most friendly little beast, and came up to me at once, making her
chirrup of welcome, smelled my clothing, and held out her hand to be
shaken. I slapped her palm without offence, though she winced. She began
to untie the cord with which she was afterwards bound, with fingers and
thumbs, in quite a systematic way, and on being interfered with by a man
looked daggers, and screaming tried to beat him with her hands: she was
afraid of his stick, and faced him, putting her back to me as a friend.
She holds out her hand for people to lift her up and carry her, quite
like a spoiled child; then bursts into a passionate cry, somewhat like
that of a kite, wrings her hands quite naturally, as if in despair. She
eats everything, covers herself with a mat to sleep, and makes a nest of
grass or leaves, and wipes her face with a leaf.

I presented my double-barrelled gun which is at Ujiji to Katomba, as he
has been very kind when away from Ujiji: I pay him thus for all his
services. He gave me the soko, and will carry it to Ujiji for me; I have
tried to refund all that the Arabs expended on me.

_1st March, 1871._--I was to start this morning, but the Arabs asked me
to take seven of their people going to buy biramba, as they know the new
way: the offer was gladly accepted.

_2nd to 5th March, 1871._--Left Mamohela, and travelled over fine grassy
plains, crossing in six hours fourteen running rills, from three to ten
or fifteen feet broad, and from calf to thigh deep. Tree-covered
mountains on both sides. The natives know the rills by names, and
readily tell their courses, and which falls into which, before all go
into the great Lualaba; but without one as a guide, no one can put them
in a map. We came to Monanbunda's villages, and spent the night. Our
next stage was at Monangongo's. A small present of a few strings of