WARNINGS DURING A MARCH. 
305 
tied behind, and a rope round his neck. On seeing 
him each Seedee took a savage delight in slapping his 
face, and then covering his body with a mixture of 
mud, ashes, and water. They also tortured him by 
binding his body tightly with cords ; but during the 
night, though the door-screen was fastened, his com- 
rades came and released him. 
When marching across country, we required aid 
from the inhabitants as porters, but they showed great 
unwillingness, never agreeing until their women or 
cattle were seized. Kidjweega had the king's orders 
to collect a force of forty men as our guard. He had, 
however, much difficulty in procuring even half the 
number, the natives making excuses that the country 
of Kidi was dangerous to pass through. Our route 
was thus rendered circuitous, as we had to zigzag 
from village to village in order to obtain relays of 
porters. Even when the distance to the nearest vil- 
lage was only a mile or two, most of them insisted 
on being relieved, and the more refractory were com- 
pelled to carry loads by our seizing their spears. 
On the line of march they were lively and polite 
enough. When any obstacle occurred on the path, 
such as a sharp rock or hole, they, with their dis- 
engaged hand, would slap their thigh to warn those 
behind them to look out. No remark was made, 
merely this simple signal given. The Seedees had 
a different mode of giving warning : they called 
out " M'wiba," — that is, thorn ; " cimo," hole ; or 
"jiwee," rock. 
To return to the Nile, its scenes and sports. One 
day's journal notes " four hippopotami, two crocodile, 
two dead fish, and numerous small gulls," seen in and 
u 
