And As He Said He Always Drilled His
Two Hundred Men Every Friday, I Said I Would, If He Liked,
Command Them Myself.
This being agreed to, all the men turned
out in their best, and, to my surprise, they not only
Knew the
Turkish words of command, but manoeuvred with some show of good
training; though, as might have been expected with men of this
ragamuffin stamp, all the privates gave orders as well as their
captains.
When the review was over, I complimented Mahamed on the
efficiency of his corps, and, retiring to my hut, as I thought I
had him now in a good-humour, again discussed our plans for going
ahead the next day. Scarcely able to look me in the face, the
humbugging scoundrel said he could not think of allowing me to go
on without him, for if any accident happened he would be blamed
for it. At the same time, he could not move for a few days, as
he expected a party of men to arrive about the next new moon with
ivory. My hurry he thought was uncalled for; for, as I had
spent so many days with Kamrasi, why could I not be content to do
so with him?
I was provoked beyond measure with this, as it upset all my
plans. Kidgwiga's men were deserting, and I feared I should not
be able to keep my promise to Kamrasi of sending him another
white visitor, who would perhaps do what I had left undone, when
I did not follow up the connection of the Little Luta Nzige with
the Nile.
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