1872.] NEWS OF HIS MEN. 107 



eame on with the news, but the letters were not delivered 

 to him. I do most fervently thank the good Lord of all 

 for His kindness to me through these gentlemen. The 

 men will come here about the end of this month. Bombay 

 happily pleaded sickness as an excuse for not re-engaging, 

 as several others have done. He saw that I got a clear 

 view of his failings, and he could not hope to hoodwink me. 



After Sangara came, I went over to Kukuru to see what 

 the Lewale had received, but he was absent at Tabora. A 

 great deal of shouting, firing of guns, and circumgyration 

 by the men who had come from the Avar just outside the 

 stockade of Nkisiwa (which is surrounded by a hedge of 

 dark euphorbia and stands in a level hollow) was going on 

 as we descended the gentle slope towards it. Two heads 

 had been put up as trophies in the village, and it was 

 asserted that Marukwe, a chief man of Mirambo, had been 

 captured at Uvinza, and his head would soon come too. It 

 actually did come, and was put up on a pole. 



I am most unfeignedly thankful that Stanley and Webb 

 have acted nobly. 



l±th June. — On 22nd June Stanley was 100 days gone : 

 he must be in London now. 



Seyed bin Mohamad Margibbe called to say that he was 

 going off towards Katanga to-morrow by way of Amran. 

 I feel inclined to go by way of Fipa rather, though I should 

 much like to visit Merere. By the bye, he says too that 

 the so-called Portuguese had filed teeth, and are therefore 

 Mambarre. 



15th June. — Lewale doubts Sangara on account of having 

 brought no letters. Nothing can be believed in this land 

 unless it is in black and white, and but little even then ; 

 the most circumstantial details are often mere figments of 

 the brain. The one half one hears may safely be called 

 false, and the other half doubtful or not proven. 



Sultan bin Ali doubts Sangara's statements also, but says, 



