upon which my prospects hung was solely the possibility of
being able to converse in broken Portuguese through the
interpreters Chibanga and Misiri, who could make themselves
understood by the natives. Of course, they could
say whatever they pleased, and in the same way they would
tell me whatever suited their own purpose.
Acting on the new determination, I on the following-
morning made most strenuous efforts to recruit among the
Maravi—a barren and dispiriting effort, any description of
which would assuredly weary the reader.
Yet, in the dilemma, I reaped benefit from having given
largess to Mtande, the head man, who had stowed my things
in his hut.
By this time I was beginning to realise thoroughly the
utter loneliness of my position. One man left upon whom
I could rely would have made me feel comfortable, but at
present I could not foresee what might happen at any
moment. Fateful positions inevitably lay in the future of
my progress.
I completely banished from my mind all the hopes I ever
had of the Maravi accompanying me farther, and the distrust
seemed justified when some of them came forward to
loiter about and laugh derisively as I struggled to effect
a start, and to make the Landin (or Angoni) comprehend
my wishes by signs, and by the measures of cloth which I
laid beside each load.
The Maravi disappeared—where I could not tell. I was
deserted in this strange country, left amidst new surroundings
and unknown, and seemingly far from friendly faces.
Not a word could I interchange with a living mortal. I was
alone!
The task seemed quite hopeless. There was no one to
help me now, so I was thrown upon mv own resources and
ingenuity to steer as best I could out of the strange quandary.
I had almost succeeded in effecting a start, having
paid six Landin, but through being unable to make them
understand my intentions another day was lost.
As any one can fancy, the position was now far from
being conducive to blissful repose. The mind was too much
occupied by thoughtful studies of every plan which promised
to better the prospects of advance. The ever-recurring
mishaps of carriers had always been the worst difficulty.
On this occasion various payments in cloth had again
made the stock run very short. In fact, if ever I reached
the king’s town I would not have anything to offer h im ;
and then how was I to reach the lake ?
Tired of making efforts to sleep I got up, and, seeing no
one about, strolled to the outskirts of the town, and through
the furrows of the maize fields, talking to my shadow, which
was distinctly pictured by the bright moon. The voice, however,
in such experiments becomes monotonous, no matter
how you contradict yourself in the effort to be two. I can
imagine a prolonged existence of this kind causing madness.
There stood the baobab tree like a small grey tower, with
a black cavity gouged in one side. Under the pale light it
looked like the goblin’s tree so familiar in pantomimes.
A mao was walking after me. What on earth did he
want ? I paid no heed to his presence, but continued my
ramble for a little, until I saw that he was evidently bent
upon making up to me. Then I halted. The man had a
black calico sheet (dyed by the natives) wrapped carelessly
around his person, and, perhaps through the time and place
of meeting, he seemed to me a strange mortal.
“ Senoro! ”
The word surprised me. I t is the way which some natives
have of addressing the Portuguese. I was not long in