490 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT chap. 



As we marched along, all the Wakamba we met 

 appeared sullen, and the guides we had taken with us 

 said that they would surely come at night and rescue 

 the slaves. At the end of the day s march we camped 

 in a small valley, and all night long our sleep was 

 broken by continued shouting and bawling of war- 

 songs. The natives of the neighbouring villages came 

 to us hour by hour, each bringing a small present of 

 milk, or perhaps a goat. This they did from fear 

 that if we were attacked by the natives, and they 

 had not previously made friendly overtures, we would 

 wreak vengeance upon them. They said that all the 

 inhabitants of the villages of Mwyru were encamped 

 near us, and vowed to fall upon us and take back the 

 slaves. However, the demonstration amounted to noth- 

 ing but bluster. 



We made an early start the following morning, and 

 after a few hours' march reached a village presided 

 over by a dwarf, named Mgundu. This little fellow 

 was not more than three feet high, and spoke Swahili 

 fluently. He said that he had been on several ex- 

 peditions to the coast. He showed me his wives 

 (women, if anything, above the average height) and 

 his children, who were tall and well-developed speci- 

 mens. He was a freak of nature. He was reputed 

 to be a great warrior; but owing to his short stature 

 it was necessary, when he went to battle, for his sons 

 to carry a high stool for him, upon which he stood, 

 and from which he could discharge his arrows above 

 the tall grass. I wished to take his photograph, but 

 he refused, saying I would be able to kill him by 

 stabbing the picture with a knife. I thereupon 



