The matter of food for ourselves and family was already becoming a difficult problem in that unopened region. We had expected to be able to get fowls, and a sheep or goat now and again to supply the food store, as we gladly could have done when traveling in the Usagara and Ugogo countries. In this, however, we were sadly disappointed. We had brought out with us from London supplies of dry food, such as flour, biscuits, tea, cocoa, etc., but had thought it wise to avoid the tinned meats and vegetables, which usually constitute the most important items in the provision lists of travelers in Equatorial Africa. We had hoped that at least we might get sweet potatoes in the inhabited districts, but these were very scarce, and could not be obtained, though we offered the most attractive barter goods. There was very little opportunity for baking bread on the march, and we were reduced to cocoa and biscuits, and our children were beginning to suffer from poor nutrition.
In all the country we had traversed on this expedition, we were unable to get any fresh milk for our little ones. Unhappily, it can rarely be had in a clean, pure state from any of the tribes throughout the regions of Central Africa. The gourd shell, into which the cow is milked, is smeared inside by some natives with the fresh excrements of cattle, while others flavor the milk with cow urine. We were fortunate enough in having with us a couple of cases of condensed milk, and this was brought into demand on the march.
We were now approaching the district in which the Imperial British East Africa Company had built two forts, and were looking forward to getting a more plentiful supply of food in that part of the country, and perhaps one or two of the native zebu cattle to take with us up country for milking purposes.
After two days' further marching, through a broad, winding defile in the hills covered with scrubby jungle growth, we came upon the first of these forts, at Machakos.
We were met by Mr. John Ainsworth, who was in command of the fortified position, and had a large number of native Coast soldiers drawn up with fixed bayonets, in honor of the first European lady to enter that region of Africa. Mr. Ainsworth very kindly entertained us while there, and did all in his power to make us comfortable. The fort was situated at an altitude of five thousand feet above sea level, and, although it was very hot during the day, the thermometer dropped low enough after sundown to make one feel somewhat chilly. Our friendly host had a log fire made in the middle of the grass-thatched quarters in which we dined, and, there being no chimney, the smoke had to make its exit through the roof.
Mr. Ainsworth's predecessor had had a good deal of trouble with the natives, and some serious fighting had to be done to keep these intelligent natives at bay. Such was the state of the country when we arrived, that it took a force of twenty to thirty rifles to carry a letter from Machakos fort to the second stronghold about fifty miles further inland; and even then, the journey was not always accomplished in safety.
We found at the fort Mr. Scott Elliott, an eminent scientist, who, with his caravan, had preceded us on the journey from the Coast. It was considered too dangerous for them to proceed any further into the interior, although well armed, and therefore they were awaiting the arrival of our caravan, so that they might join forces with us on the most hazardous part of their journey.
The borderland of the Masai and Kikuyu countries—the home of the raiding natives—lay some fifty miles ahead, and this was considered the peak of the danger zone to all caravans passing that way. Our porters were conscious of the extreme risk involved and the strongest possible precautions were necessary to frustrate all attempts at desertion. Mr. Elliott's plan was to skirt the danger zone, and pass on by the caravan route through the open country of Naivasha to Kavirondo on Lake Victoria Nyanza, while our purpose was to pass through the unopened Kikuyu country to the base of Mount Kenya.
After a day's rest, to enable the porters to refill their supply of native grain, we started out with a united caravan of over two hundred men. For several hours, we proceeded on our way over a rolling country, which was swarming with animal life. In some parts it was almost treeless, except along the beds of rivulets and periodic streams, where there nourished a species of acacia, the same as the shittim wood used by the Israelites when making the tabernacle in the wilderness.
Early in the afternoon of that day, when we were drawing near to our camping place among some jungle where water was available, my husband went on ahead with the main body of the caravan to direct the pitching of the tents, and other matters concerning our camp for the night. A few straggling porters of the tail end of the caravan, and the carriers of the chairs were behind; and, as they were very weary, it was somewhat difficult for me to persuade them to increase their speed, and keep in touch with the rest of the porters. I fixed my baby in the chair and, taking my little daughter with me so as to lighten the carriers' burdens, we started off to walk in front of the men, to encourage them to come on more speedily with the other younger children, who then occupied the carrying chairs.
