232 ACROSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



June, The last march before arriving at Pakwanywa's village was 



1874. Qjjg Qf ^]^Q most exhausting and trying I had nj) to that time 

 experienced. The road led us over a succession of small hills, 

 and the sun beat down upon us from a cloudless sky. The heat 

 of the parched ground scorched my feet through thick boots, 

 knitted stockings, and socks. Drawing a breath was like inhal- 

 ing the fumes of a heated furnace. 



On entering the village, I was thoroughly beaten by heat and 

 thirst, and the agony was increased by the people crowding 

 round to stare at me. Water seemed to be unattainable. But 

 at last a kind-hearted old man pushed through the crowd, and 

 handed me a large calabash full ; and if ever I blessed a man, it 

 was that one. With a continuous draught, I drained the cala- 

 bash, large as it was, and the friendly old native sent for more ; 

 and when I offered him a small present of beads for his thought- 

 fulness and trouble, he declined to accejDt any reward whatever. 



At Pakwanywa's I heard that a large caravan, under the 

 leadership of Muinyi Hassani, was waiting for us a few days in 

 front ; and although I had no desire to join them, it was better 

 to yield, and avoid opposition on their part. 



The men engaged at Meketo declined to go any farther with 

 us, nor would other natives volunteer to assist ; so I issued two 

 more loads of beads as rations, instead of abandoning them for 

 lack of carriers. Others of my followers were malingering; 

 and Bombay and Bihil, instead of assisting me in the slightest, 

 were ever ready to throw difficulties in my way, in the vain 

 hope of inducing me to turn back and abandon the expedition. 



Syde Mezrui " made brothers" with Pakwanywa, and I went 

 into the village to witness the interesting ceremony. Pakwa- 

 nywa I found sitting out in the open, superintending the paint- 

 ing of his wife's forehead, and a serious matter it seemed to be. 

 Tlie 'artist, having the different colors prepared with oil — each 

 in a separate leaf — plastered them on with a knife, and then 

 carefully scraped the edges of the various tints till they were 

 exactly true, and formed the required pattern. 



Tliis being finished, Pakwanywa invited me into his hut, 

 which was about twenty feet square, and smoothly plastered on 

 the inside to the height of four feet. The walls M-ere orna- 

 mented with squares of red, white, and yellow, bordered with 



