THE SECOND DEPARTURE. 



51 



whomever they pleased ; all objections on my part were 

 overruled by, " we are allowed by our law to do so," 

 and by declaring that they had the permission of the 

 consul. I was fain to content myself with seeing that 

 their slaves were well fed and not injured, and indeed I 

 had little trouble in so doing, as no man was foolish 

 enough to spoil his own property. I never neglected 

 to inform the wild people that Englishmen were pledged 

 to the suppression of slavery, and I invariably refused 

 all slaves offered as return presents. 



The departure from Bomani was effected on the 1st 

 of July with some trouble ; it was like driving a herd of 

 wild cattle. At length, by ejecting skulkers from their 

 huts, by dint of promises and threats, of gentleness and 

 violence, of soft words and hard words, occasionally 

 backed by a smart application of the "Bakur " — -the local 

 " cat " — by sitting in the sun, in fact by incessant worry 

 and fidget from 6 A. m. to 3 p. m., the sluggish and un- 

 wieldy body acquired some momentum. I had issued 

 a few marching orders for the better protection of the 

 baggage : two Baloch were told off for each donkey, one to 

 lead, the other to drive ; in case of attack, those near the 

 head of the file, hearing the signal, three shots, were to 

 leave their animals and to hurry to the front, where my 

 companion marched, whilst the remainder rallied round 

 my flag in the rear: thus there would have been an 

 attacking party and a reserve, between which the asses 

 would have been safe. The only result of these fine 

 manoeuvres was, that after a two-mile tramp through an 

 umbrageous forest in which caravans often lose the way, 

 and then down an easy descent across fertile fields, into 

 a broken valley, whose further side was thick with lux- 

 uriant grass, tall shrubs, and majestic trees, a confused 

 straggling line, — a mere mob of soldiers, slaves, and 



E 2 



