280 



THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



a broad ivory bracelet covering several inches of his 

 right wrist, he at first refused to receive the deputa- 

 tion because his "ministers" were absent ; and during the 

 discourse about the amount of blackmail, he sat preserv- 

 ing an apathetic silence, outside his dirty lodging in the 

 huge kraal which forms his capital. The demand con- 

 cluded with a fine silk-cotton cloth, on the part of his 

 wife; and when " ma femme" appears on such occasions 

 in these regions, as in others further west, it is a sure 

 sign that the stranger is to be taken in. As usual 

 with the East African chiefs, Kibuya was anxious to 

 detain me, not only in order that his people might pro- 

 fitably dispose of their surplus stores, but also because 

 the presence of so many guns would go far to modify 

 the plans of his enemies. His attempts at delay, how- 

 ever, were skilfully out-manoeuvred by Said bin Salim, 

 who broke through all difficulties with the hardihood 

 of fear. The little man's vain terrors made him put the 

 ragged kraal which surrounded us into a condition of 

 defence, and every night he might be seen stalking like 

 a troubled spirit amongst the forms of sleeping men. 



At Mdaburu I hired two porters from the caravan 

 that accompanied us; and Said bin Salim began somewhat 

 tardily to take the usual precautions against desertion. 

 He was ordered, before the disappearance of the porters 

 that levanted atK'hok'ho, to pack their hire in our loads, 

 and every evening to chain up the luggage heaped in 

 front of our tent. The accident caused by his neglect 

 rendered him now quasi-obedient. Moreover, two or 

 three Baloch were told off to precede the line, and as 

 many to bring up the rear. The porters, as I have 

 said, hold it a point of honour not to steal their packs; 

 but if allowed to straggle forwards, or to loiter behind, 

 they will readily attempt the recovery of their goods by 



