1806.] CHIEIKALOMA APPEALS TO THE DOCTOR. 01 



In the route along the Kovuina, we pass among people 

 who are so well supplied with white calico by the slave- 

 trade from Kilwa, that it is quite a drug in the market : we 

 cannot get food for it. If we held on westwards we should 

 cross several rivers flowing into the Eovuma from the south- 

 ward, as the Zandulo, the Sanjenze, the Lochiringo, and then, 

 in going round the north end of Nyassa, we should pass 

 among the Nmdi, who now inhabit the parts vacated by 

 the Mazitu, and imitate them in having shields and in 

 marauding. An Arab party went into their country, and got 

 out again only by paying a whole bale of calico ; it would not 

 be wise in me to venture there at present, but if we return 

 this way we may ; meanwhile we shall push on to Mataka, 

 who is only a few days off from the middle of the Lake, and 

 has abundance of provisions. 



26th June. — My last mule died. In coming along in 

 the morning we were loudly accosted by a well-dressed 

 woman who had just had a very heavy slave-taming stick 

 put on her neck ; she called in such an authoritative tone to 

 us to witness the flagrant injustice of which she was the 

 victim that all the men stood still and went to hear the case. 

 She was a near relative of Chirikaloma, and was going up 

 the river to her husband, when the old man (at whose house 

 she was now a prisoner) caught her, took her servant away 

 from her, and kept her in the degraded state we saw. The 

 withes with which she was bound were green and sappy. 

 The old man said in justification that she was running away 

 from Chirikaloma, and he would be offended with him if he 

 did not secure her. 



I asked the officious old gentleman in a friendly tone 

 what he expected to receive from Chirikaloma, and he said, 

 " Nothing." Several slaver - looking fellows came about, 

 and I felt sure that the woman had been seized in order 

 to sell her to them, so I gave the captor a cloth to pay 

 to Chirikaloma if he were offended, and told him to say 



