15th September, 1872.—­On to near range of hills.  Much large game here.  Ill.

16th September, 1872.—­Climbed over range about 200 feet high; then on westward to stockaded villages of Kamirambo.  His land begins at the M’toni.

17th September, 1872.—­To Metambo River:  1-1/4 broad, and marshy.  Here begins the land of Merera.  Through forest with many strychnus trees, 3-1/4 hours, and arrive at Merera’s.

18th September, 1872.—­Remain at Merera’s to prepare food.

[There is a significant entry here:  the old enemy was upon him.  It would seem that his peculiar liability during these travels to one prostrating form of disease was now redoubled.  The men speak of few periods of even comparative health from this date.]

19th September, 1872.—­Ditto, ditto, because I am ill with bowels, having eaten nothing for eight days.  Simba wants us to pass by his village, and not by the straight path.

20th September, 1872.—­Went to Simba’s; 3-1/2 hours.  About north-west.  Simba sent a handsome present of food, a goat, eggs, and a fowl, beans, split rice, dura, and sesame.  I gave him three dotis of superior cloth.

21st September, 1872.—­Rest here, as the complaint does not yield to medicine or time; but I begin to eat now, which is a favourable symptom.  Under a lofty tree at Simba’s, a kite, the common brown one, had two pure white eggs in its nest, larger than a fowl’s, and very spherical.  The Banyamwesi women are in general very coarse, not a beautiful woman amongst them, as is so common among the Batusi; squat, thick-set figures, and features too; a race of pagazi.  On coming inland from sea-coast, the tradition says, they cut the end of a cone shell, so as to make it a little of the half-moon shape; this is their chief ornament.  They are generally respectful in deportment, but not very generous; they have learned the Arab adage, “Nothing for nothing,” and are keen slave-traders.  The gingerbread palm of Speke is the Hyphene; the Borassus has a large seed, very like the Coco-de-mer of the Seychelle Islands, in being double, but it is very small compared to it.

22nd September, 1872.—­Preparing food, and one man pretends inability to walk; send for some pagazi to carry loads of those who carry him.  Simba sends copious libations of pombe.

23rd September, 1872.—­The pagazi, after demanding enormous pay, walked off.  We went on along rocky banks of a stream, and, crossing it, camped, because the next water is far off.

24th September, 1872.—­Recovering and thankful, but weak; cross broad sedgy stream, and so on to Boma Misonghi, W. and by S.

25th September, 1872.—­Got a buffalo and M’jure, and remain to eat them.  I am getting better slowly.  The M’jure, or water hog, was all eaten by hyaenas during night; but the buffalo is safe.

26th September, 1872.—­Through forest, along the side of a sedgy valley.  Cross its head water, which has rust of iron in it, then W. and by S. The forest has very much tsetse.  Zebras calling loudly, and Senegal long claw in our camp at dawn, with its cry, “O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o.”