18THYesterdaywerestedunderabroad-spreadingfig-tree。
Largenumbersofbuffaloesandwater-antelopeswerefeedingquietlyinthemeadows；thepeoplehaveeithernogunsornoammunition，ortheywouldnotbesotamePangolavisitedus，andpresenteduswithfood。
Infewothercountrieswouldonehundredandfourteensturdyvagabondsbesupportedbythegenerosityoftheheadmenandvillagers，andwhatevertheygavebepresentedwithpolitenessMymengotprettywellsuppliedindividually，fortheywentintothevillagesandcommenceddancing。
Theyoungwomenwereespeciallypleasedwiththenewstepstheyhadtoshow，thoughIsuspectmanyofthemwereinventedfortheoccasion，andwouldsay，“Danceforme，andIwillgrindcornforyou。”
Ateveryfreshinstanceofliberality，Sekwebusaid，“DidnotItellyouthatthesepeoplehadhearts，whilewewerestillatLinyanti？”
Allagreedthatthecharacterhehadgivenwastrue，andsomeremarked，“Look！althoughwehavebeensolongawayfromhome，notoneofushasbecomelean。”Itwasafactthatwehadbeenallwellsuppliedeitherwithmeatbymygunortheirownspears，orfoodfromthegreatgenerosityoftheinhabitantsPangolapromisedtoferryusacrosstheZambesi，butfailedtofulfillhispromise。
HeseemedtowishtoavoidoffendinghisneighborMpendebyaidingustoescapefromhishands，soweproceededalongthebank。
AlthoughwewereindoubtastoourreceptionbyMpende，Icouldnothelpadmiringthebeautifulcountryaswepassedalong。
Thereis，indeed，onlyasmallpartundercultivationinthisfertilevalley，butmymindnaturallyturnedtothecomparisonofitwithKolobeng，wherewewaitedanxiouslyduringmonthsforrain，andonlyamerethunder-showerfollowedIshallneverforgetthedry，hoteastwindsofthatregion；theyellowish，sultry，cloudlesssky；
thegrassandalltheplantsdroopingfromdrought，thecattlelean，thepeopledispirited，andourownheartssickfromhopedeferred。
Thereweoftenheardinthedeadofthenighttheshrillwhistleoftherain-doctorcallingforrainthatwouldnotcome，whileherewelistenedtotherollingthunderbynight，andbeheldtheswellingvalleysadornedwithplentybyday。
Wehaverainalmostdaily，andeverythingisbeautifullyfreshandgreen。
Ifeltsomewhataspeopledooncomingashoreafteralongvoyage
inclinedtolookuponthelandscapeinthemostfavorablelight。
Thehillsarecoveredwithforests，andthereisoftenalonglineoffleecycloudlyingonthemaboutmidwayup；
theyareverybeautifulFindingnoonewillingtoaidusincrossingtheriver，weproceededtothevillageofthechiefMpende。
AfinelargeconicalhillnowappearedtotheN。N。E。；
itisthehighestIhaveseenintheseparts，andatsomepointsitappearstobetwoconesjoinedtogether，thenorthernonebeingalittlelowerthanthesouthernAnotherhighhillstandsonthesamesidetotheN。E。，and，fromitssimilarityinshapetoanaxeatthetop，iscalledMotemwaBeyondit，eastward，liesthecountryofKaimbwa，achiefwhohasbeenengagedinactualconflictwiththeBazunga，andbeatthemtoo，accordingtotheversionofthingshere。
ThehillsonthenorthbankarenamedKamoenjaWhenwecametoMpende’svillage，heimmediatelysenttoinquirewhowewere，andthenorderedtheguideswhohadcomewithusfromthelastvillagetogobackandcalltheirmastersHesentnomessagetouswhatever。
Wehadtraveledveryslowlyuptothispoint，thetsetse-strickenoxenbeingnowunabletogotwomilesanhourWewerealsodelayedbybeingobligedtostopateveryvillage，andsendnoticeofourapproachtotheheadman，whocameandreceivedalittleinformation，andgavesomefoodIfwehadpassedonwithouttakinganynoticeofthem，theywouldhaveconsidereditimpolite，andweshouldhaveappearedmoreasenemiesthanfriendsIconsoledmyselfforthelossoftimebythethoughtthattheseconversationstendedtotheopeningofourfuturepath。
