be classed in two divisions, one of large and extensively
cultivated plains, with some fine trees about;
and the other of small irregularly-disposed hills, the
prevailing granitic outcrops of the region. There is
no direct line northwards here, so we had to track
about, and hit upon the lines between the different
villages, which enhanced our trouble and caused much
delay. At this place I witnessed the odd operation of
brother-making. I t consists in the two men desirous
of a blood-tie being seated face to face on a cow’s
hide, with their legs stretched out as wide to the front
as their length will permit, one pair overlapping the
other. They then place their bows and arrows across
their thighs, and each holds a leaf: at the same time
a third person, holding a pot of oil or butter, makes
an incision above their knees, and requires each to put
his blood on the other’s leaf, and mix a little oil with
it, when each anoints himself with the brother-salve.
This operation over, the two brothers bawl forth the
names and extent of their relatives, and swear by the
blood to protect the other till death. Ugogo, on the
highway between the coast and Ujiji, is a place so full
of inhabitants compared with the other places on that
line, that the coast people quote it as a wonderful instance
of high population; but this district astonished
all my retinue. The road to-day was literally thronged
with a legion of black humanity so exasperatingly bold
that nothing short of the stick could keep them from
jostling me. Poor creatures ! they said they had come
a long way to see, and now must have a good long
stare; for when was there ever a Mzungu here before
?
20th.— We broke ground at 6 A.M., and after travelling
through high cultivation six miles, were suddenly
stopped by a guard of Wamanda, sent by Kurua, a
sultan of that tribe, and chief of the division we were
marching in. Their business was to inform us that if
we wished to travel to the Lake, the sultan would give
directions to have us escorted by another route, as his
eldest brother was disputing the rights of government
with him along the line we were now pursuing; and
added, that our intentions would be only known to
him by the part we might choose to take. These constant
interruptions were becoming very troublesome;
so, as we were close to the confines of these two malcontents,
I was anxious to force our way on, and agreed
to do so with the Beluches. But the tiresome, lazy,
flesh-seeking pagazis saw a feast in prospect by the
sultan’s arrangement, and would not move an inch.
Further, the Kirangozi requested his discharge if I was
otherwise than peacefully inclined. The guard then
led us to Mgogua, the sultan’s village, a little off the
road.
Kurua is a young man, not very handsome himself,
but he has two beautiful young wives. They secured
me a comfortable house, showed many attentions, and
sent me a bowl of fresh sweetmilk, the very extreme of
savage , hospitality. In the evening he presented me
with a bullock. This I tried to refuse, observing that
flesh was the prime cause of all my hindrances; but