Duringtheintervalsbetweenthespeeches，theseladiesburstforthintoasortofplaintiveditty；butitwasimpossibleforanyofustocatchwhetheritwasinpraiseofthespeaker，ofShinte，orofthemselves。
ThiswasthefirsttimeIhadeverseenfemalespresentinapublicassembly。
Inthesouththewomenarenotpermittedtoenterthekotla；
andevenwheninvitedtocometoareligiousservicethere，wouldnotenteruntilorderedtodosobythechief；butheretheyexpressedapprobationbyclappingtheirhands，andlaughingtodifferentspeakers；
andShintefrequentlyturnedroundandspoketothem。
Apartyofmusicians，consistingofthreedrummersandfourperformersonthepiano，wentroundthekotlaseveraltimes，regalinguswiththeirmusicTheirdrumsareneatlycarvedfromthetrunkofatree，andhaveasmallholeinthesidecoveredwithabitofspider’sweb：
theendsarecoveredwiththeskinofanantelopepeggedon；
andwhentheywishtotightenit，theyholdittothefiretomakeitcontract：theinstrumentsarebeatenwiththehands。
Thepiano，named“marimba“，consistsoftwobarsofwoodplacedsidebyside，herequitestraight，but，farthernorth，bentroundsoastoresemblehalfthetireofacarriage-wheel；acrosstheseareplacedaboutfifteenwoodenkeys，eachofwhichistwoorthreeinchesbroad，andfifteenoreighteenincheslong；theirthicknessisregulatedaccordingtothedeepnessofthenoterequired：eachofthekeyshasacalabashbeneathit；fromtheupperpartofeachaportioniscutofftoenablethemtoembracethebars，andformhollowsounding-boardstothekeys，whichalsoareofdifferentsizes，accordingtothenoterequired；andlittledrumstickselicitthemusic。
Rapidityofexecutionseemsmuchadmiredamongthem，andthemusicispleasanttotheearInAngolathePortugueseusethemarimbaintheirdances。
Whenninespeakershadconcludedtheirorations，Shintestoodup，andsodidallthepeopleHehadmaintainedtrueAfricandignityofmannerallthewhile，butmypeopleremarkedthathescarcelyevertookhiseyesoffmeforamomentAboutathousandpeoplewerepresent，accordingtomycalculation，andthreehundredsoldiers。
Thesunhadnowbecomehot；andthesceneendedbytheMambaridischargingtheirguns。
18THWewereawakenedduringthenightbyamessagefromShinte，requestingavisitataveryunseasonablehourAsIwasjustinthesweatingstageofanintermittent，andthepathtothetownlaythroughawetvalley，IdeclinedgoingKolimbota，whoknowstheircustomsbest，urgedmetogo；but，independentofsickness，Ihatedwordsofthenightanddeedsofdarkness“Iwasneitherahyaenanorawitch。”
Kolimbotathoughtthatweoughttoconformtotheirwishesineverything：
Ithoughtweoughttohavesomechoiceinthematteraswell，whichputhimintohighdudgeonHowever，attennextmorningwewent，andwereledintothecourtsofShinte，thewallsofwhichwerewovenrods，allveryneatandhighManytreesstoodwithintheinclosureandaffordedagratefulshadeThesehadbeenplanted，forwesawsomerecentlyputin，withgrasswoundroundthetrunktoprotectthemfromthesunTheotherwisewastecornersofthestreetswereplantedwithsugar-caneandbananas，whichspreadtheirlargelightleavesoverthewalls。
TheFicusIndicatree，underwhichwenowsat，hadverylargeleaves，butshoweditsrelationshiptotheIndianbanianbysendingdownshootstowardthegroundShintesooncame，andappearedamanofupwardoffifty-fiveyearsofage，offrankandopencountenance，andaboutthemiddleheightHeseemedingoodhumor，andsaidhehadexpectedyesterday“thatamanwhocamefromthegodswouldhaveapproachedandtalkedtohim。”Thathadbeenmyownintentioningoingtothereception；butwhenwecameandsawtheformidablepreparations，andallhisownmenkeepingatleastfortyyardsofffromhim，Iyieldedtothesolicitationsofmymen，andremainedbythetreeoppositetothatunderwhichhesatHisremarkconfirmedmypreviousbeliefthatafrank，open，fearlessmanneristhemostwinningwithalltheseAfricansIstatedtheobjectofmyjourneyandmission，andtoallIadvancedtheoldgentlemanclappedhishandsinapprobation。
