He was a large man, and all his members were
largely developed, his hands and fingers were all in proportion to his
great height; and he lived to old age with strength unimpaired: Goambari
inherits his white colour and sharp nose, but not his wisdom or courage.
Merere killed five of his own people for exciting him against the Arabs.
The half-caste is the murderer of many of Charura's descendants. His
father got a daughter of Moenyegumbe for courage in fighting the Babema
of Ubena.

Cold-blooded murders are frightfully common here. Some kill people in
order to be allowed to wear the red tail feathers of a parrot in their
hair, and yet they are not ugly like the West Coast Negroes, for many
men have as finely formed heads as could be found in London. We English,
if naked, would make but poor figures beside the strapping forms and
finely shaped limbs of Manyuema men and women. Their cannibalism is
doubtful, but my observations raise grave suspicions. A Scotch jury
would say, "Not proven." The women are not guilty.

_4th February, 1871._--Ten of my men from the coast have come near to
Bambarre, and will arrive to-day. I am extremely thankful to hear it,
for it assures me that my packet of letters was not destroyed; they know
at home by this time what has detained me, and the end to which I
strain.

Only one letter reached, and forty are missing! James was killed to-day
by an arrow: the assassin was hid in the forest till my men going to buy
food came up.[12] I propose to leave on the 12th. I have sent Dr. Kirk a
cheque for Rs. 4000: great havoc was made by cholera, and in the midst
of it my friend exerted himself greatly to get men off to me with goods;
the first gang of porters all died.

_8th February, 1871._--The ten men refusing to go north are influenced
probably by Shereef, and my two ringleaders, who try this means to
compel me to take them.

_9th February, 1871._--The man who contrived the murder of James came
here, drawn by the pretence that he was needed to lead a party against
the villages, which he led to commit the outrage. His thirst for blood
is awful: he was bound, and word sent to bring the actual murderers
within three days, or he suffers death. He brought five goats, thinking
that would smooth the matter over.

_11th February, 1871._--Men struck work for higher wages: I consented to
give them six dollars a month if they behaved well; if ill I diminish
it, so we hope to start to-morrow. Another hun