Makaka only wishes to keep us here to
frighten away the Watuta; for Godsake be a man, and don't be
alarmed at such phantoms as these.
You always are nagging at me
that Bombay is the 'big' and you are the 'small' man. Bombay
would never be frightened in this silly way. Now, do you reflect
that I have selected you for this journey, as it would, if you
succeed with me in carrying out our object, stamp you for ever as
a man of great fame. Pray, don't give way, but do your best to
encourage the men, and let us march in the morning." On this, as
on other occasions of the same kind, I tried to impart
confidence, by explaining, in allusion to Petherick's expedition,
that I had arranged to meet white men coming up from the north.
Baraka at last said, "All right - I am not afraid; I will do as
you desire." But as the two were walking off, I heard Wadimoyo
say to Baraka, "Is he not afraid now? won't he go back?" - which,
if anything, alarmed me more than the first intelligence; for I
began to think that they, and not Makaka, had got up the story.
All night Makaka's men patrolled the village, drumming and
shouting to keep off the Watuta, and the next morning, instead of
a march, after striking my tent I found that the whole of my
porters, the Pig's children, were not to be found.
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