the kind
Balonda and still more generous Makololo, the many delays caused by
sickness made us expend all my stock, and all the goods my men procured
by their own labor at Loanda, and we returned to the Makololo as poor
as when we set out. Yet no distrust was shown, and my poverty did not
lessen my influence. They saw that I had been exerting myself for their
benefit alone, and even my men remarked, "Though we return as poor as we
went, we have not gone in vain." They began immediately to collect tusks
of hippopotami and other ivory for a second journey.

Chapter 25.

Colony of Birds called Linkololo--The Village of Chitlane--Murder
of Mpololo's Daughter--Execution of the Murderer and his Wife--My
Companions find that their Wives have married other Husbands--
Sunday--A Party from Masiko--Freedom of Speech--Canoe struck by a
Hippopotamus--Gonye--Appearance of Trees at the end of Winter--Murky
Atmosphere--Surprising Amount of organic Life--Hornets--The Packages
forwarded by Mr. Moffat--Makololo Suspicions and Reply to the Matebele
who brought them--Convey the Goods to an Island and build a Hut over
them--Ascertain that Sir R. Murchison had recognized the true Form of
African Continent--Arrival at Linyanti--A grand Picho--Shrewd Inquiry--
Sekeletu in his Uniform--A Trading-party sent to Loanda with Ivory--
Mr. Gabriel's Kindness to them--Difficulties in Trading--Two Makololo
Forays during our Absence--Report of the Country to the N.E.--Death of
influential Men--The Makololo desire to be nearer the Market
--Opinions upon a Change of Residence--Climate of Barotse Valley--
Diseases--Author's Fevers not a fair Criterion in the Matter--The
Interior an inviting Field for the Philanthropist--Consultations about
a Path to the East Coast--Decide on descending North Bank of Zambesi--
Wait for the Rainy Season--Native way of spending Time during the period
of greatest Heat--Favorable Opening for Missionary Enterprise--Ben
Habib wishes to marry--A Maiden's Choice--Sekeletu's Hospitality--
Sulphureted Hydrogen and Malaria--Conversations with Makololo--Their
moral Character and Conduct--Sekeletu wishes to purchase a Sugar-mill,
etc.--The Donkeys--Influence among the Natives--"Food fit for a
Chief"--Parting Words of Mamire--Motibe's Excuses.

On the 31st of July we parted with our kind Libonta friends. We planted
some of our palm-tree seeds in different villages of this valley. They
began to sprout even while we were there, b