590 
DANCIXG FOR CORN. 
Chap. XXIX. 
the river, studded with villages and gardens. The holms are hut 
partially cultivated, and on the other parts grows rank and reedy 
grass. There is then a second terrace, on which trees and bushes 
abound; and I thought I could detect a tliird and higher steppe. 
But I never could discover terraces on the adjacent country, such 
as in other countries show ancient sea-beaches. The path runs 
sometimes on the one and sometimes on the other of these river 
terraces. Canoes are essentially necessary; but I find that they 
here cost too much for my means, and higher up, where my hoes 
might have secured one, I was umvilhng to enter into a canoe and 
part with my men, while there was danger of theh being attacked. 
ISth .—Yesterday we rested under a broad-spreading fig-tree. 
Large numbers of buffaloes and water-antelopes were feeding 
quietly in the meadows; the people have either no guns or no 
ammunition, or they would not be so tame. Pangola visited us, 
and presented us with food. In few other countries would 114 
sturdy vagabonds be supported by the generosity of the head¬ 
men and villagers, and whatever they gave be presented with 
pohteness. My men got pretty weU supplied individually, for 
they went into the villages and commenced dancing. The young 
women were especially pleased with the new steps they had to 
show, though I suspect many of them were invented for the 
occasion, and would say, “ Dance for me, and I will gxind corn 
for you.” At every fresh instance of hberahty, Sekwebu said, 
‘‘ Did not I tell you that these people had hearts, while we were 
still at Liny anti ? ” All agreed that the character he had given 
was true, and some remarked, ‘‘ Look! although we have been so 
long away from home, not one of us has become lean.” It was a 
fact that we had been all well supplied either with meat by my 
gun or their own spears, or food from the great generosity of the 
inhabitants. Pangola promised to ferry us across the Zambesi, 
but failed to fulfil liis promise. He seemed to wish to -avoid 
offending his neighbour Mpende by aiding us to escape from his 
hands, so we proceeded along the bank. Although we were in 
doubt as to our reception by Mpende, I could not help admiring 
the beautiful country as we passed along. There is, indeed, only 
a small part under cultivation in tins fertile valley, but my mind 
naturally turned to the comparison of it with Kolobeng, where 
we waited anxiously duruig months for rain, and only a mere 
