156 ACROSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



January, eland wliicli Asmaiii had shot ; and the next day they refused 

 1874. to move before the meat was brought in and divided, for which 

 purpose a halt became necessary. To add to the annoyance of 

 this delay, the road was lost on setting out, and my leg had 

 meanwhile become so troublesome that I was unable to take the 

 lead of the caravan and steer by compass. 



For three days we wandered round and round, going along 

 a track perhaps for half an hour, only to find it end abruptly, 

 while the scouts sent forward to discover the right road declared 

 that impassable swamps and "muds" lay in the direction I 

 wanted to travel. 



During all this time we were toiling through jungle, and 

 passed several streams, two of which were so deep that it was 

 necessary to use the india-rubber boat and to haul some of the 

 donkeys over, until one, bolder than his fellows, jumped in and 

 swam across, and was followed by the rest. 



Soon after we camped on the evening of the third day, I was 

 startled by the report of iire-arms in all directions. Hobbling 

 out of my tent, I met a man with his hair standing as straight 

 on end as its woolly nature would allow, and with fright depict- 

 ed on every feature, crying out, " Master ! master ! Euga-ruga ! 

 Shika bunduki " (Master, master ! Kobbers ! Get your gun). 

 Only about twenty of my men could I find, their first impulse 

 having been, as usual, to look to their own safety by taking to 

 their heels ; and where the enemy was, none could tell me. At 

 last I ascertained that one of my followers, on meeting an old 

 native in the jungle, had fired his gun as a signal that we were 

 near a village. The other men being thoroughly intimidated 

 by the stories of Mirambo, Euga-ruga, and escaped slaves, had 

 immediately imagined that we were attacked. Hence the 

 fright and general stampede. 



Upon the native being brought to me, I learned from him 

 that the village of Man Komo, chief of part of Kawendi, could 

 easily be reached the following day. He further volunteered 

 to conduct some of my men there at once, in order that they 

 might return the next morning and show us the road. 



This old man had been engaged in cutting bark to make 

 clothing for himself and his wife ; and, judging from appear- 

 ances, he had not undertaken the task before it was needed. 1 



