hire
Valley. The Bishop accepted the invitation of Chigunda, a Manganja
chief, to settle at Magomero. It was thought, however, desirable for the
Bishop and Livingstone first to visit the Ajawa chief, and try to turn
him from his murderous ways. The road was frightful--through burning
villages resounding with the wailings of women and the shouts of the
warriors. The Ajawa received the offered visit in a hostile spirit, and
the shout being raised that Chibisa had come--powerful chief with the
reputation of being a sorcerer--they fired on the Bishop's party and
compelled them, in self-defense, to fire in return. It was the first
time that Livingstone had ever been so attacked by natives, often though
they had threatened him. It was the first time he had had to repel an
attack with violence; so little was he thinking of such a thing that he
had not his rifle with him, and was obliged to borrow a revolver. The
encounter was hot and serious, but it ended in the Ajawa being driven
off without loss on the other side.

It now became a question for the Bishop in what relation he and his
party were to stand to these murderous and marauding Ajawa--whether they
should quietly witness their onslaughts or drive them from the country
and rescue the captive Manganja. Livingstone's advice to them was to be
patient, and to avoid taking part in the quarrels of the natives. He
then left them at Magomero, and returned to his companions on the Shire.
For a time the Bishop's party followed Livingstone's advice, but
circumstances afterward occurred which constrained them to take a
different course, and led to very serious results in the history of
the Mission.

Writing to his son Robert, Livingstone thus describes the attack made by
the Ajawa on him, the Bishop, and the missionaries:

"The slave-hunters had induced a number of another tribe to
capture people for them. We came to this tribe while burning
three villages, and though we told them that we came
peaceably, and to talk with them, they saw that we were a
small party, and might easily be overcome, rushed at us and
shot their poisoned arrows. One fell between the Bishop and
me, and another whizzed between another man and me. We had to
drive them off, and they left that part of the country.
Before going near them the Bishop engaged in prayer, and
during the prayer we could hear the wail for the dead by some
Manganja probably though