further. They mutinied three times here, and Hassani harboured them till
I told him that, if an English officer harboured an Arab slave he would
be compelled by the Consul to refund the price, and I certainly would
not let him escape; this frightened him; but I was at the mercy of
slaves who had no honour, and no interest in going into danger.

_16th May, 1871._--Abed gave me a frasilah of Matunda beads, and I
returned fourteen fathoms of fine American sheeting, but it was an
obligation to get beads from one whose wealth depended on exchanging
beads for ivory.

_16th May, 1871._--At least 3000 people at market to-day, and my going
among them has taken away the fear engendered by the slanders of slaves
and traders, for all are pleased to tell me the names of the fishes and
other things. Lepidosirens are caught by the neck and lifted out of the
pot to show their fatness. Camwood ground and made into flat cakes for
sale and earthen balls, such as are eaten in the disease safura or
earth-eating, are offered and there is quite a roar of voices in the
multitude, haggling. It was pleasant to be among them compared to being
with the slaves, who were all eager to go back to Zanzibar: some told me
that they were slaves, and required a free man to thrash them, and
proposed to go back to Ujiji for one. I saw no hope of getting on with
them, and anxiously longed for the arrival of Dugumbé; and at last Abed
overheard them plotting my destruction. "If forced to go on, they would
watch till the first difficulty arose with the Manyuema, then fire off
their guns, run away, and as I could not run as fast as they, leave me
to perish." Abed overheard them speaking loudly, and advised me strongly
not to trust myself to them any more, as they would be sure to cause my
death. He was all along a sincere friend, and I could not but take his
words as well-meant and true.