140 PAUL MARIANO. Chap. VI. 



the opposite side, he shortly after left with the Governor, the 

 Zulus being unpaid. The chief object in paying the Zulu tax 

 is to obtain permission to cut the gigantic Gunda trees, some 

 twenty miles inland, for the construction of the large "coches" 

 or canoes that are used on the Zambesi. He had, by felling 

 the timber, secured canoes enough from the estate to last 

 ten years, and trusted that, long ere that time had expired, 

 his sort of moonlight flitting would be forgotten. He com- 

 plained bitterly, notwithstanding, of the want of respect shown 

 by these natives to the Governor and himself. 



Whilst we were at Shupanga, Paul Mariano was carried 

 past, on his way to Senna, a prisoner in a canoe. He had 

 been accused of murdering a few poor black fellows, one of 

 whom was a carpenter, belonging to the well-known Senhor 

 Azevedo. An officer and some soldiers made a descent on 

 Mariano by night, and took him prisoner. His sister came 

 to the Governor and asked him outright, before a number of 

 gentlemen, how much money he required to let her brother 

 go free. His Excellency, of course, was very much shocked 

 at her audacity, and indignantly reprimanded her ; but, 

 singularly enough, within a few days Paul made his escape, 

 and returned to his island, where he has ever since remained 

 undisturbed. Before we knew where he had gone, a gen- 

 tleman, well acquainted with the ways of the country, was 

 asked whither he imagined Paul had fled. " Bah ! (qual !) " 

 said he, " to his own house to be sure ; " and thither he had 

 gone. 



We had now frequent rains, and the river rose considerably ; 

 our progress up the stream was distressingly slow, and it was 

 not until the 2nd of February, 1860, that we reached Tette. 

 Mr. Thornton returned on the same day from a geological tour, 

 by which some Portuguese expected that a fabulous silver- 



