easily forgotten; they vanished from my mind as though
they had never existed, and I was willing to put myself a
good deal about in order to satisfy so trusty a follower, and
give some evidence of my recollection of his admirable
services.
John I could see was busily engaged in picking out some
of the sacks that had stood the wear and tear of the
journey.
“ You won’t forget the goat at Shitimba, John,” said I.
“ No, sir ; I take um back to my leetle wife! I like dat
de master is coming back mit us too.”
“ What are the sacks for ? ”
“ I wants dem to take de rice home when I get back to de
waggon.” The old acquisitiveness still stuck to John.
The faces of Karemba, Sagwam, and Umfana were radiant
with delight, showing their innermost feelings of ecstasy at
the thought that for them there would be no more wandering.
I sincerely hope I succeeded in making them all feel
happy. I thought much as I watched the lessening forms
of the small party as it faded into the gloom of distance.
John’s long dream of home and his I leetle wife ” would
soon be realised. To him and his comrades Chibinga was
now fast sinking from view. The small group of faithfuls,
after a long farewell, headed towards the south,
skirting the banks of the Msingua river, with a fair wind,
homeward bound. For some time after they had left I sat
on the banks of the river meditating upon the aspects of
the situation. Now I was without a single follower.
Returning to the town I found Senhor Rubero, who informed
me that he had received news from Ohigurindi, his
town on the river, which would necessitate his immediate
departure. He wanted very much to buy my rifles; but
this, of course, was a demand I could never accede to.
When, however, he indicated a liking for my blankets I was
very glad to give him one..
The Senhor’s supply of goods at this town was dangerously
scarce; therefore it was with not a little trepidation that I
watched him paying out numerous fathoms of calico for
ivory, monkey-skins, and gold. The latter he weighed in a
small pair of medicine scales with so much attention as to
make it clear that he had a good, if one-sided, idea of its
value. What weights he used I could not determine;
evidently they were changeable, and conveniently adapted
to the appearance and demeanour of his customers. This
did not occupy my mind so much as the anxious thoughts
about the gradual disbursement of the goods; for all the,
men who might accompany me to Tette would have to be
paid in advance before I could move a step out of Chibinga.
Numbers of superanuated chiefs, grim and time-worn,
along with all sorts and sizes of people from the adjacent
towns, sat around in a large circle. Aqua ardiente was
passed freely, and it was almost pitiful to see the simple
people, accustomed to nothing stronger than their innocuous
beer, drink the stuff—I say it was pitiful to see them shudder
from head to foot when they swallowed the fire-water of
civilisation.
One evening I witnessed an extraordinary ceremony which
happened to be proceeding at the village on the opposite
banks of the river. The people were making a great noise.
A man dressed in the skin of a lion performed various odd
manoeuvres around the town’s enclosure, his actions being
supposed to have some bewitching power over the lion.
When first they told me that a lion was near, I thought
that surely one of those animals was in the river, as I had
often seen the spoor. I ran to fetch a rifle, thereby causing
much astonishment and even mirth. The true state of