A SKIRMISH. 415 



tunately had a six-barrelled revolver, which my friend 

 Captain Henry Need, of her Majesty's brig " linnet," had 

 considerately sent to Golungo Alto after my departure 

 from Loanda. Taking this in my hand, and forgetting 

 fever, I staggered quickly along the path with two or three 

 of my men, and fortunately encountered the chief. The 

 sight of the six barrels gaping into his stomach, with my 

 own ghastly visage looking daggers at his face, seemed to 

 produce an instant revolution in his martial feelings, for 

 he cried out, " Oh ! I have only come to speak to you, 

 and wish peace only." Mashauana had hold of him by 

 the hand, and found him shaking. We examined his 

 gun, and found that it had been discharged. Both parties 

 crowded up to their chiefs. One of the opposite party 

 coming too near, one of mine drove him back with a 

 battle-axe. The enemy protested their amicable inten- 

 tions, and my men asserted the fact of having the goods 

 knocked down as evidence of the contrary. Without 

 waiting long, I requested all to sit down, and Pitsane, 

 placing his hand upon the revolver, somewhat allayed 

 their fears. I then said to the chief, " If you have come 

 with peaceable intentions, we have no other ; go away 

 home to your village/' He replied, " I am afraid lest 

 you shoot me in the back." I rejoined, " If I wanted ta 

 kill you, I could shoot you in the face as well." Mosantu 

 called out to me, " That's only a Makalaka trick ; don't 

 give him your back." But I said, " Tell him to observe 

 that I am not afraid of him ; " and, turning, mounted my 

 ox. There was not much danger in the fire that was 

 opened at first, there being so many trees. The enemy 

 probably expected that the sudden attack would make us 

 forsake our goods, and allow them to plunder with ease. 

 The villagers were no doubt pleased with being allowed 

 to retire unscathed, and we were also glad to get away 

 without having shed a drop of blood, or having compro- 

 mised ourselves for any future visit. My men were 

 delighted with their own bravery, and made the woods 

 ring with telling each other how " brilliant their conduct 

 before the enemy " would have been, had hostilities not 

 been brought to a sudden close. 



I do not mention this little skirmish as a very frightful 

 affair. The negro character in these parts, and in Angola, 

 is essentially cowardly, except when influenced by success. 

 A partial triumph over any body of men would induce the 