23DThismorning，atsunrise，apartyofMpende’speoplecameclosetoourencampment，utteringstrangecriesandwavingsomebrightredsubstancetowardusTheythenlightedafirewithcharmsinit，anddeparted，utteringthesamehideousscreamsasbeforeThiswasintendedtorenderuspowerless，andprobablyalsotofrightenusEversincedawn，partiesofarmedmenhavebeenseencollectingfromallquarters，andnumberspasseduswhileitwasyetdarkHadwemoveddowntheriveratonce，itwouldhavebeenconsideredanindicationoffearordefiance，andsowouldaretreatIthereforeresolvedtowait，trustinginHimwhohastheheartsofallmeninHishands。
Theyevidentlyintendedtoattackus，fornofriendlymessagewassent；
andwhenthreeoftheBatokathenightbeforeenteredthevillagetobegfood，amanwentroundabouteachofthem，makinganoiselikealion。
Thevillagersthencalleduponthemtodohomage，and，whentheycomplied，thechieforderedsomechafftobegiventhem，asifithadbeenfood。
OtherthingsalsoshowedunmistakablehostilityAswewerenowprettycertainofaskirmish，Iorderedanoxtobeslaughtered，asthisisameanswhichSebituaneemployedforinspiringcourage。
Ihavenodoubtthatweshouldhavebeenvictorious；indeed，mymen，whowerefarbetteracquaintedwithfightingthananyofthepeopleontheZambesi，wererejoicingintheprospectofsecuringcaptivestocarrythetusksforthem“Weshallnow。”saidthey，“getbothcornandclothesinplenty。”Theywereinasadstate，poorfellows；fortherainswehadencounteredhadmadetheirskin-clothingdropoffpiecemeal，andtheywerelookeduponwithdisgustbythewell-fedandwell-clothedZambesiansTheywere，however，veteransinmarauding，andtheheadmen，insteadofbeingdepressedbyfear，asthepeopleofMpendeintendedshouldbethecaseinusingtheircharms，hintedbroadlytomethatIoughttoallowthemtokeepMpende’swives。
Theroastingofmeatwentonfastandfurious，andsomeoftheyoungmensaidtome，“Youhaveseenuswithelephants，butyoudon’tknowyetwhatwecandowithmen。”Ibelievethat，hadMpendestruckthefirstblow，hewouldsoonhavefoundoutthathenevermadeagreatermistakeinhislife。
Hiswholetribewasassembledataboutthedistanceofhalfamile。
Asthecountryiscoveredwithtrees，wedidnotseethem；
buteverynowandthenafewcameaboutusasspies，andwouldanswernoquestionsIhandedalegoftheoxtotwoofthese，anddesiredthemtotakeittoMpendeAfterwaitingaconsiderabletimeinsuspense，twooldmenmadetheirappearance，andsaidtheyhadcometoinquirewhoIwasIreplied，“IamaLekoa“anEnglishmanTheysaid，“Wedon’tknowthattribeWesupposeyouareaMozunga，thetribewithwhichwehavebeenfighting。”AsIwasnotyetawarethatthetermMozungawasappliedtoaPortuguese，andthoughttheymeanthalf-castes，Ishowedthemmyhairandtheskinofmybosom，andaskediftheBazungahadhairandskinlikemineAsthePortuguesehavethecustomofcuttingthehairclose，andarealsosomewhatdarkerthanweare，theyanswered，“No；weneversawskinsowhiteasthat；“andadded，“Ah！youmustbeoneofthattribethatlovesliterally，`hasheartto’
theblackmen。”I，ofcourse，gladlyrespondedintheaffirmative。
Theyreturnedtothevillage，andweafterwardheardthattherehadbeenalongdiscussionbetweenMpendeandhiscouncilors，andthatoneofthemenwithwhomwehadremainedtotalkthedaybeforehadbeenouradvocate。
HewasnamedSindeseOaleaWhenwewerepassinghisvillage，aftersomeconversation，hesaidtohispeople，“Isthatthemanwhomtheywishtostopafterhehaspassedsomanytribes？
WhatcanMpendesaytorefusinghimapassage？”Itwasowingtothisman，andthefactthatIbelongedtothe“friendlywhitetribe“，thatMpendewaspersuadedtoallowustopassWhenweknewthefavorabledecisionofthecouncil，IsentSekwebutospeakaboutthepurchaseofacanoe，asoneofmymenhadbecomeveryill，andIwishedtorelievehiscompanionsbytakinghiminacanoe。
BeforeSekwebucouldfinishhisstory，Mpenderemarked，“ThatwhitemanistrulyoneofourfriendsSeehowheletsmeknowhisafflictions！”
