36 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



one should venture into the interior with what appeared 

 to him to be vast wealth. He had, before this time, 

 questioned me as to the contents of my boxes ; and, 

 despite the fact that I assured him they contained either 

 food or supplies, he exchanged sly glances with his staff, 

 and doubtless was fully convinced that they contained 

 gold and precious stones. Having bade him farewell, I 

 ordered the tomtom to sound again ; and with one long 

 resounding cheer my men seized their loads, and the 

 expedition was under way. 



The order of marching was as follows : I in the lead 

 with six Soudanese ; then the second headman, Mo- 

 hamadi, and the long single line of porters — some sing- 

 ing cheerily, others stolidly silent, while yet others, even 

 at the start, groaning and shrinking beneath their bur- 

 dens. Lieutenant von Hohnel and George brought 

 up the rear with six Soudanese, while immediately in 

 front of them were placed the camels, donkeys, sheep, 

 and goats. All the animals gave much trouble the first 

 day, and necessitated many delays. Lieutenant von 

 Hohnel had a bad foot and slight dysentery, and so 

 he rode one of the horses. 



The camels were wonderful animals, fourteen of them 

 carrying fifty loads and doing it well ; and thirty of the 

 donkeys were carefully loaded, each with two full loads. 



We reached our camping-place at i p.m., and gradu- 

 ally, by threes and fours, the men straggled in ; for it is 

 not until several weeks have elapsed, and the men ha^^e 

 become hardened to their labour, that anything resem- 

 bling order can be maintained in a caravan composed of 

 porters. Just before reaching camp we forded a small 

 stream, which the camels had much difficulty in doing. 



