"Do you understand?" - " Yes."
We broke up camp at 6 P.M., and took the road for Inesuka, at which
place we arrived at 8 P.M.
When we were about commencing the march the next morning, it was
discovered that two more had deserted. Baraka and Bombay were at
once despatched to Unyanyembe to bring back the two missing
men - Asmani and Kingaru - with orders not to return without them.
This was the third time that the latter had deserted, as the reader
may remember. While the pursuit was being effected we halted at
the village of Inesuka, more for the sake of Shaw than any one
else.
In the evening the incorrigible deserters were brought back, and,
as I had threatened, were well flogged and chained, to secure them
against further temptation. Bombay and Baraka had a picturesque
story to relate of the capture; and, as I was in an exceedingly
good humour, their services were rewarded with a fine cloth each.
On the following morning another carrier had absconded, taking with
him his hire of fifteen new cloths and a gun but to halt anywhere
near Unyanyembe any longer was a danger that could be avoided only
by travelling without stoppages towards the southern jungle-lands.
It will be remembered I had in my train the redoubtable Abdul
Kader, the tailor, he who had started from Bagamoyo with such
bright anticipations of the wealth of ivory to be obtained in the
great interior of Africa.
