486 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT chap. 



out by disease, that they did not consider themselves 

 strong enough to return through the dangerous country 

 lying between them and their homes. They had there- 

 fore settled down, hoping that at some time they would 

 be able to reach their homes again by going with some 

 caravan bound to the coast. Years rolled by, and no 

 saviour came ; so they married with women of the 

 neighbouring tribes, and rehnquished their idea of return- 

 ing to the coast. The entire story was in all probability 

 purest fiction, and it is related only for the purpose 

 of conveying an impression of the vivid imaginations 

 possessed by the natives of East Africa. 



On the 20th of January we reached a group of 

 villages called Kitinga. There the natives were dif- 

 ferent from those we had before met. They filed four 

 of their front teeth to points, and from a belt they 

 wore there was suspended a narrow cloth in front 

 and behind. As the moon was full, we held market 

 during the night, and bought a quantity of food at 

 very low prices. The country between Tana and 

 Kitinga was rolling, beautiful enough, and in a fair 

 state of cultivation ; but from that point the appearance 

 of the country underwent a remarkable change. The 

 surface was broken by a number of very steep, grass- 

 covered mountains. In the multitude of valleys, villages 

 were much more numerous, and what portion of the 

 soil was not under cultivation was given up to the 

 pasturage of cattle, sheep, and goats. 



The natives of this portion of Ukambani were very 

 cheerful in disposition ; they sat in numbers in the 

 shade, comfortably watching their flocks and herds. 

 Occasionally the sound of a reed-pipe was heard, and 



