A very large Arab slave-party was close by our encampment, and I wished to speak to them; but as soon as they knew of our being near they set off in a pathless course across country, and were six days in the wilderness.[17] _1st August, 1866._--We saw the encampment of another Arab party.

It consisted of ten pens, each of which, from the number of fires it contained, may have held from eighty to a hundred slaves.

The people of the country magnified the numbers, saying that they would reach from this to Mataka's; but from all I can learn, I think that from 300 to 800 slaves is the commoner gang.

This second party went across country very early this morning.

We saw the fire-sticks which the slaves had borne with them.