76 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



against the sky. It was the high priest, and presently he 

 lifted up his voice and chanted in deep musical tones a verse 

 of the Koran. As the glorious sentences rolled out upon the 

 night, I fell to dreaming under their spell and a feehng of 

 peace came over me. Once more I was borne up by faith and 

 hope, and soon I fell asleep. In the early morning charity 

 in the shape of a girl, came to me bringing fresh milk and 

 eggs. I was glad to see her. It was Fatuma, the slave 

 whom my brother had freed from the Kerri-Kerri, and I had 

 eventually restored to her parents in Kukawa some months 

 previous to the time of which I write. 



Towards twelve o'clock when the market was in full 

 swing I went down and bought, with my last remaining 

 dollars, a bullock to carry my grain down to Kaddai. It 

 was an expensive animal, for the owner, knowing my diffi- 

 culties, demanded pretty well as much as he liked for it. 

 Early the next morning I shook the dust of Kukawa, the 

 inhospitable, off my feet, I who was now turned bullock-driver, 

 followed by Lowi carrying my kit. After a dusty, thirsty 

 march of twenty-one miles I arrived at Kaddai. When still 

 at a distance, I was* pleased to see my " boys " coming out 

 to welcome me. For some days past they had been on half- 

 rations, so their faces brightened when they beheld the 

 ox with the stout bag of corn. 



Although I had not accomplished my object, having failed 

 to enlist carriers for the boats, I did not feel that my journey 

 had been taken altogether in vain, for had I not got two weeks' 

 supply of food for my 'boys," and an ox which, if it could 

 not carry a boat-section, would do the work of three men 

 when it came to the boxes ? But alas ! my calculations were 



