THE SURVEY CONTINUED 133 



traverse, that would have taken too much time. There 

 was no point ahead to take to, only a level plain, so it seemed 

 best to go further toward the east to see if there was any- 

 other way of overcoming this difficulty. 



The carriers and soldiers were accordingly sent on to the 

 town of Ndivva, which was said to lie in that direction, 

 while I reconnoitred the country round. From a low hill 

 not far from Ndivva it was possible to take angles both back 

 to Taunza and to a hill a few miles further on to the north. 

 On rejoining the carriers I found them in a rather frightened 

 group. They explained that the natives were very hostile 

 and had forced them to pitch my tent on a refuse heap 

 outside the town. My horse-boys also complained that on 

 the march some Marragi had jumped out upon them, and 

 would have killed them and stolen the horses if the soldiers 

 had not come up in the nick of time. The chief had gone 

 away, leaving word that he did not wish to see the white 

 man, but the former king, who had been driven out by the 

 present ruler, came up and behaved fairly well, though the 

 people were all hostile and unwilhng to sell any food. The 

 soldiers, who accompanied the ex-king in search of provisions, 

 were beaten, and on asking why they had submitted to this, 

 they answered that it was because I had given such strict 

 orders against firing. Of course, it was impossible to submit 

 to such treatment, so my tent was removed and put up again 

 in a more healthy locality and the people were warned against 

 any further ill-treatment of the party. 



On the morrow we went back to the hill from which 

 Mount Taunza was to be seen. During this short march 

 some of the carriers were shot at, but fortunately no one was 



