THE START—MOMBASA TO TAITA. 
61 
closely interpreted) was good-tempered, respectful, 
and fairly brave, but could not always be trusted with 
property, as he felt now and then an irresistible 
temptation to appropriate a little of his master’s cloth 
and beads. However, he made a good head-man, for 
if lenient to his own occasional dishonesty he watched 
well that no one else robbed me. The second in com¬ 
mand was Abdallah, another old Congo traveller, and 
a learned Arab scribe. Excelling Kiongwe in polite¬ 
ness and suavity of demeanour, he also erred some¬ 
what as regards strict honesty, but was on the wdiole 
a very good fellow. His manners and mode of life 
were quite fastidiously gentlemanly, and his person 
was always, and under every circumstance, clean and 
sprucely apparelled. Without being in the least re¬ 
ligious he had a gusto for prayers, and all his leisure 
moments were employed in the rapid and glib recital 
of the Koran. I once asked him what would be his 
ideal mode of life. “ Kusoma Muungu, sikuzote ”— 
u To be always praying to God,” he replied, with the 
faintest hypocritical tone of self-satisfaction in his 
voice. 
Then in order of precedence came Mabruki and 
Athmani, two natural history collectors, men who, by 
accompanying several preceding African travellers, 
had acquired a rough knowledge of preparing speci¬ 
mens. The further history of these two gentlemen 
will be disclosed as this narrative proceeds. My two 
cooks deserve -a word of mention. Earaji, the elder, 
was a busy old man of the Yao tribe, who had accom¬ 
panied Cameron across Africa and further served a 
three-years’ term on the Congo. He was the strongest 
man in the caravan, and his only fault was a somewhat 
large style of housekeeping, by which himself and his 
