2o8 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



with the exception of one runaway, who could not be 

 found. George reported that the cattle went badly, 

 and that about thirty of the men showed a disposition 

 to throw down their burdens and bolt. It was a hard 

 day, but I knew the next would be no easier. Here 

 we left one of our camels, and threw away the loads 

 it had carried. George worked untiringly at the loads, 

 lessening some and increasing others. I knew that 

 we should be able to start on the following day, but 

 it remained with the men whether we should get our 

 loads to camp or not. 



That night, Hamidi, the headman of the porters, 

 who had remained behind with George at Hameye, 

 and who seemed somewhat jealous of the prowess of 

 Mohamadi upon the Lorian journey, desiring to prove 

 his efficiency, gave the men a long and almost elo- 

 quent address, in which he urged them not to run 

 away and desert the expedition. At the close of his 

 speech the camp rang with cheers and cries of " Eh 

 wallahs " (Swahili words, indicating hearty assent). But, 

 alas, although I knew that these poor creatures had 

 no premeditated purpose to desert, yet experience had 

 taught me that, if during the heat of the day, while 

 marching, they found their burdens heavy, they would 

 throw them down and run off. 



The following morning we made an early start, and 

 marched briskly for three and one-half hours, when 

 we reached a swamp where camp was made. Hours 

 after I arrived at this spot, the men straggled in by 

 twos and threes. George reported four more run- 

 aways, two of whom were caught. 



The next day's march was again an easy one of 



