Theoldwomanwhohadbeenthecauseoftheaffraywishedustointerfere，andthecombatantsthemselveshopedasmuch；butwe，preferringtoremainneutral，allowedthemtofightitoutItendedbyonefallingundertheother，both，fromtheirscuffling，beinginastateofnudity。
Theypickeduptheirclothingandranoffindifferentdirections，eachthreateningtobringhisgunandsettlethedisputeinmortalcombat。
Onlyone，however，returned，andtheoldwomancontinuedherscoldingtillmymen，fairlytiredofhertongue，orderedhertobegone。
Thistriflingincidentwasoneofinteresttome，for，duringthewholeperiodofmyresidenceintheBechuanacountry，IneversawunarmedmenstrikeeachotherTheirdisputesareusuallyconductedwithgreatvolubilityandnoisyswearing，buttheygenerallyterminatebybothpartiesburstingintoalaugh。
Ateveryvillageattemptsweremadetoinduceustoremainanight。
Sometimeslargepotsofbeerwereofferedtousasatemptation。
OccasionallytheheadmanwouldperemptorilyorderustohaltunderatreewhichhepointedoutAtothertimesyoungmenvolunteeredtoguideustotheimpassablepartofthenextbog，inthehopeofbringingustoastand，forallareexcessivelyeagertotrade；butfoodwassoverycheapthatwesometimespreferredpayingthemtokeepit，andletuspartingoodhumor。
Agood-sizedfowlcouldbehadforasinglechargeofgunpowder。
Eachnativewhoownsaguncarriesaboutwithhimameasurecapableofholdingbutonecharge，inwhichhereceiveshispowder。
Throughoutthisregionthewomenarealmostentirelynaked，theirgownsbeingapatchofclothfrightfullynarrow，withnoflounces；
andnothingcouldexceedtheeagernesswithwhichtheyofferedtopurchasestripsofcalicoofaninferiordescriptionTheyweredelightedwiththelargepieceswegave，thoughonlyabouttwofeetlong，forafowlandabasketofupwardof20lbsofmealAswehadnowonlyasmallremnantofourstock，wewereobligedtowithstandtheirimportunity，andthenmanyoftheirwomen，withtruematernalfeelings，helduptheirlittlenakedbabies，entreatingustosellonlyalittleragforthemThefire，theysay，istheironlyclothingbynight，andthelittleonesderiveheatbystickingcloselytotheirparents。
Insteadofaskinorclothtocarrytheirbabiesin，thewomenplaitabeltaboutfourinchesbroad，oftheinnerbarkofatree，andthis，hungfromtheoneshouldertotheoppositeside，likeasoldier’sbelt，enablesthemtosupportthechildbyplacingitontheirsideinasittingpositionTheirlandisveryfertile，andtheycanraiseground-nutsandmaniocinabundanceHereIobservednocotton，noranydomesticanimalsexceptfowlsandlittledogsThechiefpossessedafewgoats，andInevercouldgetanysatisfactoryreasonwhythepeoplealsodidnotrearthem。
Ontheeveningofthe2dofJunewereachedthevillageofKawawa，ratheranimportantpersonageinthesepartsThisvillageconsistsoffortyorfiftyhuts，andissurroundedbyforest。
Drumswerebeatingoverthebodyofamanwhohaddiedtheprecedingday，andsomewomenweremakingaclamorouswailatthedoorofhishut，andaddressingthedeceasedasifaliveThedrumscontinuedbeatingthewholenight，withasmuchregularityasasteam-enginethumpsonboardshipWeobservedthatapersondressedfantasticallywithagreatnumberoffeathersleftthepeopleatthedanceandwailing，andwentawayintothedeepforestinthemorning，toreturnagaintotheobsequiesintheevening；heisintendedtorepresentoneoftheBarimo。
InthemorningwehadagreeableintercoursewithKawawa；hevisitedus，andwesatandtalkednearlythewholedaywithhimandhispeople。
Whenwevisitedhiminreturn，wefoundhiminhislargecourt-house，which，thoughofabeehiveshape，wasremarkablywellbuilt。
AsIhadshownhimanumberofcuriosities，henowproducedajug，ofEnglishware，shapedlikeanoldmanholdingacanofbeerinhishand，asthegreatestcuriosityhehadtoexhibit。
Wehadnowanopportunityofhearingacasebroughtbeforehimforjudgment。
