LAST MISSION TO AFRICA. 
37 
had been caught for a debt, and was to be sold for a slave, if 
not ransomed in a few months. There being no water here, 
we did not halt ; but continued our march, two of the 
soldiers being unable to keep up. The main body of the 
coffle still kept going on, and at half past twelve reached 
Bee Creek ; from whence we sent back an ass and two 
Negroes to bring up the two fatigued soldiers. 
We had no sooner unloaded the asses at the Creek, than 
some of Isaaco's people, being in search of honey, unfor- 
tunately disturbed a large swarm of bees near where the 
coffle had halted. The bees came out in immense num- 
bers, and attacked men and beasts at the same time. 
Luckily most of the asses were loose, and gallopped up the 
valley ; but the horses and people were very much stung, 
and obliged to scamper in all directions. The fire which 
had been kindled for cooking being deserted, spread, and 
set fire to the bamboos ; and our baggage had like to have 
been burnt. In fact, for half an hour the bees seemed to 
have completely put an end to our journey. 
In the evening, when the bees became less troublesome, 
and we could venture to collect our cattle, we found that 
many of them were very much stung and swelled about the 
head. Three asses were missing ; one died in the evening, 
and one next morning, and we were forced to leave one at 
Sjbikillin ; in all six : besides which, our guide lo§t his 
