Cakes, another with a plateful of
smoking hot crullers, another with papaws, another with pomegranates
and lemons; after these came men driving five fat hump backed oxen,
eight sheep, and ten goats, and another man with a dozen chickens,
and a dozen fresh eggs. This was real, practical, noble courtesy,
munificent hospitality, which quite took my gratitude by storm.
My people, now reduced to twenty-five, were as delighted at the
prodigal plenitude visible on my tables and in my yard, as I was
myself. And as I saw their eyes light up at the unctuous
anticipations presented to them by their riotous fancies,
I ordered a bullock to be slaughtered and distributed.
The second day of the arrival of the Expedition in the country
which I now looked upon as classic ground, since Capts. Burton,
Speke, and Grant years ago had visited it, and described it, came
the Arab magnates from Tabora to congratulate me.
Tabora* is the principal Arab settlement in Central Africa. It
contains over a thousand huts and tembes, and one may safely
estimate the population, Arabs, Wangwana, and natives, at five
thousand people. Between Tabora and the next settlement, Kwihara,
rise two rugged hill ridges, separated from each other by a low
saddle, over the top of which Tabora is always visible from
Kwihara.
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* There is no such recognised place as Kazeh.
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They were a fine, handsome body of men, these Arabs.
