be now gradually migrating from the regions of Lake
N’yassa. To this Dr K’yengo, who was now living with
Rumanika as his head magician, added that, whilst he was
living in Utambara, the Watuta invested his boma six
months; and finally, when all their cows and stores were
exhausted, they killed all the inhabitants but himself, and
he only escaped by the power of the charms which he
carried about him. These were so powerful, that although
he lay on the ground, and the Watiita struck at him with
their spears, not one could penetrate his body.
In the evening after this, as the king wished to see all
my scientific instruments, we walked down to the camp ;
and as he did not beg for anything, I gave him some gold
and mother-of-pearl shirt-studs to swell up his trinket-
box. The same evening I made up my mind, if possible,
to purchase a stock of beads from the Arabs, and sent
Baraka off to Kufro, to see what kind of a bargain he
could make with them; for, whilst I trembled to think
what those “ blood-suckers” would have the impudence to
demand when they found me at their mercy, I felt that
the beads must be bought, or the expedition would
certainly come to grief.
lsi and 2d.—Two days after this the merchants came
in a body to see me, and said their worst beads would
stand me 80 dollars per frasala, as they could realise
that value in ivory on arrival at the coast. Of course no
business was done, for the thing was preposterous by all
calculation, being close on 2500 per cent above Zanzibar
valuation. I was “ game” to give 50 dollars, but as they
would not take this, I thought of dealing with Rumanika
instead. I then gave Nnanaji, who had been constantly
throwing out hints that I ought to give him a gun, as he
was a great sportsman, a lappet of bead-work to keep his
tongue quiet, and he in return sent me a bullock and
sundry pots of pombe, which, in addition to the daily
allowance sent by Rumanika, made all my people drunk,
and so affected Baraka that one of the women also drunk
—having given him some sharp abuse, he beat her in so
violent a manner that the whole drunken camp set upon
him, and turned the place into a pandemonium. A row
amongst negroes means a general rising of arms, legs, and
voices; all are in a state of the greatest excitement; and
each individual thinks he is doing the best to mend matters,
but is actually doing his best to create confusion.
By dint of perseverance I now succeeded in having
Baraka separated from the crowd and dragged before me
for justice. I found that the woman, who fully understood
the jealous hatred which existed in Baraka’s heart
against Bombay, flirted with both of th em ; and, pretending
to show a preference for Bombay, set Baraka against
her, when from high words they came to blows, and set
the place in a blaze. I t was useless to remonstrate
Baraka insisted he would beat the woman if she abused
him, no matter whether I thought it cowardly or n o t ; he
did not come with me expecting to be bullied in this way
—the whole fault lay with Bombay—I did not do him
justice—when he proved Bombay a thief at Usui, I did
not turn him off, but now, instead, I showed the preference
to Bombay by always taking him when I went to Rumanika.
It was useless to argue with such a passionate man,
so I told him to go away and cool himself before morning.
When he was gone, Bombay said there was not one man
in the camp, besides his own set, who wished to go on to
Egypt—for they had constant arguments amongst themselves
about i t ; and whilst Bombay always said he would
follow me wherever I led, Baraka and those who held by him
abused him and his set for having tricked them away from
Zanzibar, under the false hopes that the road was quite
safe. Bombay said his arguments were, that Bana knew
better than anybody else what he was about, and he would
follow him, trusting to luck, as God was the disposer of all
things, and men could die but once. Whilst Baraka’s