Chap. XVI. WOMEN TO BE SOLD. 335 



few of the things in Dr. Kirk's canoe were left ; but all that 

 was valuable, including a chronometer, a barometer, and, to 

 our great sorrow, his notes of the journey and botanical 

 drawings of the fruit-trees of the interior, perished. 



We now left the river, and proceeded on foot, sorry that 

 we had not done so the day before. The men were 

 thoroughly frightened, they had never seen such perilous 

 navigation. They would carry all the loads, rather than 

 risk Kebrabasa any longer ; but the fatigue of a day's march 

 over the hot rocks and burning sand changed their tune 

 before night ; and then they regretted having left the canoes ; 

 they thought they should have dragged them past the 

 dangerous places, and then launched them again. One of 

 the two donkeys died from exhaustion near the Luia. 

 Though the men eat zebras and quaggas, blood relations 

 of the donkey, they were shocked at the idea of eating the 

 ass ; " it would be like eating man himself, because the donkey 

 lives with man, and is his bosom companion." We met two 

 large trading parties of Tette slaves on their way to Zumbo, 

 leading, to be sold for ivory, a number of Manganja women, 

 with ropes round their necks, and all made fast to one long 

 rope. 



Panzo, the headman of the village east of Kebrabasa, 

 received us with great kindness. After the usual salutation 

 he went up the hill, and, in a loud voice, called across the 

 valley to the women of several hamlets' to cook supper for 

 us. About eight in the evening he returned, followed by a 

 procession of women, bringing the food. There were eight 

 dishes of nsima, or porridge, six of different sorts of very 

 good wild vegetables, with dishes of beans and fowls; all 

 deliciously well cooked, and scrupulously clean. The wooden 

 dishes were nearly as white as the meal itself : food also was 

 brought for our men. Ripe mangoes, which usually indicate 



