I had now despatched four caravans into the interior, and the
fifth, which was to carry the boats and boxes, personal luggage,
and a few cloth and bead loads, was ready to be led by myself.
The following is the order of departure of the caravans.
1871. Feb. 6. - Expedition arrived at Bagamoyo.
1871. Feb. 18. - First caravan departs with twenty-four pagazis and
three soldiers.
1871. Feb. 21. - Second caravan departs with twenty-eight pagazis,
two chiefs, and two soldiers.
1871. Feb. 25. - Third caravan departs with twenty-two pagazis,
ten donkeys, one white man, one cook, and three soldiers.
1871. March. 11. - Fourth caravan departs with fifty-five pagazis,
two chiefs, and three soldiers.
1871. March. 21. - Fifth caravan departs with twenty-eight pagazis,
twelve soldiers, two white men, one tailor, one cook, one interpreter,
one gun-bearer, seventeen asses, two horses, and one dog.
Total number, inclusive of all souls, comprised in caravans
connected with the "New York Herald' Expedition," 192.
CHAPTER V. THROUGH UKWERE, UKAMI, AND UDOE TO USEGUHHA.
Leaving Bagamoyo for the interior. - Constructing a Bridge. - Our
first troubles. - Shooting Hippopotami. - A first view of the Game
Land. - Anticipating trouble with the Wagogo. - The dreadful poison-
flies. - Unlucky adventures while hunting. - The cunning chief of
Kingaru. - Sudden death of my two horses. - A terrible experience. -
The city of the "Lion Lord."
On the 21st of March, exactly seventy-three days after my arrival
at Zanzibar, the fifth caravan, led by myself, left the town of
Bagamoyo for our first journey westward, with "Forward!" for its
mot du guet. As the kirangozi unrolled the American flag, and put
himself at the head of the caravan, and the pagazis, animals,
soldiers, and idlers were lined for the march, we bade a long
farewell to the dolce far niente of civilised life, to the blue
ocean, and to its open road to home, to the hundreds of dusky
spectators who were there to celebrate our departure with
repeated salvoes of musketry.
Our caravan is composed of twenty-eight pagazis, including the
kirangozi, or guide; twelve soldiers under Capt. Mbarak Bombay,
in charge of seventeen donkeys and their loads; Selim, my
interpreter, in charge of the donkey and cart and its load; one
cook and sub, who is also to be tailor and ready hand for all, and
leads the grey horse; Shaw, once mate of a ship, now transformed
into rearguard and overseer for the caravan, who is mounted on a
good riding-donkey, and wearing a canoe-like tepee and sea-boots;
and lastly, on, the splendid bay horse presented to me by Mr.
Goodhue, myself, called Bana Mkuba, "the "big master," by my
people - the vanguard, the reporter, the thinker, and leader of
the Expedition.
