DEPARTURE FROM CASSANGE. 239 



ing to the Makololo, and they began to abuse the traders 

 by whom they had, while in their own country, been visited, 

 and, as they now declared, "cheated." They had no idea 

 of the value of time and carriage, and it was somewhat 

 difficult for me to convince them that the reason of the dif- 

 ference of prices lay entirely in what they themselves had 

 done in coming here, and that, if the Portuguese should 

 carry goods to their country, they would by no means be 

 so liberal in their prices. They imagined that, if the Cas- 

 sange traders came to Linyanti, they would continue to 

 vend their goods at Cassange prices. I believe I gave them 

 at last a clear idea of the manner in which prices were regu- 

 lated by the expenses incurred; and when we went to 

 Loanda, and saw goods delivered at a still cheaper rate, 

 they concluded that it would be better for them to come to 

 that city than to turn homeward at Cassange. 



Mr. Eego, the commandant, very handsomely offered me 

 a soldier as a guard to Ambaca. My men told me that 

 they had been thinking it would be better to turn back 

 here, as they had been informed by the people of color at 

 Cassange that I was leading them down to the sea-coast 

 only to sell them, and they would be taken on board ship, 

 fattened, and eaten, as the white men were cannibals. I 

 asked if they had ever heard of an Englishman buying or 

 selling peoplo ; if I had not refused to take a slave when 

 she was offered to me by Shinte ; but, as I had always be- 

 naved as an English teacher, if they now doubted my inten- 

 tions, they had better not go to the coast ; I, however, who 

 expected to meet some of my countrymen there, was deter- 

 mined to go on. They replied that they only thought it 

 right to tell me what had been told to them, but they did 

 not intend to leave me, and would follow wherever I 

 should lead the way. This affair being disposed of for the 

 time, the commandant gave them an ox, and me a friendly 

 dinner before parting. All the merchants of Cassange 

 accompanied us, in their hammocks carried by slaves, to 

 the edge of the plateau on which their village stands, and 



