velling to Casembe did not inquire of
the people where the streams they crossed went, for they are often
wrongly put, and indicate the direction only in which they appeared to
be flowing at their crossing places. The natives have a good idea
generally of the rivers into which the streams flow, though they are
very deficient in information as to the condition of the people that
live on their banks. Some of the Portuguese questions must have been
asked through slaves, who would show no hesitation in answering.
Maxinga, or Machinga, means "mountains" only; once or twice it is put
down Saxa de Maxinga, or Machinga, or Mcanga, which translated from
the native tongue means "rocks of mountains, or mountains of rocks."

_10th November, 1866._--We found the people on the Mando to be Chawa
or Ajawa, but not of the Waiyau race: they are Manganja, and this is a
village of smiths. We got five men readily to go back and bring up our
loads; and the sound of the hammer is constant, showing a great deal
of industry. They combine agriculture, and hunting with nets, with
their handicraft.

A herd of buffaloes came near the village, and I went and shot one,
thus procuring a supply of meat for the whole party and villagers too.
The hammer which we hear from dawn till sunset is a large stone, bound
with the strong inner bark of a tree, and loops left which form
handles. Two pieces of bark form the tongs, and a big stone sunk into
the ground the anvil. They make several hoes in a day, and the metal
is very good; it is all from yellow haematite, which abounds all over
this part of the country; the bellows consist of two goatskins with
sticks at the open ends, which are opened and shut at every blast.

[Illustration: Forging Hoes.]

_13th November, 1866._--A lion came last night and gave a growl or two
on finding he could not get our meat: a man had lent us a hunting net
to protect it and us from intruders of this sort. The people kept up a
shouting for hours afterwards, in order to keep him away by the human
voice.

We might have gone on, but I had a galled heel from new shoes. Wild
figs are rather nice when quite ripe.

_14th November, 1866._--We marched northwards round the end of Chisia
Hill, and remained for the night at a blacksmith's, or rather
founder's village; the two occupations of founder and smith are
always united, and boys taught to be smiths in Europe or India would
find themselves useless if unable to smelt the ore. A go