964 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



covered with forest ; the top is bare of trees. We skirted its base, passing 

 through fields of tobacco and matama, till we reach the village of Pufuma, a 

 distance of ten miles and three-quarters — our longest march. It took four 

 hours and three-quarters to accomplish. The day was very fine ; the heavy 

 clouds, which in the morning had threatened rain, gradually cleared away, 

 and left a cloudless sky at evening. The country here has a curious appear- 

 ance, as nearly everything is red. The soil is a bright, red, tenacious clay, 

 of which the houses are made, a framework of sticks being thickly plaster- 

 ed with it. The bark of the trees has the same colour and gives a curious 

 appearance to the forests. I should think, when Africa is opened up, there 

 will be large quantities of iron found here. I was struck by the immense 

 number of castor-oil trees here, whole acres being covered with them, and 

 they grew thickly in the matama fields. 



" Sunday, 13th. After breakfast we made inquiries as to the possibility of 

 getting to the top of either of the mountains, but we found that the one 

 was infested with large snakes, and the ether with lions, so we did not 

 make the attempt. 



u lAth. By daylight the camp was astir, and at 7.15 we started, I as 

 usual going with the donkeys, as we nearly always have some difficulty with 

 them. To-day was no exception, as we had several steep gullies to cross. 

 After we came to the rest of the caravan, which had halted to allow the don- 

 keys, which had got far behind, to come up, I found Robertson suffering from 

 the beginning of an attack of fever, and hardly able to sit on the donkey he 

 was riding. I at once sent some men on with tho tent to the village where 

 we were to encamp, which was about two miles further on, with orders to set 

 it up ready for us. After crossing the river or brook Fuui, which flows into 

 the Wami, we entered the village, and, on going to see if the tent was up, 

 I found nothing whatever done to it ; so, getting the men together, I had it 

 up in a few minutes, and Robertson was soon in bed. I gave him a dose of 

 Livingstone's mixture, and then quinine. The march lasted four hours and 

 a quarter, and we went about ten miles. The first part of the road lay close 

 under the larger of the Pongwa hills. We saw a prominent hill to the N.N.W. 

 called Panga, and to the N.W. the Nguru hills were visible in the dim 

 distance. 



" 15th. Robertson was too ill to move. In the morning, though far from 

 well, I walked down the Fumi for some way to determine its course ; it flows 

 about due north, thus, as the natives say, flowing to the Wami. 



" 16th. Robertson a good deal better. Decided to go on, and sent for 

 the kilangozi to tell him so, when I found the men had a lazy fit ; they said 

 some were sick, and one had broken his leg. I went to see the broken leg, 

 and found it perfectly sound ; so I told the men I should give them no food 

 that day ; if they would not work, I should not feed them. 



