CHAP. IX 77?^ VELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



417 



trading with them ; so, on October 7, accompanied 

 by thirty men, I went on a visit to the Embe. I 

 reached the camp where George had formerly stayed 

 while trading for donkeys, but found it destroyed. 

 However, a few hours' time was sufficient to erect 

 five huts, thickly covered with banana leaves ; which 

 proved a welcome shelter to my few negro followers. 

 At night it seemed intensely cold, although the ther- 

 mometer never registered below 53° Fahrenheit; but, 

 when the great heat of the day is considered, the 

 change can be seen to be quite sufficient to impress 

 itself unpleasantly upon the senses. 



Shortly after my arrival at this point three of my 

 men came to my camp and informed me that Hamidi 

 had arrived from the coast with eighty men. He had 

 brought no letters from the coast, other than those 

 containing the accounts connected with the expedition, 

 and had shamefully loitered upon the road. From 

 Mombasa to Daitcho, with men bearing heavy loads, 

 the distance can be accomplished in six weeks ; Hamidi, 

 however, had taken three months all but two days. 

 Lieutenant von Hohnel sent word that he was getting 

 on nicely, and felt much stronger. 



The next day my old friend Liria came to see 

 me. After an exchange of presents I told him I wished 

 to call an assembly of the old men, as I had something 

 to say to them. He said that at that time they were 

 all busily engaged in their plantation work ; so I was 

 forced to postpone my interview. I had intended to 

 induce them to oet the Wamsara and other tribes 

 inhabiting the southern part of the Jombeni range 

 to make blood brothers with me. He told me the 



