murderers of fathers, uncles, or grandfathers--a
dreadful state truly. The traders are as bloodthirsty every whit as the
Manyuema, where no danger exists, but in most cases where the people can
fight they are as civil as possible. At Moere Mpanda's, the son of
Casembe, Mohamad Bogharib left a debt of twenty-eight slaves and eight
bars of copper, each seventy pounds, and did not dare to fire a shot
because they saw they had met their match: here his headmen are said to
have bound the headmen of villages till a ransom was paid in tusks! Had
they only gone three days further to the Babisa, to whom Moene-mokaia's
men went, they would have got fine ivory at two rings a tusk, while they
had paid from ten to eighteen. Here it is as sad a tale to tell as was
that of the Manganja scattered and peeled by the Waiyau agents of the
Portuguese of Tette. The good Lord look on it.

_26th April, 1871._--Chitovu called nine slaves bought by Abed's people
from the Kuss country, west of the Lualaba, and asked them about their
tribes and country for me. One, with his upper front teeth extracted,
was of the tribe Maloba, on the other side of the Loeki, another comes
from the River Lombadzo, or Lombazo, which is west of Loeki (this may be
another name for the Lomame), the country is called Nanga, and the tribe
Nongo, chief Mpunzo. The Malobo tribe is under the chiefs Yunga and
Lomadyo. Another toothless boy said that he came from the Lomame: the
upper teeth extracted seem to say that the tribe have cattle; the
knocking out the teeth is in imitation of the animals they almost
worship. No traders had ever visited them; this promises ivory to the
present visitors: all that is now done with the ivory there is to make
rude blowing horns and bracelets.

_27th April, 1871._--Waiting wearily and anxiously; we cannot move
people who are far off and make them come near with news. Even the
owners of canoes say, "Yes, yes; we shall bring them," but do not stir;
they doubt us, and my slaves increase the distrust by their lies to the
Manyuema.

_28th April, 1871._--Abed sent over Manyuema to buy slaves for him and
got a pretty woman for 300 cowries and a hundred strings of beads; she
can be sold again to an Arab for much more in ivory. Abed himself gave
$130 for a woman-cook, and she fled to me when put in chains for some
crime: I interceded, and she was loosed: I advised her not to offend
again, because I could not beg for her twice.

Hassani with te