Chap. XXIX. 
MPENDE’S FKIENDSHIP. 
593 
and would answer no questions. I handed a leg of the ox to two 
of these, and desired them to take it to Mpende. After waiting 
a considerable time in suspense, two old men made their appear¬ 
ance, and said they had come to inquire who I was. I rephed, 
‘‘I am a Lekoa” (an Enghshman). They said, “We don’t know 
that tribe. We suppose you are a Mozunga, the tribe with which 
we have been fighting.” As I was not yet aware that the term 
Mozunga was apphed to a Portuguese, and thought they meant 
half-castes, I showed them my hah’ and the skin of my bosom, 
and asked if the Bazunga had hair and skin like mine. As the 
Portuguese have the custom of cutting the hair close, and are also 
somewhat darker than we are, they answered, “No; we never saw 
skin so white as that;” and added, “Ah! you must be one of 
that tribe that loves (hterally, has heart to) the black men.” I, 
of com’se, gladly responded m the affirmative. They returned to 
the village, and we afterwards heard that there had been a long 
discussion between Mpende and his councillors, and that one of 
the men with whom we had remained to talk the day before had 
been our advocate. He was named Sindese Oalda. When we 
were passing liis village, after some conversation, he said to his 
people, “ Is that the man whom they wish to stop after he has 
passed so many tribes ? "V^Tiat can Mpende say to refusing liim 
a passage?” It was owing to this man, and the fact that I 
belonged to the “ friendly wlnte tribe,” that Mpende was per¬ 
suaded to allow us to pass. When we knew the favourable 
decision of the council, I sent Sekwebu to speak about the pur¬ 
chase of a canoe, as one of my men had become very iU, and I 
wished to relieve Ins companions by taking him in a canoe. 
Before Sekwebu could finish his story, Mpende remarked, “ That 
white man is truly one of our friends. See, how he lets me know 
Ins afflictions! ” Sekwebu adroitly took advantage of this turn 
in the conversation, and said, “ Ah 1 if you only knew him as well 
as we do who have lived with him, you would understand that he 
highly values your friendship and that of Mburuma, and, as he is 
a stranger, he trusts in you to direct him.” He rephed, “ WeU, 
he ought to cross to the other side of the river, for this banli is 
hfily and rough, and the way to Tete is longer on this, than on 
the opposite bank.” “ But who will take us across, if you do not ?” 
“ Truly! ” rephed Mpende, “I only wish you had come sooner to 
2 Q 
