a small forest-tree, grows abundantly; it is a species of polygala; its
beautiful clusters of sweet-scented pinkish flowers perfume the air with
a rich fragrance; its seeds produce a fine drying oil, and the bark of
the smaller branches yields a fibre finer and stronger than flax; with
which the natives make their nets for fishing. Bonga, the brother of the
rebel Mariano, and now at the head of the revolted natives, with some of
his principal men came to see us, and were perfectly friendly, though
told of our having carried the sick Governor across to Shupanga, and of
our having cured him of fever. On our acquainting Bonga with the object
of the expedition, he remarked that we should suffer no hindrance from
his people in our good work. He sent us a present of rice, two sheep,
and a quantity of firewood. He never tried to make any use of us in the
strife; the other side showed less confidence, by carefully
cross-questioning our pilot whether we had sold any powder to the enemy.
We managed, however, to keep on good terms with both rebels and
Portuguese.

Senna is built on a low plain, on the right bank of the Zambesi, with
some pretty detached hills in the background; it is surrounded by a
stockade of living trees to protect its inhabitants from their
troublesome and rebellious neighbours. It contains a few large houses,
some ruins of others, and a weather-beaten cross, where once stood a
church; a mound shows the site of an ancient monastery, and a mud fort by
the river is so dilapidated, that cows were grazing peacefully over its
prostrate walls.

The few Senna merchants, having little or no trade in the village, send
parties of trusted slaves into the interior to hunt for and purchase
ivory. It is a dull place, and very conducive to sleep. One is sure to
take fever in Senna on the second day, if by chance one escapes it on the