Marching thus along the track for some time, absorbed with the charming scenery around, I became suddenly fixed to the spot with sheer terror at the sight of a huge lion and lioness crawling out of the bush before me, on the right hand side of the path we were following. My heart beat furiously as I realized that my husband was out of sight, and we had no one to protect our lives. The children, who were being carried on the chairs, were quickly approaching behind, and the one who accompanied me was at my feet. Seeing the probability of my little ones being devoured before my eyes, I lifted up my heart to God, and asked Him what I ought to do. We all carried policemen's whistles to warn each other of the approach of danger. Instinctively I raised the whistle, which was suspended from my neck, and blew a loud blast, and to my great relief the two lions ceased to approach us, and turned down into a canyon close by, and passed out of sight.
My husband, hearing the whistle, rushed back, and after some time arrived at the place with rifle in hand, but only just in time to catch a glimpse of the two lions, as they passed between some bushes on the further side of the gully.
The following morning we marched along at an accelerated rate, over an almost treeless plain, which was studded here and there with clusters of wait-a-bit thorn. This rolling plateau extends in an almost unbroken line, from the base of Mount Kenya at the equator, to the hills of Uhehe seven degrees south, a distance of five hundred miles. Broadly speaking, it is never more than one hundred miles wide and, at some places, not quite fifty. On the indented sides of this vast plain, where the higher and more fertile forest land throws upon it tongues of alluvial soil, there were clumps of trees with intervening small valleys, which formed a landscape of great beauty.
During the past ages, this high prairie-like land has been the home of the fearless, nomadic Masai tribe, who love its rolling grassy stretches, on which they herd their thousands of zebu cattle. These fierce and bloodthirsty plunderers have maintained and enlarged their herds, by robbing alternately every clan within several hundred miles of their border. For centuries they have been the champion cattle-lifters and murderers of the interior, and the terror and dread of less daring and courageous tribes. On these raiding expeditions, it is computed that not less than a score (20) of human beings are left rolling in their blood, for every single head of cattle captured. Oftentimes, when resistance is well maintained against the plunderers, by the defending tribe, hundreds of men are slaughtered without a single ox exchanging hands.
The Masai tribe survive on flesh and milk only, and would not agree to allow any of the cereal or vegetable products of the earth to touch their lips.
Out on these open Masai plains, scenes may be witnessed which can never be repeated in any other part of the world. Thousands of wild animals are found browsing and sporting together, and, even of one species, single herds have been seen by us which approximated two thousand head.
At times, several kinds of antelope get intermingled, and then the heart of any zoologist would be delighted with the fascinating scene of animated nature. In these blended companies may be found groups of the majestic eland, the fleet and lively zebra, the inquiring hartebeest, the suspicious waterbuck, the whimsical wildebeest and the picturesque, brindled gazelles; while, towering heavenward above them all, there is the stately giraffe, who seems to live in cloudland, and yonder, in the distance, may be discerned the dark outline of the gigantic rhinoceros, enjoying his sun bath, in the isolation which fits his confrontational personality.
On that comparatively treeless plain we camped for several nights, as we journeyed westward. It was impossible for us there to have such immense night fires as had lighted up our camps while coming through those several hundreds of miles of bush and forest, which then lay behind. Were it not for the fact that the acacia will burn even when green, we should have had no firewood at all. However, the dried excrements of zebra and other animals were quite plentiful, and these made a very hot fire, and admirably served for cooking purposes. About halfway across the plain, we struck the Athi river, in which there was such a flow of water as rendered fording difficult and dangerous. Hippopotamuses and crocodiles were very numerous, and, as the men were attempting to cross, many were the remarks about the probability of becoming a meal for the reptiles. A few shots, however, fired into the water on each side of the fording line, rendered the passage of the crocodile infested river comparatively safe; but it was difficult, nevertheless, when in the midst of the thick, muddy stream, to overcome the feeling of dread which the presence of these large-mouthed monsters inspired. Every moment, the men were expecting their legs to be crunched, while they nervously made their way crossways the onrushing current, which flowed over a treacherous and uneven bed.
Leaving the Athi river, our next camp was on the border of the Kikuyu country; and the sight which met the gaze of our porters, as we pitched on an elevation, on the further bank of the Nairobi river, was sufficient to strike terror into the heart of every man in our caravan. Human skulls and bones were so plentiful in the vicinity of our encampment that no one could pass through the grass without striking the foot against them at every few yards.
