MUCHOLA. 89 



and the anchor being let go, we showed ourselves un- 

 armed. It was some time before they were even 

 partly satisfied that we were speaking truth, and we 

 began to think that we should get nothing from them, 

 when three men put off in a canoe, and having paddled 

 round and round us more than once, kept at a 

 respectful distance. We saw they had brought a fowl 

 and some Indian corn with them ; but they were 

 evidently afraid to come nearer to us. However, we 

 succeeded in persuading them that we were not foes, 

 and at last the canoe came alongside, and we gave 

 them a rope to make it fast. The three men were 

 trembling from head to foot with fright, but on re- 

 ceiving a small quantity of cloth for their goods, and 

 inspecting us closely, they sung out to their companions 

 that " they need not run away ;" and on being assured 

 that there was going to be no "N'konda," the women 

 might be seen returning from the bush. We then 

 asked them to bring some more fowls and corn, and 

 told them that we were going to halt for the night a 

 very little further on. 



This seemed a nice clean village, and the surround- 

 ing land was extensively cultivated with Indian corn, 

 mapira, and tomatas. As we sailed up the river we per- 

 ceived that numbers of both sexes had returned, and 

 stood on the bank looking at us, and we were glad to 

 feel that we had parted good friends. 



About a mile higher up we found another small 

 Manganja village, and as the people were not the least 

 frightened at our approach, and seemed inclined to be 

 friendly, we decided on spending the night there. 

 The name of this village was Muchola. As soon as we 



