OUT INTO THE ATLANTIC. 
533 
was sure to obtain provisions — for most European mer- 
chants understand either English, French, or Spanish. 
The chiefs and boat’s crew were called to my tent. I 
then told them that I had resolved to despatch four 
messengers to the white men at Embomma, with letters 
asking for food, and wished to know the names of those 
most likely to travel quickly and through anything that 
interposed to prevent them ; for it might be possible 
that so small a number of men might be subjected to 
delays and interruptions, and that the guides might 
loiter on the way, and so protract the journey until 
relief would arrive too late. 
The response was not long coming, for Uledi sprang 
up and said, “ Oh, master, don’t talk more ; I am ready 
now. See, I will only buckle on my belt, and I shall 
start at once, and nothing will stop me. I will follow 
on the track like a leopard.” 
“ And I am one,” said Kacheche. “ Leave us alone, 
master. If there are white men at Embomma, we will 
find them out. We will walk, and walk, and when we 
cannot walk we will crawl.” 
“ Leave off talking, men,” said Muini Pembe, “ and 
allow others to speak, won’t you ? Hear me, my master. 
I am your servant. I will outwalk the two. I will 
carry the letter, and plant it before the eyes of the 
white men.” 
“ I will go too, sir,” said Robert. 
“ Good. It is just as I should wish it ; but, Robert, 
you cannot follow these three men. You will break 
down, my boy.” 
“ Oh, we will carry him if he breaks down,” said 
Uledi. “ Won’t we, Kacheche ? ” 
“ Inshallah !” responded Kacheche decisively. “We 
must have Robert along with us, otherwise the white 
men won’t understand us.” 
Early the next day the two guides appeared, but the 
whole of the morning was wasted in endeavouring to 
induce them to set off. Uledi waxed impatient, and 
buckled on his accoutrements, drawing his belt so tight 
about his waist that it was perfectly painful to watch 
