"Why did you go away, Bombay, when you knew I intended to go, and
was waiting?"
"Oh, master, I was saying good-bye to my missis."
" Oh, indeed?"
"Yes, master; you no do it, when you go away?
"Silence, sir."
"Oh! all right."
"What is the matter with you, Bombay?"
"Oh, nuffin."
As I saw he was in a humour to pick a quarrel with me before those
Arabs who had congregated outside of my tembe to witness my departure;
and as I was not in a humour to be balked by anything that might turn
up, the consequence was, that I was obliged to thrash Bombay, an
operation which soon cooled his hot choler, but brought down on my
head a loud chorus of remonstrances from my pretended Arab friends -
"Now, master, don't, don't - stop it, master: the poor man knows
better than you what he and you may expect on the road you are now
taking."
If anything was better calculated to put me in a rage than Bombay's
insolence before a crowd it was this gratuitous interference with
what I considered my own especial business; but I restrained
myself, though I told them, in a loud voice, that I did not choose
to be interfered with, unless they wished to quarrel with me.
"No, no, bana," they all exclaimed; "we do not wish to quarrel
with you. In the name of God! go on your way in peace."
"Fare you well, then," said I, shaking hands with them.
"Farewell, master, farewell. We wish you, we are sure, all
success, and God be with you, and guide you!"
"March!"
A parting salute was fired; the flags were raised up by the
guides, each pagazi rushed for his load, and in a short time,
with songs and shouts, the head of the Expedition had filed
round the western end of my tembe along the road to Ugunda.
"Now, Mr. Shaw, I am waiting, sir. Mount your donkey, if you
cannot walk."
"Please, Mr. Stanley, I am afraid I cannot go."
Why?"
"I don't know, I am sure. I feel very weak."
"So am I weak. It was but late last night, as you know, that the
fever left me. Don't back out before these Arabs; remember you
are a white man. Here, Selim, Mabruki, Bombay, help Mr. Shaw on
his donkey, and walk by him."
"Oh, bana, bans," said the Arabs, "don't take him. Do you not see
he is sick? "
" You keep away; nothing will prevent me from taking him. He
shall go."
"Go on, Bombay."
The last of my party had gone. The tembe, so lately a busy
scene, had already assumed a naked, desolate appearance.
I turned towards the Arabs, lifted my hat, and said again,
"Farewell," then faced about for the south, followed by my
four young gun-bearers, Selim, Kalulu, Majwara, and Belali.
After half an hour's march the scenery became more animated.
Shaw began to be amused. Bombay had forgotten our quarrel,
and assured me, if I could pass Mirambo's country, I should
"catch the Tanganika;" Mabruki Burton also believed we should.
Selim was glad to leave Unyanyembe, where he had suffered so much
from fever; and there was a something in the bold aspect of the
hills which cropped upward - above fair valleys, that enlivened
and encouraged me to proceed.
In an hour and a half, we arrived at our camp in the Kinyamwezi
village of Mkwenkwe, the birthplace - of our famous chanter Maganga.
My tent was pitched, the goods were stored in one of the tembes;
but one-half the men had returned to Kwihara, to take one more
embrace of their wives and concubines.
Towards night I was attacked once again with the intermittent
fever. Before morning it had departed, leaving me terribly
prostrated with weakness. I had heard the men conversing with each
other over their camp-fires upon the probable prospects of the next
day. It was a question with them whether I should continue the
march. Mostly all were of opinion that, since the master was
sick, there would be no march. A superlative obstinacy, however,
impelled me on, merely to spite their supine souls; but when I
sallied out of my tent to call them to get ready, I found that
at least twenty were missing; and Livingstone's letter-carrier,
"Kaif-Halek" - or, How-do-ye-do? - had not arrived with Dr.
Livingstone's letter-bag.
Selecting twenty of the strongest and faithfulest men I despatched
them back to Unyanyembe in search of the missing men; and Selim
was sent to Sheikh bin Nasib to borrow, or buy, a long slave-chain.
Towards night my twenty detectives returned with nine of the
missing men. The Wajiji had deserted in a body, and they could
not be found. Selim also returned with a strong chain, capable of
imprisoning within the collars attached to it at least ten men.
Kaif-Halek also appeared with the letter-bag which he was to convey
to Livingstone under my escort. The men were then addressed, and
the slave-chain exhibited to them. I told them that I was the
first white man who had taken a slave-chain with him on his travels;
but, as they were all so frightened of accompanying me, I was obliged
to make use of it, as it was the only means of keeping them together.
The good need never fear being chained by me - only the deserters,
the thieves, who received their hire and presents, guns and
ammunition, and then ran away.
I would not put any one this time in chains; but whoever
deserted after this day, I should halt, and not continue the march
till I found him, after which he should march to Ujiji with the
slave-chain round his neck. "Do you hear?" - "Yes," was the
answer. "Do you understand?" - " Yes."
We broke up camp at 6 P.M., and took the road for Inesuka, at which
place we arrived at 8 P.M.
