396 ACROSS AFEICA. [Chap. 



October, on, accompanied bj torrents of rain. It had been preceded bj 

 1875. a peculiar lurid light, which, as the sun had set some little time, 

 must have been electrical. 



Three hours' march from here was the town of Kagnombe, 

 the largest I came across during my whole journey, being more 

 than three miles in circumference. It contained a number of 

 separate inclosures belonging to different chiefs, who used them 

 when visiting the place to pay their respects to Kagnombe. 

 Much space was occupied by cattle and pig-pens and tobacco- 

 gardens, besides which there were three large gullies — the 

 sources of streams flowing to the Kokema — so that the popula- 

 tion, though large, was not nearly so numerous as the size of 

 the town had led me to expect. 



On arrival, I was met by Kagnombe's secretary, chamberlain, 

 and captain of the guard, who wore red waistcoats as sign of 

 their dignity. The secretary was more ornamental than useful, 

 being unable to write ; but a subordinate, a black man and na- 

 tive of Dondo, was better educated, and conducted the trade of 

 Kagnombe with the coast. 



These officials conducted me Ijo a hut which had been pre- 

 pared for my reception, and immediately, without allowing me 

 any time for refreshments, commenced bothering me with ques- 

 tions as to what I intended to offer their chief as a present. 



A Snider rifle and a little cloth Avhich I obtained for the 

 purpose while at Komanante were all I could well give. But 

 with these they assured me he would be any thing but satisfied, 

 and I was obliged to part with a large leopard-skin presented 

 to me by Jumali Merikani, and which had been most useful as 

 a rug. 



Throughout the day crowds came to stare at me ; and when 

 driven by heavy showers to take refuge in my hut, the people 

 did not scruple to follow me uninvited, and it was needful to 

 keep a sharp lookout for pilferers. 



Among the crowd were some men attached to a caravan 

 belonging to Mshiri, on the return journey from Benguela. 

 They all had the TJnyamwezi tribal marks, and the majority 

 could speak Kinyamwezi. One asserted that he was a Mnyam- 

 wezi, but on cross-examination I found he was really a native 

 of Katanga, but had once been to Unyanyembe. 



