200 AMONGST THE RESHIAT AND TO LAKE STEFANIE 



practicability of the old route. But liow would it be if, after all 

 our discussions and inquiries about sliort cuts, we had to start 

 without enough dhurra and without having been able to buy 

 any cattle or donkeys ? Could such a thing really be possible 

 when thousands of live stock were passing our camp from early 

 morning till sunset ? None of them, alas ! found their way into 

 our camp, and our men could not imagine why, instead of 

 seizing some for ourselves, we only shook our heads. 



Of course the possibility of a forcible solution of our diffi- 

 culties underlay all our discussions, but we did not mean to 

 resort to it till all other means had failed. The Eeshiat had 

 received us kindly and dealt honourably with us ; we did not 

 want them to repent having done so, or to turn their first 

 coming into contact with civilisation into a curse. 



On the other hand we had to remember that the lives of 

 two hundred faithful and devoted men depended on our 

 decision, and that our first duty was to them. 



The following plan was finally worked out. 



Qualla was to examine the northern end of the lake care- 

 fully, and ascertain whether we could cross the Nianamm with 

 the means at our disposal. If his report was favourable we 

 would go that way in spite of the opposition of the natives, but 

 if the reverse, we would return by the east coast. In the latter 

 case we would get dhurra for thirty days and the necessary 

 cattle and donkeys by peaceable means if we could, but by 

 force, with fair compensation of course, if the natives persisted 

 in declining to let us have them. 



Now at last the stumbling-block of indecision was removed 

 from our path, and we set quietly to work to carry out our 

 plans. On May 7 Qualla and fifty men went off to examine 

 the river, whilst others, under the leadership of some of the 

 Somal, went to the neighbouring settlements to buy dhurra. 

 The natives were too busy moving from the lowlands to pay 



