Chap. I. EIVEE DEITIES. 41 



The paddlers place meal on these rocks as an offering 

 to the turbulent deities, which they believe preside over 

 spots fatal to many a large canoe. We were slily told 

 that native Portuguese take off their hats to these river 

 gods, and pass in solemn silence ; when safely beyond the 

 promontories, they fire muskets, and, as we ought to 

 do, give the canoe-men grog. From the spoor of buffaloes 

 and elephants it appears that these animals frequent 

 Lupata in considerable numbers, and — we have often 

 observed the association — the tsetse fly is common. A 

 horse for the Governor of Tette was sent in a canoe from 

 Quillimane; and, lest it should be wrecked on the Chifura 

 and Kangomba rocks, it was put on shore and sent in the 

 daytime through the pass. It was of course bitten by the 

 tsetse, and died soon after ; it was thought that the air of 

 Tette had not agreed with it. The currents above Lupata are 

 stronger than those below ; the country becomes more pic- 

 turesque and hilly, and there is a larger population. Within 

 a few miles of Tette are numerous ruins of stone houses, 

 which were destroyed some years ago by hostile natives. On 

 our approaching the village, crowds of people, chiefly blacks, 

 appeared on the beach gazing in astonishment at the steamer, 

 and, by the motions of their arms, demonstrating to others 

 further off the manner in which the paddles revolved. 



