CHAP. X TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



449 



return to our camp here in a day or two." Then 

 excited cries arose, and I saw the men through fear 

 were working themselves into a frenzy. My one idea 

 was to keep them talking, until I could formulate 

 some plan of action by which to circumvent their 

 attempt at desertion. I then said, " Do you realize 

 what you are about to do ? — you are deserting the 

 European in the desert. You will not only get no 

 pay, but will receive the punishment meted to all 

 deserters upon arriving at the coast. Do not be 

 foolish ; return to camp. If you have any complaints 

 to make, return to camp, and make them." 



These words were received by the men with ever- 

 increasing shouts. The longer I stood there, the 

 greater seemed their courage, and the less my chances 

 of retaining them. I turned to George, and whispered 

 a few words to him. The men seemed to guess what 

 I was doing, and shouted one to another, "Twende- 

 zetu " (Let us go). Occasionally, in their excitement, 

 a gun was discharged, and the flash illumined for an 

 instant the faces of the men in its vicinity. I could 

 see that many of them, poor stupid creatures, had 

 their guns pointed towards me in a trembling and 

 half-hearted manner. 



While I was talking with the men, two of my 

 Somali and three Soudanese rushed up, and lined 

 themselves behind me ; they were in a high state of 

 excitement, and appeared willing to assist me in every 

 way. Had they held their peace, it is likely I should 

 have succeeded in bringing back the would-be deserters 

 to camp ; but these faithful creatures, perhaps in order 

 to overawe the deserters, slapped their guns with their 



2 G 



