While engaged in setting his tent, Shaw was obliged to move a small flat stone, to drive a peg into the ground.  The village chief, who saw him do it, rushed up in a breathless fashion, and replaced the stone instantly, then stood on it in an impressive manner, indicative of the great importance attached to that stone and location.  Bombay, seeing Shaw standing in silent wonder at the act, volunteered to ask the chief what was the matter.  The Sheikh solemnly answered, with a finger pointing downward, “Uganga!” Whereupon I implored him to let me see what was under the stone.  With a graciousness quite affecting he complied.  My curiosity was gratified with the sight of a small whittled stick, which pinned fast to the ground an insect, the cause of a miscarriage to a young female of the village.

During the afternoon, Uledi and Ferajji, who had been despatched after the truant Khamisi, returned with him and all the missing articles.  Khamisi, soon after leaving the road and plunging into the jungle, where he was mentally triumphing in his booty, was met by some of the plundering Washensi, who are always on the qui vive for stragglers, and unceremoniously taken to their village in the woods, and bound to a tree preparatory, to being killed.  Khamisi said that he asked them why they tied him up, to which they answered, that they were about to kill him, because he was a Mgwana, whom they were accustomed to kill as soon as they were caught.  But Uledi and Ferajji shortly after coming upon the scene, both well armed, put an end to the debates upon Khamisi’s fate, by claiming him as an absconding pagazi from the Musungu’s camp, as well as all the articles he possessed at the time of capture.  The robbers did not dispute the claim for the pagazi, goats, tent, or any other valuable found with him, but intimated that they deserved a reward for apprehending him.  The demand being considered just, a reward to the extent of two doti and a fundo, or ten necklaces of beads, was given.

Khamisi, for his desertion and attempted robbery, could not be pardoned without first suffering punishment.  He had asked at Bagamoyo, before enlisting in my service, an advance of $5 in money, and had received it, and a load of Bubu beads, no heavier than a pagazis load, had been given him to carry; he had, therefore, no excuse for desertion.  Lest I should overstep prudence, however, in punishing him, I convened a court of eight pagazis and four soldiers to sit in judgment, and asked them to give me their decision as to what should be done.  Their unanimous verdict was that he was guilty of a crime almost unknown among the Wanyamwezi pagazis, and as it was likely to give bad repute to the Wanyamwezi carriers, they therefore sentenced him to be flogged with the “Great Master’s” donkey whip, which was accordingly carried out, to poor Khamisi’s crying sorrow.