Page:In brightest Africa.djvu/261

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The next morning we decided to return to our base camp on Mikeno, a thousand feet lower down. I think we all wished to stay at the Saddle Camp longer because of the marvellous beauty of the place, but our guides and porters complained so bitterly, and I think so justly, against the cold that a decision was made on their account rather than our own. The guides, however, were not content with their return to the Mikeno Camp, but insisted on quitting their jobs entirely. While this was a disarrangement of our plans, my appreciation for all they had done and sympathy with their just complaints caused me to pay them off and let them go. The following day they returned, a very dejected and penitent lot, and their explanation for their return was interesting, to say the least. When they reached home their sultan had asked them if my work was finished and if they had stayed until I no longer required them. They had admitted that I had given my consent unwillingly. He had told them that they must come back to me and stay until the work was finished and that they must bring to him a report from me of complete satisfaction.

Bradley and I remained two days longer, and these guides were on the job every minute. It was a demonstration of honour and manliness on the part of the sultan that I have rarely seen equalled in a savage.

Mrs. Bradley and Miss Miller went to the Mission Camp, but Bradley and I remained for two days of photographing and the cleaning up and the packing of the gorilla material. The third and last day we made the descent of the mountain, sending the por-