Due to the charnel field with which we were surrounded, the camp was not altogether a desirable one, but we could not have improved upon the situation for security and convenience. Before us, about six hundred yards away, was the dense black line of the forest, in which the Wakikuyu were in hiding, and where their numerous camp fires were visible; and, between that and our camp, there was a clear stretch of ground, where the natives might be readily detected in any attempt to come up to our camp. Behind us was the flowing Nairobi stream, from which we drew our water, and beyond that, at a long distance in our rear, were the quarters of the El Moran or fighting men of the Masai.
There was very little necessity to give any special caution to our guards to be on the alert, for they and the whole caravan were anticipating an attack at every moment of the night. Before daylight we partook of a cup of cocoa, and, as the faint glimmer of dawn touched the heavens, we were once again on the march.
An advance guard of ten porters, chosen for their courage and common sense, were sent on about two hundred yards ahead of the main body of the caravan, to give us timely warning of any apparent danger which lurked in the distance, so that our porters might be able to drop their loads together, in the form of a wall, behind which they might seek to defend themselves.
As we entered the dense, wooded belt, various kinds of monkeys showed themselves among the branches of the towering trees, and, without any warning, there burst upon us a great volume of shrieking, screaming noise, as if the whole forest had been suddenly turned into a uproar. Our caravan instinctively paused for a moment, and it was then found that the sole cause of this turmoil and commotion was the fact that a big leopard, who was evidently bent on having a monkey for breakfast, had prematurely made his appearance and, having been seen by the quadrumanous troop in the trees, the whole band joined together in making the forest ring with their terrified uproar.
Numerous warriors of the Kikuyu tribe passed us in the thick bush. They were a sturdy, stout race of men, of only medium stature, and with round, unpleasant features, bearing a surly, depressed countenance. They were armed with broad-bladed spears and, in some cases, bows and poisoned arrows. They seemed a much less agreeable type than the Wakamba natives, through whose country we had already passed. Their bodies were covered with bright red clay and castor oil. On the lower part of the body they had no covering, while over the shoulders of a few a short piece of goatskin was tied which hung down to the waist. We had not penetrated far into their forest before we had strong evidence of their treachery. On the side of the track we followed, our attention was drawn to the naked and mutilated bodies of five men, who had just been freshly murdered. My husband made inquiries, and found that these men, who were of the Masai tribe, had been invited, under a false pretense, to a Kikuyu village and, when there, had been treacherously killed and their bodies thrown out in the forest.
We then emerged from the dense bush into more open forest country, which was interspersed with long, narrow stretches of grassy valleys. Here we met with large numbers of Masai warriors, bearing seven-foot spears, which glistened brightly in the morning sun. We had been long familiar with this fierce, pillaging tribe, having met with them in the Ugogo and Uhehe countries, in 1885, while working with the tribes south of Lake Victoria Nyanza. They are the most warlike tribe in Central Africa, of splendid physique, high stature and commanding look.
In every way, these warriors of the plain are superior to the Wakikuyu of the forest, with whom they have often engaged in deadly conflict; but the fastnesses of the impenetrable jungle make the Wakikuyu almost untouchable. The Masai warriors, after the manner of the Kikuyu natives, are naked, except for a piece of skin about eighteen inches deep, which, slung over the shoulder, simply serves to cover the lungs.
They are quite sharp and intelligent, like the naked Wakamba of the hills, and are their equal in cruelty and savagery, but are much more easily dealt with, and more open and forthright in their manner, than the wily bowmen of the rugged heights.
We eventually arrived within sight of the second fort, which had been recently erected by the Imperial British East Africa Company, on the border of the untrodden Kikuyu land, where it joined the territory of the Masai. Mr. F. G. Hall was in charge of this fortification, with a large number of trained native soldiers from Zanzibar.
As we approached the fortress he came out to meet us, and gave us a hearty welcome, expressing, at the same time, his intense surprise at the arrival of a lady and little children in such a hostile country. A numerous body of soldiers had been drawn up on each side of the track with fixed bayonets; and, through the double file of men, we passed on towards the fort and, crossing the drawbridge, which was suspended over the deep moat, we entered very friendly accommodations. Mr. Hall most kindly loaned his room for us and our children, and used the storeroom himself. Nothing was lacking on his part to make our short stay in that country dwelling happy and comfortable.
