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TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



239 



often passing within a few feet of their villages, or 

 making our way through the midst of large flocks of 

 sheep and goats. We saw no cattle or donkeys what- 

 ever. 



At one o'clock we reached the spot where George 

 was encamped. On our march between the frontier of 

 the Embe country and George's camp we had passed 

 two market places. These consisted of openings in 

 the plantations, beaten hard and bare by many feet. 

 Thither came the women of the neighbouring districts 

 of the Embe country daily, and expended many hours 

 in exchanging their produce one with the other. One 

 old woman would bring a large bag upon her back con- 

 taining thirty or forty pounds of cassava; another, 

 manioc ; another, yams ; while a fourth would bring 

 bananas. Some few brought beans or millet. These 

 they exchanged, one with the other, but it appeared to 

 me that more time was devoted to conversation than 

 trade. The market place echoed with the shouts of the 

 women, as they talked and gossiped among themselves 

 of bargains or the news of the day ; and often after 

 many hours spent in this way a woman would return 

 to her home, bearing just what she took from it in the 

 morning. All trade in the products of the soil is car- 

 ried on by the women ; but the business relating to live 

 stocks, spears, shields, honey, etc., is carried on by the 

 men. 



These people do not seem to be particularly well 

 nourished, for one rarely sees a native who could prop- 

 erly be called even stout. The little children are fat 

 enough, to be sure, but only the very small ones. 



We found George in camp not more than half a mile 



