The Makololo always ferried their visitors over rivers without pay, and now began to remark that they must in future fleece the Mambari as these Chiboque had done to us; they had all been loud in condemnation of the meanness, and when I asked if they could descend to be equally mean, I was answered that they would only do it in revenge.

They like to have a plausible excuse for meanness.
Next morning our guides went only about a mile, and then told us they would return home.

I expected this when paying them beforehand, in accordance with the entreaties of the Makololo, who are rather ignorant of the world.

Very energetic remonstrances were addressed to the guides, but they slipped off one by one in the thick forest through which we were passing, and I was glad to hear my companions coming to the conclusion that, as we were now in parts visited by traders, we did not require the guides, whose chief use had been to prevent misapprehension of our objects in the minds of the villagers.

The country was somewhat more undulating now than it had been, and several fine small streams flowed in deep woody dells.