over
anyone else. Two Babemba men came in and said that they had given up
fighting, and begged for their wives, who had been captured by Syde's
people on their way here: this reasonable request was refused at
first, but better counsels prevailed, and they were willing to give
something to appease the anger of the enemy, and sent back six
captives, two of whom were the wives prayed for.

[At last he makes a start on the 11th of December with the Arabs, who
are bound eastwards for Ujiji. It is a motley group, composed of
Mohamad and his friends, a gang of Unyamwezi hangers-on, and strings
of wretched slaves yoked together in their heavy slave-sticks. Some
carry ivory, others copper, or food for the march, whilst hope and
fear, misery and villainy, may be read off on the various faces that
pass in line out of this country, like a serpent dragging its accursed
folds away from the victim it has paralysed with its fangs.]

* * * * *

_11th December, 1868._--We marched four hours unmolested by the
natives, built a fence, and next day crossed the Lokinda River and its
feeder the Mookosi; here the people belonged to Chisabi, who had not
joined the other Babemba. We go between two ranges of tree-covered
mountains, which are continuations of those on each side of Moero.

_12th December, 1868._--The tiresome tale of slaves running away was
repeated again last night by two of Mpamari's making off, though in
the yoke, and they had been with him from boyhood. Not one
good-looking slave-woman is now left of Mohamad Bogharib's fresh
slaves; all the pretty ones obtain favour by their address, beg to be
unyoked, and then escape. Four hours brought us to many villages of
Chisabi and the camp of Syde bin Habib in the middle of a set-in rain,
which marred the demonstration at meeting with his relative Mpamari;
but the women braved it through, wet to the skin, and danced and
lullilooed with "draigled" petticoats with a zeal worthy of a better
cause, as the "penny-a-liners" say. It is the custom for the trader
who receives visitors to slaughter goats, and feed all his guests for
at least two days, nor was Syde wanting in this hospitality, though
the set-in rain continuing, we did not enjoy it as in fine weather.

_14th December, 1868._--Cotton-grass and brackens all over the country
show the great humidity of Marungu. Rain daily; but this is not the
great rain which falls when the sun comes back south over