some signs of getting
ready by ordering one dozen cows to be killed, the flesh of which was
to be divided amongst those villagers who would carry his ivory, and
the skins to be cut into thongs for binding the smaller tusks of ivory
together in suitable loads.

4th and 5th.--Another specimen of Turkish barbarity came under my
notice, in the head man of a village bringing a large tusk of ivory to
Mahamed, to ransom his daughter with; for she had been seized as a slave
on his last expedition, in common with others who could not run away
fast enough to save themselves from the Turks. Fortunately for both,
it was thought necessary for the Turks to keep on good terms with the
father as an influential man; and therefore, on receiving the tusk,
Mahamed gave back the girl, and added a cow to seal their friendship.

6th to 10th.--I saw this land-pirate Mahamed take a blackmail like a
negro chief. Some men who had fled from their village when Mahamed's
plundering party passed by them the other day, surprised that he did not
stop to sack their homes, now brought ten large tusks of ivory to him
to express the gratitude they said they felt for his not having molested
them. Mahamed, on finding how easy it was to get taxes in this fashion,
instead of thanking them, assumed the air of the great potentate, whose
clemency was abused, and told the poor creatures that, though they
had done well in seeking his friendship, they had not sufficiently
considered his dignity, else they would have brought double that number
of tusks, for it was impossible he could be satisfied at so low a price.
"What," said these poor creatures, "can we do then? for this is all we
have got." "Oh," says Mahamed, "if it is all you have got now in store,
I will take these few for the present; but when I return from Gondokoro,
I expect you will bring me just as many more. Good-bye, and look out for
yourselves."

Tired beyond all measure with Mahamed's procrastination, as I could not
get him to start, I now started myself, much to his disgust, and went
ahead again, leaving word that I would wait for him at the next place,
provided he did not delay more than one day. The march led us over long
rolling downs of grass, where we saw a good many antelopes feeding;
and after going ten miles, we came, among other villages, to one named
Panyoro, in which we found it convenient to put up. At first all the
villagers, thinking us Turks, bolted away with their cattle and what