VIII.] THE WAKIMBU.— PU.KURU. 99 



CHAPTER YIII. 



The Mgunda Mkali. — A Serious Misunderstanding. — Restoration of Peace. — Rejoi- 

 cing in tlie Village. — Tlie Mabunguru Nullali. — An Unexpected Cliase. — Native 

 Farming. — An Intelligent and Industrious People. — Jiwe la Singa. — Compli- 

 mentary Beggars. — Moon-struck Askari. — Hatred of Snakes. — Pitfalls. — A Dry 

 March. — Burned-up Country. — A Hunter's Paradise. — A Well-fortified Village and 

 Well-dressed Chief. — Discovery of a Den of Thieves. — A Haunted Well. — An At- 

 tack by Ruga-ruga. 



The Mgunda Mkali, on which we were now entering, was Jui.v, 

 only just beginning to be cleared when Burton and Speke were __^^ 

 in the country. Few watering-places were then known, and 

 provisions were obtainable in one locality alone between Mda- 

 buru and Unyanyembe. Consequently, travelers were obliged 

 to cross by forced marches, and no caravan succeeded in passing 

 it without losing a considerable number of porters on the road. 



N'ow, however, things are much changed for the better, the 

 Wakimbu, a tribe of Wanyamwezi driven by wars from their 

 former homes, having attacked the jungle. Water has been 

 found in many places, large spaces have been cleared and 

 brought into cultivation, and, under the dominion of man, some 

 of the most fertile and peaceful spots in Africa are now scat- 

 tered in the midst of what was formerly virgin forest aifording 

 shelter only to wild beasts. 



After passing one or two clearings and a few pools covered 

 with yellow water-lilies, we camped near two villages situated 

 amidst jungle at a height of 3938 feet above the sea — the coun- 

 try still rising rapidly. 



The following day we arrived at Pururu, a village of Wa- 

 kimbu, situated in a very picturesque valley, where w^e intended 

 to halt for a few hours to purchase food, before making an aft- 

 ernoon march to the next camping-place. But we had scarcely 

 settled down, when a great disturbance arose among our men, 

 who seized and loaded their guns, exclaiming that there was a 

 row with the natives. 



