Chap. IX. A village burnt. 249 



ganja chief we had met with on our previous journey. On 

 reaching Nsambo's, near Mount Chiradzuru, we heard that 

 Chibaba was dead, and that Chigunda was chief instead. 

 Chigunda, apparently of his own accord, though possibly 

 he may have learnt that the Bishop intended to settle 

 somewhere in the country, asked him to come and live 

 with him at Magomero, adding that there was room 

 enough for both. This hearty and spontaneous invitation 

 had considerable influence on the Bishop's mind, and 

 seemed to decide the question. A place nearer the Shire 

 would have been chosen had he expected his supplies to 

 come up that river ; but the Portuguese, claiming the 

 river Shire, though never occupying even its mouth, had 

 closed it, as well as the Zambesi. 



Our hopes were turned to the Bovuma, as a free high- 

 way into Lake Nyassa and the vast interior. A steamer 

 was already ordered for the Lake, and the Bishop, seeing 

 the advantageous nature of the highlands which stretch 

 an immense way to the north, was more anxious to be near 

 the Lake and the Bovuma, than the Shire. When he de- 

 cided to settle at Magomero, it was thought desirable, to 

 prevent the country from being depopulated, to visit the 

 Ajawa chief, and to try and persuade him to give up his 

 slaving and kidnapping courses, and turn the energies of 

 his people to peaceful pursuits. 



On the morning of the 22nd we were informed that 

 the Ajawa were near, and were burning a village a few 

 miles off. Leaving the rescued slaves, we moved off to 

 seek an interview with these scourges of the country. On 

 our way we met crowds of Manganja fleeing from the war 

 in front. These poor fugitives from the slave hunt had, 

 as usual, to leave all the food they possessed, except the 

 little they could carry on their heads. We passed field 

 after field of Indian corn or beans, standing ripe for 

 harvesting, but the owners were away. The villages were 



