Chap. XXIX. 
DISLIKE TO SLAVE-BUYERS. 
597 
only things^ Several spoke in the same manner, and I found 
that from Mpende’s downwards I rose higher every day in the 
estimation of my own people. Even the slaves gave a very high 
character to the Enghsh, and I found out afterwards that, when 
I was first reported at Tete, the servants of my friend the Com¬ 
mandant said to him in joke, “ Ah! this is our brother who is 
coming; we shall all leave you and go with him.” We had stdl, 
however, some difficulties in store for us before reaching that 
point. 
The man who wished to accompany us came and told us before 
our departure that his wife would not allow him to go, and she 
herself came to confirm the decision. Here the women have only 
a small puncture in the upper hp, in which they insert a little 
button of tin. The perforation is made by degrees, a ring with 
an opening in it being attached to the lip, and the ends squeezed 
gradually together. The pressure on the flesh between the ends 
of the ring causes its absorption, and a hole is the result. Children 
may be seen with the ring on the Hp, but not yet punctured. 
The tin they purchase from the Portuguese, and, although silver 
is reported to have been found in former times in this district, no 
one could distinguish it from tin. But they had a knowledge of 
gold, and for the first time I heard the word dalama ” (gold) in 
the native language. The word is quite unlmown in the interior, 
and so is the metal itself. In conversing with the different people, 
we found the idea prevalent that those who had purchased slaves 
from them had done them an injury. AU the slaves of Nyungwe,” 
said one, are our children; the Bazunga have made a town at 
our expense.” When I asked if they had not taken the prices 
offered them, they at once admitted it, but stiU thought that they 
had been injured by being so far tempted. From the way in 
which the lands of Zumbo were spoken of as stiU belonging to the 
Portuguese (and they are said to have been obtained by purchase), 
I was incHned to conclude that the purchase of land is not looked 
upon by the inhabitants in the same Hght as the purchase of 
slaves. 
February —We met some native traders, and, as many of 
my men were now in a state of nudity, I bought some American 
caHco marked Lawrence Mills, LoweU,” with two small tusks, 
and distributed it amongst the most needy. After leaving Mo- 
