V 



TRAVELS IJV EASTERN AFRICA 



199 



there was a strong camp, always inhabited by a band 

 of warriors, which was used as an outpost to prevent 

 attacks from the plains ; and that we doubtless should 

 receive some opposition at that point, as it lay directly 

 in our path. 



Our route lay between banana plantations, and 

 along a narrow road overhung with the branches of 

 trees. Fifty determined boys could have cut our 

 caravan to pieces at that point without difificulty, for 

 there was no room to use our rifles, and the number 

 of beasts we had rendered our formation anything 

 but regular. We were almost persuaded to leave 

 behind us the profits of our victory over the Wam- 

 sara ; but we realized that the effect of such action 

 would have been entirely to obliterate the good ac- 

 complished by our victory. It would have had the 

 rrioral effect of a victory for them, and the next Euro- 

 pean who visited the Jombeni range would meet with 

 a warm reception. 



At intervals along our route we came to an open 

 bit of pasture land, where the caravan was halted and 

 brought up into as regular formation as was possible 

 under the circumstances. The experience gained by 

 my porters in the few days immediately preceding, 

 added to the wholesome fear they had of the natives, 

 made them march up briskly and keep well together. 



We had marched for two hours, and I began to 

 think that the boma of which Motio had spoken 

 was a myth, when I saw a large number of older 

 men and boys gathered in front of us. I told Motio 

 to wish them a hearty farewell, to tell them that we 

 should return very soon to their country, and also that 



