THE BAROTSE COUNTRY. 
5(31 
a victim to any plot, they might be at once sent to 
Portugal, where, as I then explained to Verissimo, my 
relatives would cause them to be burnt alive. After 
this exordium, I assured him that the letter had been 
written as a simple measure of precaution, as I fully 
confided in his devotion to me, but that such devotion 
behoved him to be upon the watch, as I strongly mis¬ 
trusted Caiumbuca ; for that, if any mishap befell me, 
I should be unable to prevent, the horrors which were 
reserved for the beings that were most dear to him. I 
took care to apprise him, more particularly, that I 
apprehended Caiumbuca’s not imparting to the King 
what I told him to say, and distorting in turn Lobossi’s 
replies. That he must be always present during my 
interviews with Lobossi, and tell me in Portuguese (a 
language which Caiumbuca did not understand) every¬ 
thing the latter said to the King. Verissimo, in great 
alarm, blurted out that I was not mistaken, and con¬ 
fessed the whole plot. I warned him about letting 
Caiumbuca know what had occurred, and impressed 
upon him the necessity of keeping me informed of the 
other’s doings. That same afternoon, Lobossi sent to 
say that the people were ready to accompany me on my 
journey towards the coast of Mosambique, and that I 
might, therefore, leave whenever 1 pleased. I was 
feeling a little improved in health, and, in fact, since 
my arrival on the Zambesi had never felt so well as on 
that day. My encampment was very extensive, and 
spread out more than usual, owing to the Quimbares 
having taken up their quarters in the huts of the 
Quimbundos since the latter had left me. The centre 
was a vast circular space, more than a hundred yards in 
diameter. On one side was a row of huts, in which my 
own habitation was situated, having round it a cane- 
hedge, within whose precincts no one passed except my 
immediate body-servants. 
We had reached the 6th of September. The ther¬ 
mometer during the day had stood persistently at 
33 degrees Centigrade, and the heat reflected from the 
sandy soil had been oppressive. Night came down 
