Lastly, they were, and I dare say still are, a race of
fighting men who loved war and raided the neighbouring peoples upon
any and every pretext, killing their men and stealing their women and
cattle. They had their virtues, too, being kindly and hospitable by
nature, though cruel enough to their enemies. Moreover, they detested
dealing in slaves and those who practised it, saying that it was
better to kill a man than to deprive him of his freedom. Also they had
a horror of the cannibalism which is so common in the dark regions of
Africa, and for this reason, more than any other, loathed the Pongo
folk who were supposed to be eaters of men.
On the evening of the second day of our march, during which we had
passed through a beautiful and fertile upland country, very well
watered, and except in the valleys, free from bush, we arrived at
Beza. This town was situated on a wide plain surrounded by low hills
and encircled by a belt of cultivated land made beautiful by the crops
of maize and other cereals which were then ripe to harvest.
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