We reached the canoe without accident, and to our great relief found Mavovo and Hans awaiting us.

I learned, however, that it was fortunate they had slept in the boat, since during the night the albino women arrived with the evident object of possessing themselves of it, and only ran away when they saw that it was guarded.

As we were making ready the canoe those unhappy slaves appeared in a body and throwing themselves upon their faces with piteous words, or those of them who could not speak, by signs, implored the Mother not to desert them, till both she and Hope began to cry.

But there was no help for it, so we pushed off as quickly as we could, leaving the albinos weeping and wailing upon the bank.
I confess that I, too, felt compunction at abandoning them thus, but what could we do?
I only trust that no harm came to them, but of course we never heard anything as to their fate.
On the further side of the lake we hid away the canoe in the bushes where we had found it, and began our march.

Stephen and Mavovo, being the two strongest among us, now carried the plant, and although Stephen never murmured at its weight, how the Zulu did swear after the first few hours! I could fill a page with his objurgations at what he considered an act of insanity, and if I had space, should like to do so, for really some of them were most amusing.