at his face, seemed to produce an instant revolution in his martial feelings, for he cried out, “Oh!  I have only come to speak to you, and wish peace only.”  Mashauana had hold of him by the hand, and found him shaking.  We examined his gun, and found that it had been discharged.  Both parties crowded up to their chiefs.  One of the opposite party coming too near, one of mine drove him back with a battle-axe.  The enemy protested their amicable intentions, and my men asserted the fact of having the goods knocked down as evidence of the contrary.  Without waiting long, I requested all to sit down, and Pitsane, placing his hand upon the revolver, somewhat allayed their fears.  I then said to the chief, “If you have come with peaceable intentions, we have no other; go away home to your village.”  He replied, “I am afraid lest you shoot me in the back.”  I rejoined, “If I wanted to kill you, I could shoot you in the face as well.”  Mosantu called out to me, “That’s only a Makalaka trick; don’t give him your back.”  But I said, “Tell him to observe that I am not afraid of him;” and, turning, mounted my ox.  There was not much danger in the fire that was opened at first, there being so many trees.  The enemy probably expected that the sudden attack would make us forsake our goods, and allow them to plunder with ease.  The villagers were no doubt pleased with being allowed to retire unscathed, and we were also glad to get away without having shed a drop of blood, or having compromised ourselves for any future visit.  My men were delighted with their own bravery, and made the woods ring with telling each other how “brilliant their conduct before the enemy” would have been, had hostilities not been brought to a sudden close.

I do not mention this little skirmish as a very frightful affair.  The negro character in these parts, and in Angola, is essentially cowardly, except when influenced by success.  A partial triumph over any body of men would induce the whole country to rise in arms, and this is the chief danger to be feared.  These petty chiefs have individually but little power, and with my men, now armed with guns, I could have easily beaten them off singly; but, being of the same family, they would readily unite in vast numbers if incited by prospects of successful plunder.  They are by no means equal to the Cape Caffres in any respect whatever.

In the evening we came to Moena Kikanje, and found him a sensible man.  He is the last of the Chiboque chiefs in this direction, and is in alliance with Matiamvo, whose territory commences a short distance beyond.  His village is placed on the east bank of the Quilo, which is here twenty yards wide, and breast deep.

The country was generally covered with forest, and we slept every night at some village.  I was so weak, and had become so deaf from the effects of the fever, that I was glad to avail myself of the company of Senhor Pascoal and the other native traders.  Our rate of traveling was only two geographical miles per hour, and the average number of hours three and a half per day, or seven miles.  Two thirds of the month was spent in stoppages, there being only ten traveling days in each month.  The stoppages were caused by sickness, and the necessity of remaining in different parts to purchase food; and also because, when one carrier was sick, the rest refused to carry his load.