380 MbURUMA AND HIS PEOPLE. Chap. XXVin. 



tami, a third as a digger of pitfalls — apparently wishing me 

 to give thern medicine for success in their avocations. I 

 thought they attributed supernatural power to my drugs ; 

 but I took pains to let them know that they must trust to 

 a higher power than mine for aid. We never saw Mburuma 

 himself, though he gave us presents of meal, maize, and 

 native corn. The conduct of his people indicated very strong 

 suspicions, for they never came near us except in large bodies 

 and fully armed. We had to order them to place their bows, 

 arrows, and spears at a distance before entering our encamp- 

 ment. We did not, however, care much for a little trouble, 

 in the hope that, if we passed this time, we might be able to 

 return without meeting sour, suspicious looks. 



The soil, glancing everywhere with mica, is very fertile, 

 and all the valleys are cultivated, the maize being now in ear 

 and eatable. The ranges of hills, which run parallel to the 

 banks of the river above this, here come close up to it, and 

 form a narrow gorge, which, like all others of the same nature, 

 is called Mpata. There is a narrow pathway by the side of 

 the river, but we preferred a more open one in a pass among 

 the hills to the east, which rise to a height of 800 or 1000 

 feet, and are covered with trees. The rocks were of various 

 coloured mica schist; and parallel with the Zambesi lay a 

 broad band of gneiss with garnets in it. 



The proceedings of Mburuma and his people were decidedl}- 

 suspicious. They first of all tried to separate our party by 

 volunteering the loan of a canoe to convey Sekwebu and me, 

 together with our luggage, by way of the river. They next 

 attempted to detain us in the pass, the guides first alleging 

 the chief's orders to make a halt there, and, this ruse having 

 failed, next stating that we were to wait for food ; we civilly 

 declined, however, to place ourselves in their power in an 

 unfavourable position. We afterwards heard that a party of 

 Babisa traders, who came from the north-east, bringing Eng- 

 lish goods from Mozambique, had been plundered by this 

 same people. Elephants were still abundant, but very shy. 

 The country between Mburuma's and his mother's village, 

 being hilly and difficult, prevented us from travelling more 

 than ten miles a day. At the village of Ma Mburuma (mother 

 of Mburuma) the guides who had conducted us gave a 



