XI 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



515 



throughout the rapid gallop to the seashore. They 

 seized my hands, and kissed them, or stroked my 

 knees, all the while repeating, " Don't forget us, 

 master. Come again, and we will travel with you." 



When at length we reached the dock, and I 

 paused for a moment to bid a silent farewell, I found 

 that George had in his possession a small bag of rupees 

 — a coin useless to me away from the East. I hesitated 

 a moment, thinking to whom to give it. Before my 

 eyes rose the vision of Hussein Mahomet returning 

 alone to my almost deserted camp at Daitcho, having 

 left, at the peril of his life, his deserting companions. 

 The memory of his dumb gratitude at my treatment 

 of him upon that occasion, and of his excellent be- 

 haviour throughout all the times of trial and difficulty 

 which had preceded the desertion of my men, surged 

 in my mind, and I pressed the little gift into his hands. 

 He took it in a lethargic manner; and then realizing 

 that he had been singled out above all the men, burst 

 once more into the fervent Mohammedan prayer, which 

 throughout the journey had been his only means of ex- 

 pressing feeling : " El Hamdililahi bismillahi irrach- 

 man irrachim " (Praise be to God, the All-Righteous, 

 the All-Merciful). To these words and to a chorus 

 of cries from the others, wishing me God-speed upon 

 my journey, I set out in a row-boat to join my steamer, 

 which I reached just as she got her anchors up and 

 was almost under way. 



A few days more, and George and I had reached 

 Cairo, where we remained three weeks, regaining our 

 strength and recovering from continued attacks of 

 fever. From there we sailed to Trieste, where I was 



