4i8 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



report that the Rendile had visited the Embe was 

 true ; but added that it was a small party consisting 

 entirely of old women and a few old men. They had 

 informed the Embe of our visit to them, when told 

 that Lieutenant von Hohnel was wounded, and had 

 stated that he had received this wound in a battle 

 with the Rendile, and that we had been driven out 

 of their country with wonderful ease by that great 

 tribe. I asked Liria whether he believed the story 

 or not ; and he replied that he did not, but most of 

 the Embe did. It is upon such foundations that 

 rumours are started in Africa ; and, as they gain a 

 wide credence, it is necessary from time to time for 

 a European to take severe measures to repel onslaughts 

 prompted by the confidence inspired by the falsehood. 



I had instructed Hamidi to bring from Zanzibar 

 as great a variety of seeds as he could obtain ; by 

 means of which I hoped to induce the natives to 

 increase the productiveness of their rich country. For 

 some reason or other, the cocoanuts, coffee beans, and 

 many other varieties proved worthless. I succeeded, 

 however, in planting papaw and a large quantity of 

 rice, which is easily cultivated on the banks of the 

 small streams intersecting this entire country. 



The manner in which Hamidi had fulfilled the 

 careful instructions I had given him was sorely disap- 

 pointing. Instead of donkeys and twenty good men, 

 he had brought with him eighty porters, most of 

 whom were physically unfit for the work, and all 

 seemed possessed of the most insubordinate and hos- 

 tile spirit. These men, at least those who were fit, 

 had for the preceding year or two been employed 



