irst came into contact with the
"rebels." They appeared as a crowd of well-armed and
fantastically-dressed people under the trees at Mazaro. On explaining
that we were English, some at once came on board and called to those on
shore to lay aside their arms. On landing among them we saw that many
had the branded marks of slaves on their chests, but they warmly approved
our objects, and knew well the distinctive character of our nation on the
slave question. The shout at our departure contrasted strongly with the
suspicious questioning on our approach. Hence-forward we were recognized
as friends by both parties.

At a later period we were taking in wood within a mile of the scene of
action, but a dense fog prevented our hearing the noise of a battle at
Mazaro; and on arriving there, immediately after, many natives and
Portuguese appeared on the bank.

Dr. Livingstone, landing to salute some of his old friends among the
latter, found himself in the sickening smell, and among the mutilated
bodies of the slain; he was requested to take the Governor, who was very
ill of fever, across to Shupanga, and just as he gave his assent, the
rebels renewed the fight, and the balls began to whistle about in all
directions. After trying in vain to get some one to assist the Governor
down to the steamer, and unwilling to leave him in such danger, as the
officer sent to bring our Kroomen did not appear, he went into the hut,
and dragged along his Excellency to the ship. He was a very tall man,
and as he swayed hither and thither from weakness, weighing down Dr.
Livingstone, it must have appeared like one drunken man helping another.
Some of the Portuguese white soldiers stood fighting with great bravery
against the enemy in front, while a few were coolly shooting at their own
slaves for fleeing into the river behind. The rebels soon retired, and
the Portuguese escaped to a sandbank in the Zambesi, and thence to an
island opposite Shupanga, where they lay for some weeks, looking at the
rebels on the mainland opposite. This state of inactivity on the part of
the Portuguese could not well be helped, as they had expended all their
ammunition and were waiting anxiously for supplies; hoping, no doubt
sincerely, that the enemy might not hear that their powder had failed.
Luckily their hopes were not disappointed; the rebels waited until a
supply came, and were then repulsed after three-and-a-half hours' hard
fighting. Two months afterw