1868.] DIFFICULTIES AHEAD. 321 



pressed out at its point : the other two parts of the pro- 

 boscis are its shield, and have no bulb at the base. The 

 bulb was pronounced at the Koyal Society to be only 

 muscle, but it is curious that muscle should be furnished 

 where none is needed, and withheld in the movable parts of 

 the shield where it is decidedly needed. 



5th August, 1868. — Beach Kombokombo, who is very 

 liberal, and pressed us to stay a day with him as well as 

 with others; we complied, and found that Mohamad had 

 gone nowhere. 



7th August. — We found a party starting from Kizinga 

 for the coast, having our letters with them; it will take 

 five months to reach the sea. The disturbed state of the 

 country prevented parties of traders proceeding in various 

 directions, and one that set off on the same day with us 

 was obliged to return. Mohamad has resolved to go to 

 Manyuema as soon as parties of his men now out return : 

 this is all in my favour ; it is in the way I want to go to 

 see the Lualaba and Lufira to Chowambe. The way seems 

 opening out before me, and I am thankful. I resolved to 

 go north by way of Casembe, and guides were ready to 

 start, so was I ; but rumours of war where Ave were going 

 induced me to halt to find out the truth : the guides (Ban- 

 yamwezi) were going to divine, by means of a cock, to see 

 if it would be lucky to go with me at present. The rumours 

 of danger became so circumstantial that our fence was 

 needed: a well was dug inside, and the Banyamwezi were 

 employed to smelt copper as for the market of Manyuema, 

 and balls for war. Syde bin Omar soon came over the 

 Luapula from Iramba, and the state of confusion induced 

 the traders to agree to unite their forces and make a safe 

 retreat out of the country. They objected very strongly to 

 my going away down the right bank of the Luapula with 

 my small party, though it was in sight, so I resolved to 

 remain till all went. 



VOL. i. Y 



