THE BAROTSE COUNTRY. 
545 
discovery of this hatred, and of this affection in the 
heart of the old man, put me at ease upon my own 
safety. His power was great, as he had an enormous 
influence over great part of the Lui tribes, and hence 
the assegais, which spare but few in the revolutions 
of the country, had spared him. I expressed to him all 
the gratitude I felt, and begged him, at parting, to give 
me timely warning if Lobossi decreed my death. He 
promised, and retired. 
After this' interview I lay down, and revolved in 
my mind a singular plan I had been for some time 
cogitating, but which I had abstained from communi¬ 
cating to Machauana, in order to prevent him conceiving 
ambitious projects, which he might not at that moment 
have been nourishing. I had resolved, if Lobossi 
decided upon my death, to surround myself with five 
of my most reliable men, to act as bull-dogs, such as 
Augusto, Camutombo and others, and repair with them 
at once to the Kings audience, where all are alike 
unharmed; to cause them, at a given signal, to spring 
upon Lobossi, Gambella, Matagja, and the other two 
privy counsellors, whilst I, accompanied by Machauana, 
the General in Chief, who had ten thousand warriors at 
his call, would shout out, “ Live Monatumueno, King of 
the Lui; long live the son of Chipopa ! ” A revolution 
effected in this way could scarcely fail to be successful 
in a country which dearly loves revolutions, and where 
I should have made the first wherein not a drop of 
blood was shed. I fell fast asleep while ruminating 
this notable project, and slept on till awoke by Catraio 
next morning, who came to inform me that Lobossi 
was there, and wanted to speak to me. I at once arose, 
and went to receive the King. His object in visiting 
me was to say that he had altered his mind, and that 
all the roads were open to me. That he would furnish 
me with guides to the Quisseque, but that, in conse¬ 
quence of the events that were occurring in his States, 
he could furnish me with no forces, nor would he be 
responsible for any disaster that might occur through 
my attempting the journey with barely fifty-eight men. 
2 x 
