Chap. XXVII. THE CAPTIVE RELEASED. 553 



is said to yield good fruit is named Sombo, but it was not ripe at 

 this season. 



December 6th. — We passed the night near a series of villages. 

 Before we came to a stand under our tree, a man came running 

 to us with hands and arms firmly bound with cords behind his 

 back, entreating me to release him. When I had dismounted, 

 the head-man of the village advanced, and I inquired the pri- 

 soner's offence. He stated that he had come from the Bashu- 

 kulompo as a fugitive, and he had given him a wife and garden, 

 and a supply of seed ; but on refusing a demand for more, the 

 prisoner had threatened to kill him, and had been seen the 

 night before, skulking about the village, apparently with that 

 intention. I declined interceding, unless he would confess to 

 his father-in-law, and promise amendment. He at first refused 

 to promise to abstain from violence, but afterwards agreed. The 

 father-in-law then said that he would take him to the village 

 and release him, but the prisoner cried out bitterly, " He will 

 kill me there ; don't leave me, white man." I ordered a knife, 

 and one of the villagers released him on the spot. His arms 

 were cut by the cords, and he was quite lame from the blows 

 he had received. 



These villagers supplied us abundantly with ground-nuts, 

 maize, and corn. All expressed great satisfaction on hearing my 

 message, as I directed their attention to Jesus as then- Saviour, 

 whose word is " Peace on earth and good will to men." They 

 called out, " We are tired of flight ; give us rest and sleep." They 

 of course did not understand the full import of the message, but 

 it was no wonder that they eagerly seized the idea of peace. 

 Their country has been visited by successive scourges during the 

 last half-century, and they are now " a nation scattered and 

 peeled." When Sebituane came, the cattle were innumerable, and 

 yet these were the remnants only, left by a chief called Pingola, 

 who came from the north-east. He swept across the whole 

 territory inhabited by his cattle-loving countrymen, devouring 

 oxen, cows, and calves, without retaining a single head. He seems 

 to have been actuated by a simple love of conquest, and is an 

 instance of what has occurred two or three times in every century 

 in this country, from time immemorial. A man of more energy 

 or ambition than his fellows, rises up and conquers a large territory, 