There had been substantial fighting, and large numbers of lives lost during the short time since the first caravan of armed men, under the command of the valiant Major Smith, had arrived among those dangerous natives. Mr. George Wilson, afterward Deputy Governor of Uganda, and formerly in command of the fort, was a very tactful man, but was so desperately besieged by the Wakikuyu, that he and his soldiers found it necessary to flee, during the darkness of the night, and, with considerable difficulty, escaped with their lives.
At the time we arrived at Kikuyu, Mr. Hall was practically a prisoner in the fort, and in a very dangerous position, but he bravely clung to his post. He was unable to go out, or to know anything of the topography of the surrounding country, and could not even take exercise a few hundred yards outside the rude drawbridge of the fortification, without thirty to forty riflemen by his side. An armed force always accompanied his men while they were drawing water, at a stream situated at a distance of about two hundred yards. In spite of all these safety measures, some of his men were killed on several occasions. At times, when food was scarce, he had sent out numbers of armed men to the Wakikuyu, to exchange the barter goods they carried for grain or beans, and many of these food parties were cut up and murdered.
Mr. Hall, in a friendly manner but yet most fervently, assured us of the great danger of opening up Missionary work in the country, on the ground that we and our children would certainly be slaughtered, and asserted that it would be totally impossible to carry out our idea of entering into the heart of the Kikuyu country, which no white man, with a properly armed force, had yet been able to penetrate.
There could be no doubt regarding Mr. Hall's sincerity and great interest in the safety of our lives, and my husband eagerly appreciated his kind advice, but, at the same time, having had varied experiences with many tribes of the interior, he believed that he might be enabled by God to achieve that which an equipped armed force could not accomplish.
Seeing that my husband was determined and firm in his purpose to pass through the sealed territory of these treacherous natives, and establish a Mission, Mr. Hall wrote him the following official letter:—Imperial British East Africa Company,
Kikuyu Fort,
December 13th, 1893.
To Stuart Watt, Esq., Kikuyu.
Dear Sir,
As regards your intention of starting a Mission in this district, I feel it my duty to warn you of the danger of such a proceeding. The treacherous nature of the Wakikuyu is so well known and has been exhibited on so many occasions that it is useless for me to enlarge upon it; but I need scarcely say that I consider it unsafe for any European to settle in this district at present unless accompanied by a considerable armed force and occupying a properly fortified position. I shall be most happy at all times to render you every assistance in my power should you persist in your present scheme, but at the same time must respectfully decline to be in any way responsible for the lives or property of your party once out of rifle range of this fort.
I have the honor to be,
Dear Sir,
Your obedient servant, ' {Signed) Francis G. Hall.
After trading for a considerable amount of grain from the natives for our caravan, and saying goodbye to our kind host, we were ready to make another forward movement, and enter the heart of the Kikuyu country, which had never been accomplished by any European.
Mr. Joseph Thomson, Commander of the Royal Geographical Society's expedition to Kenya, who skirted the uninhabited border of the Kikuyu country, writes of the Wakikuyu, "No caravan has yet been able to penetrate into their country, so dense are the forests and so murderous and thievish are its inhabitants." There was some difficulty in getting our men into line. They fully realized the dangers which might be lurking in the distance, and very unwillingly did they answer to the roll call, and take up their loads once again for the march. While resting at the fort, they had heard from the soldiers numerous tales of murder and slaughter, which had been perpetrated by the treacherous natives; and this completely frightened them, and reduced them to a state of hopeless terror. Had it not been that extreme precautions were taken, many of the men would undoubtedly have deserted.
Our purpose was to reach the dense population which, according to native reports, was concentrated near to the snow-clad mountain of Kenya. Our path lay almost due north, through a dense and nearly impenetrable, bushy jungle, along a range of hills, at an elevation of about six thousand feet above sea level. Away to the west of our path, these densely covered hills attained a height of probably eight to nine thousand feet, forming an extensive watershed, while, at some distance on the east of our track, they dropped to an altitude of four or five thousand. This range was intersected, every few hundred yards, by numerous deep gullies, covered with massive and luxuriant vegetation, through which rushing torrents fought their way eastward against all obstructions.
It was exceedingly difficult, at times, to make a passage through the rank growth, which covered the steep slopes of these gorges. The greater part of two months had now gone since we left the Coast, and never before had our porters had such very tiring marches. It is indeed impossible to imagine the oppression and labor they endured, in ascending out of these deep, steep ravines, which cut through our track at close intervals. Often, when emerging from some of these low depressions unto the top of the succeeding ridge, a signal was given to our out of breath, sweaty porters to stack their loads for a few minutes to recover breath. When the carriers then looked back upon the height which they had left an hour ago, now separated from them in a beeline by only a few hundred yards, they felt disheartened at the necessity of expending so much labor to accomplish the insignificant progress of about half a mile.
