18C6.] THE REVENGEFUL EATCATCHEE. 123 



In three hours and a quarter we had made a clear ascent 

 of 2200 feet above the Lake. The first persons we met were 

 two men and a boy, who were out hunting with a dog and 

 basket-trap. This is laid down in the run of some small 

 animal ; the dog chases it, and it goes into the basket 

 which is made of split bamboo, and has prongs looking 

 inwards, which prevent its egress : mouse traps are made in 

 the same fashion. I suspected that the younger of the men 

 had other game in view, and meant, if fit opportunity offered, 

 to insert an arrow in a Waiyau, who was taking away his 

 wife as a slave. He told me before we had gained the top 

 of the ascent that some Waiyau came to a village, separated 

 from his by a small valley, picked a quarrel with the in- 

 habitants, and then went and took the wife and child of a 

 poorer countryman to pay these pretended offences. 



8th October. — At the first village we found that the people 

 up here and those down below were mutually afraid of each 

 other. Kimsusa came to the bottom of the range, his last 

 act being the offer of a pot of beer, and a calabash of Toku, 

 which latter was accepted. I paid his wives for carrying 

 our things : they had done well, and after we gained the 

 village where we slept, sang and clapped their hands vigor- 

 ously till one o'clock in the morning, when I advised them 

 to go to sleep. The men he at last provided were very 

 faithful and easily satisfied. Here we found the headman, 

 Kawa, of Mpalapala, quite as hospitable. In addition to 

 providing a supper, it is the custom to give breakfast before 

 starting. Besting on the 8th to make up for the loss of rest 

 on Sunday ; we marched on Tuesday (the 9th), but were soon 

 brought to a stand by Gombwa, whose village, Tamiala, 

 stands on another ridge. 



Gombwa, a laughing, good-natured man, said that he 

 had sent for all his people to see me ; and I ought to 

 sleep, to enable them to look on one the like of whom 

 had never come their way before. Intending to go on, 



