AT MREKO'S VILLAGE. 35 



to them by kneeling servants, and they were in consequence a 

 little excited. Still, they showed themselves entirely at their 

 ease, drank their coffee, and — now comes the point — they 

 begged me to remain here a few days, Mountains of bananas, 

 piles of eggs, rivers of wine, were held out to me as inducements; 

 and when I at last, half laughingly, half angrily, consented, 

 their joy knew no bounds. The whole company, nourishing 

 their spears aloft, danced round me, and the pouring rain 

 alone put an end to their expressions of gratitude. The 

 sound of the mandinda (a wooden harmonica), and the songs 

 of the women in honour of their lord and master, filled the 

 air until late into the night. 



For eight days it had rained incessantlv. The rain had 

 long since ceased between Lado and Fatiko. Between Fatiko 

 and Mruli (3° i'-i° 35' N. lat.), perhaps, an occasional 

 shower still fell ; but here there was rain every day, and fre- 

 quently from three to four times in the course of twenty- 

 four hours. 



I was regularly besieged in my tent, especially by women, 

 who came in great numbers to look at me. Nevertheless I 

 cannot complain of actual molestation, for the people were 

 well behaved. I also met here an old acquaintance, Matongali 

 Mbazi, who had visited me in Kabrega's capital, and who 

 had heard in his village, which is situated about four hours 

 away, that I was here. He now came to greet me, and to 

 bring me a sheep. He himself belongs to the Wahuma 

 race, who are entrusted with the care of the herds. Several of 

 their women came to me to-day ; they are characterised by 

 their pretty oval orthognathous faces, rather well-developed ears, 

 and beautiful large eyes, varying in colour from light brown 

 to yellowish grey. The girls of this race are highly thought 

 of in this country. It would be exceedingly interesting to 

 discover if the Wahuma possess the remnant of a language 

 of their own, and to what origin this remnant points. 



A long break in the rainfall permitted the crescent of the 

 new moon (December 6th) to be seen, and it was greeted by 

 salvos of guns and the beating of all the drums in the country. 

 The atmosphere was so clear that both the dark part of the 

 moon and the illuminated rim were visible. I have never in 



