What anxiety have we not suffered ever since our
arrival in Uvinza! The Wavinza are worse than the Wagogo, and their
greed is more insatiable. We got the donkey across with the aid of
a mganga, or medicine man, who spat some chewed leaves of a tree
which grows close to the stream over him. He informed me he could
cross the river at any time, day or night, after rubbing his body
with these chewed leaves, which he believed to be a most potent medicine.
About 10 A.M. appeared from the direction of Ujiji a caravan of
eighty Waguhha, a tribe which occupies a tract of country on the
south-western side of the Lake Tanganika. We asked the news, and
were told a white man had just arrived at Ujiji from Manyuema.
This news startled us all.
"A white man?" we asked.
"Yes, a white man," they replied.
"How is he dressed?"
"Like the master," they answered, referring to me.
"Is he young, or old?"
"He is old. He has white hair on his face, and is sick."
"Where has he come from?"
"From a very far country away beyond Uguhha, called Manyuema."
"Indeed! and is he stopping at Ujiji now?"
"Yes, we saw him about eight days ago."
"Do you think he will stop there until we see him?"
"Sigue" (don't know).
"Was he ever at Ujiji before?"
"Yes, he went away a long time ago."
Hurrah!
