In the night Shaw tumbled off his donkey, and would
not rise, though implored to do so. As I did not despair myself,
so I did not intend that Shaw should despair. He was lifted on
his animal, and a man was placed on each side of him to assist him;
thus we rode through the darkness. At midnight we reached Mfuto
safely, and were at once admitted into the village, from which we
had issued so valiantly, but to which we were now returned so
ignominiously.
I found all my men had arrived here before dark. Ulimengo, the
bold guide who had exulted in his weapons and in our numbers, and
was so sanguine of victory, had performed the eleven hours' march
in six hours; sturdy Chowpereh, whom I regarded as the
faithfullest of my people, had arrived only half an hour later
than Ulimengo; and frisky Khamisi, the dandy - the orator - the
rampant demagogue - yes - he had come third; and Speke's "Faithfuls"
had proved as cowardly as any poor "nigger" of them all. Only
Selim was faithful.
I asked Selim, "Why did you not also run away, and leave your
master to die?"
"Oh, sir," said the Arab boy, naively, "I was afraid you would
whip me."
CHAPTER IX. MY LIFE AND TROUBLES IN UNYANYEMBE-(continued).
It never occurred to the Arab magnates that I had cause of complaint
against them, or that I had a right to feel aggrieved at their
conduct, for the base desertion of an ally, who had, as a duty to
friendship, taken up arms for their sake. Their "salaams" the next
morning after the retreat, were given as if nothing had transpired
to mar the good feeling that had existed between us.
They were hardly seated, however, before I began to inform them
that as the war was only between them and Mirambo, and that as
I was afraid, if they were accustomed to run away after every
little check, that the war might last a much longer time than I
could afford to lose; and that as they had deserted their wounded
on the field, and left their sick friends to take care of
themselves, they must not consider me in the light of an ally
any more. "I am satisfied," said I, "having seen your mode of
fighting, that the war will not be ended in so short a time as
you think it will. It took you five years, I hear, to conquer
and kill Manwa Sera, you will certainly not conquer Mirambo in
less than a year.* I am a white man, accustomed to wars after
a different style, I know something about fighting, but I never
saw people run away from an encampment like ours at Zimbizo for
such slight cause as you had. By running away, you have invited
Mirambo to follow you to Unyanyembe; you may be sure he will come."
__________________
* The same war is still raging, April, 1874.
__________________
The Arabs protested one after another that they had not intended
to have left me, but the Wanyamwezi of Mkasiwa had shouted out
that the "Musungu" was gone, and the cry had caused a panic among
their people, which it was impossible to allay.
Later that day the Arabs continued their retreat to Tabora; which
is twenty-two miles distant from Mfuto. I determined to proceed
more leisurely, and on the second day after the flight from
Zimbizo, the Expedition, with all the stores and baggage, marched
back to Masangi, and on the third day to Kwihara.
The following extracts from my Diary will serve to show better
than anything else, my feelings and thoughts about this time,
after our disgraceful retreat:
Kwihara. Friday, 11th August, 1871. - Arrived to-day from Zimbili,
village of Bomboma's. I am quite disappointed and almost
disheartened. But I have one consolation, I have done my duty by
the Arabs, a duty I thought I owed to the kindness they received
me with, now, however, the duty is discharged, and I am free to
pursue my own course. I feel happy, for some reasons, that the
duty has been paid at such a slight sacrifice. Of course if I
had lost my life in this enterprise, I should have been justly
punished. But apart from my duty to the consideration with
which the Arabs had received me, was the necessity of trying
every method of reaching Livingstone. This road which the war
with Mirambo has closed, is only a month's march from this place,
and, if the road could be opened with my aid, sooner than without
it, why should I refuse my aid? The attempt has been made for
the second time to Ujiji - both have failed. I am going to try
another route; to attempt to go by the north would be folly.
Mirambo's mother and people, and the Wasui, are between me and
Ujiji, without including the Watuta, who are his allies, and
robbers. The southern route seems to be the most practicable one.
Very few people know anything of the country south; those whom
I have questioned concerning it speak of "want of water" and
robber Wazavira, as serious obstacles; they also say that the
settlements are few and far between.
But before I can venture to try this new route, I have to employ
a new set of men, as those whom I took to Mfuto consider their
engagements at an end, and the fact of five of their number being
killed rather damps their ardor for travelling. It is useless to
hope that Wanyamwezi can be engaged, because it is against their
custom to go with caravans, as carriers, during war time.
