30 THE FERNAND VAZ. Chap. II. 



trusted by one of the traders there with about eight 

 hundred pounds worth of goods. When the palaver 

 began, I took care that my own case and that of the 

 Mpongwe should be treated of separately. The result 

 was most satisfactory. I was allowed the right of 

 the river, whilst the Mpongwe was refused. Long 

 speeches were made, and tlie king finally issued his 

 decree that whatever village allowed the Mpongwe 

 trader to pass up the river should be burnt and the 

 plantations destroyed. The speakers argued that I 

 did not go into the interior to trade, but to shoot 

 animals and bring away the skins and bones. 

 " Truly," they said, " we do not know what our 

 Chaillie has in his stomach to want such things, but 

 we must let him go." Orders were given to the 

 Makaga to see that the law was executed ; and the 

 king concluded by assuring me that not only would 

 no resistance be offered to my progress, but that, when 

 I was ready to depart, he would send some of his own 

 slaves to accompany me. He told me, when we were 

 alone afterwards, that I was his " big white man." 

 " What you say," he continued, " we do, for we know 

 it is for our good." He wished me to go and esta- 

 blish a factory at his village near Cape St. Catherine, 

 saying that he had made a law that whoever robbed 

 a white man should have his ears cut off, and that 

 his people, who were formerly great thieves, did not 

 now steal any longer. On the 25th he departed, 

 after having made me promise to visit him at his 

 village. 



On the 27th of November I paid a visit to the 

 ruins of my old establishment, " Washington," and 



