DISCOVERY OF THE VICTORIA X'YANZA. 25 



beads have been taken, but at the extravagant rate of 

 two khetes for four eggs, the dearest I ever paid. 



The caravan proceeded at 6 A.M. on the 19th, and 

 after going eight miles re-entered the Msalala district's 

 frontier, where we put up in a village three miles 

 beyond the border. The country throughout this 

 march may be classed in two divisions, one of large 

 and extensively cultivated plains, with some fine trees 

 about ; and the other of small irregularly disposed 

 hills, the prevailing granitic outcrops of this region. 

 There is no direct line northwards here, so we had 

 to track about, and hit upon the lines between the 

 different villages, which enhanced our trouble and 

 caused much delay. At this place I witnessed the 

 odd operation of brother-making. It consists in the 

 two men desirous of a blood-tie being seated face to 

 face on a cow's hide with their legs stretched out as 

 wide to the front as their length will permit, one pair 

 overlapping the other. They then place their bows 

 and arrows across their thighs, and each holds a leaf : 

 at the same time a third person, holding a pot of oil 

 or butter, makes an incision above their knees, and 

 requires each to put his blood on the other's leaf, and 

 mix a little oil with it, when each anoints himself 

 with the brother-salve. This operation over, the two 

 brothers bawl forth the names and extent of their 

 relatives, and swear by the blood to protect the other 

 till death. Ugogo, on the highway between the coast 

 and Ujiji, is a place so full of inhabitants compared 



