306 COUNTRY OF MATIAMVO. Chai>. XXIII 



junction, is much larger than the Quango; for, in addition 

 to the branches we have already crossed, it receives the 

 Chihonibo at Cabango ; the Kaunguesi fourteen miles east of 

 the Kasai ; then, forty-two miles further, the Lolua ; besides 

 numbers of little streams. It is evident, from all the infor- 

 mation I could collect both here and elsewhere, that the 

 drainage of Londa falls to the north and then runs westward. 

 The countries of Luba and Mai are evidently lower than this, 

 and yet this is probably not much more than 3500 feet above 

 the level of the sea. 



About thirty-four miles east of the Lolua, or a hundred 

 and thirty-two miles E.N.E. of Cabango, stands the town of 

 Matiamvo, the paramount chief of all the Balonda. The town 

 of Mai is pointed out as to the N.N.W. of Cabango, and 

 thirty- two days or two hundred and twenty-four miles dis- 

 tant, or about lat. S. 5° 45'. The town of Luba, another 

 independent chief, is eight da} r s farther in the same direction, 

 or lat. S. 4° 50'. Judging from the appearance of the people 

 who had come for the purposes of trade from Mai, those in 

 the north are quite as uncivilised as the Balonda. They 

 were clad in a kind of cloth made of the inner bark of a tree, 

 and they informed us that the chief of Luba discourages 

 all improvements, and refuses to admit even guns into his 

 country. The weapons employed by his people in killing 

 elephants are spears, poisoned arrows, and traps. The tusks 

 are remarkably heavy, and are exchanged for shells and 

 beads. 



I should have been glad to pay a visit to Matiamvo, and 

 then descend the branch of the Zambesi, which traverses 

 the district to the eastward of his capital. But from all 

 I could hear of Matiamvo, there was no chance of my 

 being allowed to proceed through his country to the south- 

 ward, and, if I had gone merely to visit him, all my goods 

 would have been expended by the time I returned to Cabango; 

 I therefore reluctantly gave up the plan. 



The country of Matiamvo is said to be well peopled, but 

 they have little or no trade. They receive calico, salt, (run- 

 powder- coarse earthenware, and beads, in exchange for ivory 

 and slaves. They possess no cattle, Matiamvo alone having 

 a single herd, which he keeps entirely for the sake of meat. 



