DR. LIVINGSTONE UNDER FIRE. 275 



Shire down to Mazaro at the head of the Delta, having waged war against the 

 Portuguese for some time previous to their visit. He was a keen slave-hunter, 

 and kept a large number of men well armed with muskets. So long as he 

 confined himself to slave-hunting forays among the helpless tribes, and 

 carried down his captives in chains to Kilimane, where they were sold and 

 shipped as "free emigrants" to the French island of Bourbon, the Portuguese 

 authorities did not interfere with him, although his slave-hunting expeditions 

 were conducted with the utmost atrocity, he frequently indulging his thirst for 

 blood by spearing large numbers of helpless natives with his own hand. 

 Getting bolder, he began to attack the natives who were under the protection 

 of the Portuguese, and then war was declared against him. He resisted for 

 a time ; but fearing that he would ultimately get the worst of it, he went to 

 Kili mane to endeavour to arrange for peace with the governor ; but Colonel 

 da Silva refused his proffered bribes, and sent him to Mozambique for trial. 

 When Livingstone's party first came in contact with the rebels at Mazaro, 

 they looked formidable and threatening ; but on being told that the party were 

 English, they fraternised with them, and warmly approved of the objects of 

 the expedition. 



A little later, a battle was fought between the contending parties within 

 a mile and a half of Livingstone's party ; and on landing to pay his respects 

 to several of his old friends who had treated him kindly on the occasion of 

 his former appearance amongst them, he found himself among the mutilated 

 bodies of the slain. The governor was ill of fever, and Livingstone was re- 

 quested to convey him to Shupanga ; and just as he had consented, the battle 

 was renewed, the bullets whistling about his ears. Failing to get any assist- 

 ance, Livingstone half supported and half carried the sick governor to the 

 ship. His Excellency, who had taken nothing for the fever but a little 

 camphor, and being a disbeliever in Livingstone's mode of treatment, was 

 after some difficulty cured against his will. A little after this, Bonga, 

 Mariano's brother, made peace with the governor, and the war came to 

 an end. 



For miles before reaching Mazaro, the scenery is uninteresting, consisting 

 of long stretches of level grassy plains, the monotony of which is broken here 

 and there by the round green tops of stately palm-trees. Sandmartins flitted 

 about in flocks, darting in and out of their holes in the banks. On the 

 numerous islands which dot the broad expanse of the stream, many kinds of 

 water-fowl, such as geese, flamingoes, herons, spoonbills, etc., were seen in large 

 numbers. Huge crocodiles lay basking on the low banks, gliding sluggishly 

 into the stream as they caught sight of the steamer. The hippopotamus 

 " rising from the bottom, where he has been enjoying his morning bath after 

 the labour of the night on shore, blows a puff of spray out of his nostrils, 

 shakes the water out of his ears, puts his enormous snout up straight and 



