188 
THE KILIMA NJARO EXPEDITION 
rather baffled Mabruki, but Athmani took another tone. 
“ What does it matter if you do take away all his goods 
—he has broken faith with you, he has concealed from 
you many of his possessions.” “ Well, but if he fights for 
them and is killed, what will the Baloza say then, when 
he sends to ask for his news ? ” tc Why, you will just 
answer that he has gone away to the Masai country 
and you know no more of him. Who can contradict 
you ? ” “ And the Arusa-rusa (fireworks) P ” “ All 
harmless, children’s playthings.” 
Poor Mandara was racked with indecision. On the 
one liana the Swahili courtiers had been poisoning his 
mind for days past by representing that my views as 
to slavery and my displays of fireworks and other potent 
magic had powerfully impressed the minds of the com¬ 
mon people and had seriously impaired Mandara’s 
authority; on the other hand, a remnant of the friendly 
feeling I had once inspired still lingered in his mind. 
He coveted my goods with all the intensity of his 
savage desires—think what the possession of an elephant- 
gun would do to raise his prestige in the eyes of the 
neighbouring chiefs !—and the European bed, so smart 
and clean—and the silver forks and spoons—but no ! 
I was his guest, I was the sacred “ mgeni,” the stranger- 
friend from whom nothing must be taken by force, or 
God would be enraged. Still, why did I keep so many 
guns and so much ammunition ? Was it for peaceful 
ends, or w r as the plea of sport a hollow pretext ? Was 
this white man black at heart after all ? Did he really 
intend to send for soldiers to Zanzibar that he might 
seize the land and be master of it. Clearly it were 
better to get rid of him quietly while he was weak and 
without supporters. No wrong should be done, but 
the white man must go. 
