The Kilima-Njaro Expedition by Harry Johnston

Believing myself to be secure for the present in Mandara's friendship, I resolved without further delay to send eighteen of my thirty Zanzibaris to Sir John Kirk at Zanzibar, whither they could carry my first collections of the fauna and flora of Kilima-njaro, and my despatches laying before him the then existing state of affairs. Moreover, inasmuch as I found my paucity of men a great obstacle in pursuing my investigations and an altogether false economy, I desired Kiongwe, my head-man, who went in charge of this caravan, to recruit for me thirty or forty stout fellows in Zanzibar and bring them back with him, together with a further supply of necessary goods.

Eighteen was a small number of men to send along the Pangani route to Zanzibar, but fortunately, just as they were setting out on the journey, Thomson's friend, Jumba Kimemeta, arrived at Mandara's (I am sorry to say to purchase slaves[19]), and offered to escort them all the way to the town of Pangani. I gladly accepted, but as the men were ready I did not like to keep them hanging about idle in my settlement, so I sent them on by themselves to Taveita to join Kimemeta there. Most fortunate was it that I did so. Jumba Kimemeta started from Moši a day or two afterwards, with the slaves purchased from Mandara. The Masai, knowing this, lay in wait for him, attacked his caravan, routed it, and Jumba only escaped by the skin of his teeth, losing slaves, oxen, and goods. Had my men been with him, they would certainly have abandoned the collections, and then nobody in England would have believed me when I explained their loss.