The Interior Of The Continent Had
Been Greatly Disturbed, Owing To Constant War Between The Natives
And Arab Ivory Merchants.
Mguru Mfupi (or Short-legs), the chief
of Khoko in Ugogo, for instance, had been shot, and Manua Sera
(the Tippler), who succeeded the old Sultan Fundi Kira, of
Unyanyembe, on his death, shortly after the late expedition left
Kaze, was out in the field fighting the Arabs.
Recent letters
from the Arabs in the interior, however, gave hopes of peace
being shortly restored. Finally, in compliance with my request -
and this was the most important item of news to myself - Colonel
Rigby had sent on, thirteen days previously, fifty-six loads of
cloth and beads, in charge of two of Ramji's men, consigned to
Musa at Kaze.
To call on the Sultan, of course, was our first duty. He
received us in his usually affable manner; made many trite
remarks concerning our plans; was surprised, if my only object in
view was to see the great river running out of the lake, that I
did not go by the more direct route across the Masai country and
Usoga; and then, finding I wished to see Karague, as well as to
settle many other great points of interest, he offered to assist
me with all the means in his power.
The Hottentots, the mules, and the baggage having been landed,
our preparatory work began in earnest. It consisted in proving
the sextants; rating the watches; examining the compasses and
boiling thermometers; making tents and packsaddles; ordering
supplies of beads, cloth, and brass wire; and collecting servants
and porters.
Sheikh Said bin Salem, our late Cafila Bashi, or caravan captain,
was appointed to that post again, as he wished to prove his
character for honour and honesty; and it now transpired that he
had been ordered not to go with me when I discovered the Victoria
N'yanza. Bombay and his brother Mabruki were bound to me of old,
and the first to greet me on my arrival here; while my old
friends the Beluchs begged me to take them again. The
Hottentots, however, had usurped their place. I was afterwards
sorry for this, though, if I ever travel again, I shall trust to
none but natives, as the climate of Africa is too trying to
foreigners. Colonel Rigby, who had at heart as much as anybody
the success of the expedition, materially assisted me in
accomplishing my object - that men accustomed to discipline and a
knowledge of English honour and honesty should be enlisted, to
give confidence to the rest of the men; and he allowed me to
select from his boat's crew any men I could find who had served
as men-of-war, and had seen active service in India.
For this purpose my factotum, Bombay, prevailed on Baraka, Frij,
and Rahan - all of them old sailors, who, like himself, knew
Hindustani - to go with me. With this nucleus to start with, I
gave orders that they should look out for as many Wanguana (freed
men - i.e., men emancipated from slavery) as they could enlist,
to carry loads, or do any other work required of them, and to
follow men in Africa wherever I wished, until our arrival in
Egypt, when I would send them back to Zanzibar.
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