chap. XXIX. A FIGHT ANTICIPATED. 387 



as enemies than friends. I consoled myself for the loss of 

 time by the thought that these conversations tended to che 

 opening of our future path. 



23rd. — This morning at sunrise a party of Mpende's people 

 came close to our encampment, uttering strange cries and 

 waving some bright red substance towards us. They then 

 lighted a fire with charms in it, and departed, uttering the 

 same hideous screams as before. This was intended to render 

 us powerless, and probably also to frighten us. Ever since 

 dawn parties of armed men had been seen collecting from all 

 quarters, and numbers passed us while it was yet dark. They 

 evidently intended to attack us, for no friendly message was 

 sent ; I therefore ordered an ox to be slaughtered, as a means 

 of inspiring courage. I have no doubt that we should have 

 been victorious ; indeed, my men were rejoicing in the pros- 

 pect of securing captives to carry the tusks for them, and 

 broadly hinted to me that I ought to allow them to keep 

 Mpende's wives. The roasting of meat went on fast and 

 furious, and some of the young men said to me, "You have 

 seen us with elephants, but you don't know yet what we can 

 do with men." Mpende's whole tribe was assembled at about 

 the distance of half a mile. As the country is covered with 

 trees, we did not see them ; but every now and then a few 

 came about us as spies. Handing a leg of the ox to two of 

 these, I desired them to take it to Mpende, who in due course 

 of time sent two old men to inquire who I was. I replied, 

 "I am a Lekoa" (an Englishman). They said, " We don't 

 know that tribe. We suppose you are a Mozunga, the tribe 

 with which we have been fighting." As I was not yet aware 

 that the term Mozunga was applied to a Portuguese, and 

 thought they meant half-castes, I showed them my hair and 

 the skin of my bosom, and asked if the Bazunga had hair and 

 skin like mine. As the Portuguese have the custom of cutting 

 the hair close, and are also somewhat darker than we are. hey 

 answered, " No ; we never saw skin so white as that ;" and 

 added, " Ah ! you must be one of that tribe that loves the 

 black men." I, of course, gladly responded in the affirmative. 

 They returned to the village, and we afterwards heard that 

 there had been a long discussion between Mpende and his 

 councillors, in which one of the men, named Sindese Galea, 



