2 74 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



having great influence among the natives, put a stop 

 to the war more than once by his mere presence on 

 the spot. Had I attempted to reach this coast 

 instead of going to Loanda in 1853, I should pro- 

 bably have been cut off. as the war was still raging. 

 My present approach was just at the conclusion of 

 the peace ; and when the Portuguese authorities 

 here were informed that I was expected to come 

 this way they all declared that no European could 

 possibly pass through the tribes. Some natives at 

 last came down the river to Tete, and, in allusion 

 to the sextant and artificial horizon, said that ' the 

 Son of God had come, and that he was able to take 

 the sun down from the heavens and place it under 

 his arms ! ' Major Licard then felt sure that this 

 was the man whom he expected. 



" On mentioning to the commandant that I had 

 discovered a small seam of coal, he stated that the 

 Portuguese were already aware of nine such seams, 

 and that five of them were on the opposite bank of 

 the river. As soon as I had recovered from my 

 fatigue I went to examine them. We proceeded in 

 a boat to the mouth of the Lofiibu, about two miles 

 below Tete, and on the opposite bank. Ascending 

 this about four miles against a strong current of 

 beautifully clear water, we landed near a small 

 cataract, and walked about two miles through very 

 fertile gardens to the seam, which we found to be 

 in the perpendicular bank of one of the feeders of 



