Unfortunately he was only able to understand a very
few words of French, and I even less of Portuguese.
I discovered, however, that there was a Mission Station
eight miles off at Ricico, where there were two German
missionaries. I therefore wrote to ask if I might visit
them. They kindly sent me an invitation, and I went
by boat the same night. I found one Hungarian brother
and one Swiss lay brother, who could speak both French
and German; he very kindly suggested that he should
return to interpret. This he did the same evening, and
LEAV ING MATAKANIA’ S.
next day I was able to buy from the Commandant
sufficient cloth to pay all my men. This was a very
great favour on his part, as war had broken out some
months before below Tete, and all supplies were stopped.
He also undertook to let me have a large Government
boat to take me as far towards Tete as Kashumba. After
spending ten days at Zumbo, I returned to my men
at Matakania’s. They had killed two hippopotami in
my absence. On my arrival the chief apologized for his
son’s churlish behaviour, and gave me fresh quarters. On
the 22nd November I paid off all the men, and next day
started on my way to Tete. The Commandant, with his
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invariable courtesy, sent me the boat he had promised,
and Matakania gave orders that one of his houses should
be placed at my disposal at Tete.
The station of Zumbo consists of four houses built of
stone and covered with tiles, the only inhabitants being
the Commandant, a Portuguese trader, and Matakania,
the chief of the Panyami river. The latter deserves a
few words of description. He was (he died some time
m a t a k a n i a ’ s b a n d .
ago) the richest and most powerful of the Capitao Mores
of the Zambezi. He possessed an army of over 6000
men, armed with breach-loaders given to him by the
Portuguese Government. With this force he used to raid
all the Senga country, over which he ruled absolutely.
He had in this way amassed a considerable number of
slaves, and possessed a store full of ivory; when I visited
this store I found there more than thirty tons of it.
His strength was such that the Portuguese dared not
interfere with him. He was honorary colonel of the
Portuguese army, and on great occasions used to attire
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