Irequestedhertobringherhusband，ifhewerewillingtohavetheoperationperformed，and，whileremovingthetumor，oneofthesmallarteriessquirtedsomebloodintomyeyeSheremarked，whenIwaswipingthebloodoutofit，“Youwereafriendbefore，nowyouareablood-relation；andwhenyoupassthisway，alwayssendmeword，thatImaycookfoodforyou。”Increatingthesefriendships，mymenhadthefullintentionofreturning；eachonehadhis`Molekane’friend
　　ineveryvillageofthefriendlyBalondaMohorisievenmarriedawifeinthetownofKatema，andPitsanetookanotherinthetownofShinte。
　　TheseallianceswerelookeduponwithgreatfavorbytheBalondachiefs，assecuringthegood-willoftheMakololo。
　　Inorderthatthesocialconditionofthetribesmaybeunderstoodbythereader，Ishallmentionthat，whilewaitingforSambanza，apartyofBarotsecamefromNyenko，theformerresidenceofLimboa，whohadlatelycrossedtheLeebaonhiswaytowardMasiko。
　　TheheadmanofthispartyhadbroughtLimboa’ssontohisfather，becausetheBarotseatNyenkohad，sincethedepartureofLimboa，electedNananko，anothersonofSanturu，inhisstead；
　　andourvisitor，towhomtheboyhadbeenintrustedasaguardian，thinkinghimtobeindanger，fledwithhimtohisfatherTheBarotse，whomLimboahadleftbehindatNyenko，onproceedingtoelectNananko，said，“No，itisquitetoomuchforLimboatoruleovertwoplaces。”
　　IwouldhavegonetovisitLimboaandMasikotoo，inordertopreventhostilities，butthestateofmyoxwouldnotallowit。
　　IthereforesentamessagetoLimboabysomeofhismen，protestingagainstwarwithhisbrother，andgivinghimformalnoticethatthepathuptheLeebahadbeengiventousbytheBalonda，theownersofthecountry，andthatnoattemptmusteverbemadetoobstructfreeintercourse。
　　Onleavingthisplaceweweredesertedbyoneofourparty，Mboenga，anAmbondaman，whohadaccompaniedusallthewaytoLoandaandback。
　　HisfatherwaslivingwithMasiko，anditwasnaturalforhimtowishtojoinhisownfamilyagainHewentoffhonestly，withtheexceptionoftakingafine“tari“skingivenmebyNyamoana，butheleftaparcelofgun-flintswhichhehadcarriedformeallthewayfromLoandaIregrettedpartingwithhimthus，andsentnoticetohimthatheneednothaverunaway，andifhewishedtocometoSekeletuagainhewouldbewelcome。
　　WesubsequentlymetalargepartyofBarotsefleeinginthesamedirection；
　　butwhenIrepresentedtothemthattherewasaprobabilityoftheirbeingsoldasslavesinLonda，andnoneinthecountryofSekeletu，theyconcludedtoreturnThegrievancewhichtheBarotsemostfeelisbeingobligedtolivewithSekeletuatLinyanti，wherethereisneitherfishnorfowl，noranyotherkindoffood，equalinquantitytowhattheyenjoyintheirownfatvalley。
　　AshortdistancebelowtheconfluenceoftheLeebaandLeeambyewemetanumberofhuntersbelongingtothetribecalledMambowe，wholiveunderMasikoTheyhaddriedfleshofhippopotami，buffaloes，andalligatorsTheystalktheanimalsbyusingthestratagemofacapmadeoftheskinofaleche’sorpoku’shead，havingthehornsstillattached，andanothermadesoastorepresenttheupperwhitepartofthecranecalledjabiru`MycteruSenegalensis’，withitslongneckandbeakabove。
　　Withtheseon，theycrawlthroughthegrass；theycaneasilyputuptheirheadssofarastoseetheirpreywithoutbeingrecognizeduntiltheyarewithinbow-shotTheypresentedmewiththreefinewater-turtles，*
　　oneofwhich，whencooked，hadupwardoffortyeggsinitsbody。
