The beast rolled over in agony, dragging me with him, and I was in momentary fear of being crushed under his body. But aid was at hand, for Hatibu and Bilal came rushing up with their guns, accompanied by men armed with spears, and in less time than it takes to write about it the animal had received the contents of both muskets and was riddled with spears. His death was almost instantaneous, and I was saved from my perilous position; but the poor fellow who had been first attacked received mortal injuries, and breathed his last before we could carry him into our camp.
The flesh of the buffalo formed a welcome addition to our lichens and roots; but two days afterwards we arrived in the first villages of Ugara, where we found food in plenty. Passing through Ugara and Uganda we reached the Arab settlement of Kazeh in Unyanyembe, where I found a number of Arab traders of various degrees, who were most kind to me, and did all they could to supply my wants.
A FATAL ENCOUNTER.
Page 349.
CHAPTER XXVI.
A HAPPY ENDING.
We remained in Kazeh for about a fortnight while Hatibu was engaging men to carry his ivory down to the coast; then, amid the farewells of the whole settlement, who were much excited by the news of the plenty and cheapness of ivory in Manyuema, we left for Bagamoyo, I being mounted on a donkey given me by Musa Mzuri (handsome Moses), an Indian merchant, who had been one of the first to settle in this place for trade.