They Had Gone
Off And Hidden Themselves, Saying That They Were Not Such Fools
As To Go Any Farther, As The Watuta Were Out, And Would Cut Us Up
On The Road.
This was sickening indeed.
I knew the porters had not gone far, so I told the Pig to bring
them to me, that we might talk the matter over; but say what I
would, they all swore they would not advance a step farther.
Most of them were formerly men of Utambara. The Watuta had
invaded their country and totally destroyed it, killing all their
wives and children, and despoiling everything they held dear to
them. They did not wish to rob me, and would give up their hire,
but not one step more would they advance. Makaka then came
forward and said, "Just stop here with me until this ill wind
blows over"; but Baraka, more in a fright at Makaka than at any
one else, said, No - he would do anything rather than that; for
Makaka's bullying had made him quite ill. I then said to my men,
"If nothing else will suit you, the best plan I can think of is
to return to Mihambo in Bogue, and there form a depot, where,
having stored my property, I shall give the Pig a whole load, or
63 lb., of Mzizima beads if he will take Baraka in disguise on to
Suwarora, and ask him to send me eighty men, whilst I go back to
Unyanyembe to see what men I can get from the late Musa's
establishment, and then we might bring on Grant, and move in a
body together." At first Baraka said, "Do you wish to have us
killed?
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