re they are speared to death or else destroyed in a
number of pitfalls placed there for the purpose.

[33] The ordeal poison.

CHAPTER VI.

Progress northwards. An African forest. Destruction by Mazitu.
Native salutations. A disagreeable chief. On the watershed
between the Lake and the Loangwa River. Extensive iron-workings.
An old Nimrod. The Bua Eiver. Lovely scenery. Difficulties of
transport. Chilobe. An African Pythoness. Enlists two Waiyou
bearers. Ill. The Chitella bean. Rains set in. Arrives at the
Loangwa.

We started with Chitikola as our guide on the 22nd of October, and he
led us away westwards across the Lilongwe River, then turned north
till we came to a village called Mashumba, the headman of which was
the only chief who begged anything except medicine, and he got less
than we were in the habit of giving in consequence: we give a cloth
usually, and clothing being very scarce this is considered
munificent.[34]

We had the Zalanyama range on our left, and our course was generally
north, but we had to go in the direction of the villages which were on
friendly terms with our guides, and sometimes we went but a little
way, as they studied to make the days as short as possible. The
headman of the last village, Chitoku, was with us, and he took us to a
village of smiths, four furnaces and one smithy being at work. We
crossed the Chiniambo, a strong river coming from Zalanyama and
flowing into the Mirongwe, which again goes into Lintipe. The country
near the hills becomes covered with forest, the trees are chiefly
Masuko Mochenga (the gum-copal tree), the bark-cloth tree and
rhododendrons. The heath known at the Cape as _Rhinoster bosch_ occurs
frequently, and occasionally we have thorny acacias. The grass is
short, but there is plenty of it.

_24th October, 1866._--Our guide, Mpanda, led us through the forest by
what he meant to be a short cut to Chimuna's. We came on a herd of
about fifteen elephants, and many trees laid down by these animals:
they seem to relish the roots of some kinds, and spend a good deal of
time digging them up; they chew woody roots and branches as thick as
the handle of a spade. Many buffaloes feed here, and we viewed a herd
of elands; they kept out of bow-shot only: a herd of the baama or
hartebeest stood at 200 paces, and one was shot.

While all were rejoicing over the meat we got news, from the
inhabitants of a large village in full fligh