506 UNPLEASANT PARTING. 



command of the Kasai in our front, and would prevent us from 

 passing it unless we paid this tribute. I replied that the goods 

 were my property and not his ; that I would never have it said 

 that a white man had paid tribute to a black, and that I should 

 cross the Kasai in spite of him. He ordered his people to arm 

 themselves, and when some of my men saw them rushing for their 

 bows, arrows, and spears, they became somewhat panic-stricken. 

 I ordered them to move away, and not to fire unless Kawawa's 

 people struck the first blow. I took the lead, and expected them 

 all to follow, as they usually had done, but many of my men re- 

 mained behind. When I knew this, I jumped off the ox, and made 

 a rush to them with the revolver in my hand. Kawawa ran away 

 among his people, and they turned their backs too. I shouted to 

 my men to take up their luggage and march ; some did so with 

 alacrity, feeling that they had disobeyed orders by remaining ; but 

 one of them refused, and was preparing to fire at Kawawa, until I 

 gave him a punch on the head with the pistol, and made him go 

 too. I felt here, as elsewhere, that subordination must be main- 

 tained at all risks. We all moved into the forest, the people of 

 Kawawa standing about a hundred yards off, gazing, but not firing 

 a shot or an arrow. It is extremely unpleasant to part with these 

 chieftains thus, after spending a day or two in the most amicable 

 intercourse, and in a part where the people are generally civil. 

 This Kawawa, however, is not a good specimen of the Balonda 

 chiefs, and is rather notorious in the neighborhood for his folly. 

 We were told that he has good reason to believe that Matiamvo 

 will some day cut off his head for his disregard of the rights of 

 strangers. 



Kawawa was not to be balked of his supposed rights by the 

 unceremonious way in which we had left him ; for, when we had 

 reached the ford of the Kasai, about ten miles distant, we found 

 that he had sent four of his men, with orders to the ferrymen to 

 refuse us passage. We were here duly informed that we must 

 deliver up all the articles mentioned, and one of our men besides. 

 This demand for one of our number always nettled every heart. 

 The canoes were taken away before our eyes, and we were sup- 

 posed to be quite helpless without them, at a river a good hundred 

 yards broad, and very deep. Pitsane stood on the bank, gazing 

 with apparent indifference on the stream, and made an accurate 