Sekwebuadroitlytookadvantageofthisturnintheconversation，andsaid，“Ah！ifyouonlyknewhimaswellaswedowhohavelivedwithhim，youwouldunderstandthathehighlyvaluesyourfriendshipandthatofMburuma，and，asheisastranger，hetrustsinyoutodirecthim。”Hereplied，“Well，heoughttocrosstotheothersideoftheriver，forthisbankishillyandrough，andthewaytoTeteislongeronthisthanontheoppositebank。”
“Butwhowilltakeusacross，ifyoudonot？”“Truly！”repliedMpende；
“Ionlywishyouhadcomesoonertotellmeabouthim；butyoushallcross。”
Mpendesaidfrequentlyhewassorryhehadnotknownmesooner，butthathehadbeenpreventedbyhisenchanterfromcomingnearme；
andhelamentedthatthesamepersonhadkepthimfromeatingthemeatwhichIhadpresentedHedideverythinghecouldafterwardtoaidusonourcourse，andourdeparturewasasdifferentaspossiblefromourapproachtohisvillageIwasverymuchpleasedtofindtheEnglishnamespokenofwithsuchgreatrespectsofarfromthecoast，andmostthankfulthatnocollisionoccurredtodamageitsinfluence。
24THMpendesenttwoofhisprincipalmentoorderthepeopleofalargeislandbelowtoferryusacrossTheriverisverybroad，and，thoughmymenwerewellacquaintedwiththemanagementofcanoes，wecouldnotallcrossoverbeforedarkItis1200yardsfrombanktobank，andbetween700and800ofdeepwater，flowingattherateof3-3/4milesperhourWelandedfirstonanisland；then，topreventourfriendsplayingfalsewithus，hauledthecanoesuptoourbivouac，andsleptinthem。
NextmorningweallreachedtheoppositebankinsafetyWeobserved，aswecamealongtheZambesi，thatithadfallentwofeetbelowtheheightatwhichwefirstfoundit，andthewater，thoughstillmuddyenoughtodepositafilmatthebottomofvesselsinafewhours，isnotnearlysoredasitwas，noristheresomuchwreckonitssurface。
ItisthereforenotyettheperiodofthecentralZambesiinundation，aswewereawarealsofromourknowledgeoftheinterior。
ThepresentheightofthewaterhasbeencausedbyrainsoutsidetheeasternridgeThepeoplehereseemabundantlysuppliedwithEnglishcottongoodsTheBabisaarethemediumoftrade，forwewereinformedthattheBazunga，whoformerlyvisitedtheseparts，havebeenpreventedbythewarfromcomingforthelasttwoyears。
TheBabisaaresaidtobesofondofatuskthattheywillevensellanewly-marriedwifeforoneAswewerenownotfarfromthelatitudeofMozambique，Iwassomewhattemptedtostrikeawayfromtherivertothatport，insteadofgoingtotheS。E。，inthedirectiontheriverflows；but，thegreatobjectofmyjourneybeingtosecurewater-carriage，IresolvedtocontinuealongtheZambesi，thoughitdidleadmeamongtheenemiesofthePortuguese。
TheregiontothenorthoftherangesofhillsonourleftiscalledSenga，frombeingthecountryoftheBasenga，whoaresaidtobegreatworkersiniron，andtopossessabundanceoffineironore，which，whenbroken，showsveinsofthepuremetalinitssubstance。
Ithasbeenwellroastedintheoperationsofnature。
BeyondSengaliesarangeofmountainscalledMashinga，towhichthePortugueseinformertimeswenttowashforgold，andbeyondthataregreatnumbersoftribeswhichpassunderthegeneraltermMaraviTothenortheastthereareextensiveplainsdestituteoftrees，butcoveredwithgrass，andinsomeplacesitismarshy。
ThewholeofthecountrytothenorthoftheZambesiisassertedtobeverymuchmorefertilethanthattothesouth。
TheMaravi，forinstance，raisesweetpotatoesofimmensesize，butwhentheseareplantedonthesouthernbanktheysoondegenerate。
Therootofthisplant`Convolvulusbatata’doesnotkeepmorethantwoorthreedays，unlessitiscutintothinslicesanddriedinthesun，buttheMaravimanagetopreservethemformonthsbydiggingapitandburyingthemthereininclosedinwood-ashesUnfortunately，theMaravi，andallthetribesonthatsideofthecountry，areatenmitywiththePortuguese，and，astheypracticenightattacksintheirwarfare，itisdangeroustotravelamongthem。
29THIwasmostsincerelythankfultofindmyselfonthesouthbankoftheZambesi，and，havingnothingelse，Isentbackoneofmytwospoonsandashirtasathank-offeringtoMpende。