th us in our sorrow, and, afraid
lest we might suspect him, added, "We never catch nor kidnap people
here. It is not our custom. It is considered as guilt among all the
tribes." I gave him credit for truthfulness, and he allowed us to move
on without farther molestation.

After leaving his village we marched in the bed of a sand-river a
quarter of a mile broad, called Tangwe. Walking on this sand is as
fatiguing as walking on snow. The country is flat, and covered with low
trees, but we see high hills in the distance. A little to the south we
have those of the Lobole. This region is very much infested by lions,
and men never go any distance into the woods alone. Having turned aside
on one occasion at midday, and gone a short distance among grass a
little taller than myself, an animal sprung away from me which was
certainly not an antelope, but I could not distinguish whether it was a
lion or a hyaena. This abundance of carnivora made us lose all hope of
Monahin. We saw footprints of many black rhinoceroses, buffaloes, and
zebras.

After a few hours we reached the village of Nyakoba. Two men, who
accompanied us from Monina to Nyakoba's, would not believe us when we
said that we had no beads. It is very trying to have one's veracity
doubted, but, on opening the boxes, and showing them that all I had
was perfectly useless to them, they consented to receive some beads off
Sekwebu's waist, and I promised to send four yards of calico from Tete.
As we came away from Monina's village, a witch-doctor, who had been sent
for, arrived, and all Monina's wives went forth into the fields that
morning fasting. There they would be compelled to drink an infusion of a
plant named "goho", which is used as an ordeal. This ceremony is called
"muavi", and is performed in this way. When a man suspects that any of
his wives has bewitched him, he sends for the witch-doctor, and all the
wives go forth into the field, and remain fasting till that person has
made an infusion of the plant. They all drink it, each one holding up
her hand to heaven in attestation of her innocency. Those who vomit
it are considered innocent, while those whom it purges are pronounced
guilty, and put to death by burning. The innocent return to their homes,
and slaughter a cock as a thank-offering to their guardian spirits. The
practice of ordeal is common among all the negro nations north of the
Zambesi. This summary procedure excited my surprise, for my intercourse
wi