954 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



fewer ornaments. A little higher up the character of the people changes so far 

 that they are all busily engaged in profitable agriculture, and few find time 

 to get themselves up in war-paint. They more generally wear a little ridge 

 of muddy hair down the centre of their heads, as being less trouble to manage 

 than the thatch. 



" From Kisabi to Mafizi the river winds and bends in an extraordinary 

 manner, irrigating the country, which is always very low on one side, some- 

 times on both, for miles, and, the soil being suitable, an almost unlimited sup- 

 ply of the finest rice might here be grown. There is, indeed, more pains taken 

 with the land in this district, and the quality of the grain, some of which I 

 had cleaned, is very superior. Mafizi was the place that most struck me, and, 

 staying here two days, I was able to mix with the natives, and many hours 

 were spent in the different hamlets quite alone among the people, whilst our 

 men were cutting fuel. I may here mention that it is right to go well armed 

 among unknown natives, and, when opening a conversation, it is prudent to 

 explain the action of a repeating rifle, or show the powers of a revolver, which 

 always duly impresses them. 



" This is the last of the five grain districts; it consists of four hamlets and 

 a few outlying huts on slightly rising ground, backed by the low hills of Dun- 

 danguru, a large district, of whom one Sahale is chief. I sent for him, and, 

 from his remarks, the appearance of his followers, and general report, am led 

 to believe that he and his people are a good sample of the nation, and that a 

 description of the Wagaramo, though applying, as far as my actual experience 

 goes, more especially to the districts from Kisabi to Mafizi and Dundanguru, 

 would be equally applicable to most of the country at the present time. Mafizi 

 is one of the few places on the banks of the river from which the inhabitants 

 do not remove during the rains ; it is well above the river, and without swamp 

 in the immediate neighbourhood ; it has also good communication with all the 

 high roads, which may be taken to mean all such as are more than ten inches 

 wide. The elders told me that they would be delighted if white people 

 would settle amongst them and teach them, and stated that none would ever 

 be molested unless the Maviti again invaded the country. 



" Beyond Mafizi there are few people, except at the junction of the 

 Jungerengere, near which are many villages. Here the population becomes 

 mixed in race, as also in their language. In each village there were Wakutu, 

 Wakami, and Wagaramo. This country is full of game ; everywhere, a few 

 miles from the villages, are to been seen giraffe, brindled 'gnu, water-buck, 

 hartebuste, etc. On a fine park-like plain, on the banks of the Jungeren- 

 gere, we saw four or five herds of giraffe feeding within a few hundred 

 yards of us, besides water-buck and other game, and in the evening a 

 large herd of 'gnu going to drink at the river. We were also told of an ele- 

 phant forest one day distant, and among the low hills, a few miles beyond the 



