248 ESCAPE OF PRISONERS. CHAP. IX. 



Soche's on hearing of our proceedings. Dr. Kirk and four 

 Makololo followed them with great energy, but they made 

 clear off to Tette. Six more captives were liberated at 

 Mongazi's, and two slave-traders detained for the night, to 

 prevent them from carrying information to a large party 

 still in front. Of their own accord they volunteered the 

 information that the Governor's servants had charge of 

 the next party ; but we did not choose to be led by them, 

 though they offered to guide us to his Excellency's own 

 agents. Two of the Bishop's black men from the Cape, 

 having once been slaves, were now zealous emancipators, 

 and volunteered to guard the prisoners during the night. 

 So anxious were our heroes to keep them safe, that instead 

 of relieving each other, by keeping watch and watch, both 

 kept watch together, till towards four o'clock in the morn- 

 ing, when sleep stole gently over them both; and the 

 wakeful prisoners, seizing the opportunity, escaped : one 

 of the guards, perceiving the loss, rushed out of the hut, 

 shouting, " They are gone, the prisoners are off, and they 

 have taken my rifle with them, and the women too ! Fire ! 

 everybody fire ! " The rifle and the women, however, 

 were all safe enough, the slave-traders being only too glad 

 to escape alone. Fifty more slaves were freed next day in 

 another village ; and, the whole party being stark-naked, 

 cloth enough was left to clothe them, better probably than 

 they had ever been clothed before. The head of this gang, 

 whom we knew as the agent of one of the principal mer- 

 chants of Tette, said that they had the license of the 

 Governor for all they did. This we were fully aware of 

 without his stating it. It is quite impossible for any 

 enterprise to be undertaken there without the Governor's 

 knowledge and connivance. 



The portion of the highlands which the Bishop wished 

 to look at before deciding on a settlement belonged to 

 Chiwawa, or Chibaba, the most manly and generous Man- 



