1866.] SUFFERINGS OF THE SLAVE TRANSIT. 51 



severe cast of countenance, and a nose Assyrian in type ; he 

 lias built a large reception house, in which a number of half- 

 caste Arabs have taken up their abode. A great many of the 

 people have guns, and it is astonishing to see the number 

 of slave-taming sticks abandoned along the road as the poor 

 wretches gave in, and professed to have lost all hope of 

 escape. Many huts have been built by the Arabs to screen 

 themselves from the rain as they travelled. At Kinazombe's 

 the second crop of maize is ready, so the hunger will not be 

 very much felt. 



16th June. — We heard very sombre accounts of the 

 country in front : — four or five days to Mtarika, and then 

 ten days through jungle to Mataka's town : little food at Mta- 

 rika's, but plenty with Mataka, who is near the Lake. The 

 Eovuma trends southerly after we leave Ngozo, and Masusa 

 on that river is pointed out as south-west from Metaba, so at 

 Xgozo the river may be said to have its furthest northing. 

 Masusa is reported to be five days, or at least fifty miles, 

 from Metaba. The route now becomes south-west. 



The cattle of Africa are like the Indian buffalo, only 

 partially tamed; they never give their milk without the 

 presence of the calf or its stuffed skin, the " fulchan." The 

 women adjacent to Mozambique partake a little of the wild 

 animal's nature, for, like most members of the inferior 

 races of animals, they refuse all intercourse Avith their 

 husbands when enceinte and they continue this for about 

 three years afterwards, or until the child is weaned, which 

 usually happens about the third year. I was told, on most 

 respectable authority, that many fine young native men 

 marry one wife and live happily with her till this period ; 

 nothing will then induce her to continue to cohabit with 

 him, and, as the separation is to continue for three years, 

 the man is almost compelled to take up with another wife : 

 this was mentioned to me as one of the great evils of 

 society. The same absurdity prevails on the West Coast, 



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