In The Variety And
Number Of Our Game We Were Disappointed, Partly Because So Many
Wounded Got Away, And Partly
Because we could not find what we
knew the park to contain, in addition to what we killed - namely,
elephants,
Rhinoceros, giraffes, buffaloes, zebra, and many
varieties of antelopes, besides lions and hyenas. In fact, "the
park," as well as all the adjacent land at the foot of the hills,
is worth thinking of, with a view to a sporting tour as well as
scientific investigation.
A circumstance arose here, which, insignificant though it
appeared, is worth noting, to show how careful one must be in
understanding and dealing with negro servants. Quite
unaccountably to myself, the general of my Wanguana, Baraka,
after showing much discontent with his position as head of
Captain Grant's establishment, became so insolent, that it was
necessary to displace him, and leave him nothing to do but look
after the men. This promoted Frij, who enjoyed his rise as much
as Baraka, if his profession was to be believed, enjoyed his
removal from that office. Though he spoke in this manner, still
I knew that there was something rankling in his mind which
depressed his spirits as long as he remained with us, though what
it was I could not comprehend, nor did I fully understand it till
months afterwards. It was ambition, which was fast making a
fiend of him; and had I known it, he would, and with great
advantage too, have been dismissed upon the spot. The facts were
these: He was exceedingly clever, and he knew it. His command
over men was surprising. At Zanzibar he was the Consul's right-
hand man: he ranked above Bombay in the consular boat's crew, and
became a terror even to the Banyans who kept slaves. He seemed,
in fact, in his own opinion, to have imbibed all the power of the
British Consul who had instructed him. Such a man was an element
of discord in our peaceful caravan. He was far too big-minded
for the sphere which he occupied; and my surprise now is that he
ever took service, knowing what he should, at the time of
enlistment, have expected, that no man would be degraded to make
room for him. But this was evidently what he had expected,
though he dared not say it. He was jealous of Bombay, because he
thought his position over the money department was superior to
his own over the men; and he had seen Bombay, on one occasion,
pay a tax in Uzaramo - a transaction which would give him
consequence with the native chiefs. Of Sheikh Said he was
equally jealous, for a like reason; and his jealousy increased
the more that I found it necessary to censure the timidity of
this otherwise worthy little man. Baraka thought, in his
conceit, that he could have done all things better, and gained
signal fame, had he been created chief. Perhaps he thought he
had gained the first step towards this exalted rank, and hence
his appearing very happy for this time.
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