58 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. II 



night, upon coming to a halt, I called the men of the 

 caravan together, and explained to them that desertions 

 must cease. I asked them if they had any complaints 

 to make, to which they of course, as is customary with 

 the negro, replied, " No ; bwana Ngema " (Master is 

 good). I then said that all the porters who wished to 

 return to the coast had my full permission to do so, 

 provided they took advantage of this permission at 

 once. No one volunteered. I then told them that 

 should any further desertions be attempted, the deserter 

 would do so at the peril of his life. I little thought 

 that this threat, made for the purpose of strengthening 

 their fidelity, would have a serious result. 



On the third day from Tuni, after a brisk march, I 

 reached Lieutenant von Hohnel and the canoes shortly 

 after noon. An hour after I arrived, George and the 

 last of the caravan appeared. George came direct to 

 my tent, bringing the Balook Bashi with him ; and with 

 the aid of the interpreter, Ramazan, I gathered the fol- 

 lowing story. It appeared that one of the porters who 

 attempted to desert on the day of our departure from 

 Tuni had, during this day's march, again made repeated 

 efforts with the same end in view. He had been 

 deprived of his load, and placed in front of the Balook 

 Bashi, who had been told to drive the man along in 

 front of him, and watch him. The man feigned fatigue, 

 and his pace was very slow ; the Balook Bashi endeav- 

 oured to hasten the man's movements, whereupon the 

 porter bolted into the bushes as fast as he could run. 

 The Balook Bashi chased him for some distance, and 

 being unable to catch him, fired a shot, with the hope 

 of frightening the culprit and bringing him to a halt. 



