After waiting for some
hours, and sending numerous messengers to as many villages, only 433
carriers could be mustered; thus sixty-seven had eloped with as many
cows!
No one can imagine the trouble of such a journey with so long a retinue
of carriers, most of whom are dishonest, and only seek an opportunity to
abscond upon the road.
The Lobore are immensely powerful men, and they carried the boxes of
Hale's rockets as single loads, although weighing upwards of seventy-two
pounds. At the same time they quarrelled among themselves as to the
choice of parcels, and I could with difficulty prevail upon them to
carry the zinc boat, although it did not exceed 130 lbs. Four men
actually refused to touch it, as it sat uneasily upon their heads.
This handy little vessel was made of zinc upon an iron framework, and
would contain four people upon a pinch, but would easily convey three
across a river. I had arranged it upon two stout bamboos so adjusted
that four men should have carried it with ease. The natives demanded
eight, but I at length compromised for six.
The delay caused by the non-appearance of the sixty-seven carriers was
extremely dangerous, as it increased the chance of desertions. Already
many had volunteered to search for their missing friends, which would
have resulted in a search for them also, until my body of carriers would
have melted away.
Fortunately I had made a considerable allowance for desertions on the
road, and I could manage to start with the assistance of the soldiers
and their wives, among whom I divided many baskets of flour.
At 3.25 P.M. we started.
There was no danger now that we had passed the Bari tribe, therefore we
could push on with an advance guard of five picked men of "The Forty,"
who always accompanied us, and leave the charge of the march and baggage
to Colonel Abd-el-Kader and the various officers.
We accordingly marched, at four miles an hour, through a rocky and hilly
country, generally wooded, which would have been an awkward position if
held by an enemy.
At 6 P.M. we halted at a rocky ravine where water had been expected by
our guide. To our dismay we found it nearly dry, and it was necessary to
dig temporary wells in the sand to procure a supply for ourselves, while
the horses were forced to content themselves with the impure pool.
It quickly became dark, and the troops and baggage were far behind. We
therefore gathered wood and made a blazing fire to show our position; at
the same time a bugler and drummer who had accompanied us, made as much
noise as possible from the summit of a small hill.
At 7.30 P.M. the cattle arrived by torchlight, together with the troops
and baggage.
