But This Was Not All Their
Misfortunes; For The Slaves Who Brought In This Information Had
Met The First Detachment,
Sent with the Khoko loot, at Kigua,
where, they said, the detachment had been surprised by Manua
Sera, who, having
Fortified a village with four hundred men,
expecting this sort of thing, rushed out upon them, and cut them
all up.
The Arabs, after the first burst of their grief was over, came to
me again in a body, and begged me to assist them, for they were
utterly undone. Manua Sera prevented their direct communication
with their detachment at Mdaburu, and that again was cut off from
their caravans at Kanyenye by the Mzanza people, and in fact all
the Wagogo; so they hoped at least I would not forsake them,
which they heard I was going to do, as Manua Sera had also
threatened to attack Kaze. I then told them, finally that their
proposals were now beyond my power, for I had a duty to perform
as well as themselves, and in a day or two I should be off.
14th to 17th. - On the 14th thirty-nine porters were brought in
from Rungua by Musa's men, who said they had collected one
hundred and twenty, and brought them to within ten miles of this,
when some travellers frightened all but thirty-nine away, by
telling them, "Are you such fools as to venture into Kaze now?
all the Arabs have been killed, or were being cut up and pursued
by Manua Sera." This sad disappointment threw me on my "beam-
ends." For some reason or other none of Musa's slaves would take
service, and the Arabs prevented theirs from leaving the place,
as it was already too short of hands.
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