1SGS.] MPWETO EEFUSES THE DOCTORS PEESEXTS. 283- 



I met a man from Seskeke, left sick at Kirwa by Bin Ilabib 

 and now with him here. 



A very beautiful young woman came to look at us, 

 perfect in every way, and nearly naked, but unconscious of 

 indecency ; a very Venus in black. The light-grey, red- 

 tailed parrot seen on the West Coast is common in Bua, and 

 tamed by the natives.* 



19th March.] — (Grant, Lord, grace to love Thee more and 

 serve Thee better.) 



The favourite son of Mpweto called on us; his father is 

 said to do nothing without consulting him ; but he did not 

 seem to be endowed with much wisdom. 



20th and 21st March. — Our interview was put off; and 

 then a sight of the cloth we were to give was required. 

 I sent a good large cloth, and explained that we were nearly 

 out of goods now, having been travelling two years, and 

 were going to Ujiji to get more. Mpweto had prepared a 

 quantity of pombe, a basket of meal, and a goat ; and when 

 he looked at them and the cloth, he seemed to feel that it 

 would be a poor bargain, so he sent to say that we had gone 

 to Casembe and given him many cloths, and then to Muabo, 

 and if I did not give another cloth he would not see me.. 

 " He had never slept with only one cloth." " I had put 

 medicine on this one to kill him, and must go away." 



It seems he was offended because we Avent to his great 

 rival, Muabo, before visiting him. He would not see Syde 

 bin Habib for eight days ; and during that time was using 

 charms to try if it would be safe to see him at all : on the 

 ninth day he peeped past a door for some time to see if 

 Bin Habib were a proper person, and then came out : he is 

 always very suspicious. 



At last he sent an order to us to go away, and if we did. 



* This bird is often brought to Zanzibar by the Ivory Caravans. 

 t The Doctor's birthday. 



