320 THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



nals, and botanical collections. I afterwards heard that 

 the highwaymen had divided their spoils in the forest, and 

 that separating into two parties, they had taken the route 

 homewards. On the way, however, they were seized by 

 a plundering expedition sent by Kitambi, the Sultan of 

 Uyuwwi, a district half a day's march n.e. from Kazeh. 

 The delict was flagrant ; the head of one robber at once 

 decorated the main entrance of Kitambi's village, but the 

 other two escaped Jeddart-justice with their share of the 

 plunder to his mortal enemy Msimbira. A present of a 

 scarlet waistcoat and four domestics recovered our clothes 

 from Kitambi ; but Msimbira, threatening all the penal- 

 ties of sorcery, abused, plundered, and expelled Masud 

 ibn Musallam el Wardi, an old Arab merchant, sent to 

 him from Unyanyembe for the purpose of recovering 

 the books, journals, and collections. The perpetual 

 risk of loss discourages the traveller in these lands ; 

 he never knows at what moment papers which have 

 cost him months of toil may be scattered to the winds. 

 As regards collections, future explorers are advised 

 to abandon the hope of making them on the march up- 

 wards, reserving their labour for the more leisurely 

 return. The precautions with which I prefaced our 

 down-march may not be useless as suggestions. My 

 field and sketch-books were entrusted to an Arab mer- 

 chant, who preceded me to Zanzibar ; they ran no 

 other danger except from the carelesness of the Consul 

 who, unfortunately for me, succeeded Lieut. -Col. 

 Hamerton. My companion's maps, papers, and instru- 

 ments, were committed to a heavy " petarah," a deal- 

 box with pent-lid and hide-bound as a defence against 

 rain, to be carried " Mziga-ziga," as the phrase is — sus- 

 pended on a pole between the two porters least likely 

 to desert. I loaded one of the sons of Kamji with 



