He furthermore added that it would be a grand chance for the Arabs to attack him then, and suggested that they should inform Sefu of his opportunity. “ Give him my compliments,” said Dhanis, “and tell him I hear he is hungry, so am sending him half a dozen fowls. You see we have plenty. When we have eaten all the food on this side of the river, we shall cross over to the other.” And he gave them the last half dozen fowls we had in camp. The Waginia, however, seem to have reported this conversation faithfully on the other side of the river, and it had its effect.

A few days later we heard that the Arabs had crossed the river, a couple of hours* march below us. This information we treated with the contempt that rumours in Africa ordinarily merit. Next day, however, a runaway slave came to us,