But Aranselar, with an intuitive eye, foresaw that I was likely to prove a vigorous employer, and while there was yet time he devoted most of it to conceive how it were possible to withdraw from the engagement.  He received permission upon asking for it to go to Zanzibar to visit his friends.  Two days afterwards I was informed he had blown his right eye out, and received a medical confirmation of the fact, and note of the extent of the injury, from Dr. Christie, the physician to His Highness Seyd Burghash.  His compatriots I imagined were about planning the same thing, but a peremptory command to abstain from such folly, issued after they had received their advance-pay, sufficed to check any sinister designs they may have formed.

A groom was caught stealing from the bales, one night, and the chase after him into the country until he vanished out of sight into the jungle, was one of the most agreeable diversions which occurred to wear away the interval employed in preparing for the march.

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.