420 ACROSS AFEICA. [Chap. 



November, arrangements with tlie chief of a neighboring village to forward 

 1875. Majuto to the coast, should he be found. 



Further delay in marching threatened to end in disaster, for 

 every day the men became more feeble, and I was afraid of los- 

 ing many if I lingered on the road. 



All anxiety as to the fate of the straggler was put at rest at 

 seven o'clock by his arrival, wet and wretched, and more dead 

 than alive, having eaten nothing since leaving the caravan. I 

 placed him under the charge of some of his chums, and saw him 

 dried and shampooed, and made as comfortable as the circum- 

 stances of our case allowed ; but the poor fellow was past recov- 

 ery, and died a few hours later. 



Manoel told me that if the Bailunda, who fortunately were 

 in another camp, heard of the death of Majuto, we should be 

 required to pay a heavy fine to the chiefs near before burying 

 him. AVe therefore set to work cautiously and quietly by fire- 

 light, and, digging a grave in one of the huts, scattered the earth 

 about by the handful. 



Then we buried the poor fellow according to Mohammedan 

 rites, prayers being said by one of his co-religionists, and piled 

 the earth over the grave so as to represent a sleeping-place cov- 

 ered with grass ; and one of the carriers lay upon it for an hour 

 or two to give it the appearance of having been used. 



It was well that we took these precautions, for visitors came 

 to our camp before we started ; and had there been any visible 

 signs of a grave, we should have had some trouble. 



Soon after leaving camp, we found a swarm of locusts which 

 had settled the night before, and were now so torpid from the 

 cold that they could be shaken from the trees and gathered up 

 in any quantity. Of this circumstance my hungry people were 

 not slow to take advantage. 



The manner in which the locusts covered the trees was most 

 extraordinary, every twig and branch, and the trunk a short dis- 

 tance above the ground, being entirely enveloped by them. In 

 many places they were two and even three deep. As the sun 

 became more powerful, they began to work their wings without 

 leaving the trees, making a noise like rushing water. Then the 

 stronger ones commenced to move, and in less than half an hour 

 they all had flown. 



