338 HOPELESSNESS OF A CHANGE. Chap. XII. 



General himself; and this was subsequently corroborated 

 by our recognizing two women at Mosambique who had 

 lived within a hundred yards of the Mission-station at 

 Magomero. They were well known to our attendants, 

 and had formed a part of a gang of several hundreds 

 taken to Mosambique by the Ajawa at the very time when 

 his Excellency was entertaining English officers with 

 anti-slavery palavers. To any one who understands how 

 minute the information is, which Portuguese governors 

 possess by means of their own slaves, and through gossip- 

 ing traders who seek to curry their favour, it is idle to 

 assert that all this slaving goes on without their approval 

 and connivance. 



If more had been wanted to prove the hopelessness of 

 producing any change in the system which has prevailed 

 ever since our allies, the Portuguese, entered the country, 

 we had it in the impunity with which the freebooter, 

 Terera, who had murdered Chibisa, was allowed to carry 

 on his forays. Belchoir, another marauder, had been 

 checked, but was still allowed to make war, as they term 

 slave-hunting. 



Mr. Horace Waller was living for some five months 

 on Mount Morambala, a position from which the whole 

 process of the slave-trade, and depopulation of the country 

 around could be well noted. The mountain overlooks the 

 Shire, the beautiful meanderings of which are distinctly 

 seen, on clear days, for thirty miles. This river was for 

 some time supposed to be closed against Mariano, who, as 

 a mere matter of form, was declared a rebel against the 

 Portuguese flag. When, however, it became no longer 

 possible to keep up the sham, the river was thrown open 

 to him ; and Mr. Waller has seen in a single day from 

 fifteen to twenty canoes of different sizes going down, 

 laden with slaves, to the Portuguese settlements from the 

 so-called rebel camp. These cargoes were composed 



