112 
EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. 
packing up the loads. The sight of these rouses the 
sultan : he, his family, and all the people of the place, 
begin to pester you for presents, and you would give 
worlds to be away from such intolerable bullying. 
Half your number of porters at last being collected to 
receive their pay, a momentary suspense takes place : 
the first man hesitates to accept the hire he had agreed 
for ; each man strives to lay the responsibility upon 
another ; but as soon as one accepts, instantly the rest 
scramble for it. Here are some extracts from my 
Journal previous to the march : — 
" 8th September. — Attempt to push all the engaged 
men ahead with their loads, in charge of Said, but fail, 
and half the day is lost by the native procrastina- 
tion. Said no better than the rest of them. After a 
long day of it, started off 40 loads and three donkeys 
ahead to first march, where they will wait for us. Ten 
paid-up porters not present. One says, 'My wife is 
ill; I return my hire:' another, f My father and 
mother won t allow me to accompany you/ I chastise 
him ; he puts himself under the protection of the sultan, 
and bolts, leaving his hire of calico blackened by one 
day's wear. A third will not go because I refuse him 
the leadership. Last night my men returned from 
searching for porters, saying, ' None will go unless you 
give them four times the usual hire. 7 
" 9 th. — Three of my men have been away all day, 
and have not brought back a man. Wezees had pro- 
mised to come, but I have no faith in what they say ; 
others ask triple hire. Twelve loads sent out by men 
of the advanced camp. 
"10 th. — Cannot see a prospect of marching from 
here. Ordered Manua to Eoongwa for porters ; saw 
