Chap. XXVI. REASONS FOR RETURNING. 539 



CHAPTEE XXVI. 



Reasons for returning — Despatch from H. M.'s Government — A thief — 

 African women rarely address strangers — Employments of women — Grind- 

 ing corn — Brewing beer — Drinking-bouts. 



The effect of the piercing winds upon the men had never 

 been got rid of. Several had been unable to carry a load 

 ever since we ascended to the highlands ; we had lost one, 

 and another poor lad was so ill as to cause us great anxiety. 

 By waiting in this village, which was so old that it was full 

 of vermin, all became worse. Our European food was entirely 

 expended, and native meal, though finely ground, has so 

 many sharp angular particles in it, that it brought back 

 dysentery, from which we had suffered so much in May. We 

 could scarcely obtain food for the men. The headman of 

 this village of Chinanga was off in a foray against some 

 people further north to supply slaves to the traders expected 

 along the slave route we had just left; and was said, after 

 having expelled the inhabitants, to be living in their 

 stockade, and devouring their corn. The conquered tribe 

 had purchased what was called a peace by presenting the 

 conqueror with three women. 



This state of matters afforded us but a poor prospect of 

 finding more provisions in that direction than we could 

 with great difficulty and at enormous prices obtain here. 

 But neither want of food, dysentery, nor slave wars would 

 have prevented our working our way round the Lake in some 

 other direction, had we had time ; but we had received orders 

 from the Foreign Office to take the Pioneer down to the sea 

 in the previous April. The salaries of all the men in her 



