40 



FROM THE COAST TO KILIMANJARO 



grey fellows contented themselves with simply lying down, but 

 the packages were disarranged all the same ; they must be 

 taken off and repacked. The donkeys were made to get up by 

 vigorous beating, and once more loaded. 



So we worked away unceasingly in the sweat of our brows 

 till ten o'clock ; but as most of the donkeys, after being loaded 

 some two or three times, continued to lie down with their 

 burdens hopelessly shifted, we came to the conclusion that it 

 really was no go, So I decided to give up loading the refrac- 

 tory animals for the present, and to leave their burdens behind 

 with the rest of our goods, under the care of the elders of the 

 town, who had meanwhile appeared on the scene. I sent all 

 the donkeys, including the few who had submitted to be loaded, 

 on with their drivers to join the caravan, and at last I started 

 myself, drawing a deep breath of relief at being really on my 

 way to the wilderness after all the delays. But my joy was of 

 short duration, for very soon I came to two loads lying on the 

 ground, whilst the donkeys they belonged to were grazing calmly 

 in the bush, with their saddles under their bellies. What was I 

 to do ? But Chuma and Baraka, who were the only men I 

 had with me, quickly came to the rescue, laid down their 

 weapons, &c, shouldered the loads, and ran with them to the 

 village. Before the brave fellows were back again, however, I 

 spied my own steed tied to a tree without its saddle, whilst the 

 man who had charge of it was taking a siesta in the shade 

 hard by. ' The donkey ran away and lost the saddle,' the man 

 explained, as if he had nothing whatever to do with it. I 

 told him he could please himself as to what he did, but he 

 had better beware of appearing in camp without that saddle, 

 and later he arrived leading the donkey with its saddle on. 



The way now led through tall yellow grass through which 

 wound a narrow beaten path ; but my troubles were not yet 

 over, and this time the difficulty was with the six big sections 



