402 RETURN OF MARIANO. Chap. XX. 



ber, and the Shire was in flood in the beginning of January, 

 1862. At our wooding-place, a mile above the Euo, the 

 water was three feet higher than it was when we were here 

 in June ; and on the night of the 6th it rose eighteen inches 

 more, and swept down an immense amount of brushwood 

 and logs which swarmed with beetles, and the two kinds of 

 shells which are common all over the African continent. 

 Natives in canoes were busy spearing fish in the meadows 

 and creeks, and appeared to be taking them in great numbers. 

 Spur-winged geese, and others of the knob-nosed species, 

 took advantage of the low gardens being flooded, and came 

 to pilfer the beans. As we passed the Ruo, on the 7th, and 

 saw nothing of the Bishop, we concluded that he had heard 

 from his surgeon of our detention, and had deferred Ins 

 journey. He arrived there five days after, on the 12th. 



We heard at Mboma's village, that the notorious rebel- 

 robber and murderer, Mariano, had been allowed to return 

 from Mosambique, and was at his old trade again, of kidnap- 

 ping the Manganja, and selling them to the people of Quilli- 

 mane as slaves. He had already desolated a large portion 

 of the right bank, and the people of this village were living in 

 constant dread of a visit from his armed marauders. On 

 coming to the Zambesi, we found that the Portuguese had 

 lately made a station on an island opposite the mouth of 

 the Shire. Captain Alvez, — Mozinga, or Big Gun, as the 

 natives called him, — was the officer in command, and came on 

 board after we dropped anchor. The Governor had desired 

 him to assure us that the occupation of the island was only 

 temporary, and solely in consequence of Mariano's escape 

 and rebellion. 



It appears that this half-caste rebel, notwithstanding all 

 Ins notorious robberies and murders, and his actual rebellion 

 and war, had been tried at Mosambique, and had been let off 



