338 ASHANGO-LAND. Chap. XVL 



that several of tliem were missing. The absentees 

 all belonged to Niembouai West. We waited for 

 them, but in vain. Both they and their loads were 

 gone. 



Being determined to check this new evil at its 

 commencement, I ordered a halt near Mobana, and, 

 seizing Magonga, placed three of my Corami men 

 as guard over him, with orders to shoot him if he 

 attempted to escape ; and I told him that I should 

 not release him until the lost property was restored 

 by the Niembouai porters under his leadership. In 

 the meantime the old chief of Niembouai Olomba, 

 with his people, came to me, and said, " I have 

 nothing to do with this — here are all my people, 

 here are all their loads. Why did you not take my 

 people only ? We do not steal in my village." Soon 

 the Mobana people, who had heard that we were 

 near, and who are related by marriages to the people 

 of Niembouai Olomba, came out to us, and asked us 

 to come into their village, saying, " Why should the 

 Oguizi remain in the woods, while there is a vil- 

 lage near ? " I accordingly accepted their invitation, 

 and proceeded to Mobana. 



The news of the robbery soon spread to Niem- 

 bouai, and several of the elders, taking my part, set 

 upon the thieves, who had run back to the village, 

 hacked them with their swords, and sent back to me 

 the three boxes they had carried off. This was not, 

 however, till the following day ; meantime, it was a 

 little reign of terror at Mobana, for none of us slept, 

 having to keep watch all night with our loaded 

 muskets over Magouga and the porters, who re- 



