356 LIVINGSTONE'S LAST JOURNALS. [Chap. XIII. 



carry ivory, others copper, or food for the march, whilst 

 hope and fear, misery and villainy, may be read off on the 

 various faces that pass in line out of this country, like a 

 serpent dragging its accursed folds away from the victim it 

 has paralysed with its fangs.] 



11th December. — We marched four hours unmolested by 

 the natives, built a fence, and next day crossed the Lokinda 

 Eiver and its feeder the Mookosi ; here the people belonged 

 to Chisabi, who had not joined the other Babemba. We go 

 between two ranges of tree-covered mountains, which are 

 continuations of those on each side of Moero. 



12th December. — The tiresome tale of slaves running away 

 was repeated again last night by two of Mpamari's making 

 off, though in the yoke, and they had been with him from 

 boyhood. Not one good-looking slave-woman is now left 

 of Mohamad Bogharib's fresh slaves ; all the pretty ones 

 obtain favour by their address, beg to be unyoked, and then 

 escape. Four hours brought us to many villages of Chisabi 

 and the camp of Syde bin Habib in the middle of a set-in 

 rain, which marred the demonstration at meeting with his 

 relative Mpamari; but the women braved it through, wet 

 to the skin, and danced and lullilooed with " draigled " 

 petticoats with a zeal worthy of a better cause, as the 

 " penny-a-liners " say. It is the custom for the trader who 

 receives visitors to slaughter goats, and feed all his guests 

 for at least two days, nor was Syde wanting in this hospi- 

 tality, though the set-in rain continuing, we did not enjoy 

 it as in fine weather. 



14th December. — Cotton-grass and brackens all over the 

 country show the great humidity of Marungu. Kain daily ; 

 but this is not the great rain which falls when the sun comes 

 back south over our heads. 



15th December. — March two hours only to the range of 

 Tamba. A pretty little light-grey owl, called " nkwekwe," 



