314 THROUGH UNKNOWN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. 
light appearing above the eastern horizon. Many villages 
were in close proximity, and the path we were on evidently 
led toward them; so, loading the donkeys, we started off 
toward the north once more. 
Constantly fearing an attack, we kept as close together 
as possible, one behind the other. Half an hour’s march 
through the bushes brought us to some durrha fields. 
Ten to one we should have to fight, as the natives had 
shown themselves so war-like during the night. What 
sort of men these people we were approaching might be — 
their name, numbers, or habits — was totally unknown 
to us, and among us there was probably no man able 
to speak their language. lLagoisi was in absolute terror, 
and had to be prevented by force from running away. 
With eyes peering into every bush, we threaded our 
way, now through large durrha fields, and again through 
bush, till we found ourselves at the commencement of a 
lovely open valley where the ripe grain was waving gently 
to and fro, and many goats and sheep were nibbling at 
the soft green grass, and noises from a score of villages 
reached our ears. Two old men anda woman were wait- 
ing to receive us. | 
After a long shauri, conducted by signs only, and some 
loud calls on the part of the old woman, crowds of war- 
riors emerged from the cornfield, and casting aside their 
weapons advanced to make peace with us. Everything 
went smoothly; we found these natives, who called them- 
selves the Mela, the most sociable and hospitable black 
people we had yet seen. They were black in color, and 
some of them only about five feet one or two inches in 
height, resembling very much the Dume. 
The majority of them were about five feet six inches in 
height. The men were naked, but wore sandals, while the 
women covered their loins with small pieces of goat-skin. 
