316 KJMEASrS CHRONOMETER LS DEAD. [chap, x, 
sorely against his will. I therefore offered to give 
him three common double-barrelled guns in exchange 
for the rifle. This he declined, as he was quite aware 
of the difference in quality. He then produced a large 
silver chronometer that he had received from Speke. 
“It was dead” he said, “and he wished me to repair 
it.” This I declared to be impossible. He then con¬ 
fessed to having explained its construction, and the 
cause of the “ ticking,” to his people, by the aid of a 
needle, and that it had never ticked since that occasion. 
I regretted to see such “ pearls cast before swine,” 
as the rifle and chronometer in the hands of Kamrasi. 
Thus he had plundered Speke and Grant of all they 
possessed before he would allow them to proceed. 
It is the rapacity of the chiefs of the various tribes 
that renders African exploration so difficult. Each 
tribe wishes to monopolize your entire stock of valua¬ 
bles, without which the traveller would be utterly 
helpless. The difficulty of procuring porters limits the 
amount of baggage : thus a given supply must carry 
you through a certain period of time ; if your supply 
should fail, the expedition terminates with your power 
of giving. It is thus extremely difficult to arrange 
the expenditure so as to satisfy all parties, and still 
to retain a sufficient balance. Being utterly cut off 
from all communication with the world, there is no 
possibility of receiving assistance. The traveller de¬ 
pends entirely upon himself, under Providence, and 
must adapt himself and his means to circumstances. 
