AsthenamewasfoundinuseamongthosewhohadnointercoursewithEuropeans,beforewecanreceivetheaboveexplanationwemustbelievethattheunknowntravelerknewthelanguagesufficientlywelltoaskaquestion,butnottounderstandtheanswerWemayadd,thatthewayinwhichtheystillcontinuetousethewordseemstorequirenofancifulinterpretationWhenaddressedwithanydegreeofscorn,theyreply,“WeareBachuana,orequalswearenotinferiortoanyofournation。”inexactlythesamesenseasIrishmenorScotchmen,inthesamecircumstances,wouldreply,“WeareBritons。”
or“WeareEnglishmen。”Mostothertribesareknownbythetermsappliedtothembystrangersonly,astheCaffres,Hottentots,andBushmen。
TheBechuanasaloneusethetermtothemselvesasagenericoneforthewholenationTheyhavemanaged,also,togiveacomprehensivenametothewhites,viz。,Makoa,thoughtheycannotexplainthederivationofitanymorethanoftheirownItseemstomean“handsome“,fromthemannerinwhichtheyuseittoindicatebeauty;
butthereisawordsoverylikeitmeaning“infirm“,or“weak“,thatBurchell’sconjectureisprobablytherightone。
“ThedifferentHottentottribeswereknownbynamesterminatingin`kua’,whichmeans`man’,andtheBechuanassimplyaddedtheprefixMa,denotinganation。”TheythemselveswerefirstknownasBriquas,or“goat-men“ThelanguageoftheBechuanasistermedSichuana;
thatofthewhitesorMakoaiscalledSekoa。
TheMakololo,orBasuto,havecarriedtheirpowersofgeneralizationstillfarther,andarrangedtheotherpartsofthesamegreatfamilyofSouthAfricansintothreedivisions:1stTheMatebele,orMakonkobi
theCaffrefamilylivingontheeasternsideofthecountry;
2dTheBakoni,orBasuto;and,3dTheBakalahari,orBechuanas,livinginthecentralparts,whichincludesallthosetribeslivinginoradjacenttothegreatKalahariDesert。
1stTheCaffresaredividedbythemselvesintovarioussubdivisions,asAmakosa,Amapanda,andotherwell-knowntitlesTheyconsiderthenameCaffreasaninsultingepithet。
TheZulusofNatalbelongtothesamefamily,andtheyareasfamedfortheirhonestyastheirbrethrenwholiveadjacenttoourcolonialfrontierarerenownedforcattle-liftingTheRecorderofNataldeclaredofthemthathistorydoesnotpresentanotherinstanceinwhichsomuchsecurityforlifeandpropertyhasbeenenjoyed,ashasbeenexperienced,duringthewholeperiodofEnglishoccupation,bytenthousandcolonists,inthemidstofonehundredthousandZulus。
TheMatebeleofMosilikatse,livingashortdistancesouthoftheZambesi,andothertribeslivingalittlesouthofTeteandSenna,aremembersofthissamefamilyTheyarenotknownbeyondtheZambesiRiver。
ThiswasthelimitoftheBechuanaprogressnorthtoo,untilSebituanepushedhisconquestsfarther。
2dTheBakoniandBasutodivisioncontains,inthesouth,allthosetribeswhichacknowledgeMosheshastheirparamountchief。
AmongthemwefindtheBatau,theBaputi,Makolokue,etc。,andsomemountaineersontherangeMaluti,whoarebelieved,bythosewhohavecarefullysiftedtheevidence,tohavebeenatonetimeguiltyofcannibalismThishasbeendoubted,buttheirsongsadmitthefacttothisday,andtheyascribetheirhavingleftofftheodiouspracticeofentrappinghumanpreytoMosheshhavinggiventhemcattle。
TheyarecalledMarimoandMayabathu,men-eaters,bytherestoftheBasuto,whohavevarioussubdivisions,asMakatla,Bamakakana,Matlapatlapa,etc。
TheBakonifarthernorththantheBasutoaretheBatlou,Baperi,Bapo,andanothertribeofBakuena,Bamosetla,BamapelaorBalaka,Babiriri,Bapiri,Bahukeng,Batlokua,Baakhahela,etc。,etc。;thewholeofwhichtribesarefavoredwithabundanceofrain,and,beingmuchattachedtoagriculture,raiseverylargequantitiesofgrainItisontheirindustrythatthemoredistantBoersrevelinslothfulabundance,andfollowtheirslave-huntingandcattle-stealingpropensitiesquitebeyondtherangeofEnglishinfluenceandlaw。
TheBasutounderMosheshareequallyfondofcultivatingthesoil。
Thechieflaborofhoeing,drivingawaybirds,reaping,andwinnowing,fallstothewillingarmsofthehard-workingwomen;butasthemen,aswellastheirwives,asalreadystated,alwayswork,manyhavefollowedtheadviceofthemissionaries,andnowuseplowsandoxeninsteadofthehoe。
