V 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



167 



tions I was willing to wait until the sun reached a 

 certain point (which I indicated — about nine o'clock), 

 to afford the Wamsara ample time in which to bring 

 us food and open trade. Should they not avail them- 

 selves of this opportunity, but one course remained 

 for us — to seize sufificient food to supply the imme- 

 diate needs of our caravan at all hazards. If they 

 wished to attack us, well and good; but let them 

 first get our trading-goods by barter ; then, if they 

 considered themselves sufficiently strong, they could 

 attack us and deprive us of all the food they had 

 sold us. 



The old man listened to my remarks with stolid 

 countenance, and at their conclusion a shadowy smile 

 lit up his features. Motio shook his head and said : 

 " Master, there is no use in waiting any longer ; the 

 Wamsara will attack us in a moment." With these 

 words he waved his hands to the surrounding hills, 

 then black with warriors, and ringing with their savage 

 shouts. 



The eyes of my men were all centred upon me. 

 They seemed to lose sight of the danger in which they 

 were placed, as if their minds were imbued with but 

 one idea — food. They murmured: "In these villages 

 near at hand there is food in plenty ; we must fight 

 soon, but before fighting let us eat." 



Some one has said that Scotchmen fight better when 

 they are hungry ; but my small experience has con- 

 vinced me this is not the case with negroes. 



The numbers of the natives upon the surrounding 

 hills momentarily increased, and I felt the necessity of 

 striking an immediate blow, before the courage of my 



