“What I am not surprised to hear,” answered Sayd. “Abdullah had proceeded but three days’ journey with his newly-captured slaves, and some sixty tusks or more which he had obtained, when a large force of negroes, who were lying in ambush, burst out on the caravan. The Arabs and some of their followers fought bravely, and, with a portion of their slaves and pagazis, escaped to a height where their enemies dared not follow them; but the remainder of the carriers threw down their loads and tried to escape through the forest. Some were killed, but Chando, with a few others, got free, and came on in this direction, till they fell in with a hunting-party of his own tribe, from whom he learned that an attack was to be made on a small caravan, which he at once conjectured was ours. Hastening on, he arrived just in time to prevent a fight, which would probably have ended in our destruction.”
Chando nodded his head and smiled as Sayd was speaking. He appeared to have another matter, to speak about which he evidently considered of the greatest importance. He at once communicated it to Sayd.
“What does he say?” asked Ned.
“That his mother is alive and one of the most important people in Kamwawi. That her brother is the chief, which is a fortunate circumstance, as he undertakes that we shall be received in a friendly way and escorted by his people as far as the influence of their tribe extends.”
The two parties encamped together, the hunters bringing in an ample supply of venison and elephant flesh. The next morning they proceeded towards Kamwawi. Ned had now no longer any difficulty in obtaining pagazis, each of Chando’s friends wishing to have the honour of carrying him. In two days they reached Kamwawi. Messengers having gone ahead to announce their coming, the gates were thrown open, and the villagers streamed forth to welcome them, headed by their chief; near him walked a woman, superior in appearance to the other females of the party. No sooner did Chando see her than he rushed forward and threw himself at her feet. She lifted him up, embraced him, bursting into tears. She was his mother—Masika. At length, when released from her arms, the chief welcomed him in almost as affectionate a manner.
The whole party were then received in the usual native fashion, and Sayd, without hesitation, accepted the chief’s invitation to remain at the village as long as he might desire.
Great was Masika’s astonishment at hearing that her husband was alive, though she hesitated about accepting Ned’s offer to take her and Chando to England. She bestowed, however, every care on her white guest, and contributed much by her skill to restore him to health.
Whenever she and her son could get Sayd to interpret for them, they would come and sit by Ned’s couch, listening eagerly to the accounts he gave them of Baraka, as well as to the adventures he himself had met with.
“Wonderful, wonderful!” exclaimed Masika. “Chando says he must accompany the young master, and I will go also. I will find my husband and bring him back; he will be a great man here. He has become so wise, so good!”
Masika at last made up her mind to undertake the expedition, and occupied herself in making such preparations as she considered necessary. It was some time, however, before Ned recovered the use of his feet, and could walk about without pain. The fever, too, had left him very weak. He was thankful for the rest he obtained. Sayd now became anxious to proceed, though his followers were in no hurry to leave their present quarters. He had purchased a large number of tusks from the villagers, and had engaged a dozen of them to assist in conveying his property to the coast. He had, indeed, by honest commerce made a far more profitable expedition than, in all probability, had Abdullah, even though he should succeed in reaching the coast with his captured slaves.