Chap. VII. START FROM TETTE. 157 



their own vices those of the Tette slaves ; others, by toiling 

 during the first two years in navigating canoes, and hunting 

 elephants, had often managed to save a little, to take back to 

 their own country, but had to part with it all for food to support 

 the rest in times of hunger, and, latterly, had fallen into the 

 improvident habits of slaves, and spent their surplus earnings 

 in beer and agua ardiente. 



Everything being ready on the 15th of May, we started 

 at 2 p.m. from the village where the Makololo had dwelt, 

 A number of the men did not leave with the good- 

 will which their talk for months before had led us to 

 anticipate ; but some proceeded upon being told that 

 they were not compelled to go unless they liked, though 

 others altogether declined moving. Many had taken up 

 with slave-women, whom they assisted in hoeing, and in con- 

 suming the produce of their gardens. Some fourteen children 

 had been born to them ; and in consequence of now having no 

 Chief to order them, or to claim their services, they thought 

 that they were about as well off as they had been in their 

 own country. They knew and regretted that they could 

 call neither wives nor children their own ; the slave-owners 

 claimed the whole ; but their natural affections had been so- 

 enchained, that they clave to the domestic ties. By a law of 

 Portugal the baptized children of slave women are all free ; by 

 the custom of the Zambesi that law is void. When it is re- 

 ferred to, the officers laugh and say, " These Lisbon-born laws 

 are very stringent, but somehow, possibly from the heat of the 

 climate, here they lose all their force." Only one woman 

 joined our party — the wife of a Batoka man : she had been 

 given to him, in consideration of his skilful dancing, by 

 the chief, Clrisaka. A merchant sent three of his men along 

 with us, with a present for Sekeletu, and Major Sicard also lent 



