-leaved acacias, rhododendrons, masukos. The gum-copal tree, when
perforated by a grub, exudes from branches no thicker than one's arm,
masses of soft, gluey-looking gum, brownish yellow, and light grey, as
much as would fill a soup-plate. It seems to yield this gum only in
the rainy season, and now all the trees are full of sap and gum.

_21st February, 1867._--A night with loud and near thunder, and much
heavy rain, which came through the boys' sheds. Roads all plashy or
running with water, oozes full, and rivulets overflowing; rocks of
dolomite jutting out here and there. I noticed growing here a
spikenard-looking shrub, six feet high, and a foot in diameter. The
path led us west against my will. I found one going north; but the
boys pretended that they did not see my mark, and went west, evidently
afraid of incurring Moamba's displeasure by passing him. I found them
in an old hut, and made the best of it by saying nothing. They said
that they had wandered; that was, they had never left the west-going
path.

_22nd February, 1867._--We came to a perennial rivulet running north,
the Merungu. Here we met Moamba's people, but declined going to his
village, as huts are disagreeable; they often have vermin, and one is
exposed to the gaze of a crowd through a very small doorway. The
people in their curiosity often make the place dark, and the impudent
ones offer characteristic remarks, then raise a laugh, and run away.

We encamped on the Meningu's right bank in forest, sending word to
Moamba that we meant to do so. He sent a deputation, first of all his
young men, to bring us; then old men, and lastly he came himself with
about sixty followers. I explained that I had become sick by living
in a little hut at Molemba; that I was better in the open air; that
huts contained vermin; and that I did not mean to remain any while
here, but go on our way. He pressed us to come to his village, and
gave us a goat and kid, with a huge calabashful of beer. I promised to
go over and visit him next day; and went accordingly.

_23rd February, 1867._--Moamba's village was a mile off, and on the
left bank of the Merenge, a larger stream than the Merungu flowing
north and having its banks and oozes covered with fine, tall,
straight, evergreen trees. The village is surrounded with a stockade,
and a dry ditch some fifteen or twenty feet wide, and as many deep. I
had a long talk with Moamba, a big, stout, public-house-looking
person, with a