114 ARRANGEMENT WITH MAEOMMEE. [chap. iii. 
I now weighed all my baggage, and found that I had 
fifty-four cantars (100 lbs. each). The beads, copper, and 
ammunition were the terrible onus. I therefore applied 
to Mahommed, the vakeel of Andrea Debono, who had 
escorted Speke and Grant, and I begged his co-operation 
in the expedition. These people had brought down a 
large quantity of ivory from the interior, and had 
therefore a number of porters who would return empty- 
handed ; I accordingly arranged with Mahommed for 
fifty porters, who would much relieve the backs of 
my animals from Gondokoro to the station at Faloro, 
about twelve days’ march. At Faloro I intended to 
leave my heavy baggage in depot, and to proceed 
direct to Kamrasi’s country. I promised Mahommed 
that I would use my influence in all new countries that 
I might discover, to open a road for his ivory trade, 
provided that he would agree to conduct it by legiti¬ 
mate purchase, and I gave him a list of the quality of 
beads most desirable for Kamrasi’s country, according 
to the description I had received from Speke. 
Mahommed promised to accompany me, not only to 
his camp at Faloro, but throughout the whole of my 
expedition, provided that I would assist him in pro¬ 
curing ivory, and that I would give him a handsome 
present. All was agreed upon, and my own men 
appeared in high spirits at the prospect of joining so 
