THE KALONGOSI. 771 



it still finer, and excellent wire is the result. Leaving Kapesha, 

 they went through many of the villages already enumerated in 

 Dr. Livingstone's diary. Chama's people came to see them 

 as they passed by him, and after some mutterings and growlings 

 Casongo gave them leave to buy food at his town. Reaching 

 Chama's head-quarters they camped outside, and received a civil 

 message, telling them to convey his orders to the people on the 

 banks of the Kalongosi that the travellers must be ferried safely 

 across. They found great fear and misery prevailing in the 

 neighborhood from the constant raids made by Kumbakumba's 

 men. 



Leaving the Kalongosi behind them they made for M'sama's 

 son's town, meeting four men on the way who were going from 

 Kumbakumba to Chama to beat up recruits for an attack on 

 the Katanga people. The request was sure to be met with 

 alarm and refusal, but it served very well to act the part taken 

 by the wolf in the fable. A grievance would immediately be 

 made of it, and Chama " eaten up " in due course for daring to 

 gainsay the stronger man. Such is too frequently the course of 

 native oppression. At last Kumbakumba's town came in sight. 

 Already the large district of Itawa had tacitly allowed itself to 

 be put under the harrow by this ruffianly Zanzibar Arab. 

 Black-mail is levied in all directions, and the petty chiefs, 

 although really under tribute to Nsama, are sagacious enough 

 to keep in with the powers that be. 



The talk was still about the break-up of Casembe's power ; 

 but by far the most interetting news that reached them was that 

 a party of Englishmen, headed by Dr. Livingstone's son, on 

 their way to relieve his father, had been seen at Bagamoio some 

 months previously. 



The chief showed them every kindness during their five days' 

 rest, and was most anxious that no mishap should by any chance 

 occur to their principal charge. 



Marching was now much easier, and the men quickly found 

 they had crossed the watershed. The Lofu ran in front of them 

 on its way to Tanganyika. The Kalongosi, we have seen, flows 

 to Lake Moero in the opposite direction. More to their pur- 

 pose it was perhaps to find the terror of Kumbakumba dying 

 away as they travelled in a northeasterly direction, and came 



