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。