Chap. XXII. A BLOW ON THE BEARD. 445 



for eight days, tossing and groaning with violent pain in the head. 

 This was the most severe attack I had endured. It made me quite 

 unfit to move, or even know what was passing outside my little 

 tent. Senhor Pascoal, who had been detained by the severe rain 

 at a better spot, at last came up, and, knowing that leeches abounded 

 in the rivulets, procured a number, and applied some dozens to 

 the nape of the neck and the loins. This partially relieved the 

 pain. He was then obliged to move forward, in order to purchase 

 food for his large party. After many days I began to recover, 

 and wished to move on, but my men objected to the attempt on 

 accoimt of my weakness. When Senhor Pascoal had been some 

 time at the village in front, as he had received instructions from 

 Ins employer Captain Neves to aid me as much as possible, and 

 being himself a kindly-disposed person, he sent back two mes- 

 sengers to invite me to come on, if practicable. 



It happened that the head-man of the village where I had lain 

 twenty-two days, while bargaining and quarrelling in my camp 

 for a piece of meat, had been struck on the mouth by one of my 

 men. My principal men paid five pieces of cloth and a gun as 

 an atonement; but the more they yielded, the more exorbitant 

 he became, and he sent word to all the surrounding villages to 

 aid him in avenging the affront of a blow on the beard. As then* 

 courage usually rises with success, I resolved to yield no more, and 

 departed. In passing tlirough a forest in the country beyond, we 

 were startled by a body of men rushing after us. They began by 

 knocking down the burdens of the hindermost of my men, and 

 several shots were fired, each party spreading out on both sides 

 of the path. I fortunately had a six-barrelled revolver, winch my 

 friend Captain Henry Need, of her Majesty's brig " Linnet," had 

 considerately sent to Golungo Alto after my departure from Lo- 

 anda. Taking this in my hand, and forgetting fever, I staggered 

 quickly along the path with two or three of my men, and fortu- 

 nately encountered the chief. The sight of the six barrels gaping 

 into Iris stomach, with my own ghastly visage looking daggers at 

 his face, seemed to produce an instant revolution in his martial 

 feelings, for he cried out, " Oh ! I have only come to speak to 

 you, and wish peace only." Mashauana had hold of him by the 

 hand, and found him shaking. We examined his gun, and found 

 that it had been discharged. Both parties crowded up to their 



