MATIAMVO'S DESPOTISM. 297 



and other usages show them to be genuine negroes, though 

 neither they nor the Balonda resemble closely the typical 

 form of that people. Quendende said if he were present 

 on these occasions he would hide his people, so that they 

 might not be slaughtered. As we go north, the people 

 become more bloodily superstitious. 



We were assured that, if the late Matiamvo took a 

 fancy to anything, such, for instance, as my watch-chain, 

 which was of silver wire, and was a great curiosity, as 

 they had never seen metal plaited before, he would order 

 a whole village to be brought up to buy it from a stranger. 

 When a slave-trader visited him, he took possession of all 

 his goods ; then, after ten days or a fortnight, he would 

 send out a party of men to pounce upon some considerable 

 village, and, having killed the head man, would pay for 

 all the goods by selling the inhabitants. This has fre- 

 quently been the case, and nearly all the visitants he ever 

 had were men of colour. On asking, if Matiamvo did not 

 know he was a man, and would be judged, in company 

 with those he destroyed, by a Iyord who is no respecter of 

 persons ? the ambassador replied, " We do not go up to 

 God, as you do ; we are put into the ground/' I could 

 not ascertain that even those who have such a distinct 

 perception of the continued existence of departed spirits 

 had any notion of heaven ; they appear to imagine the 

 souls to be always near the place of sepulture. 



After crossing the river Lotembwa we travelled about 

 eight miles, and came to Katema's straggling town (lat. 1 1 ° 

 35' 49" S., long. 22 27' E.). It is more a collection of 

 villages than a town. We were led out about half a mile 

 from the houses, that we might make for ourselves the 

 best lodging we could of the trees and grass, while Intemese 

 was taken to Katema to undergo the usual process of 

 pumping, as to our past conduct and professions. Katema 

 soon afterwards sent a handsome present of food. 



Next morning we had a formal presentation, and found 

 Katema seated on a sort of throne, with about three 

 hundred men on the ground around, and thirty women, 

 who were said to be his wives, close behind him. The 

 main body of the people were seated in a semicircle, at a 

 distance of fifty yards. Each party had its own head man 

 stationed at a little distance in front, and, when beckoned 

 by the chief, came near him as councillors. Intemese 

 gave our history, and Katema placed sixteen large baskets 



