450 THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT chap. 



hands, to show they were armed, and assured me of 

 their presence. 



The light was getting stronger every moment, and 

 all the time my eyes were scanning the features of the 

 men, in order to distinguish which of them was acting 

 the part of leader. I finally discovered at the end of 

 the line Mwalim Hamis, a man who had enlisted with 

 me as a porter, but whom I had recently raised to the 

 position of headman. As soon as I caught sight of 

 him, I said, " Come here, Mwalim." In a hesitating 

 manner he advanced toward me, but stopped while 

 yet a few yards distant. I then moved toward him, 

 and said, " What is the meaning of all this } what are 

 you doing?" He shrank back, and stuttered, "Don't 

 come closer, master. Don't come closer. Don't you 

 see I am armed 1 " slapping his rifle with his hand, as 

 he made the remarks. I said, "You stupid ass; don't 

 you see I am unarmed 1 What are you afraid of " 

 It was then that a voice from the rear of the line, 

 which I recognized as belonging to a man who, from 

 the first day after his enlistment with the caravan had 

 proved a source of difficulty, asked, " Why do we stand 

 here talking .f* Let us go." Then a great chorus of 

 shouts arose, and guns were discharged in the air, 

 some of which, perhaps inadvertently, were pointed in 

 our direction. The drum beat, they started, and soon 

 disappeared from sight. 



The suddenness of this desertion almost stunned 

 me ; I was not in the slightest way expecting or pro- 

 vided for it. The men had not evinced the slightest 

 discontent, or in any way shown a disposition to de- 

 sert. I may freely admit that my first thoughts were 



