Chap. XX. THE MAKOLOLO AT LOANDA. 265 



Moreira Eeis, the then acting governor of the province, sent 

 his secretary to offer the services of the government physi- 

 cian. Some of her Majesty's cruisers soon came into port, and 

 offered to convey me to St. Helena or homewards; hut I 

 could not allow my Makololo friends to attempt a return 

 to their country without my assistance, now that I knew 

 the difficulties of the journey and the hostility of the tribes 

 living on the Portuguese frontier. I therefore resolved to 

 decline the tempting offers of my naval friends, and take back 

 my companions to their chief, with a view of trying to make 

 a path from his country to the east coast by means of the 

 great river Zambesi. I however gladly availed myself of the 

 medical assistance of Mr. Cockin, the surgeon of the "Poly- 

 phemus," whose treatment, aided Mr. Gabriel's unwearied 

 hospitality, soon brought me round again. On the 14th I was 

 so far well as to be able to call on the bishop, in company 

 with my party, who were arrayed in new robes of striped 

 cotton cloth and red caps, presented by Mr. Gabriel. He 

 received us, as head of the provisional government, in the 

 grand hall of the palace. He put many intelligent questions 

 respecting the Makololo, and gave them permission to visit 

 Loanda as often as they pleased. 



Every one remarked the serious deportment of the Makololo. 

 The large stone houses and churches in the vicinity of the 

 ocean struck them with awe, as things quite beyond their 

 comprehension. Their own huts being only one story high, 

 they regarded each story as a separate hut, and they never 

 could comprehend how the poles of one hut could be founded 

 upon the roof of another, or how men could live in the upper 

 story, with the roof of the lower one in the middle. Some 

 Makololo, who had visited my little house at Kolobeng, in 

 trying to describe it to their countrymen at Linyanti, said, 

 "It is not a hut ; it is a mountain with several caves 

 in it," 



Commander Bedingfeld and Captain Skene invited them to 

 visit their vessels, the " Pluto " and " Philomel." Knowing 

 their fears, I told them that no one need go if he entertained 

 the least suspicion of foul play. Most of them, however, went ; 

 and when on deck I pointed to the sailors, and said, " Now 

 these are all my countrymen, sent by our Queen for the 



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