IX 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



433 



course. I had but a few rifles, and I could not trust 

 these in the hands of men who would desert ; for 

 when once the rifles were gone, we should have been 

 helpless in the presence of a horde of savages. 



By this time the men who had left the coast with 

 me had become accustomed to hard travelling, were 

 good shots, and at all events were not likely to 

 desert, as each had a goodly sum of money to his 

 credit. Should the seventy-five donkeys purchased 

 by George at Ukambani arrive in safety, we should 

 be able to carry sufiicient food to last the caravan 

 for many days. The greater the number of men one 

 has in a caravan, the more difficult to provide food. 

 Bearing this in mind, I decided to put a plain ques- 

 tion to the new-comers ; namely, whether their wish 

 was to remain with me, or to return to the coast. 

 I felt all the more willing to do this, as I had not 

 instructed Hamidi to get so many men; but, on the 

 contrary, had limited the number to twenty. Acting 

 upon this idea, I called all the new-comers together, 

 and in a few words told them I was dissatisfied with 

 their behaviour, and wished to know whether or not 

 they cared to remain with me ; that if there were 

 any of them who really cared for work, and would 

 promise on the Koran not to desert, I would engage 

 them. They one and all said they wished to return 

 to the coast. I gave them half an hour to pack 

 their clothes or change their minds. They still wished 

 to go, although I assured them I should give them no 

 rifles or food for their journey. " Pwani ! " (Coast!) 

 they shouted ; and off they went. At their departure 

 I experienced a feeling of great relief; for as long as 



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