328 LOSS OF WIVES. Chap. XXV. 



medicines I had brought from Loanda. The great variation 

 of the temperature each day must have a trying effect upon 

 the health. At this village there is a real Indian banian-tree, 

 which has spread itself over a considerable space by means of 

 roots from its branches; it has been termed in consequence 

 " the tree with legs " (more oa maotu). It is curious that trees 

 of this family are looked upon with veneration, as they are 

 supposed to have the faculty of averting misfortune from their 

 neighbourhood. On reaching Naliele on the 1st of August 

 we found Mpololo in great affliction on account of the death of 

 his daughter, who had been murdered by one of the Makololo 

 out of spite to him. The murderer was detected, and both he 

 and his wife were thrown into the river, the latter for not 

 having revealed her husband's intentions. She declared she 

 had dissuaded him from the crime, and, had any one interposed 

 a word, she might have been spared. 



Mpololo exerted himself in every way to supply us with 

 canoes in lieu of Shinte's, which we left with him. My men 

 were exceedingly delighted with the cordial reception we met 

 with everywhere; but they suffered an unlooked-for annoy- 

 ance in finding in many cases that their wives had become the 

 property of other husbands during our absence. Mashauana 

 thus lost a wife who had borne him two children ; he affected 

 not to feel it, saying, " Why, wives are as plentiful as grass, 

 and I can get another : she may go :" but he would add, " If 

 I had that fellow, I would open his ears for him." As most 

 of them had more wives than one, I tried to console them by 

 saying that they had enough left ; but they felt galled by the 

 reflection that, while they were toiling, another had been 

 devouring their corn. Some of their wives came back with 

 very young infants in their arms, a circumstance which 

 excited no discontent ; in other cases the wives were restored 

 by order of the chief. 



Sunday, August bth. — A large audience listened most atten- 

 tively to my morning address. Surely some who would never 

 oave thought of our merciful Father, but for this visit, will 

 remember ihe ideas conveyed, and pray to Him. The inva- 

 riably kind treatment I received from these and many other 

 heathen tribes in this central country, has led me to the 

 belief that, if a person were to exert himself for their good, he 



