274 LABORE TO FATIKO. 



the same day. When, after a long debate, in which even his 

 wives took part, and after an appeal to me to stay for old 

 acquaintance' sake, I at last yielded to his importunity, his 

 men were immediately ordered to bring wood and water, a goat 

 for myself, and several pots of mrisa for my men. A present 

 of cloths, glass beads, copper, and a bottle of wine for him- 

 self, requited his kindness and increased his good-humour. 

 Eochama had aged, but was still the faithful, amiable man I 

 had previously found him to be. He has no power at all over 

 his people, who make fun of the long-winded orations he is 

 so fond of making on every possible occasion. His son is 

 very young, and cannot support his authority, but this is cer- 

 tainly done by his first, old, and ugly wife, who is only distin- 

 guished from her inferiors by a rather longer tail ; she was 

 very obliging. 



The village is beautifully situated. A fine khor, fringed 

 with beautiful vegetation, flows along the bottom of a wide 

 clearing, which is covered with short succulent grass, and 

 resembles a meadow. It is adorned with handsome colossal 

 fig-trees, tamarinds, and dolebs. Close beside the village, 

 which nestles among crags, there is a rocky ridge, upon which 

 I found a plant quite new to me. I am inclined to call it a 

 reed palm ; it is named here LaJcorta, and is said to be confined 

 to this mountain. I had never seen it before in any of my 

 long expeditions, and of course I collected specimens. Bananas 

 are scarce ; evidently the soft yellow loam y soil does not suit 

 them. 



A concourse of people had gradually assembled; their appear- 

 ance was very striking, on account of the curious way in which 

 their bodies were painted ; purple spots in front of the ears 

 and an ashy-grey ring round each eye seemed to be the 

 favourite design. I noticed several zebra-hides among those 

 worn as clothing by the men, and I elicited that the animal 

 was very common towards the east, and especially in the open 

 sandy Lango district. A very old and defective zebra- skin 

 was worn by one of the boys. Its very narrow dark stripes 

 on a pale yellow foundation seemed to indicate a particular 

 variety, but perhaps it was only the skin of a young animal. 



Great men do not make great haste, so we could not set off 



