know that
tribe. We suppose you are a Mozunga, the tribe with which we have been
fighting." As I was not yet aware that the term Mozunga was applied to
a Portuguese, and thought they meant half-castes, I showed them my hair
and the skin of my bosom, and asked if the Bazunga had hair and skin
like mine. As the Portuguese have the custom of cutting the hair close,
and are also somewhat darker than we are, they answered, "No; we never
saw skin so white as that;" and added, "Ah! you must be one of that
tribe that loves (literally, 'has heart to') the black men." I, of
course, gladly responded in the affirmative. They returned to the
village, and we afterward heard that there had been a long discussion
between Mpende and his councilors, and that one of the men with whom we
had remained to talk the day before had been our advocate. He was
named Sindese Oalea. When we were passing his village, after some
conversation, he said to his people, "Is that the man whom they wish to
stop after he has passed so many tribes? What can Mpende say to refusing
him a passage?" It was owing to this man, and the fact that I belonged
to the "friendly white tribe", that Mpende was persuaded to allow us to
pass. When we knew the favorable decision of the council, I sent Sekwebu
to speak about the purchase of a canoe, as one of my men had become very
ill, and I wished to relieve his companions by taking him in a canoe.
Before Sekwebu could finish his story, Mpende remarked, "That white man
is truly one of our friends. See how he lets me know his afflictions!"
Sekwebu adroitly took advantage of this turn in the conversation, and
said, "Ah! if you only knew him as well as we do who have lived with
him, you would understand that he highly values your friendship and that
of Mburuma, and, as he is a stranger, he trusts in you to direct him."
He replied, "Well, he ought to cross to the other side of the river, for
this bank is hilly and rough, and the way to Tete is longer on this than
on the opposite bank." "But who will take us across, if you do not?"
"Truly!" replied Mpende; "I only wish you had come sooner to tell me
about him; but you shall cross." Mpende said frequently he was sorry he
had not known me sooner, but that he had been prevented by his enchanter
from coming near me; and he lamented that the same person had kept him
from eating the meat which I had presented. He did every thing he could
afterward to aid us on our course, and our departure