nd living out in the woods all the time?"

"Oh no, no," said David. "Wherever we settle to remain we must at once
build a house, where you and Bella can live in comfort, and where we can
stow our stores and collections of natural history."

Of course I agreed to my cousin's plan; and, indeed, I thought it, under
all circumstances, the most advisable. Even should we reach one of the
Portuguese settlements, we might not be able to find a vessel to carry
us to the Cape; besides which, they are mostly unhealthy, and it would
be far better travelling along the mountains than having to spend any
length of time at one of them. I was afraid, however, that Senhor Silva
would not so readily agree to this plan, as he might be anxious to reach
Loando. I was relieved when I heard him say--

"Well, my friends, I approve of your proposal; but we must not wait here
an hour longer than is necessary. At night we shall find unhealthy
vapours rise from yonder river, and the sooner, therefore, we get away
from its banks the better."

"But we have no horses or waggons to carry our goods," I observed,
looking at the pile of property before me. "Even if each of us were to
take a heavy package, we could not carry it."

"I will see to that," said Senhor Silva. "I think I can secure the
services of some of those negroes, although they may not be willing to
venture far into the country. Mr Crawford, will you come with me, and
we will see what can be done?"

I started up with my gun in my hand, for I did not like the appearance
of the black savages. I remembered the way the poor crew of the
_Osprey_ had been treated, and thought it possible, if we were taken
unawares, that we might meet the same fate.

"The case is very different here," said Senhor Silva in reply to my
remark as we walked along. "Those poor men fell victims to the
treachery not so much of the blacks, as of some of the white slavers who
had but a short time before curried off a number of their kindred and
friends. I heard the story on board the schooner. They had enticed
them down to the coast on pretence of trading, and then surrounding
them, had captured some forty or fifty of their number, and carried them
off on board their ship. Those who had escaped, very naturally vowed
vengeance against the first white men they might meet, of course not
distinguishing between English and Portuguese. Thus the unfortunate
crew of the brig became their victims. They would,