I proposed to go a little way east with this route to buy goats, but Chitapangwa got very angry, saying, I came only to show my things, and would buy nothing:  he then altered his tone, and requested me to take the cow first presented and eat it, and as we were all much in need I took it.  We were to give only what we liked in addition; but this was a snare, and when I gave two more cloths he sent them back, and demanded a blanket.  The boys alone have blankets; so I told him these were not slaves, and I could not take from them what I had once given.  Though it is disagreeable to be thus victimized, it is the first time we have tasted fat for six weeks and more.

6th February, 1867.—­Chitapangwa came with his wife to see the instruments which I explained to them as well as I could, and the books, as well as the Book of Books, and to my statements he made intelligent remarks.  The boys are sorely afraid of him.  When Abraham does not like to say what I state, he says to me “I don’t know the proper word;” but when I speak without him, he soon finds them.  He and Simon thought that talking in a cringing manner was the way to win him over, so I let them try it with a man he sent to communicate with us, and the result was this fellow wanted to open their bundles, pulled them about, and kept them awake most of the night.  Abraham came at night:  “Sir, what shall I do? they won’t let me sleep.”  “You have had your own way,” I replied, “and must abide by it.”  He brought them over to me in the morning, but I soon dismissed both him and them.

7th February, 1867.—­I sent to the chief either to come to me or say Avhen I should come to him and talk; the answer I got was that he would come when shaved, but he afterwards sent a man to hear what I had to advance—­this I declined, and when the rain ceased I went myself.

On coming into his hut I stated that I had given him four times the value of his cow, but if he thought otherwise, let us take the four cloths to his brother Moamba, and if he said that I had not given enough, I would buy a cow and send it back.  This he did not relish at all.  “Oh, great Englishman! why should we refer a dispute to an inferior.  I am the great chief of all this country.  Ingleze mokolu, you are sorry that you have to give so much for the ox you have eaten.  You would not take a smaller, and therefore I gratified your heart by giving the larger; and why should not you gratify my heart by giving cloth sufficient to cover me, and please me?”

I said that my cloths would cover him, and his biggest wife too all over, he laughed at this, but still held out; and as we have meat, and he sent maize and calabashes, I went away.  He turns round now, and puts the blame of greediness on me.  I cannot enter into his ideas, or see his point of view; cannot, in fact, enter into his ignorance, his prejudices, or delusions, so it is impossible to pronounce a true judgment.  One who has no humour cannot understand one who has:  this is an equivalent case.