IX 



TRAVELS IN EASTER AT AFRICA 



435 



George had reached the Tana on November 2, and, 

 finding the river too much swollen to cross, and 

 being short of food, he decided to send me a message 

 to that effect. He called for volunteers from among 

 the men, to swim the stream and bear me a letter. 

 Mufta and Baraka volunteered for this work. To 

 each was given a small glass bottle, in which was 

 placed a letter. 



The Tana, swollen by the recent rains, surged and 

 roared between its steep and rocky banks ; but, un- 

 deterred by the aspect of the stream, these two 

 plucky fellows plunged in, and battled with the 

 waters. They had swum half-way across, and ap- 

 peared to be getting on nicely, when suddenly Baraka, 

 who was swimming on Mufta's right, gave a loud cry, 

 and sank from sight. He rose to the surface for a 

 moment, screaming with pain, and then disappeared 

 again and finally. He had undoubtedly been seized 

 by a crocodile or a hippopotamus. Poor boy ! He was 

 one of the most faithful, efficient, and hard-working 

 negroes I had ever seen. At the time of his death 

 he was but twenty-three years of age. His first ex- 

 perience in caravan work was on the expedition of 

 Count Teleki and Lieutenant von Hohnel, when he 

 filled the place of donkey-boy. His next venture 

 was upon my former journey, after which he had 

 accompanied Mrs. French Sheldon on her journey to 

 Taveta. I had esteemed myself most fortunate in 

 securing him for this expedition, and up to the time 

 of his death he had well and cheerfully performed his 

 work. I had become attached to him, and his loss 

 filled me with sincere regret. 



