On the 16th September, we arrived at the inhabited island of Kichokomane.  The usual way of approaching an unknown people is to call out in a cheerful tone “Malonda!” Things for sale, or do you want to sell anything?  If we can obtain a man from the last village, he is employed, though only useful in explaining to the next that we come in a friendly way.  The people here were shy of us at first, and could not be induced to sell any food; until a woman, more adventurous than the rest, sold us a fowl.  This opened the market, and crowds came with fowls and meal, far beyond our wants.  The women are as ugly as those on Lake Nyassa, for who can be handsome wearing the pelele, or upper-lip ring, of large dimensions?  We were once surprised to see young men wearing the pelele, and were told that in the tribe of the Mabiha, on the south bank, men as well as women wore them.

Along the left bank, above Kichokomane, is an exceedingly fertile plain, nearly two miles broad, and studded with a number of deserted villages.  The inhabitants were living in temporary huts on low naked sandbanks; and we found this to be the case as far as we went.  They leave most of their property and food behind, because they are not afraid of these being stolen, but only fear being stolen themselves.  The great slave-route from Nyassa to Kilwa passes to N.E. from S.W., just beyond them; and it is dangerous to remain in their villages at this time of year, when the kidnappers are abroad.  In one of the temporary villages, we saw, in passing, two human heads lying on the ground.  We slept a couple of miles above this village.

Before sunrise next morning, a large party armed with bows and arrows and muskets came to the camp, two or three of them having a fowl each, which we refused to purchase, having bought enough the day before.  They followed us all the morning, and after breakfast those on the left bank swam across and joined the main party on the other side.  It was evidently their intention to attack us at a chosen spot, where we had to pass close to a high bank, but their plan was frustrated by a stiff breeze sweeping the boat past, before the majority could get to the place.  They disappeared then, but came out again ahead of us, on a high wooded bank, walking rapidly to the bend, near which we were obliged to sail.  An arrow was shot at the foremost boat; and seeing the force at the bend, we pushed out from the side, as far as the shoal water would permit, and tried to bring them to a parley, by declaring that we had not come to fight, but to see the river.  “Why did you fire a gun, a little while ago?” they asked.  “We shot a large puff-adder, to prevent it from killing men; you may see it lying dead on the beach.”  With great courage, our Mokadamo waded to within thirty yards of the bank, and spoke with much earnestness, assuring them that we were a peaceable party, and had not come for war, but to see the river.  We were friends, and our