How I Found Livingstone Travels, Adventures And Discoveries In Central Africa Including Four Months Residence With Dr. Livingstone By Sir Henry M. Stanley
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Evidently Sheikh Hamed Was Gone Stark Mad, Otherwise
Why Should He Be So Frantic For The March At Such An Early Hour?
The Dew Was Falling Heavily, And Chilled One Like Frost; And An
Ominous Murmur Of Deep Discontent Responded To The Early Call On
All Sides.
Presuming, however, that he had obtained better
information than we had, Sheikh Thani and I resolved to be governed
as the events proved him to be right or wrong.
As all were discontented, this night, march was performed in deep
silence. The thermometer was at 53°, we being about 4,500 feet
above the level of the sea. The pagazis, almost naked, walked
quickly in order to keep warm, and by so doing many a sore foot
was made by stumbling against obtrusive roots and rocks, and
treading on thorns. At 3 A.M. we arrived at the village of
Unyambogi, where we threw ourselves down to rest and sleep until
dawn should reveal what else was in store for the hard-dealt-with
caravans.
It was broad daylight when I awoke; the sun was flaring his hot
beams in my face. Sheikh Thani came soon after to inform me that
Hamed had gone to Kiti two hours since; but he, when asked to
accompany him, positively refused, exclaiming against it as
folly, and utterly unnecessary. When my advice was asked by
Thani, I voted the whole thing as sheer nonsense; and, in turn,
asked him what a terekeza was for? Was it not an afternoon march
to enable caravans to reach water and food?
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