He dared not part with the
guns, because he knew it was against my principle, and therefore
deferred the answer until he heard from me, although all his
already collected porters were getting fidgety, and two had
bolted.
In this fearful fix I sent Baraka off with strict orders
to bring Grant away at any price, except the threatened sacrifice
of men, guns, and ammunition, which I would not listen to, as one
more day's delay might end in further exactions; at the same
time, I cautioned him to save my property as far as he could, for
it was to him that M'yonga had formerly said that what I paid him
should do for all.
Some of M'yonga's men who had plundered Grant now "caught a
Tartar." After rifling his loads of a kilyndo, or bark box of
beads, they, it appeared, received orders from M'yonga to sell a
lot of female slaves, amongst whom were the two Wahuma women who
had absconded from this. The men in charge, not knowing their
history, brought them for sale into this district, where they
were instantly recognised by some of Lumeresi's men, and brought
in to him. The case was not examined at once, Lumeresi happening
to be absent; so, to make good their time, the men in charge
brought their beads to me to be exchanged for something else, not
knowing that both camps were mine, and that they held my beads
and not Grant's. Of course I took them from them, but did not
give them a flogging, as I knew if I did so they would at once
retaliate upon Grant.
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