XXXII.] SEARCHING FOR THE STRAGGLERS. 419 



I saw them lying down on the road, I shonld compel them to November 

 move forward. The other fellow refused, but let Majuto go, 1875. 

 without telling any one about it imtil camp was reached. 



When I heard of his absence it was becoming dark, and heavy 

 rain had set in, rendering it useless to think of sending people 

 to seek for him; but I determined to halt the next day Ctud 

 send out a search-party, if he did not jnit in an appearance by 

 the morning. 



Of all the wretched nights I have j^assed, this was the worst. 

 It rained so heavily that the ground was converted into semi- 

 liquid mud, and my tent seemed to have given up all idea of 

 keeping out tlie wet. I was also very anxious about the un- 

 fortunate Majuto ; for, knowing him to be ill, I much feared 

 that such a night, without food, fire, or shelter, would kill him. 



As soon as day dawned I persuaded some of the Bailunda 

 and the freshest of my men to go in search of the poor fellow, 

 while others went foraffinij; for food. 



My experiences of the night made me resolve that, if- possible, 

 more comfort should be provided for all of us before turning 

 in again, and accordingly built a hut for myself, and saw that 

 the men sheltered themselves pro})erly. The appearance of 

 the sun also gave us an opportunity of drying our limited be- 

 longings, and before long we managed to give the camp a some- 

 what habitable appearance. 



Several swarms of locusts passed during the day, some so 

 thick as to obscure the sun, and my men gladly seized the op- 

 portunity of securing a number of them for food. 



Both parties sent out in the morning returned during the aft- 

 ernoon. The foragers had obtained a small quantity of food, 

 including a fowl, for which two yards of cloth out of the four 

 I possessed had been given ; but those who had been searching 

 for Majuto came in without having seen or heard any thing of 

 him, though they had been back to the place where he quitted 

 the road, and had made inquiries of every native they met. 



It was then four o'clock, and heavy rain had again set in, and 

 no further search could be made that day. But I decided that, 

 if nothing were heard of him meanwhile, I would myself have a 

 thorough hunt the next day with men who had been resting in 

 camp. If that should prove unsuccessful, T intended to make 



