178 THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



that they were not seated half the day in our tents, and 

 the being " told to depart," when their terribly long 

 visits rendered the measure necessary, was a standing 

 grievance. Like the lower races of Orientals, they 

 were ever attempting to intrude, to thrust themselves 

 forwards, to take an ell when an inch was offered ; they 

 considered all but themselves fools, ready to be im- 

 posed upon by the flimsiest lie, by the shallowest artifices. 

 Gratitude they ignored ; with them a favour granted was 

 but an earnest of favours to come, and one refusal obli- 

 terated the trace of a hundred largesses. Their objects 

 in life seemed to be eating, and buying slaves ; their 

 pleasures, drinking and intrigue. Insatiable beggars 

 were they ; noisy, boisterous, foul-mouthed knaves, 

 swearers " with voices like cannons ; " rude and forward 

 in manner, low and abusive in language, so slanderous 

 that for want of other subjects they would calumniate 

 one another, and requiring a periodical check to their 

 presumption. I might have spent the whole of my day 

 in superintending the food of these thirteen " great 

 eaters and little runners.'' Repeatedly warned, both by 

 myself and by my companion, that their insubordination 

 would prevent our recommending them for recompense 

 at the end of the journey, they could not check repeated 

 ebullitions of temper. Before arrival at the coast they 

 seemed to have made up their minds that they had not 

 fulfilled the conditions of reward. After my departure 

 from Zanzibar, however, they persuaded Lieut.-Col. 

 Hamerton's successor to report officially to the Govern- 

 ment of Bombay " the claims of these men, the hard- 

 ships they endured, and the fidelity and perseverance 

 they showed ! " 



At Muh am a I halted three days, a delay which gene- 

 rally occurred before long desert marches for which 



