382 THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



and too well aware of what was going on to be a 

 pleasant companion to its new tenant. At last, on 

 the 15th March, when concluding my accounts with 

 Ladha Damha, the collector of customs at Zanzibar, 

 that official requested me, with the usual mystery, to 

 be the bearer of despatches, privately addressed by his 

 prince, to the home government. I could easily 

 guess what they contained. Unwilling, however, to 

 undertake such a duty when living at the consulate, 

 and seeing how totally opposed to official convenance 

 such a procedure was, I frankly stated my objections 

 to Ladha Damha, and repeated the conversation to 

 Captain Rigby. As may be imagined, this little event 

 did not diminish his desire to see me depart. 



Still I was unwilling to leave the field of my labours 

 while so much remained to be done. As my health 

 appeared gradually to return under the influence of 

 repose and comparative comfort, I would willingly 

 have delayed at the island till the answer to an ap- 

 plication for leave of absence, and to a request for 

 additional funds could be received from the Govern- 

 ment of Bombay and the Royal Geographical Society. 

 But the evident anxiety of my host to disembarrass 

 himself of his guest, and the nervous impatience of my 

 companion — who could not endure the thought of 

 losing an hour — compelled me, sorely against my wish, 

 to abandon my intentions. 



Said bin Salim, the Ras Kafilah, called twice or thrice 

 at the consulate. I refused, however, to see him, and 

 explained the reason to Captain Rigby. That gentle- 

 man agreed with me at the time that the Arab had 

 been more than sufficiently rewarded by the sum 

 advanced to him by Lieut.-Colonel Hamerton : but — 

 perhaps he remembers the cognomen by which he was 

 known in days of yore amongst his juvenile confreres 



