164 
Seven Years in Central Africa. 
my men negotiating with some wild Balunda for a woman slave 
and child (a little boy of five or six years). The woman had 
been bargained for, but the price of the child was disputed. At 
last the Balunda said they would not sell the child, and were 
pulling him out of the arms of his mother, who was clutching 
him frantically. At this I interfered, and stopped the pro- 
ceedings. They took the hint; for before I had time to look 
round me, they snatched up their cloth, including the price 
offered for the child, and cleared away from the camp. This 
slave-buying is a wretched business. I am utterly powerless to 
interfere in the matter. It is seldom, however, that they purchase 
in camp they usually go off to the villages to do this. Many 
of the Bihe traders say that they would rather have slaves than 
ivory. Every caravan we pass has strings of slaves. 
(ith. — Have sent fifteen loads to Nana's village, and am pre- 
paring to start to-morrow. 
"jth. — I stayed in camp again, hoping to hear of some carriers 
from this part. 
MARCH FOR THE LUALABA WITH EIGHT CARRIERS. 
January Zth. — Started this morning in fair style with eight 
brave carriers for the fifteen days' long march to the Lualaba — a 
risky journey to undertake, as we shall meet with no food by the 
way except that which I may procure with my gun. For my 
part, I am glad to be off, as I have been suffering the whole 
time at Nana Kandundu from my old Zambesi remittent fever, 
which shows me clearly that anywhere near the Zambesi is not 
the place for me. Marched for six hours \ camped at Kami- 
sambu by the Loungash. Here there are a few Balunda, but I 
only saw one man. 
\oth. — Marched for eight hours through beautiful country, 
more tropical-looking than any other part of Africa I have been 
in. Small rivers without number. During the day we were 
overtaken by several tremendous showers of rain, soaking every- 
one and everything thoroughly. 
I got into camp at Maringa, feeling so cold that I was sure an 
attack of fever awaited me ; but. a big fire, a dose of quinine, and 
a cup of hot tea brought me round. 
wth, — Made a late start this morning. Had some trouble 
