could
I know that this was a chief, who had allowed me to remain a day and a
half near him without giving me any thing to eat?" This, which to the
uninitiated may seem sophistry, was to the Central Africans quite a
rational question, for he at once admitted that food ought to have been
sent, and added that probably his chief was only making it ready for me,
and that it would come soon.

After being wearied by talking all day to different parties sent by
Sansawe, we were honored by a visit from himself: he is quite a young
man, and of rather a pleasing countenance. There can not have been much
intercourse between real Portuguese and these people even here, so close
to the Quango, for Sansawe asked me to show him my hair, on the ground
that, though he had heard of it, and some white men had even passed
through his country, he had never seen straight hair before. This is
quite possible, as most of the slave-traders are not Portuguese, but
half-castes. The difference between their wool and our hair caused
him to burst into a laugh, and the contrast between the exposed and
unexposed parts of my skin, when exhibited in evidence of our all being
made of one stock originally, and the children of one Maker, seemed to
strike him with wonder. I then showed him my watch, and wished to win my
way into his confidence by conversation; but, when about to exhibit
my pocket compass, he desired me to desist, as he was afraid of my
wonderful things. I told him, if he knew my aims as the tribes in the
interior did, and as I hoped he would yet know them and me, he would be
glad to stay, and see also the pictures of the magic lantern; but, as
it was now getting dark, he had evidently got enough of my witchery,
and began to use some charms to dispel any kindly feelings he might have
found stealing round his heart. He asked leave to go, and when his party
moved off a little way, he sent for my spokesman, and told him that, "if
we did not add a red jacket and a man to our gift of a few copper rings
and a few pounds of meat, we must return by the way we had come." I
said in reply "that we should certainly go forward next day, and if he
commenced hostilities, the blame before God would be that of Sansawe;"
and my man added of his own accord, "How many white men have you killed
in this path?" which might be interpreted into, "You have never killed
any white man, and you will find ours more difficult to manage than you
imagine." It expressed a dete