We had then entered a fairly populous part of the country, and could see the energetic, armed warriors flitting about among the bushes, and all evidently very much interested in the movements of our caravan. Very few women or children were to be seen, and this was not, in my husband's estimation, a favorable sign. Nevertheless, with the utmost courage, he pressed forward.
We had with us a very suitable interpreter. He was a native, who had formerly belonged to the Wakikuyu tribe, and, when quite a youth, had been captured by a neighboring clan, and sold as a slave to the Coast Arabs. He spoke the Swahili language, with which we were quite familiar, and had not forgotten his mother tongue. For this reason he was invaluable to us, not only as an interpreter for communicating with the wild natives of the forest, but also as a reliable guide through that unknown land.
The country we had entered offered unthinkable difficulties to the safe progress of our caravan, due to the extremely complex paths through the matted vegetation, while the deep ravines, into which we had to descend, were real death traps if surrounded by hostile natives.
The unhappy countenance of our porters betrayed the intense feelings of fear and dread which lurked in every heart; and sometimes they openly made use of expressions to one another such as, "Tutakufa leo!" "Mwisho welu karibu!" (Today we shall die! Our end is near!) Nevertheless, a few tactful words from my husband, interspersed with some cheerful good-natured remarks, inspired their courage, and increased their determination to move forward.
On we pressed, until the sun was lowering in the western heavens with a golden red, when we reached a suitable place for camping. It was a most delightful evening, and an exhilarating breeze from the ice-clad heights of Kenya blew softly through the green forest. We pitched our tents on the border of one of the most beautiful valleys the eye could see, near to a rippling stream of clear, cool water, which flowed underneath a dense, overhanging mass of tropical vegetation. The banks of the babbling brook were thickly lined with rich, maidenhair ferns. Before us stretched open glades surrounded by thick clumps of lofty and impenetrable bush, and intertwining vines. The deep green creepers covered the topmost branches, and swung gracefully from tree to tree.
Into the gloomy depths of some of these dense thickets a narrow passage had been cut, and a large, round space cleared in the center; and there, surrounded by a natural wall of forest growth, impassable alike to man and beast, the natives had built their low grass huts. To each of these hamlets there were several misleading, narrow tracks, which were studded with sharp, poisoned spikes of wood, so hidden as to ensure the destruction of the enemy who might be daring enough to tread on the approaches to their homes. A circuitous path, which only the initiated could follow, led to the entrance of each secluded village of these wild denizens of the woods, who adopted every possible strategy for confusing their foes.
Warriors, daubed with red clay, and carrying six foot spears, were visible in large numbers. Only a few of them came near to our camp, with whom we entered into conversation through our interpreter. They were very unwilling to give any information, but exhibited considerable anxiety to determine something of our intended course through the country. They seemed absolutely unfriendly towards us, and my husband realized from their conduct that some plan was being hatched, of which he had, as yet, no particulars, but which, nevertheless, he felt assured God would enable him to foil and frustrate.
Several rumors had reached the ears of our porters during the day, that a large body of warriors were lying in ambush ahead, with the purpose of murdering the entire caravan, and looting the barter goods which we carried.
My husband gave orders to the headmen that none of our porters should be allowed to leave the grounds of the camp, under any pretense whatever, knowing that if even one of the carriers were killed with impunity, the shedding of his blood would only start an immediate onslaught, which would involve the whole party. As long as our men and goods remained together, these warriors might respect the unknown powers of the white-faced stranger; but if ever they succeeded in killing one or two of his men, or stealing a load of wire or beads, without efficient revenge following—a vengeance which we neither desired nor were able to inflict—they would immediately conclude that our caravan was an easy prey. They would, immediately, cover their spears in the blood of those who had been bold enough to cross their border, and take our supplies which had happily been transported into the vicinity of their woodland habitations.
It was not difficult to persuade the men to remain in camp on that occasion, for they seemed stricken to the heart with sickening and clear dread. During the evening, our principal headman came to our tent, and told us that our interpreter had heard that on the next day's march we should all be certainly murdered, for that some thousands of warriors were lying in wait for us on the track, having been informed that we were proceeding to a district across the Tana river. He added that our porters were already planning to desert during the night, so that they might, by some chance, escape with their lives.
