CHAPTER XXVIII. 



Ussambi — The Country of the Walunda — Lovale and its People — Kibohwe — King 

 Antonio Kagnomle — Settlement of ' Senhor Guilherme Goncalves — Other Settle- 

 ments — Bailunda — Arrives at Benguela — Reports himself at Loanda — Reaches 

 Liverpool — Welcome Reception Everywhere. 



COIMBRA having arrived, Cameron was able to pursue his journey. The 

 caravan crossed the Lovoi on a fishing-weir bridge, and entered the 

 country of Ussambi. Ussambi is a sort of debateable ground between Urua 

 and Ulunda. The people say that they are properly under the rule of 

 Kasongo, but that they are forced to pay tribute to Mata Yafa also, as his 

 territory is so close, especially on the north-west, that if they refuse to ac- 

 knowledge his claims, he can easily enter their country and desolate it. In 

 addition to the extortions they are subjected to by these two chiefs, they also 

 suffer from the raids of one Msiri, who has established himself at Katanga by 

 force of arms, and now sends armed parties in all directions in search of 

 slaves and other plunder. He sends the slaves he thus obtains to Unyan- 

 yembe and the West Coast, and receives in exchange, cloth, guns, and pow- 

 der. The guns and powder enable him to retain his position, and he is also 

 greatly assisted by large armed caravans from Bihe, commanded by confiden- 

 tial slaves of Portuguese, who use his territory as a safe basis from whence 

 to start their numerous expeditions. These Portuguese are generally accom- 

 panied by a few of Msiri's own people, in order that they may be considered 

 as acting under his commands, and thereby spreading the terror of his name 

 far and wide ; besides this advantage, he receives a large proportion of the 

 slaves captured in these raids. 



Growing wise by experience, the people of Ussambi are now congregat- 

 ing in large villages, well protected by wide and deep ditches and embank- 

 ments, and are rapidly subdividing into a number of small and independent 

 tribes, only bound together by the necessity of defence against the common 

 enemy, the slave trader. The country of Ussambi is one pleasant to the eye, 

 and well watered ; woods, meadows, streams, and cultivated grounds, suc- 

 ceeding each other in agreeable diversity. Whilst passing through Ussambi, 

 Cameron heard that Mata Yafa was only a few miles distant from his camp, 

 being then on his way to Kasongo, in order to seek his protection and assist- 



