ENLISTMENT OF ESCORT AND SERVANTS. G25 



« < Very well, then, finish these foolish words of yours, and go and get 

 me three hundred good men like yourselves, and when we get away from 

 Bagamoyo I will show you whether I have forgotten how to travel.' 



" ' Ay, Wallah, my master ;' and ' they forthwith arose, and did as they 

 were commanded.' 



"The result of our polite 'talk' or 'palaver' was witnessed shortly, 

 when the doors and gates of the Bertram Agency and former Consulate were 

 thronged by volunteers, who were of all shades of blackness, and who hailed 

 from almost every African town known. Wahiyon, Wabera, Wagnido, Wan- 

 yanmezi, Wagogo, Wasegubba, Wasagara, Wabehe, Somali, Wagalla, Wan- 

 yassa, Wadirigo, and a score of other tribes, had their representatives, while 

 each day added to the number, until I had barely time to do anything more 

 than strive with calmness and well practised patience, to elicit from them 

 information as to who they were, what they had been doing, and whom they 

 had served. The brave fellows who had accompanied Livingstone on his last 

 journey, or myself, of course had the preference, because they knew me, and 

 fewer words were wanted to strike a bargain with them. Forty-seven of those 

 who marched with Livingstone on his last journey answered to their names, 

 along with two hundred strangers, on whose fidelity I was willing to risk my 

 reputation as a traveller, and nearly £1,000 sterling in advanced wages. 

 These were finally enlisted and sworn as escort and servants. Many of them 

 will naturally prove recreants and malcontents, braggarts, cowards, and run- 

 aways ; but it cannot be helped — I have done all that I am able to do in 

 providing against desertion and treachery. Where there is such a large 

 number of wild people it would be absurd to hope that they will all be faith- 

 ful and loyal to the trust and confidence reposed in them, or that a large 

 expedition can be conducted thousands of miles without great loss. After 

 the men, the armed escort, and the porters, had been secured, I devoted my- 

 self to examine the barter goods which were necessary in order to procure 

 sustenance in the far interior. I discovered, contrary to my expectations (for 

 it had been stated that these goods had risen in price since my departure 

 from Zanzibar), that the barter goods were one per cent., and in some in- 

 stances two per cent, cheaper than the rate at which they were purchasable 

 formerly. Bales of American sheeting, that cost me 93dol. 75c. in 1871, I 

 was now enabled to buy for 87dol. 50c. per bale ; while the sami-sami beads, 

 that were formerly worth 13dol. the frasilah, could now be got for 9dol. 75c. 

 This was very much in my favour; and after long consultation with the lately 

 returned leaders of caravans upon the present prevailing fashion of beads and 

 cloth among the distant tribes, I ordered the necessary stock of both, which, 

 when piled up in portable bales and sacks, present quite an imposing and 

 indeed somewhat formidable mass. If, however, cloth and beads, and wire, 

 are cheaper than they were two years ago, the hire of pciffazis, or porters, is 

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