3dTheBakalahari,orwesternbranchoftheBechuanafamily,consistsofBarolong,Bahurutse,Bakuena,Bangwaketse,Bakaa,Bamangwato,Bakurutse,Batauana,Bamatlaro,andBatlapi。
Amongthelastthesuccessofmissionarieshasbeengreatest。
Theywereaninsignificantandfilthypeoplewhenfirstdiscovered;
but,beingnearesttothecolony,theyhavehadopportunitiesoftrading;
andthelong-continuedpeacetheyhaveenjoyed,throughtheinfluenceofreligiousteaching,hasenabledthemtoamassgreatnumbersofcattle。
Theyoung,however,whodonotrealizetheirformerdegradation,oftenconsidertheirpresentsuperiorityovertheless-favoredtribesintheinteriortobeentirelyowingtotheirowngreaterwisdomandmoreintellectualdevelopment。
Chapter11。
DeparturefromLinyantiforSeshekeLevelCountryAnt-hills
WildDate-treesAppearanceofourAttendantsontheMarch
TheChief’sGuardTheyattempttorideonOx-back
VastHerdsofthenewAntelopes,Leches,andNakongs
ThenativewayofhuntingthemReceptionattheVillages
PresentsofBeerandMilkEatingwiththeHand
TheChiefprovidestheOxenforSlaughterSocialModeofEating
TheSugar-caneSekeletu’snovelTestofCharacter
CleanlinessofMakololoHutsTheirConstructionandAppearance
TheBedsCrosstheLeeambyeAspectofthispartoftheCountry
ThesmallAntelopeTianyaneunknownintheSouthHuntingonfoot
AnEland。
HavingwaitedamonthatLinyantilat18d17’20“S。,long23d50’9“E。,weagaindeparted,forthepurposeofascendingtheriverfromSeshekelat17d31’38“S。,long25d13’E。TotheBarotsecountry,thecapitalofwhichisNarieleorNalielelat15d24’17“S。,long23d5’54“E。,IwentincompanywithSekeletuandaboutonehundredandsixtyattendantsWehadmostoftheyoungmenwithus,andmanyoftheunder-chiefsbesidesThecountrybetweenLinyantiandSeshekeisperfectlyflat,exceptpatcheselevatedonlyafewfeetabovethesurroundinglevelTherearealsomanymoundswherethegiganticant-hillsofthecountryhavebeensituatedorstillappear:
thesemoundsareevidentlytheworkofthetermitesNoonewhohasnotseentheirgiganticstructurescanfancytheindustryoftheselittlelaborers;
theyseemtoimpartfertilitytothesoilwhichhasoncepassedthroughtheirmouths,fortheMakololofindthesidesofant-hillsthechoicespotsforrearingearlymaize,tobacco,oranythingonwhichtheywishtobestowespecialcareInthepartsthroughwhichwepassedthemoundsaregenerallycoveredwithmassesofwilddate-trees;
thefruitissmall,andnotreeisallowedtostandlong,for,havingabundanceoffood,theMakololohavenoinclinationtopreservewildfruit-trees;accordingly,whenadateshootsuptoseed,assoonasthefruitisripetheycutdownthetreeratherthanbeatthetroubleofclimbingitTheotherpartsofthemoreelevatedlandhavethecamel-thorn`Acaciagiraffae’,white-thornedmimosa`Acaciahorrida’,andbaobabsInsandyspotstherearepalmyrassomewhatsimilartotheIndian,butwithasmallerseed。
Thesoilonalltheflatpartsisarich,dark,tenaciousloam,knownasthe“cotton-ground“inIndia;itiscoveredwithadensemattingofcoarsegrass,commononalldampspotsinthiscountry。
WehadtheChobeonourright,withitsscoresofmilesofreedoccupyingthehorizonthereItwaspleasanttolookbackonthelong-extendedlineofourattendants,asittwistedandbentaccordingtothecurvesofthefootpath,orinandoutbehindthemounds,theostrichfeathersofthemenwavinginthewindSomehadthewhiteendsofox-tailsontheirheads,Hussarfashion,andothersgreatbunchesofblackostrichfeathers,orcapsmadeoflions’manes。
Someworeredtunics,orvarious-coloredprintswhichthechiefhadboughtfromFleming;thecommonmencarriedburdens;thegentlemenwalkedwithasmallclubofrhinoceros-hornintheirhands,andhadservantstocarrytheirshields;whilethe“Machaka“,battle-axemen,carriedtheirown,andwereliableatanytimetobesentoffahundredmilesonanerrand,andexpectedtorunalltheway。
SekeletuisalwaysaccompaniedbyhisownMopato,anumberofyoungmenofhisownageWhenhesitsdowntheycrowdaroundhim;
thosewhoarenearesteatoutofthesamedish,fortheMakololochiefspridethemselvesoneatingwiththeirpeopleHeeatsalittle,thenbeckonshisneighborstopartakeWhentheyhavedoneso,heperhapsbeckonstosomeoneatadistancetotakeashare;thatpersonstartsforward,seizesthepot,andremovesittohisowncompanions。
