82 ACROSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



.Fune, pleased with wliat we gave liiin, and we rejoiced at having paid 

 ^^'^^- less than we had expected. A timely present to his adopted 

 father on the day of our arrival had probahlj something to do 

 with the moderation of his demands. 



Perhaps a word may be necessary in explanation of the term 

 "adopted father." It arises from the custom observed on the 

 death of a chief, when the son is supposed to look upon his fa- 

 ther's eldest surviving brother as his new or adopted father; 

 but only in private, and not in public, matters. 



"When preparing for the road on the 29th of June, the re- 

 maining goats of those purchased from our friendly thieves, the 

 Wadirigo, were missing ; so Issa and a few askari were left to 

 look after them, while we proceeded with the caravan to Mpan- 

 ga Sanga. This was a clearing in the jungle three miles in di- 

 ameter, with half a dozen tembes, and the residence of yet an- 

 other independent chief. 



On the road a little cultivation was passed, with some tembes 

 dependent upon it, and our camp was pitched near the chief^s 

 hut, on the edge of a partially dried-up lake. 



In the absence of Issa, the payment of mhongo was intrusted 

 to Bombay ; but the old man got in a fearful fog about it, and 

 it ended in a dispute between the chief and myself. I consid- 

 ered his demands unreasonable, and directed Bombay not to un- 

 fasten any bales in the open camp, but in my tent, to prevent 

 the prying eyes of the natives from seeing my good cloth ; be- 

 cause I knew they would most assuredly report to the chief 

 what I possessed, and he would base his demands on this infor- 

 mation, instead of on the number of bales. 



Bombay, however, became confused and frightened, and 

 opened several loads in the presence of a number of AVagogo. 

 They instantly told their chief they had seen a coujjle of ex- 

 pensive Indian cloths, intended by me for presents to Arabs or 

 important chiefs ; but which, of course, were now demanded. 



I naturally upbraided Bombay for having acted in this man- 

 ner, and desired him to inform the chief that he could not have 

 the cloths. He then became still more foolish, and, while away 

 on this errand, left a bale of common cloth exposed. This 

 dangerous proceeding, in a place where every man's fingers 

 are fish-hooks, resulted in two whole pieces of merikani being 



