462 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
the success attending the first emboldened us to make, 
bring the missing article to light. 
My negroes, heartened by the indecision of the na¬ 
tives, now became loud and warm in their desire for 
vengeance, and I had to exercise all my authority to 
prevent them opening fire on the groups that were 
watching us. I succeeded in calming them at last by 
a promise of speedy and complete satisfaction at the 
hands of Capoco, in whom, to tell the truth, I began 
to feel a certain confidence. This adventure detained 
us upwards of an hour, so that it was not till 1.30 p.m. 
that we crossed the Pde, an affluent of the Calae, which 
is 5^ yards wide by nearly 4 feet deep ; the bottom 
being soft and muddy rendered it difficult to ford. 
At three o’clock we reached the village of the petty 
chief Quimbungo, brother of the native king of the 
Huambo, where we found the negro Barros in charge 
of the abandoned loads. Quimbungo received me very 
cordially and promised to furnish me with carriers to 
the Sambo country. On learning also of our adventure 
of the morning, he begged me not to let my anger fall 
upon Chacaquimbamba, and he would take care that 
the stolen gun was restored and full satisfaction given 
for the insult. About six in the evening Capoco 
arrived, bringing with him several of the porters who 
had fled, and the goods which had been given to the 
others by way of advance of pay. He further told me 
that on the morrow the gun should be brought back 
and the chief of the little village be placed at my 
disposal, that I might inflict upon him such chastise¬ 
ment as I thought proper. And more than this, he 
assured me that I need no longer fear the flight of any 
of the carriers, as he himself or his uncle would accom¬ 
pany me as far as the Sambo. I retired to rest burning 
with fever, and passed a horrible night. 
On the following day a lot more carriers were got 
together, but still not enough for our purpose. Capoco 
started at daybreak for Chacaquimbamba’s place, and at 
mid-day returned with the stolen gun and that chief 
himself, to whom I graciously extended full pardon for 
