1866.] TERRIBLE SIGHTS ON THE SLAVE PATH. 65 



after I had paid for the first. I sent a request to the chief 

 not to make much of a grievance about it, as I was very much 

 ashamed at my men stealing ; he replied that he had liked 

 me from the first, and I was not to fear, as whatever service 

 he could do he would most willingly in order to save me 

 pain and trouble. A sepoy now came up having given his 

 musket to a man to carry, who therefore demanded payment. 

 As it had become a regular nuisance for the sepoys to employ 

 people to carry for them, telling them that I would pay, I 

 demanded why he had promised in my name. " Oh, it was 

 but a little way he carried the musket," said he. Chimseia 

 warned us next morning, 30th June, against allowing any one 

 to straggle or steal in front, for stabbing and plundering 

 were the rule. The same sepoy who had employed a man to 

 carry his musket now came forward, Avith his eyes fixed and 

 shaking all over. This, I was to understand, meant extreme 

 weakness ; but I had accidentally noticed him walking quite 

 smartly before this exhibition, so I ordered him to keep 

 close to the donkey that carried the havildar's luggage, 

 and on no account to remain behind the party. He told 

 the havildar that he would sit down only for a little while ; 

 and, I suppose, fell asleep, for he came up to us in the 

 evening as naked as a robin. 



I saw another person bound to a tree and dead — a sad 

 sight to see, whoever was the perpetrator. So many 

 slave-sticks lie along our path, that I suspect the people 

 here-about make a practice of liberating what slaves 

 they can find abandoned on the march, to sell them 

 again. 



A large quantity of maize is cultivated at Chimsaka's, at 

 whose place we this day arrived. We got a supply, but- 

 being among thieves, we thought it advisable to move on to 

 the next place (Mtarika's). When starting, we found that 

 fork, kettle, pot, and shot-pouch had been taken. The 

 thieves, I observed, kept up a succession of jokes with 



VOL. I. F 



