H. I was awakened at an early hour by a messenger from Shinte; but
the thirst of a raging fever being just assuaged by the bursting forth
of a copious perspiration, I declined going for a few hours. Violent
action of the heart all the way to the town did not predispose me to be
patient with the delay which then occurred, probably on account of
the divination being unfavorable: "They could not find Shinte." When I
returned to bed, another message was received, "Shinte wished to say all
he had to tell me at once." This was too tempting an offer, so we
went, and he had a fowl ready in his hand to present, also a basket
of manioc-meal, and a calabash of mead. Referring to the
constantly-recurring attacks of fever, he remarked that it was the only
thing which would prevent a successful issue to my journey, for he had
men to guide me who knew all the paths which led to the white men.
He had himself traveled far when a young man. On asking what he would
recommend for the fever, "Drink plenty of the mead, and as it gets in,
it will drive the fever out." It was rather strong, and I suspect he
liked the remedy pretty well, even though he had no fever. He had always
been a friend to Sebituane, and, now that his son Sekeletu was in his
place, Shinte was not merely a friend, but a father to him; and if a son
asks a favor, the father must give it. He was highly pleased with the
large calabashes of clarified butter and fat which Sekeletu had sent
him, and wished to detain Kolimbota, that he might send a present back
to Sekeletu by his hands. This proposition we afterward discovered
was Kolimbota's own, as he had heard so much about the ferocity of the
tribes through which we were to pass that he wished to save his skin.
It will be seen farther on that he was the only one of our party who
returned with a wound.

We were particularly struck, in passing through the village, with the
punctiliousness of manners shown by the Balonda. The inferiors, on
meeting their superiors in the street, at once drop on their knees
and rub dust on their arms and chest; they continue the salutation of
clapping the hands until the great ones have passed. Sambanza knelt down
in this manner till the son of Shinte had passed him.

We several times saw the woman who occupies the office of drawer of
water for Shinte; she rings a bell as she passes along to give warning
to all to keep out of her way; it would be a grave offense for any one
to come near her, and