RELEASE OF A SLAVE. 
73 
and cleaning corn, they were not ranch worked. The 
sole object of the owner was to keep them alive, and 
prevent their running away till sold at the coast. Ten 
men and five women had lately deserted, chains and 
all, from Sirboko, so that he did not approve of taking 
off their irons ; " the birds would soon fly if he did." 
They looked generally sullen and full of despair ; but 
might be seen dancing, and even riotous at times, till 
a word from the earless imp of a boy restored order. 
One amongst them was of a cannibal race to the N.W. 
of the Tanganyika. In appearance he did not differ 
from the rest, but he was laughed at for his cannibal 
propensities, which were not entertained by them. 
Another who had been five years in chains was heard 
by Speke to say that " life was a burden to him ; he 
could stand it no longer." "We had observed him to 
be a good fellow, the leader and conductor of his gang, 
and we released him from bondage ; his chains were 
struck off with a hammer while he lay calmly with 
his head on a block. Once on his feet, a freed man, 
he did not seem to believe the fact ; but when attired 
in a clean sheet of calico by Baraka, he strutted about, 
the pet of our Seedees, and came to make us his best 
bow. His life had been hazardous, as proved by the 
spear-wounds in his body; he had been captured by 
the Watuta, who cut off several of his toes, and also 
some of his toe-nails. This man never deserted us 
the whole journey. It was his good fortune to reach 
Cairo, with the character of a faithful servant ; and if 
any of his companions attempted to assault his bene- 
factor Baraka, he would instantly fly to defend him. 
The curiosity of the people was sometimes trying to 
our tempers ; but it was excusable, as they had never 
