DISCOVERY OF THE VICTORIA N'YANZA, 91 



further questions ; for their heads then roll about 

 like a ball upon a wire, and their eyes glass over and 

 look vacantly about as though vitality had fled from 

 their bodies altogether. Bombay, though, is a singular 

 exception to this rule ; but then, by long practice, he 

 has become a great geographer, and delights in point- 

 ing out the different features on my map to his envy- 

 ing neighbours. 



We came to Mgogwa this morning, the 16th, and 

 were received by Kurua with his usual kind affability. 

 Our entrance to his boma was quiet and unceremonious, 

 for we came there quite unexpectedly hardly giving 

 him time to prepare his musket and return our salute. 

 Though we were allowed a ready admission, a guinea- 

 fowl I shot on the way was not. The superstitious 

 people forbade its entrance in full plumage, so it was 

 plucked before being brought inside the palisade. 

 Kurua again arranged a hut for my residence, and was 

 as assiduous as ever in his devotion to my comforts. 

 All the elders of the district soon arrived, and the 

 usual debates commenced. Kurua chiefly trades with 

 Karagwah and the northern kingdoms, but no one 

 could add to the information I had already obtained. 

 One of his men stated that he had performed the 

 journey between Pangani (latitude 5 south), on the 

 east coast of Africa, and Lake X'yanza three times, 

 in about two months each time. The distance was 

 very great for the little time it took him ; but then he 

 had to go for his life the whole way, in consequence 



