rch over the
hot rocks and burning sand changed their tune before night; and then they
regretted having left the canoes; they thought they should have dragged
them past the dangerous places, and then launched them again. One of the
two donkeys died from exhaustion near the Luia. Though the men eat
zebras and quaggas, blood relations of the donkey, they were shocked at
the idea of eating the ass; "it would be like eating man himself, because
the donkey lives with man, and is his bosom companion." We met two large
trading parties of Tette slaves on their way to Zumbo, leading, to be
sold for ivory, a number of Manganja women, with ropes round their necks,
and all made fast to one long rope.

Panzo, the headman of the village east of Kebrabasa, received us with
great kindness. After the usual salutation he went up the hill, and, in
a loud voice, called across the valley to the women of several hamlets to
cook supper for us. About eight in the evening he returned, followed by
a procession of women, bringing the food. There were eight dishes of
nsima, or porridge, six of different sorts of very good wild vegetables,
with dishes of beans and fowls; all deliciously well cooked, and
scrupulously clean. The wooden dishes were nearly as white as the meal
itself: food also was brought for our men. Ripe mangoes, which usually
indicate the vicinity of the Portuguese, were found on the 21st November;
and we reached Tette early on the 23rd, having been absent a little over
six months.

The two English sailors, left in charge of the steamer, were well, had
behaved well, and had enjoyed excellent health all the time we were away.
Their farm had been a failure. We left a few sheep, to be slaughtered
when they wished for fresh meat, and two dozen fowls. Purchasing more,
they soon had double the number of the latter, and anticipated a good
supply of eggs; but they also bought two monkeys, and _they_ ate all the
eggs. A hippopotamus came up one night, and laid waste their vegetable
garden; the sheep broke into their cotton patch, when it was in flower,
and ate it all, except the stems; then the crocodiles carried off the
sheep, and the natives stole the fowls. Nor were they more successful as
gun-smiths: a Portuguese trader, having an exalted opinion of the
ingenuity of English sailors, showed them a double-barrelled rifle, and
inquired if they could put on the _browning_, which had rusted off. "I
think I knows how," said one,