t is difficult to say from the
heart, "Thy will be done;" but I shall try. These Waiyau had few
advantages: sold into slavery in early life, they were in the worst
possible school for learning to be honest and honourable, they behaved
well for a long time; but, having had hard and scanty fare in Lobisa,
wet and misery in passing through dripping forests, hungry nights and
fatiguing days, their patience must have been worn out, and they had
no sentiments of honour, or at least none so strong as we ought to
have; they gave way to the temptation which their good conduct had led
us to put in their way. Some we have come across in this journey
seemed born essentially mean and base--a great misfortune to them and
all who have to deal with them, but they cannot be so blamable as
those who have no natural tendency to meanness, and whose education
has taught them to abhor it. True; yet this loss of the medicine-box
gnaws at the heart terribly.

_21st and 22nd January, 1867._--Remained at Lisunga--raining nearly
all day; and we bought all the maere the chief would sell. We were now
forced to go on and made for the next village to buy food. Want of
food and rain are our chief difficulties now, more rain falls here on
this northern slope of the upland than elsewhere; clouds come up from
the north and pour down their treasures in heavy thunder-showers,
which deluge the whole country south of the edge of the plateau: the
rain-clouds come from the west chiefly.

_23rd January, 1867._--A march of five and three-quarter hours brought
us yesterday to a village, Chibanda's stockade, where "no food" was
the case, as usual. We crossed a good-sized rivulet, the Mapampa
(probably ten yards wide), dashing along to the east; all the rest of
the way was in dark forest. I sent off the boys to the village of
Muasi to buy food, if successful, to-morrow we march for the Chambeze,
on the other side of which all the reports agree in the statement that
there plenty of food is to be had. We all feel weak and easily tired,
and an incessant hunger teases us, so it is no wonder if so large a
space of this paper is occupied by stomach affairs. It has not been
merely want of nice dishes, but real biting hunger and faintness.

_24th January, 1867._--Four hours through unbroken, dark forest
brought us to the Movushi, which here is a sluggish stream, winding
through and filling a marshy valley a mile wide. It comes from
south-east, and falls into the Chambez