to get a passage through the country, and, feeling anxious that
no crime whatever should be laid to our charge, tried the conciliatory
plan here, though we were not, as in the other instances, likely to be
overpowered by numbers.

My men offered all their ornaments, and I offered all my beads and
shirts; but, though we had come to the village against our will, and the
guides had also followed us contrary to our desire, and had even sent
for the Bangala traders without our knowledge or consent, yet matters
could not be arranged without our giving an ox and one of the tusks.
We were all becoming disheartened, and could not wonder that native
expeditions from the interior to the coast had generally failed to reach
their destinations. My people were now so much discouraged that some
proposed to return home; the prospect of being obliged to return when
just on the threshold of the Portuguese settlements distressed me
exceedingly. After using all my powers of persuasion, I declared to them
that if they returned I would go on alone, and went into my little tent
with the mind directed to Him who hears the sighing of the soul, and was
soon followed by the head of Mohorisi, saying, "We will never leave you.
Do not be disheartened. Wherever you lead we will follow. Our remarks
were made only on account of the injustice of these people." Others
followed, and with the most artless simplicity of manner told me to be
comforted--"they were all my children; they knew no one but Sekeletu
and me, and they would die for me; they had not fought because I did
not wish it; they had just spoken in the bitterness of their spirit, and
when feeling that they could do nothing; but if these enemies begin you
will see what we can do." One of the oxen we offered to the Chiboque had
been rejected because he had lost part of his tail, as they thought that
it had been cut off and witchcraft medicine inserted; and some mirth was
excited by my proposing to raise a similar objection to all the oxen
we still had in our possession. The remaining four soon presented a
singular shortness of their caudal extremities, and though no one ever
asked whether they had medicine in the stumps or no, we were no more
troubled by the demand for an ox! We now slaughtered another ox, that
the spectacle might not be seen of the owners of the cattle fasting
while the Chiboque were feasting.

Chapter 19.

Guides prepaid--Bark Canoes--Deserted by Guides--Mistakes respec