h in length, enters every pore of
woollen clothing and highly irritates the skin. From its hard, sharp
point a series of minute barbs are laid back, and give the seed a hold
wherever it enters: the slightest touch gives it an entering motion, and
the little hooks prevent its working out. These seeds are so abundant in
some spots, that the inside of the stocking becomes worse than the
roughest hair shirt. It is, however, an excellent self-sower, and fine
fodder; it rises to the height of common meadow-grass in England, and
would be a capital plant for spreading over a new country not so
abundantly supplied with grasses as this is.

We have sometimes noticed two or three leaves together pierced through by
these seeds, and thus made, as it were, into wings to carry them to any
soil suited to their growth.

We always follow the native paths, though they are generally not more
than fifteen inches broad, and so often have deep little holes in them,
made for the purpose of setting traps for small animals, and are so much
obscured by the long grass, that one has to keep one's eyes on the ground
more than is pleasant. In spite, however, of all drawbacks, it is vastly
more easy to travel on these tracks than to go straight over uncultivated
ground, or virgin forest. A path usually leads to some village, though
sometimes it turns out to be a mere game track leading nowhere.

In going north, we came into a part called Mpemba where Chibisa was owned
as chief, but the people did not know that he had been assassinated by
the Portuguese Terera. A great deal of grain was lying round the hut,
where we spent the night. Very large numbers of turtledoves feasted
undisturbed on the tall stalked mapira ears, and we easily secured plenty
of fine fat guinea-fowls--now allowed to feed leisurely in the deserted
gardens. The reason assigned for all this listless improvidence was
"There are no women to grind the corn--all are dead."

The cotton patches in all cases seemed to have been so well cared for,
and kept so free of weeds formerly, that, though now untended, but few
weeds had sprung up; and the bushes were thus preserved in the annual
grass burnings. Many baobab-trees grow in different spots, and the few
people seen were using the white pulp found between the seeds to make a
pleasant subacid drink.

On passing Malango, near the uppermost cataract, not a soul was to be
seen; but, as we rested opposite a beautiful tree-covered isl