138 ACEOSS AFEICA. [Chap. 



CHAPTER XI. 



Driven back to Hisinene. — A Miserable Christmas. — Superstitions regarding Snakes. 

 — Customs of the People. — Dancing. — Cooking Arrangements. — Storing Corn. — 

 Their Huts. — Food. — Curing. — Provisions. — Cloth - making. — Grinding Corn. — 

 Tribal Marks. — Ilair-dressing. — Warned against Mirambo. — A Spy shot. — On the 

 Road again. — A Hospitable Old Lady. — Missing the Way. — Sack -making. — An 

 Elopement. — Disordered State of the Country. — The South Ngombe. — A Day's 

 Shooting. — A Hunter's Story. 



December, HisiNENE being again reached, I consulted Bombay and As- 

 18'72. mani as to the best course to pursue in this unexpected diffi- 

 culty. To attempt to avoid Ugara would have lengthened the 

 journey by three weeks or a month, while the country through 

 which we should have been obliged to pass was reported to 

 afford no supplies of provisions. 



The embassadors had assured me that the moment an ar- 

 rangement had been arrived at the road would be opened, and 

 they would conduct me to Taka's village, knowing that he 

 would welcome me warmly. I thei-efore decided to send As- 

 mani with them to LTnyan^^embe, to urgQ upon the Arabs the 

 desirability of settling the matter as quickly as possible. 



The chief of Hisinene was allied with the Arabs in the cam- 

 paign against Mirambo, and a few days after our arrival the 

 fighting-men were mustered and dispatched to the scene of ac- 

 tion. 



Hearing nothing from or of Asmani for ten days, I grew 

 anxious, and sent Mohammed Malim, with half a dozen men 

 and my two riding donkeys, to travel as fast as possible, and as- 

 certain what the news really was. 



Now followed much dreary waiting and anxiety, which, to- 

 gether with the unhealthincss of the place, knocked me up, 

 and I was attacked by fever and a sharp touch of dysentery. 

 My back, too, was so exceedingly painful that I had no rest, 

 night or day, for more than a week. 



