grand terminus of those caravans, which, passing immediately
to the south of the Kilimandjaro, traverse
the Masai country to Burgenei, near the south-east
corner of the Yictoria N’yanza (Lake).* Here Captain
Burton again commenced making inquiries about the
route to Kilimandjaro, and how, if that could not he
managed, considering the means at our disposal, we
could march into Usumbara, see the capital Fuga, and
pay the king, Kimueri, a cursory v isit; but being
more or less dissuaded from this, evidently, as it
afterwards appeared, by the timorous inclinations
rather than from any real difficulties which presented
themselves to the mind of our Sheikh, Captain Burton
thought it better to see first what could be done at
Pangani.
We arrived in the mouth of the Pangani river on
the 3d February; and, immediately on landing, were
met by all the grandees of the place, who welcomed
us as big men, and escorted us to a large stone house
in the town overlooking the river. On the way to
this domicile, a number of black singers were formed
in line to serenade us, and they danced and sang in
real negro peculiarity, with such earnest constancy
that, although a novel sight, we were glad to be rid of
them long before they were tired of performing. All
inquisitive about other people’s concerns, the Pangany-
ites at once eagerly busied themselves to find out
what our intentions were in coming there, and aceord-
* Caravans have also reached the shores of the N’yanza at 1° S. lat.,
and entered Usoga, rounding its north-east corner.
ingly began to speculate on what they could make
out of us. First the Diwans (head-men) wanted us
to pay our footing in the tow n ; but that only provoking
a sharp rebuff, they began a system of f making
difficulties.” To go to the Kilimandjaro we must have
a large and expensive escort, or nobody would go with
us. But this we were not persistent in, for two reasons
: in the first place, having frittered away so
much time at Mombas, and in inspecting ruins on
the way from it, we had no time left ere the kuzi, or
little rains precursory to the great monsoon, which
would shortly set in on the high lands near the Great
Mountain, would fall and impede our progress; and,
in the second, we were short of cash. Next we contemplated
a flying trip to Fuga, for which alternative
Sultan Majid had provided us with introductions to
the king, Kimueri, living th e re ; and this, of course,
being known to the people through the medium of
Sheikh Said, they at once beset our doors to meet
our proposals and make fresh difficulties.
King Kimueri’s son, who happened to be here on
his way. to Zanzibar, presuming we had presents for
the king, mildly begged us to give them up to him at
once, he securing us a passage to his father,—a cool
request, which, of course, was just as coolly rejected.
And now everybody, evidently actuated by him, stood
in our way at every turn. We must not go the straight
road, as the Wazegura living on the right bank of the
Pangani river were “ out,” and in open hostilities with
the Wasumbara, and would intercept our passage; and,