1871.] THE YOUNG SOKO. 103 



resents anyone meddling with her property. She is a most 

 friendly little beast, and came up to me at once, making her 

 chirrup of welcome, smelled my clothing, and held out her 

 hand to be shaken. I slapped her palm without offence, 

 though she winced. She began to untie the cord with 

 which she was afterwards bound, with fingers and thumbs, 

 in quite a systematic way, and on being interfered with by 

 a man looked daggers, and screaming tried to beat him 

 with her hands : she was afraid of his stick, and faced 

 him, putting her back to me as a friend. She holds out her 

 hand for people to lift her up and carry her, quite like a 

 spoiled child ; then bursts into a passionate cry, somewhat 

 like that of a kite, wrings her hands quite naturally, as if in 

 despair. She eats everything, covers herself with a mat to 

 sleep, and makes a nest of grass or leaves, and wipes her 

 face with a leaf. 



I presented my double-barrelled gun which is at Ujiji to 

 Katomba, as he has been very kind when away from Ujiji : 

 I pay him thus for all his services. He gave me the soko, 

 and will carry it to Ujiji for me ; I have tried to refund all 

 that the Arabs expended on me. 



1st March, 1871. — I was to start this morning, but the 

 Arabs asked me to take seven of their people going to buy 

 biramba, as they know the new way : the offer was gladly 

 accepted. 



2nd to 5th March. — Left Mamohela, and travelled over 

 fine grassy plains, crossing in six hours fourteen running rills, 

 from three to ten or fifteen feet broad, and from calf to thigh 

 deep. Tree-covered mountains on both sides. The natives 

 know the rills by names, and readily tell their courses, and 

 which falls into which, before all go into the great Lualaba ; 

 but without one as a guide, no one can put them in a map. 

 We came to Monanbunda's villages, and spent the night. 

 Our next stage was at Monangongo's. A small present of 

 a few strings of beads satisfies, but is not asked : I give it 



