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.
