i885.] 
From Benguella to Garenganze. 
145 
to watch for times when all are quiet and dull, and then breaks 
out in imitation of an old man's laugh, or makes some ridiculous 
remark, and so relieves their monotony. 
RUM IN DEMAND. 
The country for some distance beyond this point is rather 
thinly populated, so that we had to lay in an extra stock of food, 
mainly of cassava meal. The chief of this district presented me 
with an ox, the meat of which I cut up in strips and dried in 
the sun for future consumption. Calico cloth was the only 
article the natives would receive in return for their produce, 
although, of course, they would very gladly have taken rum. 
When they heard that a white man had come to their country, 
they naturally expected that he would have plenty of rum with 
him, and they made constant demands for it, and could scarcely 
be persuaded that I had none. 
MEN WANT PAY IN ADVANCE. 
November gth. — My men make request for their pay. From 
what I hear them say among themselves, they seemingly do not 
trust me, and fear that when I get to the interior, and under the 
protection of a powerful chief, I shall not pay them as much as I 
promise. At last I consented to pay each man twenty-four yards 
of fine cloth, leaving the equivalent of other eight yards each to 
be paid in beads at the journey's end. This reduced my stock 
somewhat, and when it was tied up again I had but twenty-one 
men's loads, counting tent and everything. Every one, however, 
appears now to be satisfied and in good spirits. In the evening 
a letter came across the country from Kapoko, fulfof expressions 
of his good feeling towards me, and telling my carriers that if 
they injured "Monare" they injured Kapoko. It is evident 
that Kapoko did what he could, underhand, to hinder my 
leaving Bihe, but now that I am well away six days' journey, 
and am likely to succeed, he sends these assurances of his 
good will. 
loth.—WQ were ready to move forward to-day, but the rain 
prevented us, giving me leisure to go over the roll of my carriers 
and traveUing companions. There are seven "sekulos," who 
L 
