Chap. X. CHURCH IN EUINS. 203 



CHAPTER X. 



Beautiful situation of Zumbo — Church in ruins — Why have the Catholic 

 Missions failed to perpetuate the Faith ? — Ma-rnburuma — Anti-slavery 

 principles, a recommendation — Jujubes — Tsetse — Dr. Kirk dangerously 

 ill in the mountain forest — Our men's feats of hunting — Hyenas — 

 Honey-guides — Instinct of, how to be accounted for, self-interest or friend- 

 ship ? — A serpent — Mpangwe's village deserted — Large game abundant 



— Difference of flavour in — Sights seen in marching — " Smokes " from 

 grass-burnings — Eiver Chongwe — Bazizulu and their superior cotton — 

 Escape from rhinoceros — The wild dog — Families flitting — Tombanyama 



— Confluence of the Kafue. 



We remained a day by the ruins of Zumbo. The early 

 traders, guided probably by Jesuit missionaries, must have 

 been men of taste and sagacity. They selected for their 

 village the most charmingly picturesque site in the country, 

 and had reason to hope that it would soon be enriched by the 

 lucrative trade of the rivers Zambesi and Loangwa pouring 

 into it from north and west, and by the gold and ivory of the 

 Manica country on the south. The Portuguese of the present 

 day have certainly reason to be proud of the enterprise of their 

 ancestors. If ever in the Elysian fields the conversation of 

 these ancient and honourable men, who dared so much for 

 Christianity, turns on their African descendants, it will be 

 difficult for them to reciprocate the feeling. The chapel, near 

 which lies a broken church bell, commands a glorious view 

 of the two noble rivers, — the green fields — the undulating- 

 forest — the pleasant hills, and the magnificent mountains in 

 the distance. It is an utter ruin now, and desolation broods 

 around. The wild bird, disturbed by the unwonted sound 



