In marching along, the rich reddish-brown soil was so clammy that it was very difficult to walk.  It is, however, extremely fertile, and the people cultivate amazing quantities of corn, maize, millet, ground-nuts, pumpkins, and cucumbers.  We observed that, when plants failed in one spot, they were in the habit of transplanting them into another, and they had also grown large numbers of young plants on the islands, where they are favored by moisture from the river, and were now removing them to the main land.  The fact of their being obliged to do this shows that there is less rain here than in Londa, for there we observed the grain in all stages of its growth at the same time.

The people here build their huts in gardens on high stages.  This is necessary on account of danger from the spotted hyaena, which is said to be very fierce, and also as a protection against lions and elephants.  The hyaena is a very cowardly animal, but frequently approaches persons lying asleep, and makes an ugly gash on the face.  Mozinkwa had lost his upper lip in this way, and I have heard of men being killed by them; children, too, are sometimes carried off; for, though he is so cowardly that the human voice will make him run away at once, yet, when his teeth are in the flesh, he holds on, and shows amazing power of jaw.  Leg-bones of oxen, from which the natives have extracted the marrow and every thing eatable, are by this animal crunched up with the greatest ease, which he apparently effects by turning them round in his teeth till they are in a suitable position for being split.

We had now come among people who had plenty, and were really very liberal.  My men never returned from a village without some corn or maize in their hands.  The real politeness with which food is given by nearly all the interior tribes, who have not had much intercourse with Europeans, makes it a pleasure to accept.  Again and again I have heard an apology made for the smallness of the present, or regret expressed that they had not received notice of my approach in time to grind more, and generally they readily accepted our excuse at having nothing to give in return by saying that they were quite aware that there are no white men’s goods in the interior.  When I had it in my power, I always gave something really useful.  To Katema, Shinte, and others, I gave presents which cost me about 2 Pounds each, and I could return to them at any time without having a character for stinginess.  How some men can offer three buttons, or some other equally contemptible gift, while they have abundance in their possession, is to me unaccountable.  They surely do not know, when they write it in their books, that they are declaring they have compromised the honor of Englishmen.  The people receive the offering with a degree of shame, and ladies may be seen to hand it quickly to the attendants, and, when they retire, laugh until the tears stand in their eyes, saying to those about them, “Is