on the Zambesi, and returning with a letter from the Governor
of Mosambique. It is remarkable that this journey, which was
less by a thousand miles than from sea to sea and back again,
should have for ever quenched all white Portuguese aspirations
for an overland route.

The different Casembes visited by the Portuguese seem to have
varied much in character and otherwise. Pereira, the first
visitor, said (I quote from memory) that Casembe had 20,000
trained soldiers, watered his streets daily, and sacrificed
twenty human victims every day. I could hear nothing of human
sacrifices now, and it is questionable if the present Casembe
could bring a thousand stragglers into the field. When he
usurped power five years ago, his country was densely peopled;
but he was so severe in his punishments--cropping the ears,
lopping off the hands, and other mutilations, selling the
children for very slight offences, that his subjects gradually
dispersed themselves in the neighbouring countries beyond his
power. This is the common mode by which tyranny is cured in
parts like these, where fugitives are never returned. The
present Casembe is very poor. When he had people who killed
elephants he was too stingy to share the profits of the sale of
the ivory with his subordinates. The elephant hunters have
either left him or neglect hunting, so he has now no tusks to
sell to the Arab traders who come from Tanganyika. Major
Monteiro, the third Portuguese who visited Casembe, appears to
have been badly treated by this man's predecessor, and no other
of his nation has ventured so far since. They do not lose much
by remaining away, for a little ivory and slaves are all that
Casembe ever can have to sell. About a month to the west of this