146 ACEOSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



January, I went out with iiiy gun, and saw numerous tracks of giraffe, 



^^^^' and stalked one large antelope for a considerable distance ; but 



before getting within range, Leo, who had been left in camp, 



found me, and testified his delight so noisily that the antelope 



was frightened and my chance of a shot was spoiled. 



On returning, I found a party of Said ibn Salira's men had 

 arrived in search of three women slaves, rejDorted to have ac- 

 companied the men sent by me to Unyanj'embe with Moham- 

 med Malim, and, on their being discovered, I ordered them to 

 be immediately handed over. 



During the night two more jDagazi ran away, but a hunter 

 whom w^e found in the woods fortunately volunteered his serv- 

 ices. Guided by comj)ass, we continued our march through 

 jungle, where Leo startled a herd of antelope, and the caravan 

 found a sounder of pig, of which I bagged one little squeaker ; 

 and, following this course for some hours, came among a num- 

 ber of barked trees, which denoted our approach to a village. 



Shortly afterward, we struck a path leading through freshly 

 cleared plantations, where the stumps of trees which had been 

 felled were left about four feet high, having a most curious 

 ap23earance. This brought us to the last village in Ugunda, 

 and, although it was still early, I decided to halt, as three long 

 marches lay between us and the first village we should arrive at 

 in Ugala. 



Food was plentiful ; and enough corn for four days being 

 purchased, I directed that it should be cleaned at once, instead 

 of allowing the men to take a whole day about the business. 

 The village was large and strongly built, and additions had ev- 

 idently been made at various times. The oldest portion, in 

 which the head-man lived, was almost entirely under the shade 

 of one enormous banyan-tree. 



In addition to the usual stockade, this one was surrounded 

 with a ditch, and embankment loop-holed for musketry on the 

 inside ; and the entrances consisted of narrow passages, with two 

 or three doors in each. 



The different state of the country from that which prevailed 

 when Burton was here was particularly noticeable. In his 

 time, a musket was an heir-loom for a chief, and the happy pos- 

 sessors were few and far between ; but when I passed, neai-ly 



