20th and 21st January. 1870.—­Weakness and illness goes on because we get wet so often; the whole party suffers, and they say that they will never come here again.  The Manyango Rivulet has fine sweet water, but the whole country is smothered with luxuriant vegetation.

27th, 29th, and 30th January, 1870.—­Rest from sickness in camp.  The country is indescribable from rank jungle of grass, but the rounded hills are still pretty; an elephant alone can pass through it—­these are his head-quarters.  The stalks are from half an inch to an inch and a half in diameter, reeds clog the feet, and the leaves rub sorely on the face and eyes:  the view is generally shut in by this megatherium grass, except when we come to a slope down to a valley or the bed of a rill.

We came to a village among fine gardens of maize, bananas, ground-nuts, and cassava, but the villagers said, “Go on to next village;” and this meant, “We don’t want you here.”  The main body of Mohamad’s people was about three miles before us, but I was so weak I sat down in the next hamlet and asked for a hut to rest in.  A woman with leprous hands gave me hers, a nice clean one, and very heavy rain came on:  of her own accord she prepared dumplings of green maize, pounded and boiled; which are sweet, for she said that she saw I was hungry.  It was excessive weakness from purging, and seeing that I did not eat for fear of the leprosy, she kindly pressed me:  “Eat, you are weak only from hunger; this will strengthen you.”  I put it out of her sight, and blessed her motherly heart.

I had ere this come to the conclusion that I ought not to risk myself further in the rains in my present weakness, for it may result in something worse, as in Marungu and Liemba.

The horde mentioned as having passed Bambarre was now somewhere in our vicinity, and it was impossible to ascertain from the Manyuema where the Lualaba lay.

In going north on 1st February we came to some of this horde belonging to Katomba or Moene-mokaia, who stated that the leader was anxious for advice as to crossing Lualaba and future movements.  He supposed that this river was seven days in front of him, and twelve days in front of us.  It is a puzzle from its north-westing and low level:  it is possibly Petherick’s Bahr Ghazal.  Could get no latitude.

2nd February, 1870.—­I propose to cross it, and buy an exploring canoe, because I am recovering my strength; but we now climb over the bold hills Bininango, and turn south-west towards Katomba to take counsel:  he knows more than anyone else about the country, and his people being now scattered everywhere seeking ivory, I do not relish their company.