Only those who have been forced to do without farinaceous food for days or weeks will know what this abundance meant to them.

Leonard thought that he had never eaten a more delicious meal, or drunk anything so good as the rum and water with which they washed it down.
They found other things also: rifles, cutlasses and ammunition, and, better than all, a chest of clothes which had evidently belonged to the officer or officers of the party.

One suit was a kind of uniform plentifully adorned with gold lace, having tall boots and a broad felt hat with a white ostrich feather in it to match.

Also there were some long Arab gowns and turbans, the gala clothes of the slave-dealers, which they took with them in order to appear smart on their return.
But the most valuable find of all was a leather bag in the breeches of the uniform, containing the sum of the honest gains of the leader of the party, which he had preferred to keep in his own company even on his travels.

On examination this bag was found to hold something over a hundred English sovereigns and a dozen or fifteen pieces of Portuguese gold.
"Now, Baas," said Otter, "this is my word, that we put on these clothes." "What for ?" asked Leonard.
"For this reason: that should we be seen by the slave-traders they will think us of their brethren." The advantages of this step were so obvious that they immediately adopted it.