466 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
immediately followed by the entrance of my host, the 
chief Cassoma, another by the name of Palanca, a friend 
and principal counsellor of my host, and five of the 
wives of the latter. We conversed awhile about my 
journey, but Cassoma suddenly broke in with the remark, 
that they had not come there to talk, and addressing 
himself pointedly to his friend, he added, “ We want 
aguardente, as you know, so tell the white man to give 
it to us.” My host, encouraged by the impudence of 
Cassoma, then told me that I must give him and his 
wives some liquor. To this I replied that I had already 
given him three bottles, although he had not offered me 
bit or sup in return ; that it was the first time in the 
course of my travels I had been allowed by a chief, who 
proffered me hospitality, to go to my bed fasting, and 
that I should not therefore part with another drop of 
aguardente. Cassoma then took up the cudgels and did 
all he could to awaken the anger of his brother chief; 
a warm controversy ensued between us, which lasted 
for more than an hour, and although I managed to 
keep my temper, my prudence and patience were tried 
to their utmost limits. 
Patience and prudence, however, alike gave way 
when my unwelcome visitors declared that, as I would 
not give them what they wanted by fair means, they 
intended to help themselves. Pushing the cask towards 
them with my foot, I seized my revolver, and cocking 
it, asked who intended to take the first drink. They 
hesitated a moment, when Cassoma cried out to my 
host, “ You are king here, and have a right to the first 
swill.” Dumbo threw off his outer garment, which he 
delivered to Palanca with the words, “ Take care the 
white man doesn’t steal it,” and took two steps towards 
the cask. I raised my revolver to the height of his head 
and fired ; but Verissimo Gongalves, who stood by me, 
knocked up my arm, and the ball went crashing into 
the wall of the hut. The three negroes, trembling with 
fear, retreated to as great a distance from me as the 
dimensions of the building would allow, and the five 
women set up a horrible chorus of screams. I then for 
