S.88S.] 
From Benguella to Garenganze, 
155 
sidered by the Chibokwe as scandalous. After this I had not 
the face to refuse the ox any longer, and so we ate it. Sumbula 
spent the afternoon with me, and was very pleased to talk as long 
as I liked. I gave him a hat and a dress of print-cloth as a token 
of our friendship, and he gave a guide to take us to the next 
camp by a shorter route. He could not, however, spare me the 
ordeal of drumming at night in camp; five drums and about 
thirty voices left little time for sleep. 
2nd. — Arrived at the head of the Chonga river. Here there 
were many villages, and a perfect crowd of people came to the 
camp, all very well-behaved, I must say. The pressing and 
crowding until late at night to get a look at the white man was 
somewhat trying ; they meant well, so I had no option but to 
take it patiently and all in good part. Many from these villages 
had gone off with a raiding party to the Lunda country, and had 
fared badly; a few of them passed my camp to-day in a sad 
state, telling of many who had been killed. 
KANGOMBE, A POWERFUL CHIEF. 
December 2,rd. — Reached the capital of Kangombe to-day. The 
Chibokwe country is passed, and I am now in the Lovale; i.e. "The 
Flats." The Balovale (people of the flats or plains) are in many 
iiespects superior to the Bachibokwe, in the sense that they make 
better inhabitants of a country, being less given to wandering. I am 
amused to see how fond they are of singing-birds ; these have a 
regular current value among them, and their neatly-made cages 
are to be seen hanging about all their villages. I notice here, 
close by my camp, that they have made a large fish-dam. I 
have never before seen natives, untaught by whites, dam a river 
for any purpose. Kangombe is quite a powerful man, the leader 
of all the Balovale and many of the Bachibokwe in war; his 
power is recognised between the kingdoms of the Barotse, the 
Garenganze, and Muate Yanvo of Lunda. I sent him a small 
present. 
/[th. — Remained in camp. Kangombe came to see me; a very 
small-looking man indeed, who seemed quite afraid to come into 
my tent, and wanted to sit down on the ground. I gave him my 
^hair, but that was another difficulty for him. How was he to 
sit on it ? At last he ventured sideways on the furthest corner of 
