474 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
without hesitation. I then ordered that his feet should 
be unbound, and threatened him with a bullet through 
his head at the slightest mutiny of the carriers. Half 
an hour afterwards we passed the Cubango by a well- 
constructed bridge, and camped on the left bank near 
the hamlets of Chindonga. I found between the river 
and my camp some iron mines whence the natives 
extract abundant ore. 
At length I stood in the Moma country, and free of 
the territories of the Nano, Huambo and Sambo, of 
which I shall retain a life-long memory. The Cubango 
there runs to S.S.E. and is 38 yards wide, by 6 to 13 
feet deep. I made some observations to determine the 
position and altitude, but was forced to take speedy 
refuge in my hut, as a squall from N.N.E. discharged 
upon me a copious amount of rain. I paid and dis¬ 
charged the Sambo carriers, giving them a yard of 
striped cloth each, which was the recompense agreed on. 
I then called the six girls and told them I should give 
them nothing, as women were bound to work, and 
deserved no pay. They hung their heads in a very 
downcast fashion, but made no remark at my decision, 
so degraded is the position of women in this part of the 
world. Just as they were about to start, and had turned 
their heads towards the Sambo, I ordered them to come 
back, when I made each of them a present of a couple 
of yards of the most brilliant chintz I possessed, and 
some strings of different beads. It is impossible to 
describe the delight of these poor creatures at receiving 
so splendid a gift. The men looked on in envy, and I 
improved the occasion by pointing out to them that, if 
they had not mutinied on the other side of the Cubango, 
I would have given them the same guerdon. This was 
my revenge, and I hope the lesson was not lost upon the 
fellows. 
In the course of the evening a petty chief from 
Chindonga came to visit me, bringing with him a pig 
as a present. He promised me carriers for the following 
morning, at the rate of half a yard of striped cloth per 
day, telling me, however, that they would only go as far 
