AJAWAHS. 51 



Makololos with me, I followed up the tracks, and 

 soon caught a glimpse of several natives walking 

 quietly along in front of us, all carr^dng their bows 

 and arrows, and some having guns as well. One of 

 them, who was about a hundred yards in rear of the 

 rest, we determined to stalk, fearing that if he saw us 

 he would run away and spread an alarm. This we 

 did, and the man knew nothing of our vicinity till we 

 pounced upon him from behind a shrub, and Chippoo- 

 toola, Malaurie, and myself held him tight. He at 

 first fancied we were going to kill him, and roared 

 so lustily that the party in front ran for their lives. 

 We told this man who we were, and explained our 

 intentions to him, but he would not believe us, till, 

 looking up, he recognised in Malaurie an old friend. 

 This was fortunate, for he now at once informed us 

 that he was one of an Ajawah tribe living at Pama- 

 funda, and he said he had known Malaurie when he 

 was with Livingstone on the Shir6 last. He then 

 summoned some of his companions, who had con- 

 cealed themselves in the jungle, and in less than ten 

 minutes I was surrounded by nearly a hundred of 

 them, who said they all knew the English, and were 

 glad they had come back again. Word was sent to 

 the chief, who was in the village about an hour's walk 

 ahead, by the head man of the party. 



We were now at the head of the Murchison Cataracts 

 (the " Stones," as they are called by the natives), and 

 close to Pamafunda, where our boat is to be again 

 put together. The Ajawahs accompanied us to their 

 village. Every now and then we met small parties 

 who had heard of our arrival, and had come to meet and 



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