es were raging throughout the
land, and the Arabs preceding him had so harried the country, that every
village was deserted. On hearing our intention to march upon the direct
line, he frankly said he thought we should never get through for my men
could not travel as he had done, and therefore he advised our deflecting
northwards from New Mbumi to join the track leading from Rumuma to
Ugogi. This was a sad disappointment; but, rather than risk a failure, I
resolved to follow his advice.

After reaching the elevated ground, we marched over rolling tops,
covered with small trees and a rich variety of pretty bulbs, and reached
the habitations of Muhanda, where we no sooner appeared than the poor
villagers, accustomed only to rough handling, immediately dispersed in
the jungles. By dint of persuasion, however, we induced them to sell us
provisions, though at a monstrous rate, such as no merchant could have
afforded; and having spent the night quietly, we proceeded on to the
upper courses of the M'yombo river, which trends its way northwards
to the Mukondokua river. The scenery was most interesting, with every
variety of hill, roll, plateau, and ravine, wild and prettily wooded;
but we saw nothing of the people. Like frightened rats, as soon as they
caught the sound of our advancing march, they buried themselves in
the jungles, carrying off their grain with them. Foraging parties, of
necessity, were sent out as soon as the camp was pitched, with cloth for
purchases, and strict orders not to use force; the upshot of which was,
that my people got nothing but a few arrows fired at them by the
lurking villagers, and I was abused for my squeamishness. Moreover,
the villagers, emboldened by my lenity, vauntingly declared they would
attack the camp by night, as they could only recognise in us such men
as plunder their houses and steal their children. This caused a certain
amount of alarm among my men, which induced them to run up a stiff
bush-fence round the camp, and kept them talking all night.

This morning we marched on as usual, with one of the Hottentots lashed
on a donkey; for the wretched creature, after lying in the sun asleep,
became so sickly that he could not move or do anything for himself, and
nobody would do anything for him. The march was a long one, but under
ordinary circumstances would have been very interesting, for we passed
an immense lagoon, where hippopotami were snorting as if they invited an
attack. In the