　　Theshelloftheeggisflexible，anditisofthesamesizeatbothends，likethoseofthealligatorTheflesh，andespeciallytheliver，isexcellentThehuntersinformedusthat，whenthemessageinculcatingpeaceamongthetribescametoMasiko，thecommonpeopleweresogladattheprospectof“bindingupthespears“，thattheyrantotheriver，andbathedandplungedinitforjoyThispartyhadbeensentbyMasikototheMakololoforaidtorepeltheirenemy，but，afraidtogothither，hadspentthetimeinhunting。
　　TheyhaveadreadoftheMakololo，andhencethejoytheyexpressedwhenpeacewasproclaimedTheMambowehuntersweremuchalarmeduntilmynamewasmentionedTheythenjoinedourparty，andonthefollowingdaydiscoveredahippopotamusdead，whichtheyhadpreviouslywoundedThiswasthefirstfeastoffleshmymenhadenjoyed，for，thoughthegamewaswonderfullyabundant，Ihadquitegotoutofthewayofshooting，andmissedperpetually。
　　OnceIwentwiththedeterminationofgettingsoclosethatIshouldnotmissazebraWewentalongoneofthebranchesthatstretchoutfromtheriverinasmallcanoe，andtwomen，stoopingdownaslowastheycould，paddleditslowlyalongtoanopenspaceneartoaherdofzebrasandpokus。
　　Peeringovertheedgeofthecanoe，theopenspaceseemedlikeapatchofwetground，suchasisoftenseenonthebanksofariver，madesmoothastheresting-placeofalligatorsWhenwecamewithinafewyardsofit，wefoundbytheprecipitateplungingofthereptilethatthiswasalargealligatoritselfAlthoughIhadbeenmostcarefultoapproachnearenough，Iunfortunatelyonlybrokethehindlegofazebra。
　　Mytwomenpursuedit，butthelossofahindlegdoesnotpreventthisanimalfromagallopAsIwalkedslowlyafterthemenonanextensiveplaincoveredwithagreatcropofgrass，whichwas`laid’byitsownweight，Iobservedthatasolitarybuffalo，disturbedbyothersofmyownparty，wascomingtomeatagallopIglancedaround，buttheonlytreeontheplainwasahundredyardsoff，andtherewasnoescapeelsewhere。
　　Ithereforecockedmyrifle，withtheintentionofgivinghimasteadyshotintheforeheadwhenheshouldcomewithinthreeorfouryardsofme。
　　Thethoughtflashedacrossmymind，“Whatifyourgunmissesfire？”
　　Iplacedittomyshoulderashecameonatfullspeed，andthatistremendous，thoughgenerallyheisalumbering-lookinganimalinhispacesAsmallbushandbunchofgrassfifteenyardsoffmadehimswervealittle，andexposedhisshoulderIjustheardtheballcrackthereasIfellflatonmyfaceThepainmusthavemadehimrenouncehispurpose，forheboundedclosepastmeontothewater，wherehewasfounddeadInexpressingmythankfulnesstoGodamongmymen，theyweremuchoffendedwiththemselvesfornotbeingpresenttoshieldmefromthisdangerThetreenearmewasacamel-thorn，andremindedmethatwehadcomebacktothelandofthornsagain，forthecountrywehadleftisoneofevergreens。
　　*Itisprobablyaspeciesalliedtothe`Sternotherussinuatus’ofDrSmith，asithasnodisagreeablesmellThisvarietyannuallyleavesthewaterwithsomuchregularityforthedepositofitseggs，thatthenativesdecideonthetimeofsowingtheirseedbyitsappearance。
　　JULY27THWereachedthetownofLibonta，andwerereceivedwithdemonstrationsofjoysuchasIhadneverwitnessedbefore。
　　Thewomencameforthtomeetus，makingtheircuriousdancinggesturesandloudlulliloosSomecarriedamatandstick，inimitationofaspearandshieldOthersrushedforwardandkissedthehandsandcheeksofthedifferentpersonsoftheiracquaintanceamongus，raisingsuchadustthatitwasquitearelieftogettothemenassembledandsittingwithproperAfricandecoruminthekotla。
　　Wewerelookeduponasmenrisenfromthedead，forthemostskillfuloftheirdivinershadpronouncedustohaveperishedlongago。
