476 AJAWA AND MAKOLOLO FRIENDSHIP. Chap. XXIII. 



have been the abodes of violence and bloodshed. But that 

 great change was not to be accomplished. The narrow-minded 

 would ascribe all that was attempted to the grasping pro- 

 pensity of the English. But the motives that actuate many 

 in England, both in public and private life, are much more 

 noble than the world gives them credit for. 



Seeing, then, that we were not yet arrived at "the good 

 time coming," and that it was quite impossible to take the 

 Pioneer down to the sea till the floods of December, we 

 made arrangements to screw the Lady Nyassa together; 

 and, in order to improve the time intervening, we resolved 

 to carry a boat past the Cataracts a second time, sail along 

 the eastern shore of the Lake, and round the northern end, 

 and also collect data by which to verify the information 

 collected by Colonel Bigby, that the 19,000 slaves, who go 

 through the Custom-house of Zanzibar annually, are chiefly 

 drawn from Lake Nyassa and the Valley of the Shire. 



The people attached to the Mission by Bishop Mackenzie 

 now formed a little free community near Chibisa's, supporting 

 themselves by cultivating the soil. They imitated in this 

 respect the Makololo, who had formed very extensive 

 gardens, and were now able to sell grain and vegetables 

 to the Expedition. The friendly feelings of both these 

 people towards the English were unmistakeable. An 

 instance in proof of this may be cited. The Makololo 

 village was about a quarter of a mile distant from the 

 Mission-huts, one of which was accidentally set on fire by 

 the owner ; some loaded guns inside went off as the fire 

 reached the powder, and the Makololo, hearing the unwonted 

 sounds of guns in the evening, seized their arms and 

 rushed to the rescue of the English, supposing that they 

 were attacked by an enemy with firearms. 



Notwithstanding their refusal to return with medicine for 



