A MONOTONOUS CHANT 



25 



in. But the dhow had been detained by contrary winds so 

 much longer by the way than we had expected that the pro- 

 visions had become exhausted and the men were all very 

 hungry and thirsty. No wonder, then, that there was a regular 

 outcry at the idea of any further travelling by water. The 

 poor fellows had been cooped up already for five days, and 

 were so delighted at the thought of getting off the boat that 

 it was only with the greatest difficulty we quelled the rebellion 

 which ensued at our proposal. And when peace was restored 

 the [tide had turned, and it was no longer possible to go up- 

 stream by water ; so we had to let the men disembark, give 

 them food, and leave them for the present to their own devices. 

 Very soon numbers of fires were burning in the open space in 

 front of our house, and for the first time on this trip we saw a 

 negro encampment by night, and watched the picturesque groups 

 squatting round their fires, chattering and shouting as they 

 broiled their slices of meat. 



The next morning we saw the men off by land for Mauia 

 under the guidance of QuaUa ; the goods were sent there by 

 boat, whilst we ourselves remained behind in Pangani to enlist 

 more recruits. 



The next few days were monotonous enough ; very few men 

 offered us their services, and as even those few came one by 

 one, we had to stop in all day. The outlook from the windows 

 was not particularly cheering, and from the flat roof of the 

 neighbouring house, on which a number of young slave girls 

 were stamping up and down, came an unbroken and dreary 

 chant, which only interested us until we made out its refrain, 

 which was : 6 The lion roars, yet eats not his cubs.' 



The late afternoon brought us a little more variety, as 

 Wali devoted it to the administration of justice, and disputes 

 about money, with other interesting matters, were discussed and 

 settled in the open air. Surrounded by some of the elders 



