SERIOUS LOSS OF 31 EN, 713 



on the harsh fate they had drawn on themselves by their greed, treachery, 

 and wanton murderous attack on peaceful strangers. 



" We were still a formidable force, strong in numbers, guns, and pro- 

 perty, though, for an Expedition destined to explore so many thousand miles 

 of new countries, we had suffered severely. I had started from the coast with 

 over three hundred men ; but when I reviewed the Expedition at Mgongo 

 Tembo, in Iramba, which we reached three days after departing from the 

 scene of our conflict, I found that I had but one hundred and ninety-four 

 men left. In less than three months, I had already lost by dysentery, famine, 

 heart disease, desertion, and war, over one hundred and twenty men, natives 

 of Africa, and one European. I have not now the time — for my work is but 

 beginning — to relate a tithe of our adventures, or how we suffered. You can 

 better imagine our perils, our novel and strange fortunes, if you reflect on the 

 loss of one hundred and twenty men out of a force so limited. Such a reduc- 

 tion even in a strong regiment would be deemed almost a catastrophe. What 

 name will you give it when you cannot recruit your numbers, when every 

 man that dies is a loss that cannot be repaired ; when your work, which is to 

 last years, is but commencing — when each morning you say to yourself, 'This 

 day may be your last ?' 



" On entering Iramba we came upon a land where, to all strangers that 

 appeared, the natives called out ' Mirambo and his robbers are coming.' But 

 a vast amount of patience and suave language saved us from the doom that 

 everywhere threatens this now famous chieftain. Despite, however, the count- 

 less medicines and magic arts that have been made and practised against him, 

 Mirambo yet lives. He seems to make war on all mankind in this portion of 

 the African interior, and appears to be possessed of ubiquitous powers. We 

 heard of him advancing upon the natives in Northern Ugogo ; Ukimbu was 

 terror-stricken at his name ; tho people of Unyanyembe were still fighting 

 him, and here, in Iramba, he had been met and fought, and was again daily 

 expected. As we journeyed on through Iramba and entered Usukuma his 

 fame increased, for we were now drawing near some of the scenes of his wild- 

 est exploits. When we approached the Victoria Nyanza he was actually 

 fighting but a day's march from us with the people of Usanda and Masari, 

 and a score of times we came near being plunged into conflicts, because the 

 natives mistook our Expedition for Mirambo's force. Our colour, however, 

 saved us, before we became actually engaged in the struggle. 



"Various were our fortunes in our travels between Mgongo Tembo, in 

 Iramba, and the Nyanza. We traversed the whole length of Usukuma, through 

 the districts of Mombiti, Usiha, Mondo, Scngerema, and Marya, and, passing 

 through Usmaow, re-entered Usukuma by Uchambi, and arrived at the lake 

 after a march of seven hundred and twenty miles. As far as Western Ugogo 

 I may pass over the country without any attempt at description, since the 

 Q3 



