
Various matters detained me here till April 4. The day
before my departure for Mombasa, Weaver ' shot a wild dog,
called by the natives “ Umbwa a mitoni.’| Our people were
in a great state of mind when they heard of it. They said
these native dogs, which always hunt in large packs, were so
fierce and savage that even lions were afraid of them, that
they would be sure to return at night to attack us in revenge
for the death of their companion. We laughed at this, but
none of our servants would stay near us that night. We were
living in a temporary hut outside the village.
Sure enough, shortly after we had turned in, we heard the
brutes howling, at first a long way off, but gradually getting
nearer ; we jumped up, and taking our rifles and a lantern ran
outside. The wild dogs, about thirty in number, set up a big
howling on seeing us, but, to my relief I miist confess, they
began to retire into the bush. It was too dark to see them
clearly, but they were very close to us at one time. The one
Weaver shot was over 2| feet high, with a shaggy, massive
head somewhat resembling a hyæna’s.
There was a heavy fall of rain during nearly the whole of
this day, amounting to nearly 2| inches.
Tuesday-, April 4.— After a hearty good-bye from Weaver,
whom I was not to meet again in Africa, I started for Mombasa’
my route being briefly as follows— I camped the first day at
Melindi; the second day, April 5, at M’Shaka, the temperature
during the day being— 6 a;m., 730 ; 2 p.m., 86°; 4 p.m., 82-° ;
6 p.m., 8o°; this being an average record for this time of thé
year. On Thursday, April 6, I reached M’Tondoa, pushing
on the following day past Takaungu to the small village of
Makonde or Makenda, about five miles beyond. Beyond this
I followed the coast-line, travelling over a fine fertile plain, but
sparsely cultivated, and passing successively the villages of
Kurwitu, Kijipoa, and Shima la Tever. Camping close to the
last-named on Saturday, April 8, I reached Mombasa on
the afternoon of the following day, five days after my departure
from Magarini. I gladly accepted the kind offer of
Mr. Pigott (the Acting Administrator) to put me up at his
comfortable house at Kilindini, where, after my rough experiences,
I seemed to be in the very midst of luxury !