The porters then, seeing Grant all alone, unable to help him, bolted off to inform me and Lumeresi, as the best thing they could do.

Though disbelieving the story in all its minutiae, I felt that something serious must have happened; so, without a moment's delay, I sent off the last of my men strong enough to walk to succour Grant, carrying with them a bag of beads.

Baraka then stepped outside my tent, and said in a loud voice, purposely for my edification, "There, now, what is the use of thinking any more about going to Karague?
I said all along it was impossible"; upon hearing which I had him up before all the remaining men, and gave him a lecture, saying, happen what would, I must die or go on with the journey, for shame would not allow me to give way as Baraka was doing.

Baraka replied, he was not afraid--he only meant to imply that men could not act against impossibilities.

"Impossibilities!" I said; "what is impossible?
Could I not go on as a servant with the first caravan, or buy up a whole caravan if I liked?
What is impossible?
For Godsake don't try any more to frighten my men, for you have nearly killed me already in doing so." Next day (17th) I received a letter from Grant, narrating the whole of his catastrophes:-- "In the Jungles, near M'yonga's, 16th Sept.