The country is a succession of enormous waves, all covered with jungle, and no traces of paths; we were in a hollow, and our firing was not heard till this morning, when we ascended a height and were answered.

I am thankful that up one was lost, for a man might wander a long time before reaching a village.

Simon gave me a little more of his meal this morning, and went without himself: I took my belt up three holes to relieve hunger.

We got some wretched wild fruit like that called "jambos" in India, and at midday reached the village of Chafunga.

Famine here too, but some men had killed an elephant and came to sell the dried meat: it was high, and so were their prices; but we are obliged to give our best from this craving hunger.
_12th January, 1867._--Sitting down this morning near a tree my head was just one yard off a good-sized cobra, coiled up in the sprouts at its root, but it was benumbed with cold: a very pretty little puff-adder lay in the path, also benumbed; it is seldom that any harm is done by these reptiles here, although it is different in India.