small but strong rivulet, the
Lipande, going south-west to Moero, then, an hour afterwards, crossed
it again, now twenty yards wide and knee deep. After descending from
the tree-covered hill which divides Lipande from Luao, we crossed the
latter to sleep on its western bank. The hills are granite now, and a
range on our left, from 700 to 1500 feet high, goes on all the way to
Moero.

These valleys along which we travel are beautiful. Green is the
prevailing colour; but the clumps of trees assume a great variety of
forms, and often remind one of English park scenery. The long line of
slaves and carriers, brought up by their Arab employers, adds life to
the scene, they are in three bodies, and number 450 in all. Each party
has a guide with a flag, and when that is planted all that company
stops till it is lifted, and a drum is beaten, and a kudu's horn
sounded. One party is headed by about a dozen leaders, dressed with
fantastic head-gear of feathers and beads, red cloth on the bodies,
and skins cut into strips and twisted: they take their places in line,
the drum beats, the horn sounds harshly, and all fall in. These sounds
seem to awaken a sort of _esprit de corps_ in those who have once been
slaves. My attendants now jumped up, and would scarcely allow me time
to dress when they heard the-sounds of their childhood, and all day
they were among the foremost. One said to me "that his feet were
rotten with marching," and this though told that they were not called
on to race along like slaves.

The Africans cannot stand sneers. When any mishap occurs in the march
(as when a branch tilts a load off a man's shoulder) all who see it
set up a yell of derision; if anything is accidentally spilled, or if
one is tired and sits down, the same yell greets him, and all are
excited thereby to exert themselves. They hasten on with their loads,
and hurry with the sheds they build, the masters only bringing up the
rear, and helping anyone who may be sick. The distances travelled were
quite as much as the masters or we could bear. Had frequent halts been
made--as, for instance, a half or a quarter of an hour at the end of
every hour or two--but little distress would have been felt; but five
hours at a stretch is more than men can bear in a hot climate. The
female slaves held on bravely; nearly all carried loads on their
heads, the head, or lady of the party, who is also the wife of the
Arab, was the only exception. She had a fine white