PROGRESS OF TEE MISSION PARTY. 957 



was owing to their reputation in this respect that the route from the coast 

 to Unyanyeinbe by the old Kutu road was abandoned. Previous to the Ma- 

 viti invasion, small caravans were constantly robbed of almost everything ; 

 and even camps, guarded by large bodies of armed men, feared to retaliate, 

 though their lines were entered and robbed nightly, because the narrow paths 

 so often pass between impenetrable jungles, from which their necessarily ex- 

 tended formation, when on the march, could be attacked at so great an ad- 

 vantage. 



" The people freely acknowledged that they are still adepts at night- 

 stealing, but they are also well aware of their decline in power, and would not 

 now, I believe, attempt to molest properly-armed travellers, who let it be 

 known that strict watch would always be maintained over their property. 



" In the above sketch of the Wagaramo, the demoralised inhabitants of 

 the villages still skirting the old caravan road are only, as in the last para- 

 graph, incidentally referred to. They are in constant communication with 

 an idle class in the coast towns who scorn regular work, but are always ready 

 to engage in or abet any scheme for raising a little money. Doubtless many 

 kidnapping raids and small slave caravans have been organised between 

 them, and they would always combine to fleece, by every possible means, 

 a party of respectable people as long as they could do so without incurring 

 much personal danger." 



The progress of the mission party up to the time of their arrival at 

 Nyanza, will be learnt from the following communications, received from 

 different persons at different stages of the march. Lieut. Smith, writing from 

 Bagamoyo, in September, says: — "Small-pox is, I am thankful to say, less 

 prevalent. Dr. Smith has vaccinated as many Zanzibar men as have not yet 

 had it, but in no instance has it taken. One of our stokers and one Pagaazi 

 are down with the disease. We found the people yesterday morning nearly 

 roastiQg the sick stoker. A fire was lit under his bed, another smoky one 

 was burning in the corner of the room, and he was about to undergo the pro- 

 cess of picking. The doctor, however, prevailed on them to forego such a 

 useless and cruel practice, and content themselves with a wipe over with 

 warm water instead. The patient was passive, but his doctor- friends were sure 

 he would die if the custom of ages was neglected. The smoky room is con- 

 sidered part of the cure, and there may be something in that. It certainly 

 fumigates the chamber, and an English eye weeps where the native seems to 

 enjoy it. They cover the face with yellow turmeric to prevent scratching. 

 Nearly every man has well-marked indents of small-pox. Children are often 

 put with a small-pox patient in order to take the contagion. It is painful to 

 think of the annual mortality from this cause. 



" Last Friday I went down to Whindi, a village about fourteen miles 

 from here. The groups of houses are perched on elevations which, at a cer- 



