1866.] RELATIONS DISCOVER CHUMA. 110 



A party of the Arab Kharnbuiri's people went up lately 

 to the Maravi country above this, and immediately west 

 of Kirk's range, to purchase slaves : but they were attacked 

 by the Maravi, and dispersed with slaughter : this makes 

 Kimsusa's people afraid to venture there. They had some 

 quarrel with the Maravi also of their own, and no intercourse 

 now took place. A path further south was followed by 

 Mponda lately, and great damage done, so it would not be 

 wise to go on his footsteps. Kimsusa said he would give 

 me carriers to go up to the Maravi, but he wished to be 

 prepaid : to this I agreed, but even then he could not 

 prevail on anyone to go. He then sent for an old Mobisa 

 man, who has a village under him, and acknowledges 

 Kimsusa's power. He says that he fears that, should he 

 force his Manganja to go, they would leave us on the road, 

 or run away on the first appearance of danger; but this 

 Mobisa man would be going to his own country, and would 

 stick by us. Meanwhile the chief overstocks us with beer 

 and other food. 



4th October. — The Mobisa man sent for came, but was 

 so ignorant of his own country, not knowing the names of 

 the chief Babisa town or any of the rivers, that I declined 

 his guidance. He would only have been a clog on us ; and 

 anything about the places in front of us we could ascertain 

 at the villages where we touch by inquiry as well as he 

 could. 



A woman turned up here, and persuaded Chuma that she 

 was his aunt. He wanted to give her at once a fathom of 

 calico and beads, and wished me to cut his pay down for 

 the purpose. I persuaded him to be content with a few 

 beads for her. He gave her his spoon and some other 

 valuables, fully persuaded that she was a relative, though 

 he Avas interrogated first as to his father's name, and tribe, 

 &c, before she declared herself. 



It shows a most forgiving disposition on the part of these 



