PitsaneadmittedthefactofalittlesalivahavingfallenontheChiboque，andinproofofitsbeingapureaccident，mentionedthathehadgiventhemanapieceofmeat，bywayofmakingfriends，justbeforeithappened，andwipeditoffwithhishandassoonasitfellInreferencetoamanbeinggiven，Ideclaredthatwewereallreadytodieratherthangiveuponeofournumbertobeaslave；thatmymenmightaswellgivemeasIgiveoneofthem，forwewereallfreemen“Thenyoucangivethegunwithwhichtheoxwasshot。”Asweheardsomeofhispeopleremarkingevennowthatwehadonly“fiveguns“，wedeclined，onthegroundthat，astheywereintentonplunderingus，givingagunwouldbehelpingthemtodoso。
Thistheydenied，sayingtheywantedthecustomarytributeonly。
IaskedwhatrighttheyhadtodemandpaymentforleavetotreadonthegroundofGod，ourcommonFatherIfwetrodontheirgardens，wewouldpay，butnotformarchingonlandwhichwasstillGod’s，andnottheirsTheydidnotattempttocontrovertthis，becauseitisinaccordancewiththeirownideas，butrevertedagaintothepretendedcrimeofthesaliva。
Mymennowentreatedmetogivesomething；andafteraskingthechiefifhereallythoughttheaffairofthespittingamatterofguilt，andreceivingananswerintheaffirmative，Igavehimoneofmyshirts。
TheyoungChiboqueweredissatisfied，andbeganshoutingandbrandishingtheirswordsforagreaterfine。
AsPitsanefeltthathehadbeenthecauseofthisdisagreeableaffair，heaskedmetoaddsomethingelseIgaveabunchofbeads，butthecounselorsobjectedthistime，soIaddedalargehandkerchief。
ThemoreIyielded，themoreunreasonabletheirdemandsbecame，andateveryfreshdemandashoutwasraisedbythearmedparty，andarushmadearounduswithbrandishingofarmsOneyoungmanmadeachargeatmyheadfrombehind，butIquicklybroughtroundthemuzzleofmyguntohismouth，andheretreatedIpointedhimouttothechief，andheorderedhimtoretirealittleIfeltanxioustoavoidtheeffusionofblood；andthoughsureofbeingable，withmyMakololo，whohadbeendrilledbySebituane，todriveofftwicethenumberofourassailants，thoughnowalargebody，andwellarmedwithspears，swords，arrows，andguns，IstrovetoavoidactualcollisionMymenwerequiteunpreparedforthisexhibition，butbehavedwithadmirablecoolnessThechiefandcounselors，byacceptingmyinvitationtobeseated，hadplacedthemselvesinatrap，formymenveryquietlysurroundedthem，andmadethemfeelthattherewasnochanceofescapingtheirspearsIthensaidthat，asonethingafteranotherhadfailedtosatisfythem，itwasevidentthatTHEYwantedtofight，whileWEonlywantedtopasspeaceablythroughthecountry；thattheymustbeginfirst，andbeartheguiltbeforeGod：wewouldnotfighttilltheyhadstruckthefirstblow。
IthensatsilentforsometimeItwasrathertryingforme，becauseIknewthattheChiboquewouldaimatthewhitemanfirst；
butIwascarefulnottoappearflurried，and，havingfourbarrelsreadyforinstantaction，lookedquietlyatthesavagescenearound。
TheChiboquecountenance，bynomeanshandsome，isnotimprovedbythepracticewhichtheyhaveadoptedoffilingtheteethtoapoint。
Thechiefandcounselors，seeingthattheywereinmoredangerthanI，didnotchoosetofollowourdecisionthattheyshouldbeginbystrikingthefirstblow，andthenseewhatwecoulddo，andwereperhapsinfluencedbyseeingtheairofcoolpreparationwhichsomeofmymendisplayedattheprospectofaworkofblood。
TheChiboqueatlastputthematterbeforeusinthisway：
“Youcomeamongusinanewway，andsayyouarequitefriendly：
howcanweknowitunlessyougiveussomeofyourfood，andyoutakesomeofours？Ifyougiveusanox，wewillgiveyouwhateveryoumaywish，andthenweshallbefriends。”Inaccordancewiththeentreatiesofmymen，Igaveanox；andwhenaskedwhatIshouldlikeinreturn，mentionedfoodasthethingwhichwemostneeded。
IntheeveningNjambisentusaverysmallbasketofmeal，andtwoorthreepoundsofthefleshofourownox！withtheapologythathehadnofowls，andverylittleofanyotherfood。
Itwasimpossibletoavoidalaughatthecoolnessofthegenerouscreatures。
