oliage gave a softness to the landscape, which contrasted
well with the wild passes and rugged rocks of the middle distance, and
the towering mountains which rose, range beyond range, in the far
distance.

But as the party approached the neighbourhood of Zomba mountains, few of
them were disposed to give much heed to the beauties of nature. All
being interested in Chimbolo, they became more or less anxious as to
news that awaited him.

On turning a spur of one of the mountains which had hitherto barred
their vision, they found themselves suddenly face to face with a small
band of Manganja men, whose woe-begone countenances told too eloquently
that the hand of the destroyer had been heavy upon them.

Of course they were questioned by Chimbolo, and the replies they gave
him were such as to confirm the fears he had previously entertained.

The Ajawa, they said, had, just the day before, burnt their villages,
stolen or destroyed their property, killed many of their kinsmen, and
carried off their wives and children for slaves. They themselves had
escaped, and were now on their way to visit their chief, who was at that
time on the banks of the Zambesi, to beg of him to return, in order that
he might bewitch the guns of the Ajawa, and so render them harmless!

"Has a woman of your tribe, named Marunga, been slain or captured?"
asked Chimbolo eagerly.

To this the men replied that they could not tell. Marunga, they said,
was known well to them by name and sight. They did not think she was
among the captives, but could not tell what had become of her, as the
village where she and her little boy lived had been burnt, and all who
had not been killed or captured had taken to the bush. Marunga's
husband, they added, was a man named Chimbolo--not a Manganja man, but a
friend of the tribe--who had been taken by the slavers, under command of
a Portuguese half-caste named Marizano, about two years before that
time.

Chimbolo winced as though he had been stung when Marizano's name was
mentioned, and a dark frown contracted his brows when he told the
Manganja men that _he_ was Chimbolo, and that he was even then in search
of Marunga and her little boy.

When all this had been explained to Harold Seadrift he told the men that
it was a pity to waste time in travelling such a long way to see their
chief, who could not, even if he wished, bewitch the guns of the Ajawa,
and advised them to turn back and guide him and his men to t