21st December, 1872.—­Arrived at Chama’s.  Heavy clouds drifting past, and falling drizzle.  Chama’s brother tried to mislead us yesterday, in hopes of making us wander hopelessly and helplessly.  Failing in this, from my refusal to follow a grass-covered path, he ran before us to the chief’s stockade, and made all the women flee, which they did, leaving their chickens damless.  We gave him two handsome cloths, one for himself and one for Chama, and said we wanted food only, and would buy it.  They are accustomed to the bullying of half-castes, who take what they like for nothing.  They are alarmed at our behaviour to-day, so we took quiet possession of the stockade, as the place that they put us in was on the open defenceless plain.  Seventeen human skulls ornament the stockade.  They left their fowls, and pigeons.  There was no bullying.  Our women went in to grind food, and came out without any noise.  This flight seems to be caused by the foolish brother of the chief, and it is difficult to prevent stealing by my horde.  The brother came drunk, and was taking off a large sheaf of arrows, when we scolded and prevented him.

22nd December, 1872.—­We crossed a rivulet at Chama’s village ten yards wide and thigh deep, and afterwards in an hour and a half came to a sedgy stream which we could barely cross.  We hauled a cow across bodily.  Went on mainly south, and through much bracken.

23rd December, 1872.—­Off at 6 A.M. in a mist, and in an hour and a quarter came to three large villages by three rills called Misangwa, and much sponge; went on to other villages south, and a stockade.

24th December, 1872.—­Cloud in sky with drifting clouds from S. and S.W.  Very wet and drizzling.  Sent back Chama’s arrows, as his foolish brother cannot use them against us now; there are 215 in the bundle.  Passed the Lopopussi running west to the Lofubu about seven yards wide, it flows fast over rocks with heavy aquatic plants.  The people are not afraid of us here as they were so distressingly elsewhere:  we hope to buy food here.

25th December, 1872, Christmas Day.—­I thank the good Lord for the good gift of His Son Christ Jesus our Lord.  Slaughtered an ox, and gave a fundo and a half to each of the party.  This is our great day, so we rest.  It is cold and wet, day and night.  The headman is gracious and generous, which is very pleasant compared with awe, awe, and refusing to sell, or stop to speak, or show the way.

The White Nile carrying forward its large quasi-tidal wave presents a mass of water to the Blue Nile, which acts as a buffer to its rapid flood.  The White Nile being at a considerable height when the Blue rushes down its steep slopes, presents its brother Nile with a soft cushion into which it plunges, and is restrained by the vis inertiae of the more slowly moving river, and, both united, pass on to form the great inundation of the year in Lower Egypt.