Iwastrulythankful，nevertheless，that，thoughresolvedtodieratherthandeliveruponeofournumbertobeaslave，wehadsofargainedourpointastobeallowedtopassonwithouthavingshedhumanblood。
Inthemidstofthecommotion，severalChiboquestolepiecesofmeatoutoftheshedsofmypeople，andMohorisi，oneoftheMakololo，wentboldlyintothecrowdandtookbackamarrow-bonefromoneofthem。
AfewofmyBatokaseemedafraid，andwouldperhapshavefledhadtheaffrayactuallybegun，but，uponthewhole，IthoughtmymenbehavedadmirablyTheylamentedhavinglefttheirshieldsathomebycommandofSekeletu，whofearedthat，iftheycarriedthese，theymightbemoredisposedtobeoverbearingintheirdemeanortothetribesweshouldmeetWehadproceededontheprinciplesofpeaceandconciliation，andtheforegoingtreatmentshowsinwhatlightourconductwasviewed；
infact，weweretakenforinterloperstryingtocheattherevenueofthetribeTheyhadbeenaccustomedtogetaslaveortwofromeveryslave-traderwhopassedthem，andnowthatwedisputedtheright，theyviewedtheinfringementonwhattheyconsideredlawfullyduewithmostvirtuousindignation。
MARCH6THWewereinformedthatthepeopleonthewestoftheChiboqueofNjambiwerefamiliarwiththevisitsofslave-traders；
anditwastheopinionofourguidesfromKangenkethatsomanyofmycompanionswouldbedemandedfromme，inthesamemannerasthepeopleofNjambihaddone，thatIshouldreachthecoastwithoutasingleattendant；IthereforeresolvedtoalterourcourseandstrikeawaytotheN。N。E。，inthehopethatatsomepointfarthernorthImightfindanexittothePortuguesesettlementofCassange。
Weproceededatfirstduenorth，withtheKasabivillagesonourright，andtheKasauonourleftDuringthefirsttwentymileswecrossedmanysmall，butnowswollenstreams，havingtheusualboggybanks，andwhereverthewaterhadstoodforanylengthoftimeitwasdiscoloredwithrustofironWesawa“nakong“antelopeoneday，araresightinthisquarter；andmanynewandprettyflowersadornedthevalleysWecouldobservethedifferenceintheseasonsinournorthingincompanywiththesunSummerwasnownearlyoveratKuruman，andfaradvancedatLinyanti，butherewewereinthemiddleofit；
fruits，whichwehadeatenripeontheLeeambye，wereherequitegreen；
butwewerecomingintotheregionwheretheinhabitantsarefavoredwithtworainyseasonsandtwocrops，i。e。，whenthesunisgoingsouth，andwhenhecomesbackonhiswaytothenorth，aswasthecaseatpresent。
Onthe8th，oneofthemenhadleftanounceortwoofpowderatoursleeping-place，andwentbackseveralmilesforit。
Myclothingbeingwetfromcrossingastream，Iwascompelledtowaitforhim；
hadIbeenmovinginthesunIshouldhavefeltnoharm，buttheinactionledtoaviolentfitoffeverThecontinuanceofthisattackwasasourceofmuchregret，forwewentonnextdaytoasmallrivuletcalledChihune，inalovelyvalley，andhad，forawonder，aclearskyandaclearmoon；butsuchwastheconfusionproducedinmymindbythestateofmybody，thatIcouldscarcelymanage，aftersomehours’trial，togetalunarobservationinwhichIcouldreposeconfidenceTheChihuneflowsintotheLonge，andthatintotheChihombo，afeederoftheKasaiThosewhoknowthedifficultiesoftakingaltitudes，times，anddistances，andcommittingallofthemtopaper，willsympathizewithmeinthisandmanysimilarinstancesWhileatChihune，themenofavillagebroughtwaxforsale，and，onfindingthatwewishedhoney，wentoffandsoonbroughtahiveAllthebeesinthecountryareinpossessionofthenatives，fortheyplacehivessufficientforthemallAfterhavingascertainedthis，weneverattendedthecallofthehoney-guide，forweweresureitwouldonlyleadustoahivewhichwehadnorighttotouch。
Thebirdcontinuesitshabitofinvitingattentiontothehoney，thoughitsservicesinthisdistrictareneveractuallyneeded。
MyMakolololamentedthattheyneverknewbeforethatwaxcouldbesoldforanythingofvalue。
Aswetraverseasuccessionofopenlawnsanddeepforests，itisinterestingtoobservesomethinglikeinstinctdevelopedevenintrees。
