188: 
eneath whose sheltering branches, enclosed. by a reed fence, are several 
den raised to the ancestral spirits of the Wa-nyassa, In times of trial 
and diffieulty the old man often found his way within the sacred 
enclosure, and might be seen as if in earnest, close communion with 
make dient to Ch ipo ka by cds him in some of the. many forms 
in ipis with the pk qu 84 African’s faith. 
whole distriet abounds in iron. Every hamlet has its smithy, 
and qi every group of hamlets there is a melting furnace, where the ore 
is reduced to malleable form. Hoes and axes were in demand, and early 
morning saw the blacksmith hard at work, while the hammerman, who, 
y bent, and legs apart, raised a roughly square stone high over his 
head, and br ought it down with hereulean force upon the glowing 
metal, signallised to people afar à that the descendants of Ham are 
not wanting in the genius of Vulca 
A villainous Yao chief, Chikumbo, who had previously helped hime 
e e 
live in peace and quietn wn homes, under the speeial 
protection of Her Majeety'a mye cad which they so ardently 
The co country lying along the bank of the Ruo inhabited by these 
Wa-nyassa is slightly nndulsinrys, and has a checkered appearance 
colour of the soil of the district is al, and Жы. From the 
Shiré to Milanji, sorghum forms the staple crop. р] passed through 
же that had produced marvellously, and I measured sorghum stalks 
ly 20 feet in length, It would notwithstanding be a mistake to 
кызы. that such fertility is to be found all over. “Cajanus indicus is 
also cultivated cente and bears profusely, and here at least it 
almost merits the name. o n tree," Judging from what I saw of 
the Milanji plain, hi should ч a wheat- bearing distriet, and as it is 
only slightly undulatory, and is well pied, it would be easily brought 
under cultivation. It may not be too im imagin ary ieture this plain 
before long the home of many siad families in the midst of fields 
of golden grai 
! days 
from Chilomo, I was pea ae welcomed. by the Rev. Robert Cleland, 
onsular business with chiefs in the neighbourhood. Tm devoted 
аатай у had Pe rchased a piece of land for mission purposes, built a 
use and started a school, and the Church of Scotland ui fairly 
claim to have taken — of uei in the name g Бенин 
work almost hopeless ; the more so as Mr. Cleland had planted his 
station between Chikumbo and the Wa-nyassa with the double intention 
of appeasing the former and ameliorating the position of the latter, to 
whom indeed he rendered much assistance, Pending the advent of a 
more peaceful state of matters Mr. Cleland and his coadjutor, Dr. Scott, 
removed to a neighbouring chief under whose friendly :gis they eed 
to онша their labours, but malarial fever. had already to told u 
