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The main body in the mean time decamped with the captives, two only of whom escaped and joined their new friends. Most of the party proposed going at once to the rescue of the captive Manjanga; but this Dr Livingstone opposed, believing that it would be better for the bishop to wait the effect of the check given to the slave-hunters.
At Chigunda a Manjanga chief had invited the bishop to settle in his country near Magomero, adding that there was room enough for both. This spontaneous invitation seemed to decide the bishop on the subject.
The expedition had spent from the 2nd of September to the 27th of October in exploring the lake, and their goods being now expended, it was necessary to return to the ship. On their way back they fell in with a number of Manjanga families, driven from their homes by Ajawa raids, taking shelter among the papyrus growing on Lake Pamalombe, supporting themselves on the fine fish which abound in it.
Manjanga had gone away just before they got the ship up to Chibisa; but his deputy was civil, and supplied them with carriers to convey the bishop's goods up the country. They halted at the village of their old friend, Mpende, who supplied them with carriers, and informed them that a slave party on its way to Tete would soon pass through his village. They consulted together.
All the villages were deserted. One, where on the previous visit a number of men had been seen peacefully weaving cloth, was burned, and the stores of grain scattered over the plain and along the paths. The smoke of burning villages was seen in front, and triumphant shouts, mingled with the wail of the Manjanga women lamenting over the slain, reached their ears.
The people of the Manjanga tribe, amidst whom they were now travelling, showed much suspicion of their object, saying that parties had come before with the same sort of plausible story, and had suddenly carried off a number of their people. To allay these suspicions, Dr Livingstone thought it best at once to return to the ship.
Many of the Manjanga had settled round Magomero to be under his protection, and it was hoped that the slave trade would soon cease in the neighbourhood. He here arranged to explore the country, from Magomero to the mouth of the river, and it was agreed that the "Pioneer," her draught being too great for the upper part of the Shire, should on her next trip not go higher than Ruo.
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