Onewhich，whencut，emitsamilkyjuice，ifmetwithontheopenlawns，growsasanordinaryumbrageoustree，andshowsnodispositiontobeaclimber；whenplantedinaforestitstilltakesthesameform，thensendsoutaclimbingbranch，whichtwinesroundanothertreeuntilitrisesthirtyorfortyfeet，ortotheleveloftheothertrees，andtherespreadsoutasecondcrownwhereitcanenjoyafairshareofthesun’sraysInpartsoftheforeststillmoredensethanthis，itassumestheformofaclimberonly，andatonceavailsitselfoftheassistanceofatallneighborbywindingvigorouslyroundit，withoutattemptingtoformalowerhead。
Itdoesnotsucceedsowellasparasitesproper，butwhereforcedtocontendforspaceitmaybemistakenforonewhichisinvariablyaclimber。
Thepathsherewereverynarrowandverymuchencumberedwithgiganticcreepers，oftenasthickasaman’slegTheremustbesomereasonwhytheyprefer，insomedistricts，togouptreesinthecommonformofthethreadofascrewratherthaninanyother。
OntheonebankoftheChihunetheyappearedtoapersonstandingoppositethemtowindupfromlefttoright，ontheotherbankfromrighttoleftIimaginedthiswasowingtothesunbeingatoneseasonoftheyearontheirnorthandatanotherontheirsouth。
ButontheLeeambyeIobservedcreeperswindinguponoppositesidesofthesamereed，andmakingafigurelikethelacingsofasandal。
InpassingthroughthesenarrowpathsIhadanopportunityofobservingthepeculiaritiesofmyox“Sinbad“Hehadasofterbackthantheothers，butamuchmoreintractabletemperHishornswerebentdownwardandhungloosely，sohecoulddonoharmwiththem；butaswewendedourwayslowlyalongthenarrowpath，hewouldsuddenlydartaside。
Astringtiedtoastickputthroughthecartilageofthenoseservesinsteadofabridle：ifyoujerkthisback，itmakeshimrunfasteron；
ifyoupullittooneside，heallowsthenoseandheadtogo，butkeepstheoppositeeyedirectedtotheforbiddenspot，andgoesinspiteofyouTheonlywayhecanbebroughttoastandisbyastrokewithawandacrossthenoseWhenSinbadraninbelowaclimberstretchedoverthepathsolowthatIcouldnotstoopunderit，Iwasdraggedoffandcamedownonthecrownofmyhead；andheneverallowedanopportunityofthekindtopasswithouttryingtoinflictakick，asifIneitherhadnordeservedhislove。
Aremarkablepeculiarityintheforestsofthiscountryistheabsenceofthorns：therearebuttwoexceptions；
oneatreebearingaspeciesof`nuxvomica’，andasmallshrubveryliketheplantofthesarsaparilla，bearing，inadditiontoitshookedthorns，bunchesofyellowberriesThethornlessnessofthevegetationisespeciallynoticeabletothosewhohavebeeninthesouth，wherethereissogreatavarietyofthorn-bearingplantsandtrees。
Wehavethornsofeverysizeandshape；thornsstraight，thinandlong，shortandthick，orhooked，andsostrongastobeabletocutevenleatherlikeaknifeSeed-vesselsarescatteredeverywherebytheseappendages。
Oneliesflatasashillingwithtwothornsinitscentre，readytorunintothefootofanyanimalthattreadsuponit，andsticktherefordaystogetherAnotherthe`Uncariaprocumbens’，orGrapple-plant
hassomanyhookedthornsastoclingmosttenaciouslytoanyanimaltowhichitmaybecomeattached；whenithappenstolayholdofthemouthofanox，theanimalstandsandroarswithpainandasenseofhelplessness。
Wheneverapartoftheforesthasbeenclearedforagarden，andafterwardabandoned，aspeciesofplant，withleaveslikethoseofginger，springsup，andcontendsforthepossessionofthesoilwithagreatcropoffernsThisisthecaseallthewaydowntoAngola，andshowsthegreatdifferenceofclimatebetweenthisandtheBechuanacountry，whereafern，exceptoneortwohardyspecies，isneverseenTheplantsabovementionedbearaprettypinkflowerclosetotheground，whichissucceededbyascarletfruitfullofseeds，yielding，assomanyfruitsinthiscountrydo，apleasantacidjuice，which，liketherest，isprobablyintendedasacorrectivetothefluidsofthesysteminthehotclimate。