236 ATTACK EXPECTED. Chap. XV ill 



an Anibonda man, was now over-loyal, for he armed liimself 

 and stood at the gatewa} 7 , asserting that he would rather die 

 than see his father imposed on ; but I ordered Mosantu to take 

 him out of the way, and the Chiboque marched off well 

 pleased with their booty. I told my men that I esteemed one 

 of their lives more valuable than all the oxen, and that I 

 would only fight to save the lives and liberties of the majority. 

 In this they all agreed, and said that, if the Chiboque mo- 

 lested us, the guilt would be on their heads. It is a favourite 

 mode of concluding any explanation of an act to say, " I have 

 no guilt or blame " (" molatu "), or " They have the guilt." I 

 never could be positive whether the idea in their minds is 

 guilt in the sight of the Deity, or of mankind only. 



Next morning the Chiboque returned with about thirty 

 yards of strong striped English calico, an axe, and two hoes 

 for our acceptance. I divided the cloth among my men, aud 

 pleased them a little by thus compensating them fur the loss 

 of the ox, I advised the chief to get cattle for his own use, 

 and expressed sorrow that I had none wherewith to enable 

 him to make a commencement. Bains prevented our pro- 

 ceeding till Thursday morning, when messengers appeared to 

 tell us that the chief had learned that some of the cloth sent 

 by him had been stolen by the persons ordered to present it 

 to us, and that he had stripped them of their property as a 

 punishment. Our guides thought these to be only spies of a 

 larger party concealed in the forest through which we were 

 now about to pass. We prepared therefore for defence by 

 marching in a compact body, and allowing none to straggle. 

 Nothing however disturbed us, and, for my own part, I was 

 too ill to care much whether we were attacked or not. A 

 pouring rain came on, but, as we were all anxious to get away 

 out of so bad a neighbourhood, we proceeded. The thick 

 atmosphere prevented my seeing the creeping plants in time 

 to avoid them ; so Pitsane, Mohorisi, and I, who alone were 

 mounted, were often caught ; and as there is no stopping the 

 oxen when they have the prospect of unseating their riders, 

 we came frequently to the ground. In addition to these 

 mishaps, Sinbad went off at a plunging gallop, the bridle 

 broke, and down I came backwards on the crown of my head, 

 receiving, as I fell, a kick on the thigh. I felt none tho 



