When we were about commencing the march the next morning, it was discovered that two more had deserted.  Baraka and Bombay were at once despatched to Unyanyembe to bring back the two missing men—­Asmani and Kingaru—­with orders not to return without them.  This was the third time that the latter had deserted, as the reader may remember.  While the pursuit was being effected we halted at the village of Inesuka, more for the sake of Shaw than any one else.

In the evening the incorrigible deserters were brought back, and, as I had threatened, were well flogged and chained, to secure them against further temptation.  Bombay and Baraka had a picturesque story to relate of the capture; and, as I was in an exceedingly good humour, their services were rewarded with a fine cloth each.

On the following morning another carrier had absconded, taking with him his hire of fifteen new cloths and a gun but to halt anywhere near Unyanyembe any longer was a danger that could be avoided only by travelling without stoppages towards the southern jungle-lands.  It will be remembered I had in my train the redoubtable Abdul Kader, the tailor, he who had started from Bagamoyo with such bright anticipations of the wealth of ivory to be obtained in the great interior of Africa.  On this morning, daunted by the reports of the dangers ahead, Abdul Kader craved to be discharged.  He vowed he was sick, and unable to proceed any further.  As I was pretty well tired of him, I paid him off in cloth, and permitted him to go.

About half way to Kasegera Mabruk Saleem was suddenly taken sick.  I treated him with a grain of calomel, and a couple of ounces of brandy.  As he was unable to walk, I furnished him with a donkey.  Another man named Zaidi was ill with a rheumatic fever; and Shaw tumbled twice off the animal he was riding, and required an infinite amount of coaxing to mount again.  Verily, my expedition was pursued by adverse fortunes, and it seemed as if the Fates had determined upon our return.  It really appeared as if everything was going to wreck and ruin.  If I were only fifteen days from Unyanyembe, thought I, I should be saved!

Kasegera was a scene of rejoicing the afternoon and evening of our arrival.  Absentees had just returned from the coast, and the youths were brave in their gaudy bedizenment, their new barsatis, their soharis, and long cloths of bright new kaniki, with which they had adorned themselves behind some bush before they had suddenly appeared dressed in all this finery.  The women “Hi-hi’ed” like maenads, and the “Lu-lu-lu’ing” was loud, frequent, and fervent the whole of that afternoon.  Sylphlike damsels looked up to the youthful heroes with intensest admiration on their features; old women coddled and fondled them; staff-using, stooping-backed patriarchs blessed them.  This is fame in Unyamwezi!  All the fortunate youths had to use their tongues until the wee hours of next morning had arrived, relating all the wonders they had seen near the Great Sea, and in the “Unguja,” the island of Zanzibar; of how they saw great white men’s ships, and numbers of white men, of their perils and trials during their journey through the land of the fierce Wagogo, and divers other facts, with which the reader and I are by this time well acquainted.