392 ACROSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



October, If tliey were only half as particular about their dwellings as 

 ^^^^- their fields, it would be a good thing, for their villages are filthy 

 in the extreme, and would be even worse but for the presence 

 of large numbers of pigs, which act as scavengers. 



Our road led through very charming country with steep 

 hills, with scars and landslips exposing the red sandstone in 

 vivid contrast to the bright greens of the grass and foliage. 



Some of Alvez's porters here attempted to bolt with their 

 loads of ivory, and this gave rise to a lively chase, terminating 

 in their capture after a hard run. 



Alvez, having friends at several villages, accordingly stopped 

 to drink with them, much to the delay of our march ; but in 

 the afternoon we arrived near his settlement, and halted for 

 stragglers to close up, so that we might make our entry in due 

 form ; and powder was served out, that a salute might be fired 

 when we marched in. 



We then entered the village, and were immediately sur- 

 rounded by a horde of yelling women and children, Avho had 

 assembled fi'om far and near to welcome the return of the 

 porters. 



In front of Alvez's house half a dozen men were keeping 

 up a rapid fire in response to the guns of our party. Among 

 them were two of Alvez's assistants, one a civilized black man 

 named Manoel, who, like his master, was a native of Dondo; 

 the other a white man comn)only known as Chiko, who had es- 

 caped from a penal settlement on the coast. Manoel at once 

 came forward and conducted me to a very decent hut, which, 

 he informed me, was to be my quarters during my stay. 



On Alvez making his entry, he was mobbed by women, who 

 shrieked and yelled in honor of the event, and pelted him with 

 flour ; and we learned that his long absence had almost per- 

 suaded his people to believe him to be lost ; and could they 

 have mustered sufficient men and stores, they would have dis- 

 patched a party in search of him. 



Unlimited pombe was served out; and when comparative 

 quiet had been restored, those who carried ivory gave up their 

 loads, and others in charge of slaves delivered them over to the 

 care of the women. 



The porters were then paid from eight to twelve yards of 