Herepliedthroughaspokesman；thenallthecompanyjoinedintheresponsebyclappingofhandstoo。
Afterthemoreseriousbusinesswasover，IaskedifhehadeverseenawhitemanbeforeHereplied，“Never；youaretheveryfirstIhaveseenwithawhiteskinandstraighthair；yourclothing，too，isdifferentfromanywehaveeverseen。”TheyhadbeenvisitedbynativePortugueseandMambarionly。
Onlearningfromsomeofthepeoplethat“Shinte’smouthwasbitterforwantoftastingox-flesh。”Ipresentedhimwithanox，tohisgreatdelight；and，ashiscountryissowelladaptedforcattle，IadvisedhimtobeginatradeincowswiththeMakololo。
Hewaspleasedwiththeidea，andwhenwereturnedfromLoanda，wefoundthathehadprofitedbythehint，forhehadgotthree，andoneofthemjustifiedmyopinionofthecountry，foritwasmorelikeaprizeheiferforfatnessthananywehadseeninAfrica。
Hesoonafterwardsentusabasketofgreenmaizeboiled，anotherofmanioc-meal，andasmallfowlThemaizeshowsbyitssizethefertilityoftheblacksoilofallthevalleyshere，andsodoesthemanioc，thoughnomanureiseverapplied。
Wesawmaniocattainaheightofsixfeetandupward，andthisisaplantwhichrequirestheverybestsoil。
DuringthistimeManenkohadbeenextremelybusywithallherpeopleingettingupaveryprettyhutandcourt-yard，tobe，asshesaid，herresidencealwayswhenwhitemenwerebroughtbyheralongthesamepath。
Whensheheardthatwehadgivenanoxtoheruncle，shecameforwardtouswiththeairofonewronged，andexplainedthat“thiswhitemanbelongedtoher；shehadbroughthimhere，andthereforetheoxwashers，notShinte’s。”Sheorderedhermentobringit，gotitslaughteredbythem，andpresentedherunclewithalegonlyShintedidnotseematallannoyedattheoccurrence。
19THIwasawakenedatanearlyhourbyamessengerfromShinte；
butthethirstofaragingfeverbeingjustassuagedbytheburstingforthofacopiousperspiration，Ideclinedgoingforafewhours。
Violentactionoftheheartallthewaytothetowndidnotpredisposemetobepatientwiththedelaywhichthenoccurred，probablyonaccountofthedivinationbeingunfavorable：“TheycouldnotfindShinte。”
WhenIreturnedtobed，anothermessagewasreceived，“Shintewishedtosayallhehadtotellmeatonce。”Thiswastootemptinganoffer，sowewent，andhehadafowlreadyinhishandtopresent，alsoabasketofmanioc-meal，andacalabashofmead。
Referringtotheconstantly-recurringattacksoffever，heremarkedthatitwastheonlythingwhichwouldpreventasuccessfulissuetomyjourney，forhehadmentoguidemewhoknewallthepathswhichledtothewhitemenHehadhimselftraveledfarwhenayoungman。
Onaskingwhathewouldrecommendforthefever，“Drinkplentyofthemead，andasitgetsin，itwilldrivethefeverout。”Itwasratherstrong，andIsuspecthelikedtheremedyprettywell，eventhoughhehadnofever。
HehadalwaysbeenafriendtoSebituane，and，nowthathissonSekeletuwasinhisplace，Shintewasnotmerelyafriend，butafathertohim；
andifasonasksafavor，thefathermustgiveitHewashighlypleasedwiththelargecalabashesofclarifiedbutterandfatwhichSekeletuhadsenthim，andwishedtodetainKolimbota，thathemightsendapresentbacktoSekeletubyhishandsThispropositionweafterwarddiscoveredwasKolimbota’sown，ashehadheardsomuchabouttheferocityofthetribesthroughwhichweweretopassthathewishedtosavehisskin。
Itwillbeseenfartheronthathewastheonlyoneofourpartywhoreturnedwithawound。
Wewereparticularlystruck，inpassingthroughthevillage，withthepunctiliousnessofmannersshownbytheBalonda。
Theinferiors，onmeetingtheirsuperiorsinthestreet，atoncedropontheirkneesandrubdustontheirarmsandchest；
theycontinuethesalutationofclappingthehandsuntilthegreatoneshavepassedSambanzakneltdowninthismannertillthesonofShintehadpassedhim。
