These animals were then, spread-eagle fashion, laid on their backs upon grass and twigs, to be steeped over by the travellers, that their journey might be prosperous; and the spot selected for the ordeal was chosen in deference to the Mzimu, or spirit--a sort of wizard or ecclesiastical patriarch, whose functions were devoted to the falls.
After a soaking night, we were kept waiting till noon for the forty porters ordered by Kamrasi, to carry our property to the vessels wherever they might be.

Only twenty-five men arrived, notwithstanding the wife and one slave belonging to a local officer, who would not supply the men required of him, were seized and confiscated by Ukero, of Wire.

We now mustered twenty Wanguana, twenty-five country porters, and thirty-one of Kidgwiga's "children"-- making a total, with ourselves, of seventy-eight souls.

By a late arrival a message came from Kamrasi.
Its import was, that we must defer the march, as it was reported the refractory brother Rionga harboured designs of molesting us on the way, and therefore the king conceived it prudent to clear the road by first fighting him.

Without heeding this cunning advice, we made a short march across swamps, and through thick jungle and long grasses, which proved anything but pleasant--wet and labouring hard all the way.
It was a rainy day, and we had still to toil on fighting with the grasses.