who has visited the
country of Shinte three times for the purposes of trade. He gave us some
of the news of that distant part, but not a word of the Makololo,
who have always been represented in the countries to the north as a
desperately savage race, whom no trader could visit with safety. The
half-caste traders whom we met at Shinte's had returned to Angola with
sixty-six slaves and upward of fifty tusks of ivory. As we came along
the path, we daily met long lines of carriers bearing large square
masses of beeswax, each about a hundred pounds weight, and numbers of
elephants' tusks, the property of Angolese merchants. Many natives were
proceeding to the coast also on their own account, carrying beeswax,
ivory, and sweet oil. They appeared to travel in perfect security; and
at different parts of the road we purchased fowls from them at a penny
each. My men took care to celebrate their own daring in having actually
entered ships, while the natives of these parts, who had endeavored to
frighten them on their way down, had only seen them at a distance. Poor
fellows! they were more than ever attentive to me; and, as they were not
obliged to erect sheds for themselves, in consequence of finding them
already built at the different sleeping-places, all their care was
bestowed in making me comfortable. Mashauana, as usual, made his bed
with his head close to my feet, and never during the entire journey did
I have to call him twice for any thing I needed.

During our stay at Tala Mungongo, our attention was attracted to a
species of red ant which infests different parts of this country. It
is remarkably fond of animal food. The commandant of the village having
slaughtered a cow, slaves were obliged to sit up the whole night,
burning fires of straw around the meat, to prevent them from devouring
most of it. These ants are frequently met with in numbers like a small
army. At a little distance they appear as a brownish-red band, two or
three inches wide, stretched across the path, all eagerly pressing on in
one direction. If a person happens to tread upon them, they rush up his
legs and bite with surprising vigor. The first time I encountered this
by no means contemptible enemy was near Cassange. My attention being
taken up in viewing the distant landscape, I accidentally stepped
upon one of their nests. Not an instant seemed to elapse before a
simultaneous attack was made on various unprotected parts, up the
trowsers from below,