instance, a father saw his son carrying a load in our caravan; he led him angrily away, and we soon got another. But to collect one or two hundred we found a most difficult task: they are as fickle as the wind. A wave of a flag will attract them, while one misplaced expression will send them away discontented. They higgle pertinaciously about their hire; and after they have been induced to accept double wages, they suddenly change their minds, think you've got the best of it, and ask for more, or more commonly disappear.

One of the most pleasing sensations in going through an immense forest is suddenly to come upon the traces of man. The Wezee experience this, for, in their forest south of Kazeh, they erect triumphal arches with poles, over or by the side of the path. These they ornament with antelope-skulls, having the horns, or with elephant-dung, bones, bows, or broken gourds. It cheers the traveller, and gives fresh vigour to his wearied limbs, for he knows that camp and water are never far distant, and that the trumpet of the caravan leader must soon sound the welcome "halt." travelling through these forests, the Unyamuezi rarely loses his way, as he is accustomed to range in woods, and to mark his route either by breaking boughs or noting the position of the sun.

In

During my fifty-five days' detention at Mineenga, Speke had been away for sixteen days at Kazeh trying to procure porters by means of the Arabs. The third day after his return, the 18th of May 1861, I marched northward with a detachment of forty loads, making for Ukuni. He picked me up on the 21st, and I again went on alone, and reached it on the

78

BLACKSMITH AT WORK.

27th. The Journal of the last two days may perhaps possess some interest to the reader, as it introduces him to Ukulima, the sultan, in whose place I was detained one hundred and nine days. It is as follows:

"26th May.-Speke keeps the larder well filled. Last night, three guinea-fowl and a large tree-goose. I went early amongst the Watusi; handsome people, beautiful rounded small heads, prominent large eyes, thin noses, rather compressed upper jaws; all so clean and trim; no resemblance to the dirty Wezee, who are coarse and mannerless in comparison. They make their own baskets of osier-like twigs, with a sharpened spear, and work with their feet very neatly. They got a cow down by pulling its hind-legs to a post, and then carefully washed its eye, which had been injured. The blacksmith was working amongst them making wire anklets from long rods of iron; bellows very small, of wood, with cane handles, which a man worked up and down. The hammer was a massive mason's chisel: they worked squatting. A whole family were very curious to hear the tick of my watch. The fighting Watuta had one open-field combat with the Watusi, and obtained a victory over them; both are afraid of each other. I see that the slaves of the Wezees are very well dressed, and treated with great kindness, never doing but what they choose: quite different from slaves at Zanzibar, where, as Bombay tells me, they would be made to work all day, and, by some, be made to steal all night. The orthodox custom at Zanzibar is five days' labour for master, and two days' for the slave himself. Rehan (the new cook) came to say 'there was no grease to roast with.' 'What are you to roast?' He pointed

MARCH TO UKUNI.

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to his breast. 'You ought not to roast a brisket.' He brought a tongue, hump, and double brisket, smelling, all of which had been boiled yesterday, and now he wanted to roast the brisket already done.

"27th.-Bombay and I march with 38 porters to make a start of it to Nunda, in Ukuni, and to see Sultan Ukulima. Distance was eight miles through a very pretty country, with rocks jutting out fantastically, and lying now and then one on another; cultivation all the way. Sighted the village when within a mile of it; quantities of spring water coming down from a rocky height to our right. After we had entered the first milk-bush enclosure, there were several cleanly-swept windings. Village nearly empty. A heavy old man sitting on a stool with half-a-dozen men round him, induced me to say 'Yambo;' he returned it, and I went looking for a house. Came to the palace, a very high round hut, smelling strongly of goats and cattle. I asked permission to live here, and the old man, who proved to be the sultan, said, 'Doogoh yango'-'Come along, my brother.' Sweeping out the verandah of goat-dung, my bed was soon made. The sultana, a fat, fair, gentle old lady, welcomed me with both hands as if I had been her son. She was so surprised at the bedding as she sat upon it, and everything she saw, saying 'Eeh, eeh!' and nodding her head indeed, all were surprised. Bombay got some pombé; the drunken old sultan himself carried a basket-cup of it. He drank first (through a straw), and then I had some, and very good it was. Then he drank again, and I drank again, laughing heartily. People in hundreds came. I went to sleep, though

drums beat all day in honour of the arrival. Their politeness was remarkable; they retired as I sat down at meals. Milk very dear, and got with great difficulty. Lads excited with drums, jumping in the air, and flying about. Did not see old man for the rest of the day; he was in a state of pombé!"

CHAPTER VI.

VILLAGE LIFE AT UKUNI, MAY 27 TO SEPTEMBER 12, 1861-THE COUNTRY WELL CULTIVATED AND WOODED-THE SEASONS, WINDS, ETC.-BLIND MUSICIANS-FOOD OF THE NATIVES WOMEN AT HARVEST-COINAGE AND MANUFACTURESFLORA OF UKUNI-DOMESTIC AND WILD ANIMALS-SINGULAR CEREMONY WITH A DEAD LION-ATTACK OF ANTSSULTAN AND SULTANA OF UKUNI — AFRICAN WOMEN ARE GOOD MOTHERS-DRUM MUSIC-SUPERSTITIONS-SYSTEM OF

BROTHERHOOD.

To commence with the country around, I may state that its general elevation above sea-level is 3260 feet. All the lands run southwards, and are cleared for cultivation, while the low hills are well wooded, their ridges capped with huge masses of rounded rock, some single blocks forty and fifty feet in height, balanced on each other, or forming gorges and passes between one valley and another. The village of the smaller sultan of Roongwa, seven miles to the N.W., has some remarkably pretty landscapes in its neighbourhood. Upon gently-swelling lands gloomy peaked masses of granite rise amidst the dense foliage, reminding one of a baronial castle at home, with its parks and clumps of trees. Sometimes large water

F