322 THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



and all around him had apparently fixed as the final 

 bourne of the exploration. But the firmament seemed on 

 fire, the porters were fagged, and we felt feverish, 

 briefly, an afternoon's march was not judged advisable. 

 To temper, however, the wind of refusal, I served out 

 to each of the sons of Ramji five rounds of powder 

 for blowing away on entering the Arab head-quarters. 

 All of course had that private store which the Arabs 

 call "El Akibah" — the ending; it is generally stolen 

 from the master and concealed for emergencies with 

 cunning care. They had declared their horns to be 

 empty, and said Kidogo, " Every pedlar fires guns here 

 — shall a great man creep into his Tembe without a soul 

 knowing it ?" 



On the 7th November, 1857,— the 134th day from 

 the date of our leaving the coast — after marching at 

 least 600 miles, we prepared to enter Kazeh, the principal 

 Bandari of Eastern Unyamwezi, and the capital vil- 

 lage of the Omani merchants. We left Hanga at dawn. 

 The Baloch were clothed in that one fine suit without 

 which the Eastern man rarely travels : after a few dis- 

 plays the dress will be repacked, and finally disposed of 

 in barter for slaves. About 8 a.m., we halted for strag- 

 glers at a little village, and when the line of porters be- 

 coming compact began to wriggle, snake-like, its long 

 length over the plain, with floating flags, booming horns, 

 muskets ringing like saluting mortars, and an uproar of 

 voice which nearly drowned the other noises, we made 

 a truly splendid and majestic first appearance. The 

 road was lined with people who attempted to vie with 

 us in volume and variety of sound: all had donned 

 their best attire, and with such luxury my eyes had 

 been long unfamiliar. Advancing I saw several Arabs 

 standing by the wayside, they gave the Moslem saluta- 



