1/6 
Seven Years in Central Africa. [April, 
village and her many retainers. Thus far I was accompanied by 
one of the king's sons, who went for the purpose of introducing 
me to this important wife of his. This part of the Mukurru is 
flat and fertile, and it was interesting to see the great stretches of 
fields of millet-corn to the right and left. 
Having remained in that neighbourhood for a day, I pro- 
ceeded on my journey to the Lufira river. That evening I 
encamped on the banks of the Unkeya j and next morning, after 
a rather tiresome march over a very flat and thickly-wooded 
country, passing by the way fresh spoors of elephants on either 
side of us, I reached the Lufira. This river flows through a great 
grassy plain, more or less flooded during the rainy season, but dry 
in the summer and abounding with large herds of game. On the 
east side of the river there is a majestic range of mountains, 
rising abruptly from the plain to a height of about 3000 feet. 
There were many villages along the Lufira, small and poorly 
built, and occupied chiefly by Lamba fishermen. I shot some 
animals for the men who were with me. The large herds of 
zebra, buffalo, and all kinds of antelope was a sight not readily 
forgotten. It is strange to find so many animals within thirty 
miles of so large a community of people as that found at 
Msidi's. 
Upon my return to the capital, having visited all the more 
likely places for a suitable site, I determined to build my cottage 
on the hill where it now stands. Some passages from' the diary 
of this period will show how I proceeded. 
COMMENCE BUILDING. 
April ^th. — Began clearing the ground, my object being to 
put my cottage up before Cinyama goes to the coast. Though 
Msidi promises me every help from his people, they are not so 
accustomed to build as the Ovimbundu. While some of the 
men who have come with me return to Nana Kandundu, with 
extra porters provided by Msidi, others will remain here to help 
in building. 
After measuring out a piece of ground 30 feet by 15 I began 
to dig a deep trench for the foundation. The lads found nothing 
but rock under the surface, so that it was laborious work picking 
and digging a trench deep enough to well imbed the poles which 
