COURSE DOWN THE RIVER. 309 



the statement, but aui ratlier inclined to think that 

 they were beating a retreat from those parts. They 

 stayed some time at my fire, and informed me that 

 they had been fighting with Metakenny, who had 

 come down on them and carried off nmnbers of their 

 women and all their grub. They were in a sad plight, 

 with the Makololo on one side and Metakenny on the 

 other. But the Manganja are such noted liars, as well 

 as rank cowards, that there is no believing anything 

 they say. Bidding us good night, and telling us that 

 we were sure to be attacked by Metakenny before 

 morning, they went off. 



A look-out was kept during the remainder of the 

 night, but we were not disturbed. I left at daylight, 

 and continued my course down the river. When 

 we asked the natives along its bank concerning 

 sport, we were informed that all the elephants 

 had disappeared, as Mr. Young had been firing at 

 them on his way down. We also heard that John- 

 ghiti, one of the Shupanga men, had been nearly 

 killed by an elephant which he had tried to shoot for 

 Mr. Young, a statement which subsequently turned 

 out to be true. The heat all day was intense. As we 

 passed down the river we saw quantities of waterbuck, 

 but failed in two attempts to get near them, owing to 

 the open nature of the plains, all the grass being 

 burned. 



At 3 P.M. we reached the Ruo, which is in Meta- 

 kenny's district. His men, a mob of whom we met, 

 informed us that Mankokwe's story was a lie. They 

 said that a party of them were sent by their chief to 

 buy corn from Mankokwe, and directly they appeared 



