G6 LIVINGSTONE'S LAST JOUENALS. [Chap. III. 



Ckuma and Wikatani and when the latter was enjoying 

 them, gaping to the sky, they were busy putting the 

 things of which he had charge under their cloths! I 

 spoke to the chief, and he got the three first articles back 

 for me. 



A great deal if not all the lawlessness of this quarter is 

 the result of the slave-trade, for the Arabs buy whoever 

 is brought to them and in a country covered with forest 

 as this is, kidnapping can be prosecuted with the greatest 

 ease; elsewhere the people are honest, and have a regard 

 for justice. 



1st July, 1866. — As we approach Mtarika's place, the 

 country becomes more mountainous and the land sloping 

 for a mile down to the south bank of the Rovuma supports 

 a large population. Some were making new gardens by 

 cutting down trees and piling the branches for burning;, 

 others had stored up large quantities of grain and were 

 moving it to a new locality, but they were all so well 

 supplied with calico (Merikano) that they would not look at 

 ours : the market was in fact glutted by slavers from (Quiloa) 

 Kilwa. On asking why people were seen tied to trees to die 

 as we had seen them, they gave the usual answer that the 

 Arabs tie them thus and leave them to perish, because they 

 are vexed, when the slaves can walk no further, that they 

 have lost their money by them. The path is almost strewed! 

 with slave-sticks, and though the people denied it, I suspect 

 that they make a practice of following slave caravans and 

 cutting off the sticks from those who fall out in the march, 

 and thus stealing them. By selling them again they get 

 the quantities of cloth we see. Some asked for gaudy prints, 

 of which we had none, because we knew that the general 

 taste of the Africans of the Interior is for strength rather 

 than show in what they buy. 



The Eovuma here is about 100 yards broad, and still keeps 

 up its character of a rapid stream, with sandy banks and 