WeseveraltimessawthewomanwhooccupiestheofficeofdrawerofwaterforShinte；sheringsabellasshepassesalongtogivewarningtoalltokeepoutofherway；itwouldbeagraveoffenseforanyonetocomenearher，andexerciseanevilinfluencebyhispresenceonthedrinkofthechiefIsuspectthatoffensesoftheslightestcharacteramongthepooraremadethepretextforsellingthemortheirchildrentotheMambariAyoungmanofLobalehadfledintothecountryofShinte，andlocatedhimselfwithoutshowinghimselftothechiefThiswasconsideredanoffensesufficienttowarranthisbeingseizedandofferedforsalewhilewewerethereHehadnotreportedhimself，sotheydidnotknowthereasonofhisrunningawayfromhisownchief，andthatchiefmightaccusethemofreceivingacriminalItwascurioustonoticetheeffectoftheslave-tradeinbluntingthemoralsusceptibility：
nochiefinthesouthwouldtreatafugitiveinthisway。
Mymenwerehorrifiedattheact，eventhougholdShinteandhiscouncilhadsomeshowofreasonontheirside；andboththeBarotseandtheMakololodeclaredthat，iftheBalondaonlyknewofthepolicypursuedbythemtofugitives，butfewofthediscontentedwouldremainlongwithShinte。
Mymenexcitedthewonderofhispeoplebystatingthateveryoneofthemhadonecowatleastinhispossession。
Anotherincident，whichoccurredwhilewewerehere，maybementioned，asofacharactertotallyunknowninthesouthTwochildren，ofsevenandeightyearsold，wentouttocollectfirewoodashortdistancefromtheirparents’home，whichwasaquarterofamilefromthevillage，andwerekidnapped；thedistractedparentscouldnotfindatraceofthem。
Thishappenedsoclosetothetown，wheretherearenobeastsofprey，thatwesuspectsomeofthehighmenofShinte’scourtweretheguiltyparties：theycansellthembynight。
TheMambarierectlargehutsofasquareshapetostowthesestolenonesin；
theyarewellfed，butairedbynightonlyThefrequentkidnappingfromoutlyinghamletsexplainsthestockadeswesawaroundthem；
theparentshavenoredress，forevenShintehimselfseemsfondofworkinginthedarkOnenighthesentforme，thoughIalwaysstatedIlikedallmydealingstobeaboveboardWhenIcamehepresentedmewithaslavegirlabouttenyearsold；hesaidhehadalwaysbeeninthehabitofpresentinghisvisitorswithachildOnmythankinghim，andsayingthatIthoughtitwrongtotakeawaychildrenfromtheirparents，thatIwishedhimtogiveupthissystemaltogether，andtradeincattle，ivory，andbees’-wax，heurgedthatshewas“tobeachild“tobringmewater，andthatagreatmanoughttohaveachildforthepurpose，yetIhadnone。
AsIrepliedthatIhadfourchildren，andshouldbeverysorryifmychiefweretotakemylittlegirlandgiveheraway，andthatIwouldpreferthischildtoremainandcarrywaterforherownmother，hethoughtIwasdissatisfiedwithhersize，andsentforoneaheadtaller；
aftermanyexplanationsofourabhorrenceofslavery，andhowdispleasingitmustbetoGodtoseehischildrensellingoneanother，andgivingeachothersomuchgriefasthischild’smothermustfeel，IdeclinedheralsoIfIcouldhavetakenherintomyfamilyforthepurposeofinstruction，andthenreturnedherasafreewoman，accordingtoapromiseIshouldhavemadetotheparents，Imighthavedoneso；buttotakeheraway，andprobablyneverbeabletosecureherreturn，wouldhaveproducednogoodeffectonthemindsoftheBalonda；theywouldnotthenhaveseenevidenceofourhatredtoslavery，andthekindattentionsofmyfriendswould，asitalmostalwaysdoesinsimilarcases，haveturnedthepoorthing’shead。
ThedifferenceinpositionbetweenthemandusisasgreatasbetweenthelowestandhighestinEngland，andweknowtheeffectsofsuddenelevationonwiserheadsthanhers，whoseownershadnotbeenborntoit。
Shintewasmostanxioustoseethepicturesofthemagiclantern；butfeverhadsoweakeninganeffect，andIhadsuchviolentactionoftheheart，withbuzzingintheears，thatIcouldnotgoforseveraldays；whenIdidgoforthepurpose，hehadhisprincipalmenandthesamecrowdofcourtbeautiesnearhimasatthereceptionThefirstpictureexhibitedwasAbrahamabouttoslaughterhissonIsaac；itwasshownaslargeaslife，andtheupliftedknifewasintheactofstrikingthelad；