On _July 10th_, two men of Kalimbuka’s came to describe another battle, in which they reported that four were killed, and four wounded. They took back a message requesting that the wounded men should be sent over to the doctor. A similar message we wanted to send to their enemies, but no one cared to go there in case of being fired on. Many people were now gathering round the Mission at Zomba, judging that they would there be more free from war and kidnapping. Malowa’s villagers who had been first attacked soon formed a large settlement close to the station. At Blantyre we still had difficulties about rations: grave disputes would arise as to whether salt was to be supplied free, or charged at 6d a pound—whether a pot of jam was to cost 9d or a shilling! The sister Mission at Livingstonia, after experiencing this trouble, made a clear arrangement. No doubt it looked very ungallant to tell a young lady that she would get the daily allowance of an able bodied seaman—but its Directors had to define what they meant, and they did so. After all, new difficulties were sure to arise. The subject of salaries and rations was hydra-headed; when one head was cut off, others appeared. On 4th June, 1880, I wrote, “I am beginning to despair of seeing an ultimate understanding on this subject, and the game is not worth the candle!” The game, however, had often threatened to play havoc in the Mission. I was told that on one occasion in 1877, every artisan was on the point of leaving for England over this matter. But the difficulty most felt by the Directors had reference to civil jurisdiction, and a deputation was to be sent from Scotland to examine the whole subject.