268 LIVINGSTONE'S LAST JOUENALS. [Chap. X. 



very greatly, and with a terror that would gratify an anthro- 

 pologist's heart. Their unfriendliness is made more trying, 

 by our being totally unable to observe for our position. It 

 is either densely clouded, or continually raining day and 

 night. The country is covered with brackens, and rivulets 

 occur at least one every hour of the march. These are now 

 deep, and have a broad selvage of sponge. The lower 

 stratum of clouds moves quickly from the N.W. ; the Upper 

 move slowly from S.E., and tell of rain near. 



23rd January. — We have to send back to villages of 

 Chitunkue to buy food. It was not reported to me that the 

 country in front was depopulated for three days, so I send a 

 day back. I don't know where we are, and the people are 

 deceitful in their statements ; unaccountably so, though we 

 deal fairly and kindly. Rain, rain, rain as if it never tired 

 on this watershed. The showers show little in the gauge, 

 but keep everything and every place wet and shyppy. 



Our people return with a wretched present from Chitun- 

 kue ; bad flour and a fowl, evidently meant to be rejected. 

 He sent also an exorbitant demand for gunpowder, and pay- 

 ment of guides. I refused his present, and must plod on 

 without guides, and this is very difficult from the numerous 

 streams. 



24itJi January. — Went on E. and N.E. to avoid the deep 

 part of a large river, which requires two canoes, but the 

 men sent by the chief would certainly hide them. Went 

 If hour's journey to a large stream through drizzling rain, 

 at least 300 yards of deep water, amongst sedges and 

 sponges of 100 yards. One part was neck deep for fifty 

 yards, and the water cold. We plunged in elephants' 

 foot-prints 1^ hour, then came on one hour to a small 

 rivulet ten feet broad, but waist deep, bridge covered 

 and broken down. Carrying me across one of the broad 

 deep sedgy rivers is really a very difficult task. One we 

 crossed was at least 2000 feet broad, or more than 300- 



