the report. The
marauders had, however, carried off large numbers of women laden with
corn, and, on being repulsed, cut off the ears of a male prisoner and
sent him back, saying that they meant to return for the corn they had
left, in a month or two.

Chinsamba urged them not to proceed to the north-west, where the Mazitu
had occupied the whole region, and they accordingly remained with him
till the 5th of September.

After this they visited Chia Lakelet. On their way they met men and
women eagerly reaping the corn in haste, to convey it to the stockades,
while so much was found scattered along the paths by the Mazitu and the
fugitives that some women were winnowing it from the sand. Dead bodies
and burned villages showed that they were close upon the heels of the
invaders. Among the reeds on the banks of the lake was seen a
continuous village of temporary huts in which the people had taken
refuge from their invaders.

On visiting the village of an Arab chief, Juma, at Kota Bay, on the 10th
of September, they found him engaged with his people in building a large
dhow, or Arab vessel, fifty feet long and twelve broad. They offered to
purchase the craft, but he refused to sell it for any amount. It was
very evident that she was to be engaged for carrying slaves across the
lake.

They now regretted the attempt to carry an iron vessel overland, as a
wooden one might have been built at much less cost on the banks of the
lake, and in a shorter time than the transit of the "Lady Nyassa" would
have occupied.

Another extensive and interesting journey was taken in the neighbourhood
of the lake, and, on their return along the shores, they found the reeds
still, occupied by the unhappy fugitives, who were already suffering
fearfully from famine. Numbers of newly-made graves showed that many
had already perished, and others had more the appearance of human
skeletons than living beings.

Altogether in this expedition they travelled seven hundred and sixty
miles in a straight line, averaging about fifteen miles a day, and they
reached the ship on the 1st of November, where all were found in good
health and spirits. They were visited on board by an Ajawa chief named
Kapeni, who asserted that he and his people would gladly receive the
associates of Bishop Mackenzie as their teachers. It showed that he and
his people had not been offended at the check which the bishop had given
to their slaving, their consciences telli