GLIMPSES OF EAST AFRICA AND ZANZIBAR 



of a head porter, who knew the way — the only one, 

 by-the-bye, with any attempt at being clothed — said 

 we must halt, as from there onwards across the 

 plain we should find no more wood. My husband 

 was very angry, as he did not want to waste a day 

 there, for we had left the game behind us ; so we 

 sent the boy back to tell the others to follow, bring- 

 ing enough wood along too, so that we could camp 

 half-way across the plain. Meanwhile, we waited 

 by a stream for him to return. After we had 

 started again, and gone on an hour or two, we 

 waited for the porters, and when they came up 

 found they had brought no wood with them. Then 

 there was a scene ; my husband boxed the head 

 porter's ears, and I can see the picture of him now, 

 standing over the crouching, frightened native, 

 longing to beat him, but restraining himself, while 

 the other porters sat down by their loads. The 

 wretch had disobeyed us on purpose, thinking per- 

 haps we should take a day off from marching on- 

 wards. There remained nothing to be done but to 

 march steadily on, and cross the entire plain. The 

 head porter, instead of carr3dng my rifle, was made 

 to take a load — a great indignity — and I had another 

 boy with me. 



We went on for another two hours, till we came 

 to water, when we halted and had some lunch ; then 

 on and on again till we came to the edge of the es- 

 carpment, only a long way from that part of it where 



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