sale of their victims on the coast, though they do business
by the sale of goats and grain as well. Nowhere in the
interior are natives so well clad as these creatures. In
dressing up their hair, and otherwise smearing their bodies
with ochreish clay, they are great dandies. They always
keep their bows and arrows, which form their national
arm, in excellent order, the latter well poisoned, and
carried in quivers nicely carved. To intimidate a caravan
and extort a hongo or tax, I have seen them drawn out
in line as if prepared for battle; but a few soft words
were found sufficient to make them all withdraw and
settle the matter at issue by arbitration in some appointed
place. A few men without property can cross their lands
fearlessly, though a single individual with property would
stand no chance, for they are insatiable thieves: But
little is seen of these people on the journey, as the chiefs
take their taxes by deputy, partly out of pride, and partly
because they think they can extort more by keeping in
the mysterious distance.' At the same time, the caravan
prefers camping in the jungles beyond the villages to
mingling with the inhabitants, where rows might be
engendered. Wre sometimes noticed Albinos, with greyish
blue eyes and light straw-coloured hair. Not unfre-
quently we would pass on the track-side small heaps of
white ashes, with a calcined bone or two among them.
These, we were told, were the relics of burnt witches. The
caravan track we had now to travel on leads along the
right bank of the Kingani valley, overlooking Uzegura,
which, corresponding with Uzaramo, only on the other
side of the Kingani, extends northwards to the Pangani
river, and is intersected in the centre by the Wami river,
of which more hereafter.
Starting on a march with a large mixed caravan, consisting
of 1 corporal and 9 privates, Hotten-
To Bomani, 3d. - ^ ^ jemadar and 25 privates, Beluchs—1
Arab Cafila Bashi and 75 freed slaves—1 kirangozi, or
leader, and 100 negro porters—12 mules untrained, 3
donkeys, and 22 goats—one could hardly expect to find
everybody in his place at the proper time for breaking
ground; but, at the same time, it could hardly be expected
that ten men, who had actually received their bounty-
money, and had sworn fidelity, should give one the slip
the very first day. Such, however, was the case. Ten
out of the thirty-six given by the Sultan ran away, because
they feared that the white men, whom they believed to be
cannibals, were only taking them into the interior to eat
them; and one pagazi, more honest than the freed men,
deposited his pay upon the ground, and ran away too. Go
we must, however; for one desertion is sure to lead to
more; and go we did. Our procession was in this fashion:
The kirangozi, with a load on his shoulder, led the way,
flag in hand, followed by the pagazis carrying spears or
bows and arrows in their hands, and bearing their share
of the baggage in the shape either of bolster-shaped loads
of cloth and beads covered with matting, each tied into
the fork of a three-pronged stick, or else coils of brass or
| copper wire tied in even weights to each end of sticks
which they laid on the shoulder; then helter-skelter came
! the Wanguana, carrying carbines in their hands, and boxes,
I bundles, tents, cooking-pots—all the miscellaneous pro-
; perty—on their heads; next the Hottentots, dragging the
I refractory mules laden with ammunition-boxes, but very
I lightly, to save the animals for the future; and, finally,
I Sheikh Said and the Beltich escort; while the goats, sick
I women, and stragglers, brought up the rear. From first
I to last, some of the sick Hottentots rode the hospital don-
I keys, allowing the negroes to tug their animals; for the
1 smallest ailment threw them broadcast on their backs.
In a little while we cleared from the rich gardens, mango
I clumps, and cocoa-nut trees, which characterise the fertile
1 coast-line. After traversing O fields of Ograss well clothed
■ with green trees, we arrived at the little settlement of