VIII.] THE CARAVAN ALARMED. 107 



" On our return to camp, we found a caravan we had heard July, 

 of at Ki Sara-Sara passing through. The mtongi was a hand- ^^'^^• 

 some old Arab, with a beard perfectly white, but he was as live- 

 ly on his pins as a kitten. He says all the Arabs have left Un- 

 yanyembe to go after Mirambo, who has now lost his last vil- 

 lage, and is being hunted in the bush. The only Arab now in 

 Taborah is a cripple, so we shall find the place cpiite deserted. 

 Course N.W. seven miles. 



^^July SQth. — Got off a little after seven. I went off to one 

 side in the busli with Issa, and tried for game ; but, having to 

 work down wind, saw nothing but two antelopes, which were 

 out of range, and some monkeys. I thought thi-ee and a half 

 hours enough of this, and began to work in toward the road, and 

 took my fowling-piece instead of the heavy rifle, and had two or 

 three shots at birds. Soon after, I was met by some excited 

 askari, who thought the firing must have been caused by meet- 

 ing with Watuta (a wild tribe, and much feared), or Ruga-ruga 

 (bands of brigands of any tribe). I got back to the road as 

 soon as possible, and found all the caravan halted, and in a great 

 funk. I got them on again, and we arrived at the first village 

 in Urguru at one o'clock, where we formed our camp. Soon 

 after the tents were pitched, a messenger came in from the 

 chief of the district of Urguru, saying that the Arabs of Tabo- 

 rah had sent to ask him to look out for us, and wanted to know 

 (this being the case) why we had stopped just short of his capi- 

 tal, which was only half an hour in front. I sent, and said we 

 were too tired and hot to strike camp again then ; but that, as 

 I found we wanted provisions, we would halt there (at his vil- 

 lage) the next day to get some. The country seems very fer- 

 tile, and water underlies the surface soil everywhere — at least 

 digging three or four feet in the depressions always gave a 

 supply. 



''Juli/ 315^5.— Marched at 7.30 a.m., and arrived at 8. The 

 village was large and clean, and surrounded by a stockade, or 

 the outer walls of houses. The part where the chief lived was 

 divided off from the rest of the village, as also was the gate- 

 way. The gates were heavy slabs of wood hewed out of the 

 solid trunk, and people could only go up to the principal ones 

 one at a time, a wing of palisading projecting on either side 



