590 DANCING FOR COEN. Chap. XXIX. 



the river, studded with villages and gardens. The holms are but 

 partially cultivated, and on the other parts grows rank and reedy 

 grass. There is then a second terrace, on which trees and bushes 

 abound ; and I thought I could detect a third and higher steppe. 

 But I never could discover terraces on the adjacent country, such 

 as in other countries show ancient sea-beaches. The path runs 

 sometimes on the one and sometimes on the other of these river 

 terraces. Canoes are essentially necessary ; but I find that they 

 here cost too much for my means, and higher up, where my hoes 

 might have secured one, I was unwilling to enter into a canoe and 

 part with my men, while there was danger of then being attacked. 

 18th. — Yesterday we rested under a broad-spreading fig-tree. 

 Large numbers of buffaloes and water-antelopes were feeding 

 quietly hi the meadows ; the people have either no guns or no 

 ammunition, or they would not be so tame. Pangola visited us, 

 and presented us with food. In few other countries would 114 

 sturdy vagabonds be supported by the generosity of the head- 

 men and villagers, and whatever they gave be presented with 

 politeness. My men got pretty well supplied individually, for 

 they went into the villages and commenced dancing. The young 

 women were especially pleased with the new steps they had to 

 show, though I suspect many of them were invented for the 

 occasion, and would say, " Dance for me, and I will grind corn 

 for you." At every fresh instance of liberality, Sekwebu said, 

 " Did not I tell you that these people had hearts, while we were 

 still at Linyanti ? " All agreed that the character he had given 

 was true, and some remarked, " Look ! although we have been so 

 long away from home, not one of us has become lean." It was a 

 fact that we had been all well supplied either with meat by my 

 gun or then own spears, or food from the great generosity of the 

 inhabitants. Pangola promised to ferry us across the Zambesi, 

 but failed to fulfil his promise. He seemed to wish to avoid 

 offending his neighbour Mpende by aiding us to escape from his 

 hands, so we proceeded along the bank. Although we were in 

 doubt as to our reception by Mpende, I could not help admiring 

 the beautiful country as we passed along. There is, indeed, only 

 a small part under cultivation in this fertile valley, but my mmd 

 naturally turned to the comparison of it with Kolobeng, where 

 we waited anxiously during months for rain, and only a mere 



