CHAPTER 23.
Make a Detour southward--Peculiarities of the Inhabitants--Scarcity of Animals--Forests--Geological Structure of the Country--Abundance and Cheapness of Food near the Chihombo--A Slave lost--The Makololo Opinion of Slaveholders--Funeral Obsequies in Cabango--Send a Sketch of the Country to Mr.Gabriel--Native Information respecting the Kasai and Quango--The Trade with Luba--Drainage of Londa--Report of Matiamvo's Country and Government--Senhor Faria's Present to a Chief--The Balonda Mode of spending Time--Faithless Guide--Makololo lament the Ignorance of the Balonda--Eagerness of the Villagers for Trade--Civility of a Female Chief--The Chief Bango and his People--Refuse to eat Beef--Ambition of Africans to have a Village--Winters in the Interior--Spring at Kolobeng--White Ants: "Never could desire to eat any thing better"-- Young Herbage and Animals--Valley of the Loembwe-- The white Man a Hobgoblin--Specimen of Quarreling--Eager Desire for Calico--Want of Clothing at Kawawa's--Funeral Observances--Agreeable Intercourse with Kawawa--His impudent Demand--Unpleasant Parting--Kawawa tries to prevent our crossing the River Kasai--Stratagem.
We made a little detour to the southward in order to get provisions in a cheaper market.

This led us along the rivulet called Tamba, where we found the people, who had not been visited so frequently by the slave-traders as the rest, rather timid and very civil.

It was agreeable to get again among the uncontaminated, and to see the natives look at us without that air of superciliousness which is so unpleasant and common in the beaten track.

The same olive color prevailed.

They file their teeth to a point, which makes the smile of the women frightful, as it reminds one of the grin of an alligator.