1867.] TIEESOME DELAY. A CONFLAGRATION. 221 



Arabs, and he is to send his people over here to call us 

 after the new moon appears. 



It is tiresome beyond measure to wait so long, but I 

 hope to see Moero for this exercise of patience, and I could 

 not have visited it had Hamees not succeeded in making 

 peace. 



17th July. — A lion roared very angrily at the village 

 last night, he was probably following the buffaloes that 

 sometimes come here to drink at night : they are all very 

 shy, and so is all the game, from fear of arrows. 



A curious disease has attacked my left eyelid and sur- 

 rounding parts: a slight degree of itchiness is followed 

 by great swelling of the part. It must be a sort of lichen ; 

 exposure to the sun seems to cure it, and this leads me to 

 take long walks therein. This is about 30° 19' E. long. ; 

 lat. 8° 57' 55" S. 



2±th July. — A fire broke out at 4 a.m., and there being 

 no wind the straw roofs were cleared off in front of it on 

 our side of the village. The granaries were easily unroofed, 

 as the roof is not attached to the walls, and the Arabs 

 tried to clear a space on their side, but were unable, and 

 then moved all their ivory and goods outside the stockade ; 

 their side of the village was all consumed, and three goats 

 perished in the flames. 



Chitimba has left us from a fear of his life, he says ; it 

 is probable that he means this flight to be used as an 

 excuse to Nsama after we are gone. "And I, too, was 

 obliged to flee from my village to save my life ! What 

 could I do ? " This is to be his argument, I suspect. 



A good many slaves came from the two villages that were 

 destroyed : on inquiry I was told that these would be 

 returned when Nsama gave the ivory promised. 



When Nsama was told that an Englishman wished to go 

 past him to Moero, he replied, " Bring him, and I shall send 

 men to take him thither." 



