252 ON THE BANKS OF THE LESUNGUE. 



hungry and thirsty, and had no means of satisfying the 

 cravings of either. While thus bemoaning my fate, 

 I heard a sound which I fancied was running water. 

 I could only hear it every now and then, as it came on 

 the Avings of a breeze. My guides said it was wind, 

 not water, and that they were sure the river was in 

 exactly the opposite direction. However, I deter- 

 mined to try, and ordering them to follow me, took 

 the lead. After crossing two hilly ridges, I found 

 myself once more on the banks of the Lesungue ; but 

 the men had not the remotest idea of which way to 

 turn. Taking a long drink, we started up stream. 

 The moon having risen, which was a great help, as 

 the walking was very rough, we were enabled to get 

 on quicker. A quarter of an hour's walk brought us 

 to the outskirts of a native village which, when first 

 perceived, we fancied was Marimba, but which subse- 

 quently turned out to be a village about seven miles 

 south-west of it. When close to the huts, several 

 men came out, armed with bows and arrows. They 

 recognised my men at once, and asked them all about 

 me. There was a reed enclosure round the vil- 

 lage, and though my guides were taken in and fed, I 

 was not permitted to enter, but left to sit by myself, 

 closely watched by some half dozen natives. In about 

 ten minutes my guides returned, bringing me a good 

 feed of " seema " (a kind of native porridge), which 

 was a welcome gift. 



We were soon on our way again, the two men 

 laughing at the mistake they had made, and bemoan- 

 ing the distance they had to walk home. We had 

 here to wade the river, as it took a bend to the right ; 



