Chap. XIX. KEED HUTS IN PAPYKUS. 393 



at least six-pounders. They were said to belong to an Ajawa 

 Chief named Mukata. 



In descending the Shire, we found concealed in the broad 

 belt of papyrus round the lakelet Pamalombe, into which the 

 river expands, a number of Manganja families who had been 

 driven from their homes by the Ajawa raids. So thickly did 

 the papyrus grow, that when beat down it supported their 

 small temporary huts, though when they walked from one 

 hut to another, it heaved and bent beneath their feet as thin 

 ice does at home. 



A dense and impenetrable forest of the papyrus was left 

 standing between them and the land, and no one passing by on 

 the same side would ever have suspected that human beings 

 lived there. They came to this spot from the south by means 

 of their canoes, which enabled them to obtain a living from 

 the fine fish which abound in the lakelet. They had a large 

 quantity of excellent salt sewed up in bark, some of which we 

 bought, our own having run out. We anchored for the night 

 off their floating camp, and were visited by myriads of 

 mosquitoes. Some of the natives show a love of country 

 quite surprising. We saw fugitives on the mountains, in the 

 north of the lake, who were persisting in clinging to the haunts 

 of their boyhood and youth, in spite of starvation and the 

 continual danger of being put to death by the Mazitu. 



A few miles below the lakelet is the last of' the great 

 slave -crossings. Since the Ajawa invasion the villages on 

 the left bank had been abandoned, and the people, as 

 we saw in our ascent, were living on the right or western 

 bank. 



As we were resting for a few minutes opposite the valuable 

 fishery at Movunguti, a young effeminate-looking man from 

 some sea-coast tribe came in great state to have a look at us. 

 He walked under a large umbrella, and was followed by five 



