CLOTHING DESPISED 
3U5 
thoit shields, as in the caso of my first company. We 
wore looked npon as unarmed, and an easy prey. We 
prepared against a night-attack by discharging and re- 
loading our guns, which wero exactly the same m number 
(five) as on the former occasion, as I allowed my iate com- 
panions to retain those which I purchased at Loanda. We 
wero not molested; but some of the enemy tried to load us 
toward the Bashukulompo, who are considered to bo tho 
fiercest raeo in this quarter. As wo know our direction to 
the confluence of tho Kafuo and Zambesi, wo declined their 
guidance, and the civil head-man of tho evening before 
then came along with us. Crowds of natives hovered 
round us in tho forest ; but ho ran forward and explained, 
and we were not molested. That night we slept by a little 
village under a low range of hills, which are called Chiza- 
mona. Tho country hero is more woody than on tho high 
lands wo had left; but tho trees arc not in general largo. 
When we had passed tho outskirting villages which alone 
consider themselves in a state of war with tho Makololo, 
wo found tho Batoka, or Batonga, as they hero call thom- 
sclvos, quite friendly. Great numbers of them came from 
all the surrounding villages with presents of maizo and 
masuka, and expressed groat joy at tho first appearanco of 
a white man and harbinger of peace. Tho women clothe 
thomselves better than tho Balonda, but tho men go in puris 
naturalibus. They walk about without the smallest sense 
of shame. They have evon lost tho tradition of the “fig* 
loaf.” I asked a fine, large-bodied old man if ho did not 
think it would bo better to adopt a little covering. Ho 
looked with a pitying leer, and laughed with surprise at my 
thinking him at all indecent : ho evidently considered him- 
self abovo such weak superstition. I told them that, on 
my return, I should have my family with me, and no one 
must come near us in that state. “What shall wo put on! 
we havo no clothing.” It was considered a good joke 
when I told them that, if they had nothing olse, thoy mnflt 
put on a bunch of grass. 