My husband treated the matter with contempt, knowing how terribly frightened the Coast natives usually are, when face to face with the spear-armed natives of the interior. He called to him our interpreter, and fully questioned him about the native reports which he had overheard. It was then discovered that, on several occasions, the interpreter had listened to the Wakikuyu natives who had come to the camp, discussing the plot which had been arranged for the morrow, when we and our children and porters were all to be slaughtered and our goods taken. He also confirmed the fact that our porters had determined to flee in the darkness of the night.
My husband had a long talk with me about the matter, and we then knelt down in our tent, and asked the Lord to guide and direct our movements, and that if it were in accordance with His will, the lives of our little ones and our porters might be preserved.
In the course of half an hour, our headman returned to the tent, and told my husband that the son of the chief of the district wanted to see him. The young man was brought near to the tent door. He was a very fine specimen of body type, strong in form, and manly in manner. His body was daubed with red ocher and oil, and his woolly hair was dripping with the unctuous composition. He was naked, like the warriors of his tribe, except for a small piece of goatskin, bordered with colored beads, which hung grotesquely over one shoulder.
My husband spoke to him through our interpreter and asked about his purpose. The warrior desired to know where we were going. To this question, my husband gave an honest answer, telling him the route we purposed following, and the situation of the district to which we were going, and acquainting him fully with our purposes in coming to the country, which was to tell the people of the great love of God to them, as revealed by His Son Jesus Christ.
The keen-faced native, with rolling and inquiring eyes, seemed to have his tongue loosened by the blunt and candid information which my husband fearlessly gave him; and, thrusting the pointed iron base of his spear into the ground, he related to us the fact that a large number of warriors were in ambush, upon the path which we were following, and that if we proceeded we should all surely be massacred. He advised us to go round by another way, through an uninhabited part of the forest, and so escape certain destruction.
We were quite convinced that the Lord had answered our prayers, and that this man had been sent to us to show how we might avoid the slaughter of our children and porters. We were greatly impressed with the evident fact that God can raise up a messenger to fulfill His will, even among the most brutal and depraved of earth's human tribes. Until the young man appeared, my husband had been fully determined to proceed on our way, at all hazards, and to remain without sleep that night, so that he might go about the camp, and be assured that the men on watch were doing their duty in preventing the porters from running away.
After the heir to the chieftainship had gone, the headmen of our caravan were called together and told that we had changed our plans, and were going to pass through a tract of uninhabited belt of jungle. They were commanded to tell all the porters quietly of our decision, but no hint of our plans was to be given to the surrounding natives.
The porters had no sleep that night. Around the camp fires could be heard the continual hum of low conversation in the Swahili language, concerning the murderous ways of these treacherous natives. When the morning dawned, the tents were taken down, the camp goods packed, and the carrying chairs of our little ones made ready for the march, but not before a great crowd of warriors had gathered around our camp. There was considerable commotion among the armed natives, as the mob swelled to larger proportions. Under a great demonstration of force, they rudely demanded gifts of barter goods, which my self-possessed husband, in an friendly but most forceful manner, refused to grant.
The great crowd, which, up to that time, had remained at a respectful distance, now impulsively closed in nearer to us, until we were surrounded by a large phalanx of painted warriors, whose spears glistened menacingly in the bright sunlight of the morning. On the chest, abdomen and thighs, the natives were painted with brown and white zebra-like stripes, while a dash of yellow ocher was drawn around the eyes.
I felt that my little children might, at any moment, be hoisted or transfixed by their spears. Just at this point, my husband's voice rang out clear and strong, calling upon his men to fall in. As they dropped into line, I could see how futile it would be to place any dependence on the Coast porters for protection, when confronted with these fierce, warlike natives of the woods. The limbs of our men were shaking like aspen leaves, and their knees knocking against each other, while mortal fear was stamped upon every face.
My husband ordered them to raise their loads, and, as he did so, passed through the natives, driving them to left and right with his bare arms; and having thus made a small opening, into which our rile of men entered, the warriors fell back on either side.
When all the carriers had moved out of camp, my husband took his position beside the children's carrying chairs in the rear, while the enraged natives closed in behind, and followed us, shouting out their demands for gifts. Our porters, however, kept moving on at a swinging pace, and the warriors gradually dropped behind and were soon lost to sight.