These two men informed us there were five more chiefs, living but
two hours from each other, who would exact tribute, or black-mail,
like those we had seen. Knowing this much, I felt a certain calm.
It was far better to know the worst at once. Five more chiefs with
their demands would assuredly ruin us. In view of which, what is
to be done? How am I to reach Livingstone, without being beggared?
Dismissing the men, I called Bombay, and told him to assist Asmani
in settling the honga - " as cheaply as possible." I then lit my
pipe, put on the cap of consideration, and began to think. Within
half an hour, I had made a plan, which was to be attempted to be
put in execution that very night.
I summoned the two slaves of Thani bin Abdullah, after the honga
had been settled to everybody's satisfaction - though the profoundest
casuistries and diplomatic arguments failed to reduce it lower than
twenty-six doti - and began asking them about the possibility of
evading the tribute-taking Wahha ahead.
This rather astonished them at first, and they declared it to be
impossible; but, finally, after being pressed, they replied, that
one of their number should guide us at midnight, or a little after,
into the jungle which grew on the frontiers of Uhha and Uvinza.
