sand. We found in its bed masses of volcanic rock, identical with those
I subsequently recognized as such at Aden.

13TH. The head man of these parts is named Nyampungo. I sent the last
fragment of cloth we had, with a request that we should be furnished
with a guide to the next chief. After a long conference with his
council, the cloth was returned with a promise of compliance, and a
request for some beads only. This man is supposed to possess the charm
for rain, and other tribes send to him to beg it. This shows that what
we inferred before was correct, that less rain falls in this country
than in Londa. Nyampungo behaved in quite a gentlemanly manner,
presented me with some rice, and told my people to go among all the
villages and beg for themselves. An old man, father-in-law of the chief,
told me that he had seen books before, but never knew what they meant.
They pray to departed chiefs and relatives, but the idea of praying
to God seemed new, and they heard it with reverence. As this was
an intelligent old man, I asked him about the silver, but he was as
ignorant of it as the rest, and said, "We never dug silver, but we have
washed for gold in the sands of the rivers Mazoe and Luia, which unite
in the Luenya." I think that this is quite conclusive on the question of
no silver having been dug by the natives of this district. Nyampungo is
afflicted with a kind of disease called Sesenda, which I imagine to be
a species of leprosy common in this quarter, though they are a cleanly
people. They never had cattle. The chief's father had always lived in
their present position, and, when I asked him why he did not possess
these useful animals, he said, "Who would give us the medicine to enable
us to keep them?" I found out the reason afterward in the prevalence of
tsetse, but of this he was ignorant, having supposed that he could not
keep cattle because he had no medicine.

Chapter 30.

An Elephant-hunt--Offering and Prayers to the Barimo for Success--
Native Mode of Expression--Working of Game-laws--A Feast--Laughing
Hyaenas--Numerous Insects--Curious Notes of Birds of Song--
Caterpillars--Butterflies--Silica--The Fruit Makoronga and Elephants
--Rhinoceros Adventure--Korwe Bird--Its Nest--A real Confinement--
Honey and Beeswax--Superstitious Reverence for the Lion--Slow
Traveling--Grapes--The Ue--Monina's Village--Native Names--Government
of the Banyai--Electing a Chief--Youths instructed in
"Bonyai"--Suspected o