ome slight showers have
cooled the air a little: this is the hottest time of the year.

_10th November, 1868._--A heavier shower this morning will have more
of the same effect.

_11th November, 1868._--Muabo visited this village, but refuses to
show his underground houses.

_13th November, 1868._--I was on the point of starting without Mohamad
Bogharib, but he begged me not to go till he had settled some weighty
matter about a wife he is to get at Ujiji from Mpamari; we must have
the new moon, which will appear in three days, for lucky starting, and
will leave Syde bin Habib at Chisabi's. Meanwhile two women slaves ran
away, and Syde has got only five back of his twenty-one fugitives.
Mullam was mild with his decisions, and returned here; he informed me
that many of Syde's slaves, about forty, fled. Of those who cannot
escape many die, evidently broken-hearted; they are captives, and not,
as slaves often are, criminals sold for their guilt, hence the great
mortality caused by being taken to the sea to be, as they believe,
fatted and eaten. Poor things! Heaven help them!

Ujiji is the pronunciation of the Banyamwezi; and they call the people
Wayeiye, exactly as the same people styled themselves on the River
Zougha, near Ngami.

[It will be remembered that several of his men refused to go to Lake
Bangweolo with him: they seem now to have thought better of it, and on
his return are anxious to come back to their old master who, for his
part, is evidently willing to overlook a good deal.]

I have taken all the runaways back again; after trying the independent
life they will behave better. Much of their ill conduct may be
ascribed to seeing that after the flight of the Johanna men I was
entirely dependent on them: more enlightened people often take
advantage of men in similar circumstances; though I have seen pure
Africans come out generously to aid one abandoned to their care. I
have faults myself.

_15th November, 1868._--The Arabs have some tradition of the Emir Musa
coming as far south as the Jagga country. Some say he lived N.E. of
Sunna, now Mteza; but it is so mixed up with fable and tales of the
Genii (Mageni), that it cannot refer to the great Moses, concerning
whose residence at Meroee and marriage of the king of Ethiopia's
daughter there is also some vague tradition further north: the only
thing of interest to me is the city of Meroee, which is lost, and may,
if built by ancient Egyptians, still be found.