See How He Lets Me Know His Afflictions!"
Sekwebu Adroitly Took Advantage Of This Turn In The Conversation,
And Said, "Ah!
If you only knew him as well as we do who have
lived with him, you would understand that
He highly values
your friendship and that of Mburuma, and, as he is a stranger,
he trusts in you to direct him." He replied, "Well, he ought to cross
to the other side of the river, for this bank is hilly and rough,
and the way to Tete is longer on this than on the opposite bank."
"But who will take us across, if you do not?" "Truly!" replied Mpende;
"I only wish you had come sooner to tell me about him; but you shall cross."
Mpende said frequently he was sorry he had not known me sooner,
but that he had been prevented by his enchanter from coming near me;
and he lamented that the same person had kept him from eating the meat
which I had presented. He did every thing he could afterward
to aid us on our course, and our departure was as different as possible
from our approach to his village. I was very much pleased
to find the English name spoken of with such great respect
so far from the coast, and most thankful that no collision occurred
to damage its influence.
24TH. Mpende sent two of his principal men to order the people
of a large island below to ferry us across. The river is very broad,
and, though my men were well acquainted with the management of canoes,
we could not all cross over before dark.
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