t, that the Mazitu were
out on a foray. While roasting and eating meat I went forward with
Mpanda to get men from Chimuna to carry the rest, but was soon
recalled. Another crowd were also in full retreat; the people were
running straight to the Zalanyama range regardless of their feet,
making a path for themselves through the forest; they had escaped from
the Mazitu that morning; "they saw them!" Mpanda's people wished to
leave and go to look after their own village, but we persuaded them,
on pain of a _milando_, to take us to the nearest village, that was at
the bottom of Zalanyama proper, and we took the spoor of the
fugitives. The hard grass with stalks nearly as thick as quills must
have hurt their feet sorely, but what of that in comparison with dear
life! We meant to take our stand on the hill and defend our property
in case of the Mazitu coming near; and we should, in the event of
being successful, be a defence to the fugitives who crowded up its
rocky sides, but next morning we heard that the enemy had gone to the
south. Had we gone forward, as we intended, to search for men to
carry the meat we should have met the marauders, for the men of the
second party of villagers had remained behind guarding their village
till the Mazitu arrived, and they told us what a near escape I had had
from walking into their power.

_25th October, 1866._--Came along northwards to Chimuna's town, a
large one of Chipeta with many villages around. Our path led through
the forest, and as we emerged into the open strath in which the
villages lie, we saw the large anthills, each the size of the end of a
one-storied cottage, covered with men on guard watching for the
Mazitu.

A long line of villagers were just arriving from the south, and we
could see at some low hills in that direction the smoke arising from
the burning settlements. None but men were present, the women and the
chief were at the mountain called Pambe; all were fully armed with
their long bows, some flat in the bow, others round, and it was common
to have the quiver on the back, and a bunch of feathers stuck in the
hair like those in our Lancers' shakos. But they remained not to
fight, but to watch their homes and stores of grain from robbers
amongst their own people in case no Mazitu came! They gave a good hut,
and sent off at once to let the chief at Pambe know of our arrival. We
heard the cocks crowing up there in the mountain as we passed in the
morning. Chimuna cam