444 LONG DETENTION. Chap. XXII. 



saucily at these articles, for he had just received a barrel con- 

 taining 18 lbs. of powder, 24 yards of calico, and two bottles of 

 brandy, from Senhor Pascoal the Ponibeiro. Other presents were 

 added the next day, but we gave nothing more ; and the Pombeiros 

 informed me that it was necessary to give largely, because they 

 are accompanied by slaves and carriers who are no great friends 

 to their masters ; and if they did not secure the friendship of these 

 petty chiefs, many slaves and their loads might be stolen while 

 passing through the forests. It is thus a sort of black-mail that 

 these insignificant chiefs levy ; and the native traders, in paying, 

 do so simply as a bribe to keep them honest. This chief was a 

 man of no power ; but in our former ignorance of tins, he plagued 

 us a whole day in passing. 



Finding the progress of Senhor Pascoal and the other Pom- 

 beiros excessively slow, I resolved to forego his company to 

 Cabango, after I had delivered to him some letters to be sent 

 back to Cassange. I went forward with the intention of finishing 

 my writing, and leaving a packet for him at some village. We 

 ascended the eastern acclivity that bounds the Cassange valley, 

 which has rather a gradual ascent up from the Quango, and we 

 found that the last ascent, though apparently not quite so high 

 as that at Tala Mungongo, is actually much higher. The top is 

 about 5000 feet above the level of the sea, and the bottom 3500 

 feet ; water boiling on the heights at 202°, the thermometer in 

 the air showing 96° ; and at the bottom at 205°, the air being 

 75°. We had now gained the summit of the western subtending 

 ridge, and began to descend towards the centre of the country, 

 hoping soon to get out of the Chiboque territory, which, when we 

 ascended from the Cassange valley, we had entered, but on the 

 19th of April the intermittent, which had begun on the 16th of 

 March, was changed into an extremely severe attack of rheumatic 

 fever. Tins was brought on by being obliged to sleep on an ex- 

 tensive plain covered with water. The rain poured down inces- 

 santly, but we formed our beds by dragging up the earth into 

 oblong mounds, somewhat like graves in a country churchyard, 

 and then placing grass upon them. The rain continuing to deluge 

 us, we were unable to leave for two days, but as soon as it became 

 fair we continued our march. The heavy dew upon the high 

 grass was so cold, as to cause shivering, and I was forced to lie by 



