Thisbeamwasfurnishedwithtwoloopsofcord，asofachain，tosuspendofferingsbeforeitOnremarkingtomycompanionsthattheseidolshadears，butthattheyheardnot，etc。，IlearnedthattheBalonda，andeventheBarotse，believethatdivinationmaybeperformedbymeansoftheseblocksofwoodandclay；andthoughthewooditselfcouldnothear，theownershadmedicinesbywhichitcouldbemadetohearandgiveresponses，sothatifanenemywereapproachingtheywouldhavefullinformationManenkohavingbroughtustoastandonaccountofslightindispositionandadesiretosendforwardnoticeofourapproachtoheruncle，Iaskedwhyitwasnecessarytosendforwardinformationofourmovements，ifShintehadidolswhocouldtellhimeverything“Shediditonly。”*wasthereply。
Itisseldomofmuchusetoshowonewhoworshipsidolsthefollyofidolatrywithoutgivingsomethingelseasanobjectofadorationinstead。
TheydonotlovethemTheyfearthem，andbetakethemselvestotheiridolsonlywheninperplexityanddanger。
*ThisisacuriousAfricanidiom，bywhichapersonimplieshehadnoparticularreasonforhisact。
Whiledelayed，byManenko’smanagement，amongtheBalondavillages，alittletothesouthofthetownofShinte，wewerewellsuppliedbythevillagerswithsweetpotatoesandgreenmaize；
Sambanzawenttohismother’svillageforsuppliesofotherfood。
Iwaslaboringunderfever，anddidnotfinditverydifficulttoexercisepatiencewithherwhims；butitbeingSaturday，IthoughtwemightaswellgotothetownforSunday15th。
“No；hermessengermustreturnfromherunclefirst。”
Beingsurethattheansweroftheunclewouldbefavorable，Ithoughtwemightgoonatonce，andnotlosetwodaysinthesamespot。
“No，itisourcustom；“andeverythingelseIcouldurgewasansweredinthegenuinepertinaciousladystyleShegroundsomemealformewithherownhands，andwhenshebroughtittoldmeshehadactuallygonetoavillageandbeggedcornforthepurposeShesaidthiswithanairasiftheinferencemustbedrawnbyevenastupidwhiteman：
“Iknowhowtomanage，don’tI？”ItwasrefreshingtogetfoodwhichcouldbeeatenwithoutproducingtheunpleasantnessdescribedbytheRevJohnNewton，ofStMary’s，Woolnoth，London，whenobligedtoeatthesamerootswhileaslaveintheWestIndies。
ThedayJanuary14th，forawonder，wasfair，andthesunshone，soastoallowustodryourclothingandothergoods，manyofwhichweremouldyandrottenfromthelong-continueddampThegunsrusted，inspiteofbeingoiledeveryevening。
DuringthenightwewereallawakenedbyaterrificshriekfromoneofManenko’sladiesShepipedoutsoloudandlongthatweallimaginedshehadbeenseizedbyalion，andmymensnatcheduptheirarms，whichtheyalwaysplacesoastobereadyatamoment’snotice，andrantotherescue；butwefoundthealarmhadbeencausedbyoneoftheoxenthrustinghisheadintoherhutandsmellingher：
shehadputherhandonhiscold，wetnose，andthoughtitwasalloverwithher。
OnSundayafternoonmessengersarrivedfromShinte，expressinghisapprobationoftheobjectswehadinviewinourjourneythroughthecountry，andthathewasgladoftheprospectofawaybeingopenedbywhichwhitemenmightvisithim，andallowhimtopurchaseornamentsatpleasure。
Manenkonowthreatenedinsporttogoon，andIsoonafterwardperceivedthatwhatnowseemedtomethedilly-dallyingwayofthisladywasthepropermodeofmakingacquaintancewiththeBalonda；
andmuchofthefavorwithwhichIwasreceivedindifferentplaceswasowingtomysendingforwardmessengerstostatetheobjectofourcomingbeforeenteringeachtownandvillageWhenwecameinsightofavillagewesatdownundertheshadeofatreeandsentforwardamantogivenoticewhowewereandwhatwereourobjectsTheheadmanofthevillagethensentouthisprincipalmen，asShintenowdid，tobiduswelcomeandshowusatreeunderwhichwemightsleepBeforeIhadprofitedbytherathertediousteachingofManenko，IsometimesenteredavillageandcreatedunintentionalalarmThevillagerswouldcontinuetolookuponuswithsuspicionaslongasweremainedShintesentustwolargebasketsofmaniocandsixdriedfishesHismenhadtheskinofamonkey，calledintheirtongue“poluma“`Colobusguereza’，ofajetblackcolor，exceptthelongmane，whichispurewhite：
