H a rv e s t m W a n y am n e z i, 1861.
i, 2, 3, 4. Grain. Maize, etc., stacked for the Season. 5. Men with long rackets thrashing Kafir corn
(sorghum). 6. Woman in the field cutting “ sorghum” with a knife, and depositing it in a basket.
7. Women separating the corn from the chaff by means of a wooden pestle and mortar. 8. Woman
grinding corn upon a single slab of stone.
charmed the arrow to cause such a deadly result. They
then seized hold of their magic horn, primed for the purpose,
and allowed it to drag them to where the culprits
dwelt. Four poor men, who were convicted in this way,
were at once put to death, and the chief horn that moment
began to recover.
After a great many perplexities, I succeeded in getting
Mbisti, 22d to a kirangozi, or leader, by name Ung&r&e
31st. (the Pig). He had several times taken caravans
to Karague, and knew all the languages well, but
unfortunately he afterwards proved to be what his name
implied. That, however, I could not foresee; so, trusting
to him and good-luck, I commenced making fresh
enlistments of porters; but they came and went in the
most tantalising manner, notwithstanding I offered three
times the hire that any merchant could afford to give.
Every day seemed to be worse and worse. Some of
Musa’s men came to get palm-toddy for bimj as he was
too weak to stand, and was so cold nothing would warm
him. There was, however, no message brought for myself
; and as the deputation did not come to me, I could
only infer that I was quite forgotten, or that Musa, after
all, had only been humbugging me. I scarcely knew
what to do. Everybody advised me to stop where I was
until the harvest was over, as no porters could be found
on ahead, for TJkuni was the last of the fertile lands on
this side of Usui.
Stopping, however, seemed endless; not so my supplies.
I therefore tried advancing in detachments again,
sending the free men off under Grant to Ukulima’s, whilst
I waited behind, keeping ourselves divided in the hopes
of inducing all hands to see the advisability of exerting
themselves for the general good—as my men, whilst we
were all together, showed they did not care how long they
were kept doing no more fatiguing work than chaffing
each other, and feeding a t my expense.