All his deeds were done when unseen by any witnesses.  It is worth noticing that all admit the decadence of the Moslem power, and they ask how it is so fallen?  They seem sincere in their devotion and in teaching the Koran, but its meaning is comparatively hid from most of the Suaheli.  The Persian Arabs are said to be gross idolators, and awfully impure.  Earth from a grave at Kurbelow (?) is put in the turban and worshipped:  some of the sects won’t say “Amen.”

Moenyegumbe never drank more than a mouthful of pombe.  When young, he could make his spear pass right through an elephant, and stick in the ground on the other side.  He was a large man, and all his members were largely developed, his hands and fingers were all in proportion to his great height; and he lived to old age with strength unimpaired:  Goambari inherits his white colour and sharp nose, but not his wisdom or courage.  Merere killed five of his own people for exciting him against the Arabs.  The half-caste is the murderer of many of Charura’s descendants.  His father got a daughter of Moenyegumbe for courage in fighting the Babema of Ubena.

Cold-blooded murders are frightfully common here.  Some kill people in order to be allowed to wear the red tail feathers of a parrot in their hair, and yet they are not ugly like the West Coast Negroes, for many men have as finely formed heads as could be found in London.  We English, if naked, would make but poor figures beside the strapping forms and finely shaped limbs of Manyuema men and women.  Their cannibalism is doubtful, but my observations raise grave suspicions.  A Scotch jury would say, “Not proven.”  The women are not guilty.

4th February, 1871.—­Ten of my men from the coast have come near to Bambarre, and will arrive to-day.  I am extremely thankful to hear it, for it assures me that my packet of letters was not destroyed; they know at home by this time what has detained me, and the end to which I strain.

Only one letter reached, and forty are missing!  James was killed to-day by an arrow:  the assassin was hid in the forest till my men going to buy food came up.[12] I propose to leave on the 12th.  I have sent Dr. Kirk a cheque for Rs. 4000:  great havoc was made by cholera, and in the midst of it my friend exerted himself greatly to get men off to me with goods; the first gang of porters all died.

8th February, 1871.—­The ten men refusing to go north are influenced probably by Shereef, and my two ringleaders, who try this means to compel me to take them.

9th February, 1871.—­The man who contrived the murder of James came here, drawn by the pretence that he was needed to lead a party against the villages, which he led to commit the outrage.  His thirst for blood is awful:  he was bound, and word sent to bring the actual murderers within three days, or he suffers death.  He brought five goats, thinking that would smooth the matter over.