LYING GUIDES. 427 



happy thing for all hands that there was no scarcity of food 

 along the path ; particularly was it a happy thing for the Sepoys 

 that rice was plenty, as the supply of that commodity which 

 should have lasted until the expedition reached Nyomano was 

 found to be exhausted on the 13th. 



The weariness of the march was greater than it should have 

 been because the Sepoys persisted in overburdening the camels, 

 which they could easily do as Dr. Livingstone was wholly un- 

 accustomed to the animals. The sun too was beating: on them 

 with great force, and the men taking their turns with fever. 



Arab guides are not better than other guides. It is generally 

 the case that those who guide us for our convenience and their 

 profit seem very unconcerned about how well we are served if 

 our ignorance only abets their impositions. Guides had lied to 

 justify their misguidance before the time of Ben Ali, and if they 

 are not watched they will do it when the wind is playing with 

 leaves above his grave. The particular guide in question now, 

 as it turned out, owed a duty to a certain comely Makonde wo- 

 man, who resided some distance from the proper path, and like 

 a dutiful husband, though an undutiful guide, vowed that the 

 wrong way was the right one as positively as ever an attorney 

 asserted the worse the better reason until his point was carried. 

 It seems to be no trouble to the Arab guide any more than to 

 an attorney when the point is carried to confess the " sharpness " 

 of the transaction ; and Ben Ali guided his employer back when 

 he had comforted his spouse and reassured her of his affection 

 as pleasantly as he had led him aside. The policy of the Arabs 

 is like that of the Portuguese — they strengthen their influence 

 with the natives by coming down to them. They do not elevate 

 the African by it. They only degrade themselves and increase 

 the difficulties to be met by those w r ho aim at the elevation of 

 the people in the scale of manhood. 



The people among whom they were passing were very rude. 

 The women particularly seemed to ignore all restraints, and sur- 

 passed the men in the indecency of their deportment. The men, 

 like true lovers, engaged with eagerness in cutting a path, and 

 the hope of having a yard or two of cloth to make their wives' 

 dresses imparted marvellous charms to the hard work ; it was de- 

 lightful to hear their merry shouts and witness the almost childish 



