158 LUKEWABMNESS AND DESERTIONS. Chap. VII. 



us three more to assist us on our return, and two Portuguese 

 gentlemen kindly gave us the loan of a couple of donkeys. 

 We slept four miles above Tette, and hearing that the 

 Ban3 r ai, who levy heavy fines on the Portuguese traders, lived 

 chiefly on the right bank, we crossed over to the left, as we 

 could not fully trust our men. If the Banyai had come 

 in a threatening manner, our followers might perhaps, from 

 having homes behind them, have even put down their bundles 

 and run. Indeed two of them, at this point, made up their 

 minds to go no further, and turned back to Tette. Another, 

 Monga, a Batoka, was much perplexed, and could not make 

 out what course to pursue, as he had, three years previously, 

 wounded Kanyata, the headman, with a spear. This is a capital 

 offence among the Makololo, and he was afraid of being put 

 to death for it on his return. He tried, in vain, to console 

 himself with the facts that he had neither father, mother, 

 sisters, nor brothers, to mourn for him, and that he could die 

 but once. He was good, and would go up to the stars to Yesu, 

 and, therefore, did not care for death. In spite, however, of 

 these reflections, he was much cast down, until Kanyata assured 

 him that he would never mention his misdeed to the Chief; 

 indeed, he had never even mentioned it to the Doctor, which 

 he would assuredly have done, had it lain heavy on his heart. 

 We were right glad of Monga's company, for he was a merry 

 good-tempered fellow, and his lithe manly figure had always 

 been in the front in danger; and, from being left-handed, 

 had been easily recognised in the fight with elephants. 



We commenced, for a certain number of days, with short 

 marches, walking gently until broken in to travel. This is of so 

 much importance that it occurs to us that more might be made 

 out of soldiers if the first few days' marches were easy, and 

 gradually increased in length and quickness. The nights were 



