zebras
about 800 lbs.
_23rd January, 1872._--Rest. Mr. Stanley has fever. _24th._--Ditto.
_25th_.--Stanley ill. _26th_.--Stanley better and off.
_26th January, 1872._--Through low hills N.E. and among bamboos to open
forest--on in undulating bushy tract to a river with two rounded hills
east, one having three mushroom-shaped trees on it.
_27th January, 1872._--On across long land waves and the only bamboos
east of Mpokwa Rill to breakfast. In going on a swarm of bees attacked a
donkey Mr. Stanley bought for me, and instead of galloping off, as did
the other, the fool of a beast rolled down, and over and over. I did the
same, then ran, dashed into a bush like an ostrich pursued, then ran
whisking a bush round my head. They gave me a sore head and face, before
I got rid of the angry insects: I never saw men attacked before: the
donkey was completely knocked up by the stings on head, face, and lips,
and died in two days, in consequence. We slept in the stockade of
Misonghi.
_28th January, 1872._--We crossed the river and then away E. to near a
hill. Crossed two rivers, broad and marshy, and deep with elephants
plunging. Rain almost daily, but less in amount now. Bombay says his
greatest desire is to visit Speke's grave ere he dies: he has a square
head with the top depressed in the centre.
_29th January, 1872._--We ascended a ridge, the edge of a flat basin
with ledges of dark brown sandstone, the brim of ponds in which were
deposited great masses of brown haematite, disintegrated into gravel,
flat open forest with short grass. We crossed a rill of light-coloured
water three times and reached a village. After this in 1-1/2 hour we
came to Merera's.
_30th January, 1872._--At Merera's, the second of the name. Much rain
and very heavy; food abundant. Baniayamwezi and Yukonongo people here.
_31st January, 1872._--Through scraggy bush, then open forest with short
grass, over a broad rill and on good path to village Mwaro; chief
Kamirambo.
_1st February, 1872._--We met a caravan of Syde bin Habib's people
yesterday who reported that Mirambo has offered to repay all the goods
he has robbed the Arabs of, all the ivory, powder, blood, &c., but his
offer was rejected. The country all around is devastated, and Arab force
is at Simba's. Mr. Stanley's man Shaw is dead. There is very great
mortality by small-pox amongst the Arabs and at the coast. We went over
flat upland forest, open and bushy, then down a deep desce
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