　　Aftermanyexpressionsofjoyatmeeting，Iarose，and，thankingthem，explainedthecausesofourlongdelay，butleftthereporttobemadebytheirowncountrymenFormerlyIhadbeenthechiefspeaker，nowIwouldleavethetaskofspeakingtothemPitsanethendeliveredaspeechofupwardofanhourinlength，givingahighlyflatteringpictureofthewholejourney，ofthekindnessofthewhitemeningeneral，andofMrGabrielinparticularHeconcludedbysayingthatIhaddonemoreforthemthantheyexpected；thatIhadnotonlyopenedupapathforthemtotheotherwhitemen，butconciliatedallthechiefsalongtherouteTheoldestmanpresentroseandansweredthisspeech，and，amongotherthings，alludedtothedisgustIfeltattheMakololoforengaginginmaraudingexpeditionsagainstLechulatebeandSebolamakwaia，ofwhichwehadheardfromthefirstpersonswemet，andwhichmycompanionsmostenergeticallydenouncedas“mashuehela“，entirelybad。
　　Heentreatedmenottoloseheart，buttoreproveSekeletuasmychild。
　　AnotheroldmanfollowedwiththesameentreatiesThefollowingdayweobservedasourthanksgivingtoGodforhisgoodnessinbringingusallbackinsafetytoourfriendsMymendeckedthemselvesoutintheirbest，andIfoundthat，althoughtheirgoodswerefinished，theyhadmanagedtosavesuitsofEuropeanclothing，which，beingwhite，withtheirredcaps，gavethemratheradashingappearanceTheytriedtowalklikethesoldierstheyhadseeninLoanda，andcalledthemselvesmy“braves“batlabani。
　　Duringtheservicetheyallsatwiththeirgunsovertheirshoulders，andexcitedtheunboundedadmirationofthewomenandchildren。
　　IaddressedthemallonthegoodnessofGodinpreservingusfromallthedangersofstrangetribesanddiseaseWehadasimilarserviceintheafternoonThemengaveustwofineoxenforslaughter，andthewomensuppliedusabundantlywithmilk，meal，andbutter。
　　Itwasallquitegratuitous，andIfeltashamedthatIcouldmakenoreturn。
　　Mymenexplainedthetotalexpenditureofourmeans，andtheLibonteseansweredgracefully，“Itdoesnotmatter；youhaveopenedapathforus，andweshallhavesleep。”Strangerscameflockingfromadistance，andseldomempty-handedTheirpresentsIdistributedamongmymen。
　　OurprogressdowntheBarotsevalleywasjustlikethisEveryvillagegaveusanox，andsometimestwoThepeoplewerewonderfullykind。
　　Ifelt，andstillfeel，mostdeeplygrateful，andtriedtobenefitthemintheonlywayIcould，byimpartingtheknowledgeofthatSaviorwhocancomfortandsupplytheminthetimeofneed，andmyprayeristhathemaysendhisgoodSpirittoinstructthemandleadthemintohiskingdom。
　　EvennowIearnestlylongtoreturn，andmakesomerecompensetothemfortheirkindnessInpassingthemonourwaytothenorth，theirliberalitymighthavebeensupposedtobeinfluencedbythehopeofrepaymentonourreturn，forthewhiteman’slandisimaginedtobethesourceofeveryornamenttheyprizemost。
　　But，thoughwesetoutfromLoandawithaconsiderablequantityofgoods，hopingbothtopayourwaythroughthestingyChiboque，andtomakepresentstothekindBalondaandstillmoregenerousMakololo，themanydelayscausedbysicknessmadeusexpendallmystock，andallthegoodsmymenprocuredbytheirownlaboratLoanda，andwereturnedtotheMakololoaspooraswhenwesetout。
　　Yetnodistrustwasshown，andmypovertydidnotlessenmyinfluence。
　　TheysawthatIhadbeenexertingmyselffortheirbenefitalone，andevenmymenremarked，“Thoughwereturnaspooraswewent，wehavenotgoneinvain。”Theybeganimmediatelytocollecttusksofhippopotamiandotherivoryforasecondjourney。