The Wanyamuezi, However, Were Panic-Stricken, And Half Of Them
Bolted, With The Kirangozi At Their Head, Carrying Off All The
Double-Ration Cloths As Well As Their Own.
At this time, the
sultan, having changed tactics, as he saw us all ready to stand
on the defensive, sent back his hongo; but, instead of using
threats, said he would oblige us with donkeys or anything else if
we would only give him a few more pretty cloths.
With this
cringing, perfidious appeal I refused to comply, until the
sheikh, still more cringing, implored me to give way else not a
single man would remain with me. I then told him to settle with
the chief himself, and give me the account, which amounted to
three barsati, two sahari, and three yards merikani; but the
donkeys were never alluded to.
With half my men gone, I still ordered the march, though strongly
opposed to the advice of one of old Mamba's men, who was then
passing by on his way to the coast, in command of his master's
rear detachment. He thought it impossible for us to pull through
the wilderness, with its jungle grasses and roots, depending for
food only on Grant's gun and my own; still we made half-way to
the Mdaburu nullah, taking some of Mamba's out to camp with us,
as he promised to take letters and specimens down to the coast
for us, provided I paid him some cloths as ready money down, and
promised some more to be paid at Zanzibar.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 104 of 767
Words from 28250 to 28507
of 210958
