116 
PLOT TO OBSTRUCT MY ADVANCE. [chap. iii. 
and persuaded them that I was a Christian dog, that it 
was a disgrace for a Mahommedan to serve; that they 
would be starved in my service, as I would not allow 
them to steal cattle ; that they would have no slaves ; 
and that I should lead them—God knew where—to the 
sea, from whence Speke and Grant had started; that 
they had left Zanzibar with two hundred men, and 
had only arrived at Gondokoro with eighteen, thus the 
remainder must have been killed by the natives on the 
road ; that if they followed me, and arrived at Zanzibar, 
I should find a ship waiting to take me to England, 
and I should leave them to die in a strange country. 
Such were the reports circulated to prevent my men 
from accompanying me, and it was agreed that Ma- 
hommed should fix a day for our pretended start in 
company , but that he would in reality start a few days 
before the time appointed ; and that my men should 
mutiny, and join his party in cattle-stealing and slave¬ 
hunting. This was the substance of the plot thus 
carefully concocted. 
My men evinced a sullen demeanour, neglected all 
orders, and I plainly perceived a settled discontent 
upon their general expression. The donkeys and camels 
were allowed to stray, and were daily missing, and 
recovered with difficulty; the luggage was overrun 
with white ants instead of being attended to every 
