142 THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



solent ; they learned their power — without them I must 

 have returned to the coast — and they presumed upon it. 

 They assumed the " swashing and martial outside" of 

 valiant men: they disdained to be " mechanical;" they 

 swore not to carry burdens ; they objected to loading 

 and leading the asses ; they would not bring up articles 

 left behind in the camp or on the road ; they claimed the 

 sole right of buying provisions ; they arrogated to them- 

 selves supreme command over the porters ; and they 

 pilfered from the loads whenever they wanted the 

 luxuries of meat and beer; they drank deep; and on 

 more than one occasion they endangered the caravan 

 by their cavalier proceedings with the fair sex. It was 

 "water-painting" to complain; they had one short 

 reply to all objections, namely, the threat of desertion. 

 Preferring anything to risking the success of the Ex- 

 pedition, I was reduced to the bitter alternative of long- 

 suffering, but it was with the hope of a revanche at 

 some future time. The suffering was perhaps not 

 wholly patient. Orientals advise the traveller "to 

 keep his manliness in his pocket for braving it and 

 ruffling at home." Such, however, is not exactly the 

 principle or the practice of an Englishman, who recog- 

 nises a primary duty of commanding respect for him- 

 self, for his successors, and for the noble name of his 

 nation. On the return of the Expedition, Kidogo 

 proved himself a " serviceable villain," but an extor- 

 tionate ; anything committed to him was, as the Arabs 

 say, in " ape's custody," and the only remedy was to 

 remove him from all power over the outfit. 



Under the great Kidogo were the Muinyi Mboni, 

 Buyuni, Hayja, and Jako ; these four took precedence 

 as being the sons of Diwans, whilst the commonalty was 



