They said that no business could be done in any other way in
those countries; they advised me to "take women and cattle, and then the
natives would listen to my advice, but not otherwise."
It was utter folly to attempt negotiations with these people; they were
the most brutal and obtuse savages. They had been abandoned by the
missionaries as hopeless, and they would acknowledge nothing but force.
The troops were discontented. After all their fatigues, the promised
land was starvation. There was still much work to be done, as the
expedition was in fact only commencing. By degrees the Baris absented
themselves entirely from our camp, and we were left to ourselves as
utter strangers. The cattle were driven over to our fine pasturage
daily, and returned at night to their island; but not an ox, or even a
goat, was ever offered for sale, and all communication between us and
the natives had apparently ceased.
It was quite impossible to allow this to continue. I gave the order, and
once more the soldiers quietly surrounded the herd of cattle, and drove
them to head-quarters as before. The old scene was re-enacted. The new
sheik, Morbe, together with Allorron and many headmen, arrived.
