470 
A STKATAGEM. 
Chap. XXIII. 
observation of where the canoes were hidden among the reeds. 
The ferrymen casually asked one of my Batoka if they had rivers 
in his country, and he answered with truth, “ No, we have none.” 
Kawawa’s people then felt sure we could not cross. I thought of 
swimming when they were gone; but after it was dark, by the 
unasked loan of one of the liidden canoes, we soon were snug in 
our bivouac on the southern bank of the Kasai. I left some beads, 
as payment for some meal, which had been presented by the 
ferrymen; and, the canoe having been left on their own side of 
the river, Pitsane and his companions laughed uproariously at 
the disgust our enemies would feel, and their perplexity as to 
who had been our paddler across. They were quite sure that 
Kawawa would imagine that w'e had been ferried over by his .own 
people, and would be divining to find out who had done the deed. 
When ready to depart in the morning, Kawawa’s people appeared 
on the opposite heights, and could scarcely believe their eyes 
when they saw us prepared to start away to the south. At last 
one of them called out, “ Ah! ye are bad.” To which Pitsane 
and his companions retorted, Ah! ye are good; and we thank 
you for the loan of your canoe.” We were careful to explain the 
whole of the circumstances to Katema and the other chiefs, and 
they all agreed that we were perfectly justifiable under the cir¬ 
cumstances, and that Matiamvo would approve our conduct. 
Wlien anything that might bear an unfavourable construction 
happens among themselves, they send explanations to each other. 
The mere fact of doing so, prevents them from losing their cha¬ 
racter, for there is public opinion even amongst them. 
