GENTLEMEN SLAVEES. 547 



being generally about three thousand feet above the sea. Long 

 lines of tree-covered hills, raised some six or seven hundred 

 feet above these valleys of denudation, prevent the scenery from 

 being monotonous. Large game is abundant. Elephants, buf- 

 faloes, and zebras grazed in large numbers on the long sloping 

 banks of a river called Chisera, a mile and a half broad. In 

 going north we crossed this river, or rather marsh, which is full 

 of papyrus plants and reeds. Our ford was an elephant's path ; 

 and the roots of the papyrus, though a carpet to these animals, 

 were sharp and sore to feet usually protected by shoes, and 

 often made us shrink and flounder into holes chest-deep. The 

 Chisera forms a larger marsh west of this, and it gives off its 

 waters to the Kalongosi, a feeder of Lake Moero. 



" The Arabs sent out men in all directions to purchase ivory ; 

 but their victory over Nsama had created a panic among the 

 tribes which no verbal assurances could allay. If Nsama had 

 been routed by twenty Arab guns no one could stand before 

 them but Casembe ; and Casembe had issued strict orders to his 

 people not to allow the Arabs who fought Nsama to enter his 

 country. They did not attempt to force their way, but after 

 sending friendly messages and presents to different chiefs, when 

 these were not cordially received, turned off in some other direc- 

 tion, and at last, despairing of more ivory, turned homewards. 

 From first to last they were extremely kind to me, and showed 

 all due respect to the sultan's letter. I am glad that I was 

 witness to their mode of trading in ivory and slaves. It formed 

 a complete contrast to the atrocious dealings of the Kilwa traders, 

 who are supposed to be, but are not, the subjects of the same 

 sultan. If one wished to depict the slave-trade in its most attrac- 

 tive, or rather least objectionable, form, he would accompany 

 these gentlemen subjects of the Sultan of Zanzibar. If he 

 would describe the land traffic in its most disgusting phases, 

 he would follow the Kilwa traders along the road to Nyassa, or 

 the Portuguese half-castes from Tette to the river Shire. 



"Keeping to the north of Nsama altogether, and moving 

 westwards, our small party reached the north end of Moero on 

 the 8th of November last. There the lake is a goodly piece 

 of water twelve or more miles broad, and flanked on the east 

 and west by ranges of lofty tree-covered mountains. The range 



