382 
MPENDE'B friendship. 
half a mile As tho country is covered with trees, wo did 
not see thorn ; hut every now and then a few carao about 
us as spies, and would answer no questions. I handed a 
log of tho ox to two of those, and desired them to take it 
to Mpondo. After waiting a considerable timo in suspense 
two old men made thoir appearanco and said they had 
come to inquire who I was. I replied, “lam a Lokoa,” 
(an Englishman.) They said, “ Wo don’t know that tribe. 
Wo supposo you aro a Hozunga, tho tribe with which wa 
have been fighting.” As I was not yet aware that the 
term Mozunga was applied to a Portuguese, and thought 
they meant half-castes, I showod them my hair and tbe 
skin of my bosom, and asked if tho Bazunga had hair and 
skin like mine. As tho Portuguese havo tho custom ol 
cutting tho hair closo, and aro also somowhat darker than 
wo aro, they answered, “No; wo never saw skin so whito 
as that,” and added, “Ah ! you must bo ono of that tribe 
that loves [literally, has heart to] tho black mon.” I, of 
course, gladly responded in tho affirmative. They re- 
turned to tho villago, and wo afterward heard that there 
had been a long discussion between Mpondo and his coun- 
cillors, and that ono ot tho mon with whom we had re- 
mained to talk tho day boforo had been our advocato. lie 
was named Sindoso Oalea. Whon wo woro passing his 
villago, after somo conversation, ho said to his people, “ Is 
that tho man whom thoy wish to stop after ho has passed 
so many tribos ? What can Mpondo say to refusing him s 
passago?” It was owing to this man, and tho fact that 1 
belonged to tho “ friendly whito tribe,” that Mpenao was 
persuaded to allow us to pass. When wo know tho favor- 
able decision of tho council, I sent Sokwobu to speak about 
tho purchaso of a canoo, as ono of my mon had become 
very ill, and I wished to roliovo his companions by taking 
him in a canoo. Before Sokwobu could finish his story, 
Mpondo remarked, “That whito man is truly ono of out 
Frionds. See how ho lots mo know his afflictions !” Sek 
wobu adroitly took advantage of this turn in the convorsa- 
