tained us two days, during which time I shot a new
variety of florikan, peculiar in having a light blue band stretching
from the nose over the eye to the occiput. Each day, while we resided
here, cries were raised by the villagers that the Wahumba were coming,
and then all the cattle out in the plains, both far and near, were
driven into the village for protection.

At last, on the 26th, as the mules were brought it, I paid a hongo or
tax of four barsati and four yards of chintz to the chief, and departed,
but not until one of my porters, a Mhehe, obtained a fat dog for his
dinner; he had set his heart on it, and would not move until he had
killed it, and tied it on to his load for the evening's repast. Passing
through the next villages--a collection called Kifukuro--we had to pay
another small tax of two barsati and four yards of chintz to the chief.
There we breakfasted, and pushed on, carrying water to a bivouac in the
jungles, as the famine precluded our taking the march more easily.

Pushing on again, we cleared out of the woods, and arrived at the
eastern border of the largest clearance of Ugogo, Kanyenye. Here we
were forced to halt a day, as the mules were done up, and eight of the
Wanyamuezi porters absconded, carrying with them the best part of their
loads. There was also another inducement for stopping here; for, after
stacking the loads, as we usually did on arriving in camp, against a
large gouty-limbed tree, a hungry Mgogo, on eyeing our guns, offered
his services to show us some bicornis rhinoceros, which, he said paid
nightly visits to certain bitter pools that lay in the nullah bottoms
not far off. This exciting intelligence made me inquire if it was not
possible to find them at once; but, being assured that they lived very
far off, and that the best chance was the night, I gave way, and settled
on starting at ten, to arrive at the ground before the full moon should
rise.

I set forth with the guide and two of the sheikh's boys, each carrying
a single rifle, and ensconced myself in the nullah, to hide until our
expected visitors should arrive, and there remained until midnight. When
the hitherto noisy villagers turned into bed, the silvery moon shed her
light on the desolate scene, and the Mgogo guide, taking fright, bolted.
He had not, however, gone long, when, looming above us, coming over the
horizon line, was the very animal we wanted.

In a fidgety manner the beast then descended, as if he expec