LIEUT. -COL. HAMERTON'S DEATH. 



67 



he fully trusted in the truth of the report, but his 

 reasons were somewhat too Arabo-African to convince 

 me. He had found three pieces of scarlet broadcloth 

 damaged by rats, — an omen of death ; and the colour 

 pointed out the nationality of the departed. 



The consul's death might have proved fatal to the 

 Expedition, had its departure been delayed for a week. 

 The court of Zanzibar had required the stimulus of a 

 strong official letter from Lieut. -Colonel Hamerton, be- 

 I fore it would consent, as requested by the Foreign 

 Office, " to procure a favourable reception on the coast, 

 and to ensure the protection of the chiefs of the coun- 

 try" for the travellers. The Hindus, headed by Ladha 

 Damha, showed from first to last extreme unwillingness 

 to open up the rich regions of copal and ivory to 

 European eyes : they had been deceived by my silence 

 during the rainy season at Zanzibar into a belief that the 

 coast-fever had cooled my ardour for further adventure ; 

 and their surprise at finding the contrary to be the 

 case was not of a pleasant nature. The home-sick 

 Baloch would have given their ears to return, they 

 would have turned back even when arrived within a 

 few marches from the Lake. Said bin Salim took the 

 first opportunity of suggesting the advisability of his 

 returning to Zanzibar for the purpose of completing 

 carriage. I positively refused him leave ; it was a mere 

 pretext to ascertain whether His Highness the Sayyid 

 Majid had or had not, in consequence of our changed 

 position, altered his views. 



Lieut.-Colonel Hamerton's death, however, was 

 mourned for other than merely selfish considerations. 

 His hospitality and kindness had indeed formed a well- 

 omened contrast with my un auspicious reception at 



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