The Hottentots, The Mules, And The Baggage Having Been Landed,
Our Preparatory Work Began In Earnest.
It consisted in proving
the sextants; rating the watches; examining the compasses and
boiling thermometers; making tents and packsaddles; ordering
supplies of beads, cloth, and brass wire; and collecting servants
and porters.
Sheikh Said bin Salem, our late Cafila Bashi, or caravan captain,
was appointed to that post again, as he wished to prove his
character for honour and honesty; and it now transpired that he
had been ordered not to go with me when I discovered the Victoria
N'yanza. Bombay and his brother Mabruki were bound to me of old,
and the first to greet me on my arrival here; while my old
friends the Beluchs begged me to take them again. The
Hottentots, however, had usurped their place. I was afterwards
sorry for this, though, if I ever travel again, I shall trust to
none but natives, as the climate of Africa is too trying to
foreigners. Colonel Rigby, who had at heart as much as anybody
the success of the expedition, materially assisted me in
accomplishing my object - that men accustomed to discipline and a
knowledge of English honour and honesty should be enlisted, to
give confidence to the rest of the men; and he allowed me to
select from his boat's crew any men I could find who had served
as men-of-war, and had seen active service in India.
For this purpose my factotum, Bombay, prevailed on Baraka, Frij,
and Rahan - all of them old sailors, who, like himself, knew
Hindustani - to go with me.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 34 of 767
Words from 9247 to 9513
of 210958
