1866.] GREAT SCARCITY OF FOOD. 67 



islands : the latter are generally occupied, as being defen- 

 sible when the river is in flood. 



2nd July, 1866. — We rested at Mtarika's old place ; and 

 though we had to pay dearly with our best table-cloths * for 

 it, we got as much as made one meal a day. At the same 

 dear rate we could give occasionally only two ears of maize 

 to each man ; and if the sepoys got their comrades' corn into 

 their hands, they eat it without shame. We had to bear a 

 vast amount of staring, for the people, who are Waiyau, have 

 a great deal of curiosity, and are occasionally rather rude. 

 They have all heard of our wish to stop the slave-trade, 

 and are rather taken aback when told that by selling they 

 are art and part guilty of the mortality of which we had 

 been unwilling spectators. Some were dumbfounded when 

 shown that in the eye of their Maker they are parties to 

 the destruction of human life which accompanies this traffic 

 both by sea and land. If they did not sell, the Arabs would 

 not come to buy. Chuma and Wakatani render what is 

 said very eloquently in Chiyau, most of the people being 

 of their tribe, with only a sprinkling of slaves. Chimseia, 

 Chimsaka, Mtarika, Mtehde, Makanjela, Mataka, and all the 

 chiefs and people in our route to the Lake, are Waiyau, or 

 Waiau.f 



On the southern slope down to the river there are many 

 oozing springs and damp spots where rice has been sown 

 and reaped. The adjacent land has yielded large crops of 

 sorghum, congo-beans, and pumpkins. Successive crowds of 

 people came to gaze. My appearance and acts often cause a 

 burst of laughter; sudden standing up produces a flight of 

 women and children. To prevent peeping into the hut 

 which I occupy, and making the place quite dark, I do 

 my writing in the verandah. Chitane', the poodle dog, the 



* A coloured cloth manufactured expressly for barter in East Africa. 

 f This is pronounced " Y-yow." — Ed. 



F 2 



