v.] ARRIVAL AT MPWAPVVA. 71 



Our halting - place was at Matamondo, wliere the river-bed June, 

 was perfectly dry, and not so much as a drop of water was to i^*^^- 

 be seen. 



Issa, however, had heard at Ugombo that some was to be 

 found near this place ; and, after a long and tiresome search in 

 the dark, a pool was discovered about two miles distant. To 

 this the men immediately went to quench their thirst ; but the 

 state of the road rendered it imjDossible to send the unfortunate 

 donkeys there at night. 



In order to escape the heat of the sun as far as possible, we 

 started again at 5 a.m. ; and, after dragging along through dusty 

 scrub, up and down steep hills, and in and out of rocky nullahs, 

 we approached the foot of the hills on the slopes of which 

 Mpwapwa lies, about two in the afternoon. 



The sight of fresh green trees and fields of maize, matama 

 and sweet-potatoes, and streams of beautiful crystal water run- 

 ning in threads through a broad, sandy course, then gladdened 

 our eyes. 



Those only who have traversed a barren, scorching road such 

 as we had gone over, can imagine how great was the delight 

 and refreshment to our weary eyes and aching limbs when this 

 scene first burst ujDon our view. 



Directly I reached the water, I sent some of the least fa- 

 tigued with a supply for those who had lagged behind, faint 

 with heat and thirst ; but, notwithstanding this precaution, one 

 pagazi and a donkey never lived to taste of the fountains of 

 Mpwapwa. 



Proceeding up this water-course, bounded on both sides by 

 very large trees, we found water becoming more plentiful, and 

 pitched our three tents under an enormous acacia, one half of 

 which afforded us ample shelter. 



We were soon favored by a visit from an Arab who was 

 working his way down to the coast in company with a caravan 

 under charge of a slave of a large merchant of Unyanyembe, 

 having failed to make his fortune in the interior. lie seemed 

 half-witted, and certainly was the coolest fellow I ever met ; for 

 he did not hesitate to take the pipe out of my mouth, and, after 

 a whiff or two, to pass it on to a circle of greasy, dirty natives 

 who were squatting round us staring as only a negro can stare. 



