Note.—­Having neglected, in referring to the footprints of the
          rhinoceros,
   to mention what may be interesting to naturalists, I add it here
          in a note;
   that wherever the footprints are seen, there are also marks of the
          animal
   having plowed up the ground and bushes with his horn.  This has
          been supposed
   to indicate that he is subject to “fits of ungovernable rage”;
   but, when seen, he appears rather to be rejoicing in his strength. 
   He acts as a bull sometimes does when he gores the earth with his
          horns. 
   The rhinoceros, in addition to this, stands on a clump of bushes,
   bends his back down, and scrapes the ground with his feet,
   throwing it out backward, as if to stretch and clean his toes,
   in the same way that a dog may be seen to do on a little grass: 
   this is certainly not rage.

Chapter 31.

Kind Reception from the Commandant—­His Generosity to my Men—­The Village of Tete—­The Population—­Distilled Spirits—­The Fort—­Cause of the Decadence of Portuguese Power—­Former Trade—­Slaves employed in Gold-washing—­Slave-trade drained the Country of Laborers—­The Rebel Nyaude’s Stockade—­He burns Tete—­Kisaka’s Revolt and Ravages—­Extensive Field of Sugar-cane—­The Commandant’s good Reputation among the Natives—­Providential Guidance—­Seams of Coal—­A hot Spring—­Picturesque Country—­Water-carriage to the Coal-fields—­ Workmen’s Wages—­Exports—­Price of Provisions—­Visit Gold-washings—­ The Process of obtaining the precious Metal—­Coal within a Gold-field—­ Present from Major Sicard—­Natives raise Wheat, etc.—­Liberality of the Commandant—­Geographical Information from Senhor Candido—­Earthquakes—­Native Ideas of a Supreme Being—­Also of the Immortality and Transmigration of Souls—­Fondness for Display at Funerals—­Trade Restrictions—­Former Jesuit Establishment—­State of Religion and Education at Tete—­Inundation of the Zambesi—­Cotton cultivated—­The fibrous Plants Conge and Buaze—­Detained by Fever—­The Kumbanzo Bark—­Native Medicines—­Iron, its Quality—­Hear of Famine at Kilimane—­Death of a Portuguese Lady—­The Funeral—­Disinterested Kindness of the Portuguese.

I was most kindly received by the commandant Tito Augusto d’Araujo Sicard, who did every thing in his power to restore me from my emaciated condition; and, as this was still the unhealthy period at Kilimane, he advised me to remain with him until the following month.  He also generously presented my men with abundant provisions of millet; and, by giving them lodgings in a house of his own until they could erect their own huts, he preserved them from the bite of the tampans, here named Carapatos.* We had heard frightful accounts of this insect while among the Banyai, and Major Sicard assured me that to strangers its bite is more especially dangerous, as it sometimes causes fatal fever.  It may please our homoeopathic friends to hear that, in curing the bite of the tampan, the natives administer one of the insects bruised in the medicine employed.