VIII 



TRAVELS IN EASTERIV AFRICA 



335 



of the road, we had covered seventy-five miles in that 

 time. When we formerly set out from Daitcho, it 

 required more than twenty days to reach Seran ; but 

 upon the return journey, being more familiar with 

 the road, we had been able to cover the distance 

 between these two points in three and one-half days. 



I found all working satisfactorily at Daitcho. 

 George had the men in good condition, and, in order 

 to prevent idleness and its customary result in mis- 

 chief, had kept them constantly employed. A party 

 of twenty was engaged in making rope for camel and 

 donkey saddles, or the binding of loads. This rope 

 was made by beating out a fibrous plant, carefully 

 drying it, and then rubbing it into strips, which were 

 eventually plaited into an excellent rope. Others 

 were employed in making large straw baskets in 

 which to store flour. One, a Manyema, was busily 

 engaged in weaving a straw cloth used by the tribe 

 to which he belonged for clothing. To do this work 

 he had been forced to make a loom ; and though his 

 progress was slow, the work kept his thoughts busy, 

 thereby preventing them from reverting to the pleas- 

 ures of the coast. The rest of the men were engaged 

 from morning until night in pounding dried cassava 

 into flour. The entire caravan looked fat and well. 



During our absence George had done considerable 

 shooting, and had fed all the men he had with him, 

 either upon the meat which he procured, or with the 

 grain he had been able to purchase from the natives 

 of Daitcho in exchange for his surplus meat. The 

 natives are so rarely permitted to indulge their crav- 

 ing for flesh, that they gladly exchanged flour, beans, 



