98 LIVINGSTONE'S LAST JOURNALS. [Chap. IV. 



worth noticing that all admit the decadence of the Moslem 

 power, and they ask how it is so fallen ? They seem sincere 

 in their devotion and in teaching the Koran, but its mean- 

 ing is comparatively hid from most of the Suaheli. The 

 Persian Arabs are said to be gross idolators, and awfully 

 impure. Earth from a grave at Kurbelow (?) is put in 

 the turban and worshipped : some of the sects won't 

 say " Amen." 



Moenyegumbe never drank more than a mouthful of 

 pombe. When young, he could make his spear pass right 

 through an elephant, and stick in the ground on the other 

 side. He was a large man, and all his members were 

 largely developed, his hands and fingers were all in pro- 

 portion to his great height ; and he lived to old age with 

 strength unimpaired: Goambari inherits his white colour 

 and sharp nose, but not his wisdom or courage. Merere 

 killed five of his own people for exciting him against 

 the Arabs. The half-caste is the murderer of many 

 of Charura's descendants. His father got a daughter of 

 Moenyegumbe for courage in fighting the Babema of 

 Ubena. 



Cold-blooded murders are frightfully common here. Some 

 kill people in order to be allowed to wear the red tail 

 feathers of a parrot in their hair, and yet they are not 

 ugly like the West Coast Negroes, for many men have as 

 finely formed heads as could be found in London. We 

 English, if naked, would make but poor figures beside the 

 strapping forms and finely shaped limbs of Manyuema men 

 and women. Their cannibalism is doubtful, but my obser- 

 vations raise grave suspicions. A Scotch jury would say, 

 " Not proven." The women are not guilty. 



4th February, 1871. — Ten of my men from the coast have 

 come near to Bambarre, and will arrive to-day. I am ex- 

 tremely thankful to hear it, for it assures me that my 

 packet of letters was not destroyed ; they know at home 



