The Next Day My Men Came From Kaze With Letters From Sheikh Snay
And Musa.
They had been detained there some days after arrival,
as those merchants' slaves had gone to Utambara to settle
Some
quarrel there; but as soon as they returned, Musa ordered them to
go and assist us, giving them beads to find rations for
themselves on the way, as the whole country about Kaze had been
half-starved by famines, though he did send a little rice and
tobacco for me. The whole party left Kaze together; but on
arrival at Tura the slaves said they had not enough beads and
would return for some more, when they would follow my men. This
bit of news was the worst that could have befallen us; my men
were broken-hearted enough before, and this drove the last spark
of spirit out of them. To make the best of a bad job, I now sent
Bombay with two other men off to Musa to see what he could do,
and ordered my other men to hire Wakimbu from village to village.
On the 7th, a nervous excitement was produced in the camp by some
of my men running in and calling all to arm, as the fugitive
chief Manua Sera was coming, with thirty armed followers carrying
muskets. Such was the case: and by the time my men were all
under arms, with their sword-bayonets fixed, drawn up by my tent
the veritable "Tippler" arrived; but, not liking the look of such
a formidable array as my men presented, he passed on a short way,
and then sent back a deputation to make known his desire of
calling on me, which was no sooner complied with than he came in
person, attended by a body-guard. On my requesting him to draw
near and sit, his wooden stool was placed for him. He began the
conversation by telling me he had heard of my distress from want
of porters, and then offered to assist me with some, provided I
would take him to Kaze, and mediate between him and the Arabs;
for, through their unjustifiable interference in his government
affairs, a war had ensued, which terminated with the Arabs
driving him from his possessions a vagabond. Manua Sera, I must
say, was as fine a young man as ever I looked upon. He was very
handsome, and looked as I now saw him the very picture of a
captain of the banditti of the romances. I begged him to tell me
his tale, and, in compliance, he gave me the following
narrative: -
"Shortly after you left Kaze for England, my old father, the late
chief Fundi Kira, died, and by his desire I became lawful chief;
for, though the son of a slave girl, and not of Fundi Kira's
wife, such is the law of inheritance - a constitutional policy
established to prevent any chance of intrigues between the sons
born in legitimate wedlock. Well, after assuming the title of
chief, I gave presents of ivory to all the Arabs with a liberal
hand, but most so to Musa, which caused great jealousy amongst
the other merchants.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 58 of 403
Words from 29905 to 30433
of 210958
