ssy to the king, desiring permission to march against the chief of
the _Mongas_, who was then in rebellion, and from thence to continue his
march to the mines of _Butua_ and _Mancica_. The first of these requests
was a piece of flattery to obtain leave for the other, as the province
of the Mongas lay between Sena and the mines, and it was necessary to
march thither by force of arms. The king gave his consent to both
requests, and even offered to send 100,000 of his own men along with the
Portuguese; but Barreto declined any assistance, wishing to have the
whole honour of the war to himself, and thinking by that means to gain
favour with the king. He accordingly marched with 23 horse and 560 foot
armed with muskets; and after a march of ten days, mostly along the
rapid river Zambeze, in which the troops suffered excessively from
hunger and thirst, the enemy were descried covering the hills and
vallies with armed men. Though the multitude of the enemy was so great
that the extremity of their army could not be seen, Barreto marched on
giving the command of the van to Vasco Fernandez Homem, while he led the
rear in person, the baggage and a few field pieces being in the centre.
On coming up to engage the cannon were removed to the front and flanks.

The enemy were drawn up in the form of a crescent; and as the Portuguese
marched to the charge, an old woman came forward to meet them scattering
some powder towards them, having persuaded the enemy that she alone
would gain the victory by virtue of that powder. Barreto understood the
meaning of this superstitious act, having seen similar things in India,
and gave orders to level a field piece at the notorious witch, which was
so well pointed that she was blown to atoms, at which the _Kafrs_ were
astonished, as they believed her immortal. The enemy however advanced,
but without any order, either from ignorance or because they relied on
their immense numbers, and discharged clouds of arrows and darts against
the Portuguese; but finding that the musqueteers slew them by hundreds
at every discharge, they took to flight, and great numbers of them were
slain in the pursuit. Barreto continued his march for the city of the
Mongas, and was opposed by another multitude similar to the former which
was put to flight with equal facility, above 6000 of the Kafrs being
slain with the loss of only two Portuguese soldiers. The city was
abandoned by the enemy and taken possession of by Barreto wit