he sun to dry. The men next thrash out the grain with
long, thin flails. It is afterwards stacked in the form of corn-ricks,
raised from the ground on posts, or sometimes it is secured round a tall
post, which is stuck upright in the ground, swelling out in the centre
somewhat in the shape of a fisherman's float. When required for use, it
is pounded in wooden mortars, and afterwards ground between two stones.

Speke reached Mininga again on the 15th, where he found Grant greatly
recovered. During his absence three villagers had been attacked by a
couple of lions. The men took to flight, and two gained the shelter of
their hut, but the third, just as he was about to enter, was seized by
the monsters and devoured.

Difficulties of all sorts beset them: the chief was obtaining porters;
Musa, too, who pretended to be so friendly, did not keep faith with
them; but, rather than be delayed, Speke paid the beads demanded, and
once more set off.

At length he obtained a _kirangozi_, or leader, by name Ungurue, which
may be translated the Pig. He had frequently conducted caravans to
Karague, and knew the languages of the country. He proved to be what
his name betokened--a remarkably obstinate and stupid fellow.

Speke was still detained by the difficulty of procuring porters, some
being engaged in harvest, while others declared that they feared the
Watuta and other enemies in the districts through which they would have
to pass.

An Arab caravan which had followed them was in the same condition.

At length, having obtained a part of the number he required, a camp was
formed at Phunze, where Grant, with Bombay to attend on him, remained in
charge of part of the baggage, while Speke, with the Pig as his guide
and Baraka as his attendant, pushed on ahead.

The chiefs of every district through which they passed demanded _hongo_,
or tribute, without which the travellers could not move forward. This
caused numberless provoking delays, as the chiefs were often not content
with what was offered to them.

On the 9th of June he arrived in a district governed by a chief called
Myonga, famed for his extortions and infamous conduct, in consequence of
which no Arabs would pass that way. On approaching his palace, war
drums were heard in every surrounding village. The Pig went forward to
obtain terms for the caravan to pass by. Myonga replied that he wished
to see a white man, as he had never yet set eyes on one, and would hav