This Settled, I Next, In This Terrible Embarrassment, Determined
On Sending Back The Last Of The Hottentots, As All Four
Of them,
though still wishing to go on with me, distinctly said they had
not the power to continue the
March, for they had never ceased
suffering from fever and jaundice, which had made them all yellow
as guineas, save one, who was too black to change colour. It
felt to me as if I were selling my children, having once
undertaken to lead them through the journey; but if I did not
send them back then, I never could afterwards, and therefore I
allowed the more substantial feelings of humanity to overcome
these compunctions.
Next morning, then, after giving the Tots over in charge of some
men to escort them on to Kaze quietly, I set our myself with a
dozen men, and the following evening I put up with Musa, who told
me Baraka had just left without one man - all his slaves having
become afraid to go, since the news of the Arab alliance had
reached Kaze. Suwarora had ordered his subjects to run up a line
of bomas to protect his frontier, and had proclaimed his
intention to kill every coast-man who dared attempt to enter
Usui. My heart was ready to sink as I turned into bed, and I was
driven to think of abandoning everybody who was not strong enough
to go on with me carrying a load.
3d to 13th. - Baraka, hearing I had arrived, then came back to me,
and confirmed Musa's words. The Arabs, too, came flocking in to
beg, nay implore, me to help them out of their difficulties. Many
of them were absolutely ruined, they said; others had their
houses full of stores unemployed. At Ugogo those who wished to
join them were unable to do so, for their porters, what few were
left, were all dying of starvation; and at that moment Manua Sera
was hovering about, shooting, both night and day, all the poor
villagers in the district, or driving them away. Would to God,
they said, I would mediate for them with Manua Sera - they were
sure I would be successful - and then they would give me as many
armed men as I liked. Their folly in all their actions, I said,
proved to me that anything I might attempt to do would be futile,
for their alliance with the Watuta, when they were not prepared
to act, at once damned them in my eyes as fools. This they in
their terror acknowledged, but said it was not past remedy, if I
would join them, to counteract what had been done in that matter.
Suffice it now to say, after a long conversation, arguing all the
pros and cons over, I settled I would write out all the articles
of a treaty of peace, by which they should be liable to have all
their property forfeited on the coast if they afterwards broke
faith; and I begged them to call the next day and sign it.
They were no sooner gone, however, than Musa assured me they had
killed old Maula of Rubuga in the most treacherous manner, as
follows: - Khamis, who is an Arab of most gentlemanly aspect, on
returning from Ugogo attended by slaves, having heard that Maula
was desirous of adjusting a peace, invited him with his son to do
so. When old Maula came as desired, bringing his son with him,
and a suitable offering of ivory and cattle, the Arab induced
them both to kneel down and exchange blood with him, when, by a
previously concerted arrangement, Khamis had them shot down by
his slaves. This disgusting story made me quite sorry, when next
day the Arabs arrived, expecting that I should attempt to help
them; but as the matter had gone so far, I asked them, in the
first place, how they could hope Manua Sera would have any faith
in them when they were so treacherous, or trust to my help, since
they had killed Maula, who was my protege? They all replied in a
breath, "Oh, let the past be forgotten, and assist us now! for in
you alone we can look for a preserver."
At length an armistice was agreed to; but as no one dared go to
negotiated it but my men, I allowed them to take pay from the
Arabs, which was settled on the 4th by ten men taking four yards
of cloth each, with a promise of a feast on sweetmeats when they
returned. Ex Mrs Musa, who had been put aside by her husband
because she was too fat for her lord's taste, then gave me three
men of her private establishment, and abused Musa for being
wanting in "brains." She had repeatedly advised him to leave this
place and go with me, lest the Arabs, who were all in debt to
him, should put him to death; but he still hung on to recover his
remaining debts, a portion having been realised by the sale of
Snay's and Jafu's effects; for everything in the shape of
commodities had been sold at the enormous price of 500 per cent -
the male slaves even fetching 100 dollars per head, though the
females went for less. The Hottentots now arrived, with many more
of my men, who, seeing their old "flames," Snay's women, sold off
by auction, begged me to advance them money to purchase them
with, for they could not bear to see these women, who were their
own when they formerly stayed here, go off like cattle no one
knew where. Compliance, of course, was impossible, as it would
have crowded the caravan with women. Indeed, to prevent my men
every thinking of matrimony on the march, as well as to incite
them on through the journey, I promised, as soon as we reached
Egypt, to give them all wives and gardens at Zanzibar, provided
they did not contract marriages on the road.
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