r, whilst Grant and I were compelled to go out
shooting all day for the pot, the sheikh and Bombay went on with the
first half of the property and then, keeping guard over it sent the men
back again to Baraka, who kept rear-guard, to have the rest brought
on. Order there was none: the men hated this "double work;" all the
Wanyamuezi but three deserted, with the connivance of the coast-men,
carrying off their loads with them, under a mutual understanding, as
I found out afterwards, that the coast-men were to go shares in the
plunder as soon as we reached Unyamuezi. The next great obstacle in this
tug-and-pull wilderness-march presented itself on the 24th, when, after
the first half of the property had crossed the Mabunguru nullah, it rose
in flood and cut off the rear half. It soon, however, subsided; and
the next day we reached "the Springs," where we killed a pig and two
rhinoceros. Not content, however, with this fare--notwithstanding the
whole camp had been living liberally on zebra's and antelope's flesh
every day previously--some of my coast-men bolted on to the little
settlement of Jiwa la Mkoa, contrary to orders, to purchase some grain;
and in doing so, increased our transport difficulties.

Pulling on in the same way again--when not actually engaged in shooting,
scolding and storming at the men, to keep them up to the mark, and
prevent them from shirking their work, which they were for every trying
to do--we arrived on the 28th at the "Boss," a huge granite block, from
the top of which the green foliage of the forest-trees looked like an
interminable cloud, soft and waving, fit for fairies to dwell upon. Here
the patience of my men fairly gave way, for the village of Jiwa la Mkoa
was only one long march distance from us; and they, in consequence,
smelt food on in advance much sweeter than the wild game and wild
grasses they had been living on; and many more of them could not resist
deserting us, though they might, had we all pulled together, have gone
more comfortably in, as soon as the rear property arrived next day with
Baraka.

All the men who deserted on the 25th, save Johur and Mutwana, now came
into camp, and told us they had heard from travellers that those men who
had been sent on for reliefs to Kaze were bringing us a large detachment
of slaves to help us on. My men had brought no food either for us or
their friends, as the cloths they took with them, "which were their
own," were scarcely sufficient t