The heads of his chief men slain in the attack were brought to
Kwikuru, the boma of Mkasiwa.
September 14th. - The Arab boy Selim is delirious from constant
fever. Shaw is sick again. These two occupy most of my time.
I am turned into a regular nurse, for I have no one to assist
me in attending upon them. If I try to instruct Abdul Kader
in the art of being useful, his head is so befogged with the
villainous fumes of Unyamwezi tobacco, that he wanders bewildered
about, breaking dishes, and upsetting cooked dainties, until
I get so exasperated that my peace of mind is broken completely
for a full hour. If I ask Ferajji, my now formally constituted
cook, to assist, his thick wooden head fails to receive an idea,
and I am thus obliged to play the part of chef de cuisine.
September 15th. - The third month of my residence in Unyanyembe is
almost finished, and I am still here, but I hope to be gone before
the 23rd inst.
All last night, until nine A.M. this morning, my soldiers danced
and sang to the names of their dead comrades, whose bones now
bleach in the forests of Wilyankuru. Two or three huge pots of
pombe failed to satisfy the raging thirst which the vigorous
exercise they were engaged in, created. So, early this
morning, I was called upon to contribute a shukka for another
potful of the potent liquor.
To-day I was busy selecting the loads for each soldier and
pagazi. In order to lighten their labor as much as possible, I
reduced each load from 70 lbs. to 50 lbs., by which I hope to be
enabled to make some long marches. I have been able to engage ten
pagazis during the last two or three days.
I have two or three men still very sick, and it is almost useless
to expect that they will be able to carry anything, but I
am in hopes that other men may be engaged to take their places
before the actual day of departure, which now seems to be drawing
near rapidly.
September 16th. - We have almost finished our work - on the fifth day
from this - God willing - we shall march. I engaged two more pagazis
besides two guides, named Asmani and Mabruki. If vastness of the
human form could terrify any one, certainly Asmani's appearance
is well calculated to produce that effect. He stands considerably
over six feet without shoes, and has shoulders broad enough for two
ordinary men.
To-morrow I mean to give the people a farewell feast, to celebrate
our departure from this forbidding and unhappy country.
