246 DllEAD OF LIONS. 



of an unsuccessful day, as I entered the suburbs of 

 Patanda, and found the inhabitants still feasting — while 

 many were suffering from having over-indulged in 

 pombe. Cotondway came as usual to see me directly 

 my arrival was reported, and was much disappointed 

 that I had not killed him some more meat. He said 

 it was his fault, not mine, as he should have " made 

 his prayers " before letting me go ! He asked me to 

 remain several days and shoot meat for himself and 

 his people !• — nor did he seem to see quite distinctly 

 what right I had to refuse him ; but time would not 

 permit of my remaining longer, and Cotondway, after 

 trying all in his power to induce me to remain, at last 

 promised me two guides for the following day to a 

 great Manganja chief, called Marimba, on the Lesungue 

 river — -informing me, that unless Marimba knew that 

 I was a friend of his, he would not let me or my peo- 

 ple into his village, and they might kill us all. This, 

 I fancy, was said to impress Cotondway's importance as 

 a great chief, on my mind. 



After dinner a deputation of the chiefs wives waited 

 on me to request I would go into the village and play 

 the "great music" once more before leaving. Of 

 course I could not refuse the fair sex ! 



Next morning, when starting, Cotondway tried all 

 he could to persuade me to give him the cornopean, 

 and I had much difficulty in making him believe that 

 I was really going to keep it myself. Though I saw 

 no spoor whatever of lions during my rambles here, 

 this tribe live in mortal dread of those animals — bar- 

 ricading the doors of their huts every night before 

 going to sleep, and they could not understand my 



