254 



ACROSS AFRICA. 



[Chap. 



July, 

 1874. 



lower pair of cables sticks were laid to form a roadway. These 

 were lashed in their places and wattled in with creepers, while 

 a large net-work of the same connected the upper and lower ca- 

 bles on each side of the bridge. Altogether it was a very in- 

 genious and eifective strnctnre, and rather astonished me, more 

 especially as I had never seen any similar construction in Afri- 

 ca, nor indeed did I meet with another. 



Karungu, at which we camped, was a large town, or, more 

 properly, group of villages, lying on the slojje of a hill, and it 

 was arranged that we should halt here for a day before starting 

 straight away for Kwakasongo, an Arab settlement on the road 

 to Nyangwe. 



KAKUNQU. 



As I was sitting the next morning rpiietly reading and writ- 

 ing, I heard muskctry-hre and a great disturbance in the Arab 

 camp, and saw the natives flying in every direction, pursued by 

 the traders' men. Matters had evidently come to a crisis, and I 

 therefore collected all my men, and ordered them, under pain 

 of instant and severe j)unishment, neither to leave the camp nor 

 to fire at the natives, unless driven to do so in self-defense. I 

 then went over to Muinyi Ilassani, to inquire the cause of the 

 row, and found him all excitement and in a great fright. The 

 story was this : 



