520 
GOOD SENSE OF AFRICANS. 
which the elder brother was guilty and who had been led 
to avenge it. It is very likely they would have stipulated 
no other should be punished but the actual perpetrator, the 
domestic slave acting under his orders being considered 
free of blame. I know nothing distinguishes the uncon- 
taminated African from other degraded peoples more than 
their entire reasonableness and good sense. It is different 
after they have had wives, children and relatives kidnapped, 
but that is more than human nature, civilized or savage, 
can bear. In the case in question, indiscriminate slaughter, 
capture and plunder took place. A very largo number of 
very fine young men were captured and secured in chains 
and wooden yokes. 
I came near to the party of Syed Ben Habib, close to a 
point where a huge rent in the mountain of Rua allows the 
escape of the great river Lualaba out of Lake Moero, aud 
here I had for the first time an opportunity of observing 
the difference between slaves and freemen made captives. 
When fairly across the Lualaba, Syed Ben Habib thought 
his captives safe, and got rid of the trouble of attending 
to and watching the chained gangs by taking off both 
chains and yokes. All declared joy and a perfect willing- 
ness to follow Syed to the end of the world or elsewhere, 
but next morning twenty-two made clear of two mountains. 
Many more, seeing the broad Lualaba roll between them 
and the homes of their infancy, lost all heart, and in three 
days eight of them died. They had no complaint but pain 
in the heart, and they all pointed out its seat correctly, 
though many believe the heart situated underneath the top 
of the sternum, or breast bone. This to me was the most 
startling death I ever saw. They evidently die of broken- 
heartedness, and the Arabs wondered, seeing they had 
plenty to eat. I saw others perish, particularly a very fine 
boy, ten or twelve years of age. When asked where he 
felt ill, he put his hand correctly and exactly over the 
heart. He was kindly carried, and as he breathed out his 
aoul, was laid gently on the side of the path. The captors 
