OUT INTO THE ATLANTIC. 
535- 
serious, I disposed as a precautionary measure twenty 
men as skirmishers in front of the road and ten in rear, 
leaving the goods and sick people in the centre. Word 
was then given to the powerful man that they had 
better not shoot, for our people were angry, and were 
very different from any they had seen, and nothing 
could stop them if they began ; and it was possible 
they might eat every soul in Nsanda. I observed that 
the last sentence had a potent effect ; the angry demon- 
strations were followed by a loud consultation ; the 
loud consultation subsided into whispers, and soon the 
“powerful man” said “Enough,” and we advanced 
towards each other, laughed, and shook hands heartily. 
At this juncture appeared the chief of the central 
village, who had furnished us with guides, and he, upon 
hearing of the intended injury to the Mundele, insisted 
upon the “powerful man ” bringing forth a gourd and 
jug and wash-basin full of palm-wine, and sealing our 
friendship by a “ drink all round ; ” which was done, 
and I promised to send the “ powerful man ” a present 
of a bottle of rum from Embomma. 
At 3 P.M., after a march of twelve miles, the van of 
the Expedition descended the slope of the high wood- 
covered ridge of Ikungu, whence the populous valley 
of Mbinda lay revealed. Half-way down the slope we 
camped, being in view of eighteen villages. The entire 
population of Mbinda — the valley, or basin, derives its 
name from the south-eastern ridge, which is called 
Mbinda — I roughly estimated at being about 3000 
souls. Each of these villages bears a different name, 
but the entire number is under three chiefs, who are 
styled “ kings,” and are extremely absurd in their 
pomposity. The people are sufficiently amiable, but 
terribly extortionate and grasping, and so niggardly 
and close in trade that the Wangwana became more 
and more weakened. Fetishism is carried to an 
extraordinary extent. Idols of wood, tolerably well 
carved, are numerous, and the various ceremonies 
practised by these people would fill a volume. Some 
hideous and ghostly objects, with chalked bodies, 
