He was a villainous-looking person whom I suspected of having dealings with the slave traders, who were very numerous and a great power in those days, if indeed he were not one himself.

But as he was going to Kilwa whence we proposed to start inland, I arranged to make use of him to carry our party and the baggage.

The bargain was not altogether easy to strike for two reasons.

First, he did not appear to be anxious that we should hunt in the districts at the back of Kilwa, where he assured me there was no game, and secondly, he said that he wanted to sail at once.

However, I overcame his objections with an argument he could not resist--namely, money, and in the end he agreed to postpone his departure for fourteen days.
Then I set about collecting our men, of whom I had made up my mind there must not be less than twenty.