210 ACROSS AFEICA. [Chap. 



April, Five large canoes from Ujiji were reported to be in front, 



1874. and the people seemed less afraid than formerly to hold inter- 

 course with us. A large and crowded canoe came off to look 

 at ns ; and some man of importance going the other way in a 

 canoe with twelve paddlers was also brave enough to venture 

 a few hundred yards from the shore in order to have a stare. 

 Much cultivation, and small villages without stockades and huts 

 being seen in all directions, I inferred that we were entering a 

 more peaceful country. 



As we slij)ped along before a good south-easterly breeze, I 

 took in a reef by twisting the tack of the sail into a rope for a 

 couple of feet and lashing it, and a second reef by a lashing 

 round the yard-arm. With a good sea running, and the wind 

 aft, the boat rolled about like a porj)oise, and prevented my 

 getting bearings. 



Indeed, I became rather anxious to find a good camping- 

 place ; for, with such a breeze and sea, the boats would have 

 come to grief at once had they touched the rocks. We there- 

 fore pulled in close to Kanenda, and settled down for the night 

 near the village Mona Kalumwe. 



A great disturbance was caused during the night by some 

 natives quarreling with my men about a stolen cloth, which was 

 now claimed by the rightful owner. On being found, it was 

 returned, but the thief had bolted into the jungle. Still that 

 did not save him, for I had j)uuishment parade in the morning, 

 and gave him a thrashing ; and young Bilal, who was mixed up 

 with the affair, received the same. I was unable to make any 

 reparation to the man from whom the cloth had been stolen for 

 the trouble and annoyance he had suffered, as he did not wait 

 for the small present I intended to have made him, but disa])- 

 peared from the camp immediately he had recovered his prop- 

 erty. 



The breeze now seemed inclined to fall light, although there 

 was a considerable sea ; but we rounded Eas Mirrumbi, and 

 passed several torrents and villages. I here noticed enormous 

 spiders' webs on some of the trees, a few being almost covered 

 with them. 



The Piclde did not come up with us that evening, and I be- 

 came rather anxious about her safety ; and, on nothing being 



