Bura^ Ndara^ a7id — the Journey s End. 481 
of such sublime proportions as those of Kisigau and 
Bura. 
The Ndaras manifested less curiosity than any 
people we had yet met with, though they visited us 
in considerable numbers. They brought sugar-cane, 
beans, dried cassada, sweet potatoes, gourds, etc., for 
sale ; but they were hard merchants, and demanded 
very high prices for their goods. This is accounted for 
by the fact that this is the rendezvous of all caravans 
to and from Ukambani, with whom the people do a 
good deal of business, and practice makes them 
sharp traders. 
I held palaver with the chief and elders of the 
tribe, but fear I did not succeed in enlightening them 
as to my character or purpose. They were more than 
ordinarily indifferent, unapprehensive, and dull. 
We left Ndara on the evening of the 29th of 
September ; the route I had decided upon being that 
of Buchuma, Silaloni, and Geriama. It was a water- 
less tract, and we were now in the height of the hot 
season, wherefore we determined to travel by night 
so as to avoid the heat of the sun — a course which 
a number of Ndaras, who wished to accompany us, 
strongly advised us to take, observing that the country 
we had to travel was a bara ya tisha " (frightful 
desert), — a waste, howling wilderness. 
Having travelled from 9.30 p.m. to 1.30, the men 
complained of cold and fatigue, and asked for a halt. 
Permission given, down went the loads, wood was 
gathered, fires were kindled, the men lay down, and 
were soon overpowered with sleep. It was a strange 
sight, and I could not help thinking my situation 
somewhat peculiar. We were in the midst of a wide 
31 
