318 ACROSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



December, grown from Ujiji seed, which has the well-deserved reputation 

 1874. Qf being the best in Africa. 



Immediately on arrival, I visited Alvez to ascertain our 

 chances of making a move. He informed me all was ready, 

 ivory packed and slaves collected, and that he was most anxious 

 to start, his stores being exhausted ; therefore, directly Ivasongo 

 returned, and our adieux were made, which might require two 

 or three days, we should take the road. He assured me further 

 that sixty days after starting we should reach Bihe — to which 

 place, instead of Kassanci, I now found he was going — and a 

 fortnight or three weeks from that j^lace would take me either 

 to Benguela or Loanda. 



But I was again destined to experience grievous disappoint- 

 ment. Kasongo did not return until the end of January, 1875 ; 

 and even then delays innumerable occurred, chiefly owing to 

 ithe unparalleled falsehoods and cowardliness of Alvez. 



During the many tedious hours w^hicli elapsed before Ka- 

 songo arrived, I frequently questioned Jumah Merikani and 

 •his men about their various travels ; and among his six hun- 

 dred pagazi, besides slaves, there were very many representa- 

 tives of different tribes, some being from the shores of Lake 

 Sankorra. I was therefore able to gather a fair idea of the 

 positions of the various lakes and rivers of Central Africa, 

 and their relations to each other. From them I also heard 

 many curious stories, which, although they may seem to be 

 "traveler's tales," were vouched for by independent witness- 

 es, and, I am convinced, thoroughly believed in by those who 

 recounted them. 



Among these narratives the palm may perhaps be given to 

 one related by a native of Ukaranga. He asserted that in the 

 village next to that in which he lived the people were on most 

 friendly terms with the lions, which used to walk in and about 

 the village without attempting to injure any one. On great 

 occasions they were treated to honey, goats, sheep, and ugali, 

 and sometimes at these afternoon drums as many as two hun- 

 dred lions assembled. Each lion w\as known to the people by 

 name, and to these they responded when called ; and when one 

 died, the inhabitants of the village mourned for him as for one 

 of themselves. 



