336 THE AJAWA AND MANGANJA. CHAP. XII. 



tection from the slave-hunting Ajawa, still urged on by 

 the occasional visits of the Portuguese agents from Tette. 

 The Ajawa, instead of passing below the Cataracts, now 

 avoided us, and crossed over to the east side near to the 

 tree on which we had hung the boat. Those of the 

 Manganja, to whom we could make ourselves known, 

 readily came to us ; but the majority had lost all con- 

 fidence in themselves, in each other, and in every one else. 

 The boat had been burned about three months previously, 

 and the Manganja were very anxious that we should 

 believe that this had been the act of the Ajawa ; but on 

 scanning the spot we saw that it was more likely to have 

 caught fire in the grass-burning of the country. Had we 

 intended to be so long in returning to it, we should have 

 hoisted it bottom upwards ; for, as it was, it is probable 

 that a quantity of dried leaves lay inside, and a spark 

 ignited the whole. All the trees within fifty yards 

 were scorched and killed, and the nails, iron, and copper 

 sheathing, all lay undisturbed beneath. Had the Ajawa 

 done the deed, they would have taken away the copper 

 and iron. 



Our hopes of rendering ourselves independent of the 

 south for provisions, by means of this boat, being thus 

 disappointed, we turned back with the intention of carry- 

 ing another up to the same spot ; and, in order to find 

 level ground for this, we passed across from the Shire at 

 Malango to the upper part of the stream Lesungwe. A 

 fine, active, intelligent fellow, called Pekila, guided us, 

 and was remarkable as almost the only one of the popu- 

 lation left with any spirit in him. The depressing effect 

 which the slave-hunting scourge has upon the native 

 mind, though little to be wondered at, is sad, very sad to 

 witness. Musical instruments, mats, pillows, mortars for 

 pounding meal, were lying about unused, and becoming 

 the prey of the white ants. With all their little comforts 



