RATE OF TRAVEL. 293 



the woods ring wi'Ji telling each other how u brilliant their 

 conduct before the enemy" would have been, had hosti- 

 lities not been brought to a sudden close. 



I do not mention this little skirmish as a very frightful 

 affair. The negro character in these parts, and in Angola, 

 is essentially cowardly, except when influenced by success. 

 A partial triumph over any body of men would induce the 

 whole country to rise in arms ; and this is the chief danger 

 to be feared. These petty chiefs have individually but 

 little power, and with my men, now armed with guns, I 

 could have easily beaten them off singly; but, being of 

 the same family, they would readily unite in vast numbers 

 if incited by prospects of successful plunder. They are by 

 no means equal to the Cape Caffres in any respect what- 

 ever. 



In the evening we came to Moena Kikanje, and found 

 him a sensible man. He is the last of the Chiboque chiefs 

 in this direction, and is in alliance with Matiamvo, whose 

 territory commences a short distance beyond. His village 

 is olaced on the east bank of the Quilo, which is here 

 twenty yards wide and breast deep. 



The country was generally covered with forest, and we 

 slept every night at some village. I was so weak, and had 

 become so deaf from the effects of the fever, that I was 

 glad to avail myself of the company of Senhor Pascoal and 

 the other native traders. Our rate of travelling was only 

 two geographical miles per hour, and the average number of 

 hours three and a half per day, or seven miles. Two-thirds 

 of the month was spent in stoppages, there being only ten 

 travelling-days in each month. The stoppages were caused 

 by sickness, and the necessity of remaining in different 

 parts to purchase food ; and also because when one carrier 

 was sick the rest refused to carry his load. 



We crossed the Loange, a deep but narrow stream, by a 

 bridge. It becomes much larger, and contains hippopo- 

 tami, lower down. It is the boundary of Londa on the west. 

 We slept also on the banks of the Pezo, now flooded, and 



25* 



