1871.] A HARD MISTRESS. 131 



depart west. I refused to receive them till rny return, and 

 protested against the slander of my wishing to kill people, 

 which they all knew, but did not report to me : this refusal 

 and protest will ring all over the country. 



1th July. — I was annoyed by a woman frequently beating 

 a slave near my house, but on my reproving her she came 

 and apologized. I told her to speak softly to her slave, as 

 she was now the only mother the girl had ; the slave came 

 from beyond Lomame, and was evidently a lady in her own 

 land ; she calls her son Mologwe, or chief, because his father 

 was a headman. 



Dugumbe advised my explaining my plan of procedure 

 to the slaves, and he evidently thinks that I wish to carry 

 it towards them with a high hand. I did explain all the 

 exploration I intended to do : for instance, the fountains 

 of Herodotus — beyond Katanga — Katanga itself, and the 

 underground dwellings, and then return. They made no 

 remarks, for they are evidently pleased to have me knuck- 

 ling down to them ; when pressed on the point of proceeding, 

 they say they will only go with Dugumbe's men to the 

 Lomame, and then return. River fallen three inches since 

 the 5th. 



10th July. — Manyuema children do not creep, as Euro- 

 pean children do, on their knees, but begin by putting 

 forward one foot and using one knee. Generally a Man- 

 yuema child uses both feet and both hands, but never 

 both knees : one Arab child did the same ; he never crept, 

 but got up on both feet, holding on till he could walk. 

 New moon last night of seventh Arab month. 

 11th July. — I bought the different species of fish brought 

 io market, in order to sketch eight of them, and compare 

 them with those of the Nile lower down : most are the same 

 as in Nyassa. A very active species of Glanis, of dark 

 olive-brown, was not sketched, but a spotted one, armed with 

 offensive spikes in the dorsal and pectoral fins, was taken. 



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