SUSPICIONS OF THE NATIVES. 371 



we might yet be able to return with ease, and without 

 meeting sour, suspicious looks. 



Mburuma sent two men as guides to the Loangwa. These 

 men tried to bring us to a stand, at a distance of about six 

 miles from the village, by the notice, " Mburuma says you 

 are to sleep under that tree." On declining to do this, we 

 were told that we must wait at a certain village for a sup- 

 ply of corn. As none appeared in an hour, I proceeded on 

 the march. It is not quite certain that their intentions 

 were hostile; but this seemed to disarrange their plans, and 

 one of them was soon observed running back to Mburuma. 

 They had first of all tried to separate our party by volun- 

 teering the loan of a canoe to convey Sekwebu and me, 

 together with our luggage, by way of the river, and, as it 

 was pressed upon us, I thought that this was their design. 

 The next attempt was to detain us in the pass; but, be- 

 traying no suspicion, we civilly declined to place ourselves 

 in their power in an unfavorable position. We afterward 

 heard that a party of Babisa traders, who came from the 

 northeast, bringing English goods from Mozambique, had 

 been plundered by this same people. 



At the village of Ma Mburuma, (mother of Mburuma,) the 

 guides, who had again joined us, gave a favorable report, 

 and the women and children did not flee. Ma Mburuma 

 promised us canoes to cross the Loangwa in our front. It 

 was pleasant to see great numbers of men, women, and 

 boys come, without suspicion, to look at the books, watch, 

 looking-glass, revolver, &c. They are a strong, muscular 

 race, and both men and women are seen cultivating the 

 ground. 



We were obliged to hurry along, for the oxen were bitten 

 daily by the tsetse, which, as I have before remarked, now 

 inhabits extensive tracts which once supported herds of 

 cattle that were swept off by Mpakane and other marau- 

 ders, whose devastations were well known to Sekwebu, for 

 he himself had been an actor in the scenes. When he told 

 me of them he always lowered his voice, in order that the 



