A freeman may leave his present chief and take up his abode with another, whose subject he becomes. His former chief has no longer any authority over him whatsoever. But a man often decamps by night taking with him many slaves belonging to his fellow-citizens; he then goes to some influential chief who may be only too glad to give the fugitive ground, and to establish him as a sub-chief. Freemen who thus leave are detested by their former chief, who welcomes every opportunity of shooting or capturing them. To retain a runaway slave is to proclaim war with his owner. A chief though not bound to catch a runaway and hand him back, may do so in order to show friendship to the slave’s master. A fugitive slave when recaptured is treated unmercifully, hence he almost chooses to die rather than to be sent back. 64. VILLAGE LIFE AND WORK. As we take a journey into the country we come on a path quite new. Curiosity prompts us to follow it. Our natives exclaim, “Oh, when did this new settlement begin? How quickly it has sprung up.” We quench our thirst at the beautiful stream, and then advance towards the village green. The hamlet is already large, but we find only two male slaves sitting manufacturing a bed. “Where is the chief?” “He has gone to drink beer at Masangano’s.” “Why did you leave your old home?” “Chikumbu is killing people, and we wanted to live nearer the Mission.” “And where is little Mpakata that used to come to school?” “His father sent him to watch the monkeys, but he takes his book with him and reads.” “Where are all the rest of the people?” “They have gone to carry food from our old fields.” When villages are small we find them in the forenoon entirely deserted, and all the doors barred on the outside. In the first year of a settlement the farm is just at the door. Each year it moves farther off, for instead of hoeing the old fields, the natives go beyond them, and without remorse cut down more of the beautiful trees. Thus they advance year by year till they reach the boundary of another farmer. From him they get permission to go right beyond his farm and hoe on the other side. The new fields they plant with their corn and principal crops; the old fields they think fit only for beans and crops of small importance. When they have in this way exhausted the soil in their neighbourhood, they remove altogether, and build a new village in some uncultivated spot. 65. THE WORKERS.