wagogo. 



On tlie morning of the 30tli of May, several hands were ab- May, 

 sent, and five had deserted. Among the latter was the man i^YS. 

 whom I had refused to surrender to the bumptious Arab who 

 demanded him for debt. 



It was annoying beyond measure to find that, after feeding 

 men in idleness for a month, they bolted the moment they were- 

 required for work, and had received their rations for the road. 



And another trouble was, that, notwithstanding" my having 

 taken the pains to see each man told off to his own particular 

 load, yet they made a rush and struggled for the favorite ones. 

 This was not so much from any desire to shirk a heavy load 

 as to carry one which entitled the bearer to a more dignified 

 position in the caravan, the order being — tents first and fore- 

 most, then wire, cloth, and beads, the miscellaneous gear, such as 

 boxes and cooking utensils, bringing up the rear. By dint of 

 perseverance, we adjusted all our difficulties, and started at ten 

 o'clock. 



Our road wound through a rocky gorge and up the steep side 

 of the mountain, rendered more difficult by numerous torrent 

 beds channeled in the solid granite, and which were worn quite 

 smooth and polished, and made slippery by the draining-down 

 of water. Before some of our donkeys would cross the worst 

 of these, it was necessary to blindfold them. 



Xone of the men appeared fit for work, being out of train- 

 ing, from a long stay in camp ; so, after a short march, we en- 



