TRAVELLING UNDER DIFFICULTIES 



seem to occur at regular intervals, and they always 

 leave destitution and death in their path. In Pangani 

 alone over one thousand natives died of starvation and 

 disease. The only food available was rice, which had 

 to be brought from India. 



I started on my excursion into Useguha on June 

 2 2d. My caravan consisted of ninety-five men, some of 

 them anned guards, and a number of asses and mules. 

 We took with us thirty loads of rice. After crossing 

 the Pangani River we marched along the coast for 

 about four hours. It was not long before we noticed 

 signs of the terrible destruction the famine had caused. 

 We found a few dead bodies of starved men and the 

 cocoanut-trees eaten bare by locusts. 



Instead of a long narrative I shall give an extract from 

 the diary I kept during this expedition: 



June 24th. March of eight hours, by way of Great and Small 

 Kipumbbui, to Uguaia. 



June 25th. March of six hours along the coast. 



June 26th. March to Parramakarra ; then to Java; lost our 

 way. Everywhere withered mouma-palms deprived of their 

 sap, the palm-wine. Natives avoid us. No guides can be se- 

 cured. 



June 27th. Start at 4 a.m. March to Quabigo. Lost our 

 way. Through virgin forest and high grass. Spray like rain 

 all day. Wet to the skin. Pass a Wasegua village. Huts 

 deserted. Millet growing in the field. Other vegetation de- 

 stroyed by locusts. 



June 28-3oth. March to a rocky hill. Spray like rain. Tracks 

 of buffaloes and eland antelopes. Tracks about fourteen days 

 old. Game, no doubt, has moved on to fresher grass. Up to 



*s 385 



