246 SLAVES FREED. CHAP. IX. 



and rear of the line ; some of them blowing exultant notes 

 out of long tin horns. They seemed to feel that they 

 were doing a very noble thing, and might proudly march 

 with an air of triumph. But the instant the fellows 

 caught a glimpse of the English, they darted off like 

 mad into the forest ; so fast, indeed, that we caught but 

 a glimpse of their red caps and the soles of their feet. 

 The chief of the party alone remained ; and he, from being 

 in front, had his hand tightly grasped by a Makololo ! 

 He proved to be a well-known slave of the late Com- 

 mandant at Tette, and for some time our own attendant 

 while there. On asking him how he obtained these cap- 

 tives, he replied he had bought them ; but on our inquiring 

 of the people themselves, all, save four, said they had 

 been captured in war. While this inquiry was going on, 

 he bolted too. The captives knelt down, and, in their 

 way of expressing thanks, clapped their hands with great 

 energy. They were thus left entirely on our hands, and 

 knives were soon busy at work cutting the women and 

 children loose. It was more difficult to cut the men adrift, 

 as each had his neck in the fork of a stout stick, six or 

 seven feet long, and was kept in by an iron rod which 

 was riveted at both ends across the throat. With a saw, 

 luckily in the Bishop's baggage, one by one the men were 

 sawn out into freedom. The women, on being told to 

 take the meal they were carrying and cook breakfast for 

 themselves and the children, seemed to consider the news 

 too good to be true ; but after a little coaxing went at 

 it with alacrity, and made a capital fire by which to 

 boil their pots with the slave sticks and bonds, their old 

 acquaintances through many a sad night and weary day. 

 Many were mere children about five years of age and 

 under. One little boy, with the simplicity of childhood, 

 said to our men, " The others tied and starved us, you cut 

 the ropes and tell us to eat ; what sort of people are 