ApoormanandhiswifewereaccusedofhavingbewitchedthemanwhosewakewasnowheldinthevillageBeforeKawawaevenheardthedefense，hesaid，“Youhavekilledoneofmychildren；bringallyoursbeforeme，thatImaychoosewhichofthemshallbemineinstead。”
Thewifeeloquentlydefendedherself，butthisavailedlittle，fortheseaccusationsarethemeansresortedtobysomechiefstosecuresubjectsfortheslave-marketHeprobablythoughtthatIhadcometopurchaseslaves，thoughIhadalreadygivenaprettyfullexplanationofmypursuitsbothtohimselfandhispeople。
Weexhibitedthepicturesofthemagiclanternintheevening，andallweredelightedexceptKawawahimselfHeshowedsymptomsofdread，andseveraltimesstartedupasiftorunaway，butwaspreventedbythecrowdbehindSomeofthemoreintelligentunderstoodtheexplanationswell，andexpatiatedeloquentlyonthemtothemoreobtuse。
Nothingcouldexceedthecivilitieswhichhadpassedbetweenusduringthisday；butKawawahadheardthattheChiboquehadforcedustopayanox，andnowthoughthemightdothesameWhen，therefore，Isentnextmorningtolethimknowthatwewerereadytostart，herepliedinhisfigurativeway，“Ifanoxcameinthewayofaman，oughthenottoeatit？IhadgivenonetotheChiboque，andmustgivehimthesame，togetherwithagun，gunpowder，andablackrobe，likethathehadseenspreadouttodrythedaybefore；that，ifIrefusedanox，Imustgiveoneofmymen，andabookbywhichhemightseethestateofMatiamvo’shearttowardhim，andwhichwouldforewarnhim，shouldMatiamvoeverresolvetocutoffhishead。”Kawawacameinthecoolestmannerpossibletoourencampmentaftersendingthismessage，andtoldmehehadseenallourgoods，andmusthaveallheasked，ashehadcommandoftheKasaiinourfront，andwouldpreventusfrompassingitunlesswepaidthistributeIrepliedthatthegoodsweremypropertyandnothis；thatIwouldneverhaveitsaidthatawhitemanhadpaidtributetoablack，andthatIshouldcrosstheKasaiinspiteofhimHeorderedhispeopletoarmthemselves，andwhensomeofmymensawthemrushingfortheirbows，arrows，andspears，theybecamesomewhatpanic-strickenIorderedthemtomoveaway，andnottofireunlessKawawa’speoplestruckthefirstblow。
Itookthelead，andexpectedthemalltofollow，astheyusuallyhaddone，butmanyofmymenremainedbehindWhenIknewthis，Ijumpedofftheox，andmadearushtothemwiththerevolverinmyhandKawawaranawayamonghispeople，andtheyturnedtheirbackstooIshoutedtomymentotakeuptheirluggageandmarch；somedidsowithalacrity，feelingthattheyhaddisobeyedordersbyremaining；butoneofthemrefused，andwaspreparingtofireatKawawa，untilIgavehimapunchontheheadwiththepistol，andmadehimgotooIfelthere，aselsewhere，thatsubordinationmustbemaintainedatallrisksWeallmovedintotheforest，thepeopleofKawawastandingaboutahundredyardsoff，gazing，butnotfiringashotoranarrowItisextremelyunpleasanttopartwiththesechieftainsthus，afterspendingadayortwointhemostamicableintercourse，andinapartwherethepeoplearegenerallycivilThisKawawa，however，isnotagoodspecimenoftheBalondachiefs，andisrathernotoriousintheneighborhoodforhisfollyWeweretoldthathehasgoodreasontobelievethatMatiamvowillsomedaycutoffhisheadforhisdisregardoftherightsofstrangers。
Kawawawasnottobebalkedofhissupposedrightsbytheunceremoniouswayinwhichwehadlefthim；for，whenwehadreachedthefordoftheKasai，abouttenmilesdistant，wefoundthathehadsentfourofhismen，withorderstotheferrymentorefuseuspassageWewereheredulyinformedthatwemustdeliverupallthearticlesmentioned，andoneofourmenbesidesThisdemandforoneofournumberalwaysnettledeveryheartThecanoesweretakenawaybeforeoureyes，andweweresupposedtobequitehelplesswithoutthem，atariveragoodhundredyardsbroad，andverydeepPitsanestoodonthebank，gazingwithapparentindifferenceonthestream，andmadeanaccurateobservationofwherethecanoeswerehiddenamongthereeds。
