MORE FEVER. 
290 
saucily at those articles, for he had just received a barrel 
containing eighteen pounds of powder, twenty-four yards 
of calico, and two bottles of brandy, from Senhor Pascoal 
the pombeiro. Other presents were added tho next day, 
but wo gave nothing more; and tho pomboiros informed 
mo that it was necessaiy to give largely, because they are 
accompanied by slaves and carriers who are no great 
friends to their masters; and, if thoy did not secure the 
friendship of theso petty chieft, many slaves and their loads 
might bo stolon while passing through the forests. It is 
thus a sort x)f black-mail that those insignificant chiefs 
levy ; and tho native traders, in paying, do so simply as a 
bribe to keep them honest. This chief was a man of no 
power, but in our former ignorance of this ho plagued us a 
whole day in passing. 
Finding the progress of Senhor Pascoal and tho other 
pombeiros excessively slow, I resolved to forego his com- 
pany to Cabango after I had delivered to him some letters 
to bo sent back to Cassango. I went forward with the 
intention of finishing my writing and leaving a packet for 
him at Bomo village. Wo ascended tho oastern acclivity 
that bounds tho Cassango valloy, which has rather a 
gradual ascont up from tho Quango, and wo found that 
the last ascont, though apparently not quite so high as 
that at Tala Mungongo, is actually much higher. Tho top 
is about 5000 feet above the level of tho sea, and tho 
bottom 3500 feet ; water boiling on tho heights at 202°, the 
thormometor in the air showing 96°, and at the bottom at 
205°, tho air boing 75°. Wo had now gained tho summit 
of tho western subtending ridge, and bogan to descend 
toward the centre of the country, hoping soon to got out 
of tho Chiboquo torritory, which, when wo ascended from 
the Cassango valley, we had entered ; but, on tho 19th of 
April, the intermittent, which had begun on tho 16th of 
March, was changed into an extremely severe attack of 
rheumatic fover. This was brought on by being obliged 
to sleep on an extensive plain covered with wator. The 
