was as different
as possible from our approach to his village. I was very much pleased to
find the English name spoken of with such great respect so far from
the coast, and most thankful that no collision occurred to damage its
influence.

24TH. Mpende sent two of his principal men to order the people of a
large island below to ferry us across. The river is very broad, and,
though my men were well acquainted with the management of canoes, we
could not all cross over before dark. It is 1200 yards from bank to
bank, and between 700 and 800 of deep water, flowing at the rate of
3-3/4 miles per hour. We landed first on an island; then, to prevent our
friends playing false with us, hauled the canoes up to our bivouac, and
slept in them. Next morning we all reached the opposite bank in safety.
We observed, as we came along the Zambesi, that it had fallen two feet
below the height at which we first found it, and the water, though still
muddy enough to deposit a film at the bottom of vessels in a few hours,
is not nearly so red as it was, nor is there so much wreck on its
surface. It is therefore not yet the period of the central Zambesi
inundation, as we were aware also from our knowledge of the interior.
The present height of the water has been caused by rains outside the
eastern ridge. The people here seem abundantly supplied with English
cotton goods. The Babisa are the medium of trade, for we were informed
that the Bazunga, who formerly visited these parts, have been prevented
by the war from coming for the last two years. The Babisa are said to be
so fond of a tusk that they will even sell a newly-married wife for one.
As we were now not far from the latitude of Mozambique, I was somewhat
tempted to strike away from the river to that port, instead of going to
the S.E., in the direction the river flows; but, the great object of my
journey being to secure water-carriage, I resolved to continue along the
Zambesi, though it did lead me among the enemies of the Portuguese. The
region to the north of the ranges of hills on our left is called Senga,
from being the country of the Basenga, who are said to be great workers
in iron, and to possess abundance of fine iron ore, which, when broken,
shows veins of the pure metal in its substance. It has been well roasted
in the operations of nature. Beyond Senga lies a range of mountains
called Mashinga, to which the Portuguese in former times went to wash
for gold, and beyond that are