318 SINAMANE'S CANOES. Chap. XVI. 



melons, tobacco, and hemp. There is a pretty numerous 

 Batoka population on both sides of the river. As we sailed 

 slowly down, the people saluted us from the banks, by 

 clapping their hands. A headman even hailed us, and 

 brought a generous present of corn and pumpkins. 



Moemba owns a rich island, called Mosanga, a mile in 

 length, on which his village stands. He has the reputation of 

 being a brave warrior, and is certainly a great talker ; but he 

 gave us strangers something better than a stream of words. 

 We received a handsome present of corn, and the fattest goat 

 we had ever seen; it resembled mutton. His people were 

 as liberal as their Chief. They brought two large baskets of 

 corn, and a lot of tobacco, as a sort of general contribution to 

 the travellers. One of Sinamane's canoe-men, after trying 

 to get his pay, deserted here, and went back before the stipu- 

 lated time, with the story, that the Englishmen had stolen 

 the canoes. Shortly after sunrise next morning, Sinamane 

 came into the village with fifty of his " long spears," evi- 

 dently determined to retake his property by force ; he saw 

 at a glance that his man had deceived him. Moemba rallied 

 him for coming on a wildgoose chase. " Here are your 

 canoes left with me, your men have all been paid, and the 

 Englishmen are now asking me to sell my canoes." Sina- 

 mane said little to us ; only observing that he had been 

 deceived by his follower. A single remark of his Chief's 

 caused the foolish fellow to leave suddenly, evidently much 

 frightened and crestfallen. Sinamane had been very kind to 

 us, and, as he was looking on when we gave our present 

 to Moemba, we made him also an additional offering of 

 some beads, and parted good friends. Moemba, having 

 heard that we had called the people of Sinamane together 

 to tell them about our Saviour's mission to man, and to pray 

 with them, associated the idea of Sunday with the meeting, 



