A MOVE TO MARANU. 
249 
leader of the caravan, was to have rejoined them by 
midday. Having learnt this, I ordered the fetters of 
the slaves to be struck off, and told them they were 
now free to go whithersoever they willed, but that if 
they feared to fall again into the hands of their captors 
they might wait till the morrow, and accompany my 
caravan to Maranu. This proposal they gladly accepted, 
and when the fact was fully realized that their liberty 
was given back to them and that they would soon be 
restored to their mountain home—for these Caga people 
are like the Swiss of old, passionately attached to their 
native peaks and valleys—they burst into exclama¬ 
tions of delight, calling me “Ndofu ”—elephant—and 
“ Great Chief,” and “ Father,” and, what was less 
agreeable, crawling to my feet after the manner of their 
people and spitting on me continually, to manifest the 
esteem in which I was held. Mabruki and Athmani 
returned to Mandara’s, vowing they would come back 
with a big army to avenge their loss. But I knew it 
was a vain threat, so I left my little town with but a 
small garrison, and started for Kilima-njaro with a 
band of over forty men, some carrying loads and others 
acting as guards, for we were not too sure that 
enemies might not rise up somewhere to contest our 
progress, and I was resolved this time to attain my 
end by force if necessary. 
The country of Maranu was reached after one day’s 
long walk. Its southern frontier was a very remark¬ 
able one, and formed a barrier seemingly impossible 
to cross in the teeth of armed opposition. An im¬ 
petuous stream flowing between precipitous walls of 
rock separated Maranu from the outer wilderness. 
When we arrived on the brink of this ravine and 
looked across to the opposite side, transit seemed a feat 
