cool impudence of the savage, and made the best
of my way home in the still pouring rain. My men were rather nettled at
this want of hospitality, but, after talking over the matter with one of
Katende's servants, he proposed that some small article should be given,
and an attempt made to please Katende. I turned out my shirts, and
selected the worst one as a sop for him, and invited Katende to come and
choose any thing else I had, but added that, when I should reach my own
chief naked, and was asked what I had done with my clothes, I should
be obliged to confess that I had left them with Katende. The shirt was
dispatched to him, and some of my people went along with the servant;
they soon returned, saying that the shirt had been accepted, and guides
and food too would be sent to us next day. The chief had, moreover,
expressed a hope to see me on my return. He is reported to be very
corpulent. The traders who have come here seem to have been very timid,
yielding to every demand made on the most frivolous pretenses. One of my
men, seeing another much like an acquaintance at home, addressed him by
the name of the latter in sport, telling him, at the same time, why
he did so; this was pronounced to be a grave offense, and a large fine
demanded; when the case came before me I could see no harm in what had
been done, and told my people not to answer the young fellow. The latter
felt himself disarmed, for it is chiefly in a brawl they have power;
then words are spoken in anger which rouse the passions of the
complainant's friends. In this case, after vociferating some time, the
would-be offended party came and said to my man that, if they exchanged
some small gift, all would be right, but, my man taking no notice of
him, he went off rather crestfallen.

My men were as much astonished as myself at the demand for payment
for leave to pass, and the almost entire neglect of the rules of
hospitality. Katende gave us only a little meal and manioc, and a fowl.
Being detained two days by heavy rains, we felt that a good stock of
patience was necessary in traveling through this country in the rainy
season.

Passing onward without seeing Katende, we crossed a small rivulet, the
Sengko, by which we had encamped, and after two hours came to another,
the Totelo, which was somewhat larger, and had a bridge over it. At the
farther end of this structure stood a negro, who demanded fees. He said
the bridge was his; the path his; the guides we