Chap. V. MOON-BLINDNESS. 123 



tude have names which convey the same meaning over 

 very wide tracts of country. Here when Venus comes 

 out in the evenings, she is called Ntanda, the eldest or 

 first-born, and Manjika, the first-born of morning, at other 

 times : she has so much radiance when shining alone, that 

 she casts a shadow. Sirius is named Kuewa usiko, 

 " drawer of night," because supposed to draw the whole 

 night after it. The moon has no evil influence in this 

 country, so far as we know. We have lain and looked up 

 at her, till sweet sleep closed our eyes, unharmed. Four 

 or five of our men were affected with moon-blindness at 

 Tette ; though they had not slept out of doors there, they 

 became so blind that their comrades had to guide their 

 hands to the general dish of food ; the affection is unknown 

 in their own country. When our posterity shall have dis- 

 covered what it is which, distinct from foul smells, causes 

 fever, and what, apart from the moon, causes men to be 

 moon-struck, they will pity our dulness of perception. 



The men cut a very small quantity of grass for them- 

 selves, and sleep in fumbas or sleeping-bags, which are 

 double mats of palm-leaf, six feet long by four wide, and 

 sewn together round three parts of the square, and left 

 open only on one side. They are used as a protection from 

 the cold, wet, and mosquitoes, and are entered as we should 

 get into our beds, were the blankets nailed to the top, 

 bottom, and one side of the bedstead. 



A dozen fires are nightly kindled in the camp ; and 

 these, being replenished from time to time by the men who 

 are awakened by the cold, are kept burning until daylight. 

 Abundance of dry hard wood is obtained with little 

 trouble ; and burns beautifully. After the great business 

 of cooking and eating is over, all sit round the camp-fires, 

 and engage in talking or singing. Every evening one of 

 the Batoka plays his " sansa," and continues at it until far 

 into the night ; he accompanies it with an extempore song, 



