The big Swahili instantly went among the Wakamba, cuffing them right and left. In less than five minutes peace was restored, the Wakamba slung their loads to their backs, passing the long loop of raw hide around their foreheads; the Swahilis set theirs upon their heads; and the cry of "Safari! safari!" indicated that they were ready to be off.
"A capital start, Halliday," said Mr. Gillespie. "Good luck to ye."
Mr. Halliday and John shook hands heartily with their host and hostess, and taking their rifles under their arm, set off after the little caravan, the leader of which had already started a marching song. Said Mohammed, carrying a little bundle of his own, brought up the rear, with Coja ben Selim.
[CHAPTER THE THIRD--In a Game-Pit]
John felt all the thrilling excitement of a new experience. There was nothing romantic, it is true, in trudging along at two miles an hour over a decent road, which led at first through the spacious estates of colonists who had already settled in the neighbourhood of the town. But he knew that before long the caravan would enter a wild, unsettled region, swarming with game large and small, holding innumerable possibilities of encounters with strange beasts and men. And though there was nothing novel in the mere exercise of walking, it was both new and amusing to find himself in company with African natives, marching stolidly along under heavy loads, to a monotonous chant kept up by their leader, who repeated the same words endlessly. Curious to know what the man was singing, he asked Coja ben Selim, the only man of them that knew English. The Swahili gave him a wide grin and said it was all nonsense, and when John pressed him for the exact meaning he prevaricated and looked uncomfortable. The song was, in fact, an impromptu one, and the words, literally translated, meant nothing more than "Two more white men; oh, what noses! Oh, what legs!" and if John had known he would only have wondered what amusement the porters could have derived from the constant repetition of such an uninspired and uninspiring refrain. He made up his mind to learn the native tongue as soon as possible.
After they had walked for three or four miles it became suddenly dark, but there was no pause, Mr. Gillespie having advised that they should take advantage of the cool hours, and do a good ten miles before camping for the night. A new moon shed a little light upon the path, which, as the scattered cultivated districts were left behind, entered a region of long grass and belts of forest land. Presently they heard the rushing noise of water, and came to the brink of a deep ravine, whose bottom they could not see for the trees and dense undergrowth with which it was clothed. Coja ben Selim was for crossing the ravine; he said he knew of a fine place for camping a little beyond it; but Mr. Halliday was not inclined to risk a broken leg, and decided to camp in a glade on the nearer bank, and to attempt the crossing by daylight. The loads were set down, the tent was pitched, and a fire lighted; soon the men were cooking their simple supper, chattering cheerfully; and Said Mohammed, opening up the stores, produced some cocoa, tinned milk and biscuits, and in a few minutes provided his employers with a simple meal. Mr. Halliday discussed the advisability of setting a watch during the night, but Coja said that there were no black men in the neighbourhood, and the fires would keep off wild animals; so the two Englishmen wrapped their blankets around them, and slept soundly till the dawn.
Mr. Gillespie had given his guests some instruction in the general conduct of a safari, so that when Mr. Halliday put his head out of the tent and called to the headman to take up the loads, there was a brisk movement among the porters to the pile in which their bundles had been stacked during the night. They laid them in a row for inspection, first lashing to them their mats and cooking-pots. When this was done, they squatted down to eat a few roasted grains of muhindi (maize), and while the Swahilis struck the tent and tied up the bedding, the two Englishmen having rapidly dressed, Said Mohammed prepared breakfast of tinned meat, biscuits, and tea. Then, to the customary cry of "Safari!" the porters lifted their loads, the utensils were quickly packed, and while the dawn was still grey the little party left the camp and began the descent of the ravine. Looking back as he came to the brink, John saw a hyena slink out of the undergrowth and steal past the smouldering embers of the fires, and birds like kites swoop down with rushing wings, soaring up again with some remnant of food in their talons. He felt now that his new strange life was beginning indeed.
PART OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA
The descent was safely made, the river waded, and climbing up the further side, the travellers found themselves entering a region of bush and thorns and tall rank grass, in the midst of which they heard at times a swishing sound as some animal, invisible, darted away from before them. They had left the road leading to Fort Hall, the nearest Government station, and struck off in a direction north by east. The leader picked his way steadily, following the track of an animal, the others close behind him, though after a time some of the porters, weaker or less willing than the rest, began to lag behind. Though it was still early morning, John found it already uncomfortably hot, and, taking off his coat, gave it to Coja. Once or twice he removed his sun-helmet also, but Said Mohammed, at this, came to his side, and said, very respectfully--