466 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



and certainly neither George nor I — would have 

 submitted for a moment to being bound by our 

 people, and led as prisoners to the coast. Such an 

 action had never been attempted in the history of 

 African exploration. It was quite possible, judging 

 from the whole series of Hamidi's actions after his 

 return from Zanzibar, considering the method in 

 which my instructions had been carried out there — 

 the fact that, instead of twenty well-armed men and 

 some donkeys, I had been furnished with a disorderly 

 rabble of eighty unarmed and insubordinate men — 

 that he must have received something stronger than 

 a hint that such was the pleasure of the people in 

 power at the coast. I was unwilling to come to such 

 a conclusion, but reason is cogent. The reader can 

 see that I frankly state the impressions made upon 

 me at the time ; I would gladly erase them not only 

 from my mind, but from this record. Unfortunately 

 this is impossible ; for the events which occurred 

 after my arrival at Zanzibar, and the treatment I 

 there received at the hands of the local authorities, 

 enforced the opinion that, strange though these im- 

 pressions may appear, nevertheless they are very near 

 the truth. 



My one idea was to get to the coast quickly, 

 clear up the whole matter connected with the deser- 

 tion of the men, and relieve the anxiety of my 

 friends at home. Nothing but the return of Hassan 

 and his men from Sayer prevented immediate depart- 

 ure. It was with feelings of anything but pleasure, 

 that I daily regarded my storehouses filled with 

 sufiBcient food for a large caravan for many days, 



