XV THE "BASUNGO CANYEMBA" 315 



feet have been pushed, and only just leave room for 

 the ankle, rendering it impossible to withdraw the 

 foot. In this manner live or six slaves are safely 

 fixed up in each log. By day they march with the 

 forked stick round their necks, with which Dr. 

 Livingstone and other travellers have made the British 

 public familiar. Here, perhaps, a few words con- 

 cerning the " Basungo Canyemba," as he is termed 

 by the Shakundas, may not be out of place. He is 

 a full-blooded black man, and came originally from 

 the Lower Zambesi, somewhere, I believe, in the 

 district of Tete. He speaks Portuguese, and his sons, 

 who have been educated at Tete, both read and write 

 that language. At present he lives on an island in 

 the Zambesi, just at the mouth of the river Kafukwe, 

 about twelve miles below Mendonc^a's island. Upon 

 state occasions he comes out in a sort of Portuguese 

 uniform, with a sword. He has a great deal of 

 power in these parts, having a very great number of 

 men all armed with flint-lock muskets, over whom 

 he seemed to exercise the most despotic power. 

 From what Mendon(^^a told me, he seems to be con- 

 stantly making raids upon any people in the neighbour- 

 hood of the Zambesi who have anything to be taken. 

 It was he who, with 600 guns, conducted the late 

 raid upon the Batongas, the effect of which I myself 

 had seen. Mendon^a also assisted with a body of his 

 dependants. Sometimes he sends in large parties of 

 his men — two or three hundred — all armed with flint- 

 lock muskets, to hunt elephants. When he makes 

 an attack upon a tribe, he goes, however, through 

 certain forms. He sends a letter down to the 

 Governor of Tete, complaining of the injury done to 

 Portuguese trade and Portuguese subjects by a certain 

 tribe, and asking for a permis de guerra^ or licence to 



