rom
his people in our good work. He sent us a present of rice, two sheep,
and a quantity of firewood. He never tried to make any use of us in the
strife; the other side showed less confidence, by carefully
cross-questioning our pilot whether we had sold any powder to the enemy.
We managed, however, to keep on good terms with both rebels and
Portuguese.

Senna is built on a low plain, on the right bank of the Zambesi, with
some pretty detached hills in the background; it is surrounded by a
stockade of living trees to protect its inhabitants from their
troublesome and rebellious neighbours. It contains a few large houses,
some ruins of others, and a weather-beaten cross, where once stood a
church; a mound shows the site of an ancient monastery, and a mud fort by
the river is so dilapidated, that cows were grazing peacefully over its
prostrate walls.

The few Senna merchants, having little or no trade in the village, send
parties of trusted slaves into the interior to hunt for and purchase
ivory. It is a dull place, and very conducive to sleep. One is sure to
take fever in Senna on the second day, if by chance one escapes it on the
first day of a sojourn there; but no place is entirely bad. Senna has
one redeeming feature: it is the native village of the large-hearted and
hospitable Senhor H. A. Ferrao. The benevolence of this gentleman is
unbounded. The poor black stranger passing through the town goes to him
almost as a matter of course for food, and is never sent away hungry. In
times of famine the starving natives are fed by his generosity; hundreds
of his own people he never sees except on these occasions; and the only
benefit derived from being their master is, that they lean on him as a
patriarchal chief, and he has the satisfaction of settling their
differences, and of saving their lives in seasons of drought and
scarcity.

Senhor Ferrao received us with his usual kindness, and gave us a
bountiful breakfast. During the day the principal men of the place
called, and were unanimously of opinion that the free natives would
willingly cultivate large quantities of cotton, could they find
purchasers. They had in former times exported largely both cotton and
cloth to Manica and even to Brazil. "On their own soil," they declared,
"the natives are willing to labour and trade, provided only they can do
so to advantage: when it is for their interest, blacks work very hard."
We often remarked subsequently that