3rd-4th October, 1867.—­When Chikongo heard Tipo Tipo’s message about buying ivory he said, “And when did Tipo Tipo place ivory in my country that he comes seeking it?” Yet he sent a tusk and said “That is all I have, and he is not to come here.”  Their hostile actions are caused principally by fear.  “If Nsama could not stand before the Malongwana or traders, how can we face them?” I wished to go on to Moero, but all declare that our ten guns would put all the villages to flight:  they are terror-struck.  First rains of this season on the 5th.

10th October, 1867.—­I had a long conversation with Syde, who thinks that the sun rises and sets because the Koran says so, and he sees it.  He asserts that Jesus foretold the coming of Mohamad; and that it was not Jesus who suffered on the cross but a substitute, it being unlikely that a true prophet would be put to death so ignominiously.  He does not understand how we can be glad that our Saviour died for our sins.

12th October, 1867.—­An elephant killed by Tipo Tipo’s men.  It is always clouded over, and often not a breath of air stirring.

16th October, 1867.—­A great many of the women of this district and of Lopere have the swelled thyroid gland called goitre or Derbyshire neck; men, too, appeared with it, and they in addition have hydrocele of large size.

An Arab who had been long ill at Chitimba’s died yesterday, and was buried in the evening.  No women were allowed to come near.  A long silent prayer was uttered over the corpse when it was laid beside the grave, and then a cloth was held over as men in it deposited the remains beneath sticks placed slanting on the side of the bottom of the grave; this keeps the earth from coming directly into contact with the body.

A feast was made by the friends of the departed, and portions sent to all who had attended the funeral:  I got a good share.

18th October, 1867.—­The last we hear of Nsama is that he will not interfere with Chikongo.  Two wives beat drums and he dances to them; he is evidently in his dotage.  We hear of many Arabs to the west of us.

20th October, 1867.—­Very ill; I am always so when I have no work—­sore bones—­much headache; then lost power over the muscles of the back, as at Liemba; no appetite and much thirst.  The fever uninfluenced by medicine.

21st October, 1867.—­Syde sent his men to build a new hut in a better situation.  I hope it may be a healthful one for me.

22nd October, 1867.—­The final message from Chikongo was a discouraging one—­no ivory.  The Arabs, however, go west with me as far as Chisawe’s, who, being accustomed to Arabs from Tanganyika, will give me men to take me on to Moero:  the Arabs will then return, and we shall move on.

23rd October, 1867.—­Tipo Tipo gave Karungu some cloth, and this chief is “looking for something” to give him in return; this detains us one day more.