M. MAIZAN. 



75 



their plans. He lowered himself in the eyes of the 

 Arabs by " making brotherhood " with a native of Uny- 

 amwezi. Finally, fearing Arab apathy and dilatoriness, 

 he hastened into the country without waiting for the 

 strong armed escort promised to him by His Highness 

 the late Say y id Said. 



These were grave errors; but they were nothing in com- 

 parison with that of trusting himself unarmed, after the 

 fatal habit of Europeans, and without followers, into the 

 hands of an African chief. How often has British India 

 had to deplore deaths " that would have dimmed a vic- 

 tory," caused by recklessness of danger or by the false 

 shame which prevents men in high position from wear- 

 ing weapons where they may be at any moment 

 required, lest the safe mediocrities around them should 

 deride such excess of cautiousness ! 



After the rains of 1845 M. Maizan landed at Baga- 

 moyo, a little settlement opposite the island of Zanzibar. 

 There leaving the forty musketeers, his private guard, 

 he pressed on, contrary to the advice of his Mnyamwezi 

 brother, escorted only by Frederique, a Madagascar or 

 Comoro man, and by a few followers, to visit P'hazi Ma- 

 zungera, the chief of the Wakamba, a subtribe of the 

 Wazaramo, at his village of Dege la Mhora. He was. 

 received with a treacherous cordiality, of which he ap- 

 pears to have been completely the dupe. After some 

 days of the most friendly intercourse, during which the 

 villain's plans were being matured, Mazungera, sud- 

 denly sending for his guest, reproached him as he en- 

 tered the hut with giving away goods to other chiefs. 

 Presently working himself into a rage, the African ex- 

 claimed, " Thou shalt die at this moment!" At the 

 signal a crowd of savages rushed in, bearing two long 

 poles. Frederique was saved by the P'hazi's wife : he 



