Will they not desert
me again? What was the fate of Khamis bin Abdullah? - I sent word
that I would not go; that they ought to feel perfectly at home in
their tembes against such a force as Mirambo had, that I should
be glad if they could induce him to come to Kwihara, in which
case I would try and pick him off.
They say that Mirambo, and his principal officer, carry umbrellas
over their heads, that he himself has long hair like a Mnyamwezi
pagazi, and a beard. If he comes, all the men carrying umbrellas
will have bullets rained on them in the hope that one lucky bullet
may hit him. According to popular ideas, I should make a silver
bullet, but I have no silver with me. I might make a gold one.
About, noon I went over to see Sheikh bin Nasib, leaving about
100 men inside the house to guard it while I was absent. This old
fellow is quite a philosopher in his way. I should call him a
professor of minor philosophy. He is generally so sententious -
fond of aphorisms, and a very deliberate character. I was
astonished to find him so despairing. His aphorisms have
deserted him, his philosophy has not been able to stand against
disaster. He listened to me, more like a moribund, than one
possessing all the means of defence and offence.
I loaded his two-pounder with ball, and grape, and small slugs of
iron, and advised him not to fire it until Mirambo's people were at
his gates.
About 4 p.m. I heard that Mirambo had deported himself to Kazima,
a place north-west of Tabora a couple of miles.
August 26th. - The Arabs sallied out this morning to attack Kazima,
but refrained, because Mirambo asked for a day's grace, to eat the
beef he had stolen from them. He has asked them impudently to
come to-morrow morning, at which time he says he will give them
plenty of fighting,
Kwihara is once more restored to a peaceful aspect, and fugitives
no longer throng its narrow limits in fear and despair.
August 27th. - Mirambo retreated during the night; and when the
Arabs went in force to attack his village of Kazima, they found it
vacant.
The Arabs hold councils of war now-a-days - battle meetings, of
which they seem to be very fond, but extremely slow to act upon.
They were about to make friends with the northern Watuta, but
Mirambo was ahead of them. They had talked of invading Mirambo's
territory the second time, but Mirambo invaded Unyanyembe with
fire and sword, bringing death to many a household, and he has
slain the noblest of them all.
The Arabs spend their hours in talking and arguing, while the Ujiji
and Karagwah roads are more firmly closed than ever. Indeed many
of the influential Arabs are talking of returning to Zanzibar;
saying, "Unyanyembe is ruined."
Meanwhile, with poor success, however, perceiving the impossibility
of procuring Wanyamwezi pagazis, I am hiring the Wangwana renegades
living in Unyanyembe to proceed with me to Ujiji, at treble prices.
Each man is offered 30 doti, ordinary hire of a carrier being only
from 5 to 10 doti to Ujiji.
