* 
12 MISSIONARY LIFE IN AS II ANTE E. 
only was this indulgence thus procured, but a gourd was 
filled, and carried by our leader to supply our future 
need. Holding painfully on for another hour, we fell in 
with our yesterday's hero reclining under a tree. Of him 
we resolutely demanded food, and that so persistently, 
that the astonished bystanders threw us some boiled 
maize, which we eagerly devoured, though the gift was 
accompanied with taunts and jeers. Our poor babe, 
too, was once more permitted to drink his milk in 
peace. 
At this juncture, Mr. K. twice sunk on the ground from 
pure exhaustion, and this procured us a brief respite, 
during which we lay and rested, thinking how differently 
our brethren were employed on that calm Sabbath day. 
But the cruel command to rise became every moment 
more imperative, and we were forced to obey, though our 
hearts died within us as we perceived that our path lay 
over a high mountain, and our powers of climbing were 
almost gone. We slackened our pace in prospect of the 
terrible effort, and saw our own property continually 
carried before us by one or other of the endless line of 
followers that accompanied our march. Our guards soon 
became furious at the delay, roughly seizing my wife's 
umbrella, because " it hindered her in running," and other- 
wise maltreating her. I determinately resisted this bar- 
barous handling, and prevailed. 
On reaching the summit of the mountain, panting and 
breathless, we were commanded to halt, for the quick 
ears of our leaders caught the sounds of fighting some 
miles ahead, and distinguished troops in apparent pur- 
suit. Great excitement at once prevailed — shouting, hur- 
rying, and driving ; with leathern whip of elephant hide 
in hand, the commander flew from place to place rally- 
ing his scattered forces. Our precious property was 
thrown into the bush, as the men with shouldered guns 
