[Dr. Livingstone seems to have been anxious to procure all the
information possible from the Arabs respecting the powerful chief
Meréré, who is reported to live on the borders of the Salt Water Lake,
which lies between Lake Tanganyika and the East Coast. It would seem as
if Meréré held the most available road for travellers passing to the
south-west from Zanzibar, and although the Doctor did not go through his
country, he felt an interest no doubt in ascertaining as much as he
could for the benefit of others.]

Goambari is a prisoner at Meréré's, guarded by a thousand or more men,
to prevent him intriguing with Monyungo, who is known as bloodthirsty.
In the third generation Charura's descendants numbered sixty able-bodied
spearmen, Garahenga or Kimamuré killed many of them. Charura had six
white attendants with him, but all died before he did, and on becoming
chief he got all his predecessor's wives. Meréré is the son of a woman
of the royal stock, and of a common man, hence he is a shade or two
darker than Charura's descendants, who are very light coloured, and have
straight noses. They shave the head, and straight hair is all cut off;
they drink much milk, warm, from the teats of the cows, and think that
it is strengthening by its heat.

_December 23rd, 1870._--Bambarré people suffer hunger now because they
will not plant cassava; this trading party eats all the maize, and sends
to a distance for more, and the Manyuema buy from them with malofu, or
palm-toddy. Rice is all coming into ear, but the Manyuema planted none:
maize is ripening, and mice are a pest. A strong man among the Manyuema
does what he pleases, and no chief interferes: for instance, a man's
wife for ten goats was given off to a Mené man, and his child, now
grown, is given away, too; he comes to Mohamad for redress! Two
elephants killed were very large, but have only small tusks: they come