CHAPTER VIL 



THE PLAGUE IN ASHIRA-LAND. 



Breaking out of the Small-pox Epidemic — Noble Conduct of Quengueza— 

 Departure of Quengueza's People — Illness of the Porters — My Commi 

 Body-guard refuse to leave me — Departure of part of the baggage to 

 Otando-land — Quengueza returns to Goumbi — Letters from Europe — 

 Death of Mpoto — Death of King Olenda — His burial — Cemetery of the 

 Ademba Chiefs — Wailing for the dead — Death of Retonda — Arrival 

 of Messengers from Mayolo — Distrust of the Natives — Trickery of 

 Arangui — I am robbed by the Ashira People — Diminution of the 

 Pestilence — Quengueza's message to the people of Olenda. 



At length the calamity which I had so much dreaded 

 came upon us ; the plague broke out with great 

 violence in Olenda village, causing obstacles to the 

 progress of my expedition which had well nigh 

 proved fatal to it. The first victim was the head 

 wife of Olenda himself. The awful scourge spread 

 with a rapidity that frightened me. Several of the 

 mourners who had been to Elanga's funeral had 

 fallen ill of the disease. This was not to be won- 

 dered at, considering their style of mourning, the 

 relatives and neighbours all surrounding the corpse, 

 touching and even embracing it, whilst crying out, 

 " Do speak to us — do not leave us ! Oh, why do 

 you die?" I had urged Olenda not to allow these 

 mourning ceremonies to take place, telling him of the 

 results that would follow. None of the people of the 

 surrounding villages would come near us. In a few 



