Part of the Upper Shire valley has a lady paramount, named Nyango; and in her dominions women rank higher and receive more respectful treatment than their sisters on the hills.
The hill chief, Mongazi, called his wife to take charge of a present we had given him.

She dropped down on her knees, clapping her hands in reverence, before and after receiving our presents from his lordly hands.
It was painful to see the abject manner in which the women of the hill tribes knelt beside the path as we passed; but a great difference took place when we got into Nyango's country.
On entering a village, we proceeded, as all strangers do, at once to the Boalo: mats of split reeds or bamboo were usually spread for us to sit on.

Our guides then told the men who might be there, who we were, whence we had come, whither we wanted to go, and what were our objects.

This information was duly carried to the chief, who, if a sensible man, came at once; but, if he happened to be timid and suspicious, waited until he had used divination, and his warriors had time to come in from outlying hamlets.

When he makes his appearance, all the people begin to clap their hands in unison, and continue doing so till he sits down opposite to us.