46 ACROSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



April, Our people were driven nearly wild with fright on this 



18V3. march, owing to a few who were rather in advance of the 

 main body rushing back, with fear dejDicted on every feature, 

 declaring they had seen some aTined men (as though every 

 one in Africa did not go armed), and that Ave had better re- 

 turn to Bagamoyo at once, as it would be madness to proceed 

 any farther. After a time we somewhat allayed their agita- 

 tion, and persuaded one or two of the bravest — or rather least 

 cowardly — to talk to these much-dreaded armed men, one of 

 whom, with spear, bow, arrows, and all, returned with them, 

 and agreed to guide us to the chief's village. 



We camped early that afternoon, and I was still so ill from 

 fever and fatigue that I turned in at once. 



The following day the chief paid us a visit, and gave per- 

 mission to move close to his village, but informed us that, ow- 

 ing to a treaty he had concluded with the people of Whinde, 

 we should be expected to pay mhongo before leaving. 



Under this treaty, entered into between the chief of Msuwali 

 and the people of Whinde, the former was to pay the latter a 

 certain number of slaves, and in compensation he was allowed 

 to tax all caravans passing through his district, provided that 

 they started from any point on the coast excepting Whinde. 



This agreement was arrived at after war had been carried on 

 between both parties for some years without either side being 

 able to gain a decided advantage, and we were doomed to be 

 the first sufferers. 



This incident shows how little real influence the Sultan of 

 Zanzibar has over his subjects on the main-land, and how little 

 he can do personally, even with the best intentions, to put down 

 the slave-trade in his continental dominions. 



Dillon returned the visit of the chief, who was very civil, and 

 arranged our mhongo at thirty doti. 



The village of Msuwah consisted of six or eight large, well- 

 built huts, kept clean and in good order ; but another in the 

 middle of a dense patch of jungle we were not allowed to see. 



These villages are built in the midst of jungle for the pur- 

 pose of providing protection against attack, being only ap- 

 proachable by very narrow, tortuous paths, capable of being 

 completely blocked and rendered perfectly impregnaljle against 



