ing frequently wet, remained so beneath me even in the hot sun, and,
aided by the heat of the ox, caused extensive abrasion of the
skin, which was continually healing and getting sore again. To this
inconvenience was now added the chafing of my projecting bones on the
hard bed.

On Friday we came to a village of civil people on the banks of the
Loajima itself, and we were wet all day in consequence of crossing it.
The bridges over it, and another stream which we crossed at midday, were
submerged, as we have hitherto invariably found, by a flood of perfectly
clear water. At the second ford we were met by a hostile party who
refused us further passage. I ordered my men to proceed in the same
direction we had been pursuing, but our enemies spread themselves out in
front of us with loud cries. Our numbers were about equal to theirs
this time, so I moved on at the head of my men. Some ran off to
other villages, or back to their own village, on pretense of getting
ammunition; others called out that all traders came to them, and that we
must do the same. As these people had plenty of iron-headed arrows and
some guns, when we came to the edge of the forest I ordered my men to
put the luggage in our centre; and, if our enemies did not fire, to cut
down some young trees and make a screen as quickly as possible, but do
nothing to them except in case of actual attack. I then dismounted, and,
advancing a little toward our principal opponent, showed him how easily
I could kill him, but pointed upward, saying, "I fear God." He did the
same, placing his hand on his heart, pointing upward, and saying, "I
fear to kill; but come to our village; come--do come." At this juncture,
the old head man, Ionga Panza, a venerable negro, came up, and I invited
him and all to be seated, that we might talk the matter over. Ionga
Panza soon let us know that he thought himself very ill treated in being
passed by. As most skirmishes arise from misunderstanding, this might
have been a serious one; for, like all the tribes near the Portuguese
settlements, people here imagine that they have a right to demand
payment from every one who passes through the country; and now, though
Ionga Panza was certainly no match for my men, yet they were determined
not to forego their right without a struggle. I removed with my men
to the vicinity of the village, thankful that no accident had as yet
brought us into actual collision.

The reason why the people have imbibed