552 WE ARE TAKEN FOR A WAR PARTY. Chap. XXVII. 



Johanna man, Zackariah, who always lagged behind, running 

 up, screaming as if for his life. The bundles were all put in 

 one place to be defended ; and Masiko and Dr. Livingstone 

 walked a few paces back to meet the coming foe. Masiko 

 knelt down anxious to fire, but was ordered not to do so. 

 For a second or two dusky forms appeared among the trees, 

 and the Mazitu were asked, in their own tongue, " What do 

 you want?" Masiko adding, " What do you say ? " No answer 

 was given, but the dark shade in the forest vanished. They 

 had evidently taken us for natives, and the sight of a white 

 man was sufficient to put them to flight. Had we been 

 nearer the Coast, where the people are accustomed to the 

 slave-trade, we should have found this affair a more diffi- 

 cult one to deal with ; but, as a rule, the people of the 

 interior are much more mild in character than those on 

 the confines of civilization. 



The above very small adventure was all the danger we 

 were aware of in this journey ; but a report was spread from 

 the Portuguese villages on the Zambesi, similar to several 

 rumours that had been raised before, that Dr. Livingstone had 

 been murdered by the Makololo ; and very unfortunately the 

 report reached England before it could be contradicted. 



One benefit arose from the Mazitu adventure. Zachariah, 

 and others who had too often to be reproved for lagging be- 

 hind, now took their places in the front rank ; and we had no 

 difficulty in making very long marches for several days, for 

 all believed that the Mazitu would follow our footsteps, and 

 attack us while we slept. 



Before commencing the actual descent to the valley of the 

 lake, we passed through a very hilly district, cut up with 

 many gullies, and covered with trees. Several times, as we 

 entered a deep valley, or climbed a steep hill, our ears were 

 saluted by the cry of " Nkondo ! Nkondo ! " (War ! War !) 