TheferrymencasuallyaskedoneofmyBatokaiftheyhadriversinhiscountry，andheansweredwithtruth，“No，wehavenone。”
Kawawa’speoplethenfeltsurewecouldnotcrossIthoughtofswimmingwhentheyweregone；butafteritwasdark，bytheunaskedloanofoneofthehiddencanoes，wesoonweresnuginourbivouaconthesouthernbankoftheKasaiIleftsomebeadsaspaymentforsomemealwhichhadbeenpresentedbytheferrymen；and，thecanoehavingbeenleftontheirownsideoftheriver，Pitsaneandhiscompanionslaugheduproariouslyatthedisgustourenemieswouldfeel，andtheirperplexityastowhohadbeenourpaddleracross。
TheywerequitesurethatKawawawouldimaginethatwehadbeenferriedoverbyhisownpeople，andwouldbediviningtofindoutwhohaddonethedeed。
Whenreadytodepartinthemorning，Kawawa’speopleappearedontheoppositeheights，andcouldscarcelybelievetheireyeswhentheysawuspreparedtostartawaytothesouthAtlastoneofthemcalledout，“Ah！yearebad。”towhichPitsaneandhiscompanionsretorted，“Ah！yearegood，andwethankyoufortheloanofyourcanoe。”
WewerecarefultoexplainthewholeofthecircumstancestoKatemaandtheotherchiefs，andtheyallagreedthatwewereperfectlyjustifiableunderthecircumstances，andthatMatiamvowouldapproveourconduct。
Whenanythingthatmightbearanunfavorableconstructionhappensamongthemselves，theysendexplanationstoeachother。
Themerefactofdoingsopreventsthemfromlosingtheircharacter，forthereispublicopinionevenamongthem。
Chapter24。
LevelPlainsVulturesandotherBirdsDiversityofColorinFlowersofthesameSpeciesTheSundewTwenty-seventhAttackofFever
ARiverwhichflowsinoppositeDirectionsLakeDilolotheWatershedbetweentheAtlanticandIndianOceansPositionofRocks
SirRoderickMurchison’sExplanationCharacteristicsoftheRainySeasoninconnectionwiththeFloodsoftheZambesiandtheNile
ProbableReasonofDifferenceinAmountofRainSouthandNorthoftheEquatorArabReportsofRegioneastofLonda
ProbableWatershedoftheZambesiandtheNileLakeDilolo
ReachKatema’sTown：hisrenewedHospitality；desiretoappearlikeaWhiteMan；ludicrousDepartureJackdaws
FordsouthernBranchofLakeDiloloSmallFishProjectforaMakololoVillageneartheConfluenceoftheLeebaandtheLeeambye
HeartyWelcomefromShinteKolimbota’sWound
Plant-seedsandFruit-treesbroughtfromAngola
MasikoandLimboa’sQuarrelNyamoananowaWidow
PurchaseCanoesanddescendtheLeebaHerdsofwildAnimalsonitsBanksUnsuccessfulBuffalo-huntFrogsSinbadandtheTsetse
DispatchaMessagetoManenkoArrivalofherHusbandSambanza
TheCeremonycalledKasendiUnexpectedFeeforperformingasurgicalOperationSocialConditionoftheTribes
DesertionofMboengaStratagemofMamboweHuntersWater-turtles
ChargedbyaBuffaloReceptionfromthePeopleofLibonta
ExplaintheCausesofourlongDelayPitsane’sSpeech
ThanksgivingServicesAppearanceofmy“Braves“
WonderfulKindnessofthePeople。
AfterleavingtheKasai，weenteredupontheextensivelevelplainswhichwehadformerlyfoundinafloodedconditionThewateronthemwasnotyetdriedup，asitstillremainedincertainhollowspots。
Vultureswereseenfloatingintheair，showingthatcarrionwastobefound；
and，indeed，wesawseveralofthelargegame，butsoexceedinglywildastobeunapproachableNumbersofcaterpillarsmountedthestalksofgrass，andmanydragonfliesandbutterfliesappeared，thoughthiswaswinter。
Thecaprimulgusorgoat-sucker，swifts，anddifferentkindsofswallows，withafiery-redbee-eaterinflocks，showedthatthelowesttemperatureheredoesnotdestroytheinsectsonwhichtheyfeedJet-blacklarks，withyellowshoulders，enliventhemorningswiththeirsongs，buttheydonotcontinuesolongonthewingasours，norsoarsohigh。
Wesawmanyoftheprettywhiteardea，andotherwater-birds，flyingoverthespotsnotyetdriedup；andoccasionallywildducks，buttheseonlyinnumberssufficienttoremindusthatwewereapproachingtheZambesi，whereeverywater-fowlhasahome。