itissaidtobefoundinthenorth，inthecountryofMatiamvo，theparamountchiefofalltheBalondaWelearnedfromthemthattheyareinthehabitofprayingtotheiridolswhenunsuccessfulinkillinggameorinanyotherenterpriseTheybehavedwithreverenceatourreligiousservicesThiswillappearimportantifthereaderremembersthealmosttotalwantofprayerandreverenceweencounteredinthesouth。
OurfriendsinformedusthatShintewouldbehighlyhonoredbythepresenceofthreewhitemeninhistownatonceTwoothershadsentforwardnoticeoftheirapproachfromanotherquarterthewest；
coulditbeBarthorKrapf？HowpleasanttomeetwithEuropeansinsuchanout-of-the-wayregion！TherushofthoughtsmademealmostforgetmyfeverAretheyofthesamecolorasIam？
“Yes；exactlyso。”Andhavethesamehair？“Isthathair？
wethoughtitwasawig；weneversawthelikebefore；thiswhitemanmustbeofthesortthatlivesinthesea。”Henceforthmymentookthehint，andalwayssoundedmypraisesasatruespecimenofthevarietyofwhitemenwholiveinthesea“Onlylookathishair；itismadequitestraightbythesea-water！”
Iexplainedtothemagainandagainthat，whenitwassaidwecameoutofthesea，itdidnotmeanthatwecamefrombeneaththewater；
butthefictionhasbeenwidelyspreadintheinteriorbytheMambarithattherealwhitemenliveinthesea，andthemythwastoogoodnottobetakenadvantageofbymycompanions；so，notwithstandingmyinjunctions，Ibelievethat，whenIwasoutofhearing，mymenalwaysrepresentedthemselvesasledbyagenuinemerman：“Justseehishair！”
IfIreturnedfromwalkingtoalittledistance，theywouldremarkofsometowhomtheyhadbeenholdingforth，“Thesepeoplewanttoseeyourhair。”
Asthestrangershadwoollyhairlikethemselves，IhadtogiveuptheideaofmeetinganythingmoreEuropeanthantwohalf-castePortuguese，engagedintradingforslaves，ivory，andbees’-wax。
16THAfterashortmarchwecametoamostlovelyvalleyaboutamileandahalfwide，andstretchingawayeastwarduptoalowprolongationofMonakadziAsmallstreammeandersdownthecentreofthispleasantgreenglen；andonalittlerill，whichflowsintoitfromthewesternside，standsthetownofKabompo，or，ashelikesbesttobecalled，ShinteLat12d37’35“S。，long22d47’E。WhenManenkothoughtthesunwashighenoughforustomakealuckyentrance，wefoundthetownemboweredinbananaandothertropicaltreeshavinggreatexpansionofleaf；
thestreetsarestraight，andpresentacompletecontrasttothoseoftheBechuanas，whichareallverytortuous。
Here，too，wefirstsawnativehutswithsquarewallsandroundroofs。
Thefencesorwallsofthecourtswhichsurroundthehutsarewonderfullystraight，andmadeofuprightpolesafewinchesapart，withstronggrassorleafybushesneatlywovenbetweenInthecourtsweresmallplantationsoftobacco，andalittlesolanaceousplantwhichtheBalondauseasarelish；alsosugar-caneandbananas。
Manyofthepoleshavegrownagain，andtreesofthe`FicusIndica’familyhavebeenplantedaround，inordertogivetotheinhabitantsagratefulshade：theyregardthistreewithsomesortofvenerationasamedicineorcharmGoatswerebrowsingabout，and，whenwemadeourappearance，acrowdofnegroes，allfullyarmed，rantowardusasiftheywouldeatusup；somehadguns，butthemannerinwhichtheywereheldshowedthattheownersweremoreaccustomedtobowsandarrowsthantowhitemen’sweapons。
Aftersurroundingandstaringatusforanhour，theybegantodisperse。
ThetwonativePortuguesetradersofwhomwehadheardhaderectedalittleencampmentoppositetheplacewhereourswasabouttobemade。
Oneofthem，whosespinehadbeeninjuredinyouthararesightinthiscountrycameandvisitedusIreturnedthevisitnextmorning。
Histallcompanionhadthatsicklyyellowhuewhichmadehimlookfairerthanmyself，buthisheadwascoveredwithacropofunmistakablewool。
Theyhadagangofyoungfemaleslavesinachain，hoeingthegroundinfrontoftheirencampmenttoclearitofweedsandgrass；
