426 ULLAGE OF KILIMANE. Chap. XXXIL 



we had in our charge, and sent the former back as clothing 

 to those who remained at Tete. As there were still twenty 

 tusks left, I deposited them with Colonel Nunes, that, in 

 the event of anything happening to prevent my return, the 

 impression might not be produced in the country that I had 

 made away with Sekeletu's ivory, and I instructed him, in the 

 event of my death, to sell the tusks and deliver the proceeds 

 to my men. I explained this to the men, and they replied, 

 " Nay, father, you will not die ; you will return to take us 

 back to Sekeletu." They promised to wait till I came back, 

 and. on my part, I assured them that nothing but death 

 would prevent my return. 



The village of Kilimane stands on a mud bank, and is sur- 

 rounded by extensive swamps and rice-grounds. The banks 

 of the river are lined with mangrove-bushes, the roots of 

 which, and the slimy banks on which they grow, are exposed 

 alternately to the tide and sun. The houses are well built of 

 brick and lime ; the latter from Mozambique. Water is found 

 anywhere at a depth of two or three feet, and hence the walls 

 gradually subside; pieces are sometimes sawn off the doors 

 below, because the walls in which they are fixed have de- 

 scended into the ground, so as to leave the floors higher than 

 the bottom of the doors. It is almost needless to say that 

 Kilimane is very unhealthy. A man of plethoric temperament 

 is sure to get fever ; and a stout person is regarded as certain 

 to go off before long. I had an opportunity of observing the 

 effects of the fever in the case of some German sailors whose 

 vessel was lost near the bar shortly before we came down. 

 At first they felt only " out of sorts," but gradually became 

 pale, bloodless, and emaciated, then weaker and weaker, till 

 at last they sank like oxen bitten by tsetse. The captain, a 

 strong young man, remained in perfect health for about three 

 months, but was at last knocked down suddenly, and made as 

 helpless as a child, by this terrible disease. He had imbibed 

 a foolish prejudice against quinine, but he was saved by it 

 without his knowledge, and I was thankful that the mode of 

 treatment so efficacious among natives promised so fair among 

 Europeans. 



After waiting about six weeks at this unhealthy spot, in 

 which, however, I partially recovered from my fever, H. M. 



