206 ROYAL REVENGE DEPART FROM ONDONGA. 



we could obtain the consent and assistance of Nangoro, we 

 were aware that all our efforts would be unavailing. Ac- 

 cordingly, we informed him of our plans, with a request that 

 he would provide us with guides. But he sulkily replied 

 that, as we did not choose to kill elephants for him, he could 

 not oblige us in this matter ! Under any circumstances such 

 ungenerous conduct would have been highly vexatious ; but, 

 in our situation, we could only submit, and hope it was all 

 for the best, and that which his majesty intended an act of 

 revenge might in the end be the means of saving ourselves. 



Thus frustrated in our plans, and having seen and ascer- 

 tained every thing we could in the country, we at once de- 

 termined to retrace our steps. However, after what had just 

 fallen from the lips of the chief, it was not without some mis- 

 givings that we waited to know his wishes and intentions 

 with regard to our departure. But there was no cause for 

 anxiety. Having squeezed every thing out of us that would 

 have been of any use to him, he was evidently but too well 

 pleased to see us leave his territory, which would relieve him 

 from the necessity of making us any presents. During our 

 stay in Ondonga, all that this royal miser gave us was a 

 small basket of flour ; though, on our finally leaving his do- 

 minion, he ordered one of his "bread-eaters," who accom- 

 panied us as guide to the frontier, to levy a tribute of corn 

 on his subjects for our behoof; but this largess, at the ex- 

 pense of others, came too late, as we had already laid in a 

 sufficient stock of the staff of life, which we had obtained 

 from the natives by barter. 



The 13th of June was fixed for our departure. We were 

 not, however, able to get away till two days later. On the 

 18th we were fairly out of sight of the fertile plains of On- 

 donga. Nangoro had originally promised to send our old 

 friend Chikor'onkombe back with us ; but the fellow abrupt- 

 ly and treacherously deserted us. This proved of great in- 

 convenience ; and it was only by exerting all our ingenuity 