thesewerepurchasedrecentlyinLobale，whencethetradershadnowcome。
ThereweremanyMambariwiththem，andtheestablishmentwasconductedwiththatmilitaryorderwhichpervadesallthearrangementsofthePortuguesecolonistsAdrumwasbeatenandtrumpetsoundedatcertainhours，quiteinmilitaryfashionItwasthefirsttimemostofmymenhadseenslavesinchains“Theyarenotmen。”theyexclaimedmeaningtheyarebeasts，“whotreattheirchildrenso。”
TheBalondaarerealnegroes，havingmuchmorewoolontheirheadsandbodiesthananyoftheBechuanaorCaffretribesTheyaregenerallyverydarkincolor，butseveralaretobeseenofalighterhue；
manyoftheslaveswhohavebeenexportedtoBrazilhavegonefromthisregion；butwhiletheyhaveageneralsimilaritytothetypicalnegro，Inevercould，frommyownobservation，thinkthatouridealnegro，asseenintobacconists’shops，isthetruetypeAlargeproportionoftheBalonda，indeed，haveheadssomewhatelongatedbackwardandupward，thicklips，flatnoses，elongated`ossacalces’，etc。，etc。；buttherearealsomanygood-looking，well-shapedheadsandpersonsamongthem。
17TH，TUESDAYWewerehonoredwithagrandreceptionbyShinteabouteleveno’clockSambanzaclaimedthehonorofpresentingus，ManenkobeingslightlyindisposedThenativePortugueseandMambariwentfullyarmedwithguns，inordertogiveShinteasalute；
theirdrummerandtrumpetermakingallthenoisethatveryoldinstrumentswouldproduceThekotla，orplaceofaudience，wasaboutahundredyardssquare，andtwogracefulspecimensofaspeciesofbanianstoodnearoneend；underoneofthesesatShinte，onasortofthronecoveredwithaleopard’sskinHehadonacheckedjacket，andakiltofscarletbaizeedgedwithgreen；manystringsoflargebeadshungfromhisneck，andhislimbswerecoveredwithironandcopperarmletsandbracelets；onhisheadheworeahelmetmadeofbeadswovenneatlytogether，andcrownedwithagreatbunchofgoose-feathers。
Closetohimsatthreeladswithlargesheavesofarrowsovertheirshoulders。
Whenweenteredthekotla，thewholeofManenko’spartysalutedShintebyclappingtheirhands，andSambanzadidobeisancebyrubbinghischestandarmswithashesOneofthetreesbeingunoccupied，Iretreatedtoitforthesakeoftheshade，andmywholepartydidthesame。
Wewerenowaboutfortyyardsfromthechief，andcouldseethewholeceremonyThedifferentsectionsofthetribecameforwardinthesamewaythatwedid，theheadmanofeachmakingobeisancewithasheswhichhecarriedwithhimforthepurpose；thencamethesoldiers，allarmedtotheteeth，runningandshoutingtowardus，withtheirswordsdrawn，andtheirfacesscrewedupsoastoappearassavageaspossible，forthepurpose，Ithought，oftryingwhethertheycouldnotmakeustaketoourheelsAswedidnot，theyturnedroundtowardShinteandsalutedhim，thenretiredWhenallhadcomeandwereseated，thenbeganthecuriouscaperingusuallyseeninpichosAmanstartsup，andimitatesthemostapprovedattitudesobservedinactualfight，asthrowingonejavelin，receivinganotherontheshield，springingtoonesidetoavoidathird，runningbackwardorforward，leaping，etcThisover，SambanzaandthespokesmanofNyamoanastalkedbackwardandforwardinfrontofShinte，andgaveforth，inaloudvoice，alltheyhadbeenabletolearn，eitherfrommyselforpeople，ofmypasthistoryandconnectionwiththeMakololo；
thereturnofthecaptives；thewishtoopenthecountrytotrade；
theBibleasawordfromheaven；thewhiteman’sdesireforthetribestoliveinpeace：heoughttohavetaughttheMakololothatfirst，fortheBalondaneverattackedthem，yettheyhadassailedtheBalonda：
perhapsheisfibbing，perhapsnot；theyratherthoughthewas；
butastheBalondahadgoodhearts，andShintehadneverdoneharmtoanyone，hehadbetterreceivethewhitemanwell，andsendhimonhisway。
Sambanzawasgaylyattired，and，besidesaprofusionofbeads，hadaclothsolongthataboycarrieditafterhimasatrain。
BehindShintesataboutahundredwomen，clothedintheirbest，whichhappenedtobeaprofusionofredbaizeThechiefwifeofShinte，oneoftheMatebeleorZulus，satinfrontwithacuriousredcaponherhead。