ThecomradesofSekeletu,wishingtoimitatehiminridingonmyoldhorse,leapedonthebacksofanumberofhalf-brokenBatokaoxenastheyran,but,havingneithersaddlenorbridle,thenumberoftumblestheymetwithwasasourceofmuchamusementtotherestTroopsofleches,or,astheyareherecalled,“lechwes“,appearedfeedingquiteheedlesslyallovertheflats;theyexisthereinprodigiousherds,althoughthenumbersofthemandofthe“nakong“thatarekilledannuallymustbeenormousBotharewaterantelopes,and,whenthelandswenowtreaduponareflooded,theybetakethemselvestothemoundsIhavealludedtoTheMakalaka,whoaremostexpertinthemanagementoftheirsmall,thin,lightcanoes,comegentlytowardthem;
themenstanduprightinthecanoe,thoughitisnotmorethanfifteenoreighteenincheswideandaboutfifteenfeetlong;
theirpaddles,tenfeetinheight,areofakindofwoodcalledmolompi,verylight,yetaselasticasashWiththesetheyeitherpuntorpaddle,accordingtotheshallownessordepthofthewaterWhentheyperceivetheantelopesbeginningtomovetheyincreasetheirspeed,andpursuethemwithgreatvelocityTheymakethewaterdashawayfromthegunwale,and,thoughthelechegoesoffbyasuccessionofprodigiousbounds,itsfeetappearingtotouchthebottomateachspring,theymanagetospeargreatnumbersofthem。
ThenakongoftensharesasimilarfateThisisanewspecies,rathersmallerthantheleche,andinshapehasmoreofpaunchinessthananyantelopeIeversawItsgaitcloselyresemblesthegallopofadogwhentiredThehairislongandrathersparse,sothatitisneversleek-lookingItisofagrayish-browncolor,andhashornstwistedinthemannerofakoodoo,butmuchsmaller,andwithadoubleridgewindingroundeachofthem。
Itshabitatisthemarshandthemuddybogs;thegreatlengthofitsfootbetweenthepointofthetoeandsupplementalhoofsenablesittomakeaprintaboutafootinlength;itfeedsbynight,andlieshidamongthereedsandrushesbyday;whenpursued,itdashesintosedgyplacescontainingwater,andimmersesthewholebody,leavingonlythepointofthenoseandendsofthehornsexposed。
Thehuntersburnlargepatchesofreedinordertodrivethenakongoutofhislair;occasionallytheendsofthehornsprojectabovethewater;
butwhenitseesitselfsurroundedbyenemiesincanoes,itwillratherallowitshornstobescorchedintheburningreedthancomeforthfromitshiding-place。
WhenwearrivedatanyvillagethewomenallturnedouttolullilootheirchiefTheirshrillvoices,towhichtheygiveatremuloussoundbyaquickmotionofthetongue,pealforth,“Greatlion!”“Greatchief!”“Sleep,mylord!”etcThemenuttersimilarsalutations;andSekeletureceivesallwithbecomingindifference。
Afterafewminutes’conversationandtellingthenews,theheadmanofthevillage,whoisalmostalwaysaMakololo,rises,andbringsforthanumberoflargepotsofbeer。
Calabashes,beingusedasdrinking-cups,arehandedround,andasmanyascanpartakeofthebeveragedoso,graspingthevesselssoeagerlythattheyareindangerofbeingbroken。
Theybringforthalsolargepotsandbowlsofthickmilk;
somecontainsixoreightgallons;andeachofthese,aswellasofthebeer,isgiventoaparticularperson,whohasthepowertodivideitwithwhomhepleasesTheheadmanofanysectionofthetribeisgenerallyselectedforthisofficeSpoonsnotbeinggenerallyinfashion,themilkisconveyedtothemouthwiththehandIoftenpresentedmyfriendswithironspoons,anditwascurioustoobservehowtheirhabitofhand-eatingprevailed,thoughtheyweredelightedwiththespoonsTheyliftedoutalittlewiththeutensil,thenputitonthelefthand,andateitoutofthat。
AstheMakololohavegreatabundanceofcattle,andthechiefisexpectedtofeedallwhoaccompanyhim,heeitherselectsanoxortwoofhisownfromthenumerouscattlestationsthathepossessesatdifferentspotsalloverthecountry,orispresentedbytheheadmenofthevillageshevisitswithasmanyasheneedsbywayoftributeTheanimalsarekilledbyathrustfromasmalljavelinintheregionoftheheart,thewoundbeingpurposelysmallinordertoavoidanylossofblood,which,withtheinternalparts,aretheperquisitesofthemenwhoperformtheworkofthebutcher;henceallareeagertorenderserviceinthatline。