64 
EAST AFRICA AND ITS BIG GAME. 
became tiresome, for they gathered in crowds round 
our tents, remained all day, and did nothing but stare 
and make grimaces. We tried photographing them, 
but it was no easy operation, for they looked on with 
curiosity until we attempted to focus a group, and then 
fled precipitately. They are exceptionally superstitious 
and always in dread of magic ( mcliaivi ), and would 
throw away food they had brought to sell, simply 
because we had touched it. As the grass and cultiva¬ 
tion was thick round our camp, and it rained most of 
the day, we were content to remain idle and watch the 
negotiations, which resulted before night in the pur¬ 
chase of all the provisions we required. 
December 23 rd .—We started at 6 a.m. and crossed, 
by a very steep path, the lower slopes of Mount 
Kibomu, which is some 6500 feet above the sea, and 
the highest of three hills, called the Three Brothers, 
forming part of a large isolated range. After a march 
of six miles, and on reaching the cultivation again at 
the bottom, on the north side of the mountain, a halt 
for nearly two hours allowed the caravan to close up, 
and enabled us to march in a compact body through 
the inhabited part of the valley of Matate, as Martin 
was afraid we might meet with some hindrance. 
Mbogoli, the chief, was described as a thorough old 
blackguard, who would be sure to do his best to get 
Kongo (blackmail) out of us, especially as at that time 
he was collecting 1500 men to attack the Ugliono 
people near Lake Jipe, an unfortunate tribe who seem 
to be the butt of all their neighbours. Before starting 
