them a few elephants' tusks, which Sekeletu
sent by way of a trading venture.

The river up which they paddled abounds in hippopotami. These are in
general harmless, though now and then a solitary old bull who has been
expelled from the herd vents his spleen by pitching into every canoe
that passes. Once their canoe was attacked by a female whose calf had
been speared, and nearly overturned. The female carries her young upon
her back, its little round head first appearing above the surface when
she comes up to breathe.

By the order of the chief the party had been furnished with eight oxen
for riding, and seven intended for slaughter. Some of the troop paddled
the canoes, while others drove the cattle along the bank.

African etiquette requires that a company of travelers, when they come
in sight of a village, shall seat themselves under a tree, and send
forward a messenger to announce their arrival and state their object.
The chief then gives them a ceremonious reception, with abundance of
speech-making and drumming. It is no easy matter to get away from these
villages, for the chiefs esteem it an honor to have strangers with
them. These delays, and the frequent heavy rains, greatly retarded the
progress of the travelers.

They had traveled four months, and accomplished half of their journey
before encountering any show of hostility from the tribes through which
they passed. A chief, named Njambi, then demanded tribute for passing
through his country; when this was refused he said that one of
Livingstone's men had spit on the leg of one of his people, and this
crime must be paid for by a fine of a man, an ox, or a gun. This
reasonable demand was likewise refused, and the natives seemed about
to commence hostilities; but changed their minds upon witnessing the
determined attitude of the strangers. Livingstone at last yielded to the
entreaties of his men and gave them an ox, upon the promise that food
should be sent in exchange. The niggardly chief sent them only a small
bag of meal, and two or three pounds of the meat of their own ox.

From this time they were subject to frequent attempts at extortion. The
last of these was made on the banks of the River Quango, the boundary of
the Portuguese possessions. A Bashinje chief, whose portrait is given
by Mr. Livingstone, made the usual demand of a man, a gun, or an ox,
otherwise they must return the way they came. While negotiations were
in progress the opportune arriva