首页 >出版文学> Travels and Researches in South Africa>第45章
  TheMakololoarecowardlyinrespecttoanimals,butbraveagainstmen。
  Mpololotookalltheguiltuponhimselfbeforethepeople,anddeliveredupacaptivechildwhomhiswifehadinherpossession;othersfollowedhisexample,tillweprocuredthereleaseoffiveoftheprisoners。
  Somethought,asMasikohadtriedtotaketheirchildrenbystratagem,theyoughttotakehisbyforce,asthetwomodessuitedthegeniusofeachpeopletheMakalakadelightincunning,andtheMakololoinfighting;andothersthought,ifSekeletumeantthemtobeatpeacewithMasiko,heoughttohavetoldthemso。
  Itisratherdangeroustotreadinthefootstepsofamaraudingpartywithmenofthesametribeastheaggressors,butmypeoplewereingoodspirits,andseveralvolunteersevenofferedtojoinourranks。
  We,however,adheredstrictlytotheordersofSekeletuastoourcompanions,andrefusedallothers。
  Thepeopleofeveryvillagetreatedusmostliberally,presenting,besidesoxen,butter,milk,andmeal,morethanwecouldstowawayinourcanoesThecowsinthisvalleyarenowyielding,astheyfrequentlydo,moremilkthanthepeoplecanuse,andbothmenandwomenpresentbutterinsuchquantitythatIshallbeabletorefreshmymenaswemovealongAnointingtheskinpreventstheexcessiveevaporationofthefluidsofthebody,andactsasclothinginbothsunandshadeTheyalwaysmadetheirpresentsgracefully。
  Whenanoxwasgiven,theownerwouldsay,“Hereisalittlebitofbreadforyou。”Thiswaspleasing,forIhadbeenaccustomedtotheBechuanaspresentingamiserablegoat,withthepompousexclamation,“Beholdanox!”
  Thewomenpersistedingivingmecopioussuppliesofshrillpraises,or“lullilooing“;but,thoughIfrequentlytoldthemtomodifytheir“greatlords“and“greatlions“tomorehumbleexpressions,theysoevidentlyintendedtodomehonorthatIcouldnothelpbeingpleasedwiththepoorcreatures’wishesforoursuccess。
  TherainsbeganwhilewewereatNaliele;thisismuchlaterthanusual;
  but,thoughtheBarotsevalleyhasbeeninneedofrain,thepeopleneverlackabundanceoffoodTheshowersarerefreshing,buttheairfeelshotandclose;thethermometer,however,inacoolhut,standsonlyat84DegTheaccessoftheexternalairtoanyspotatonceraisesitstemperatureabove90DegAnewattackoffeverherecausedexcessivelanguor;but,asIamalreadygettingtiredofquotingmyfevers,andneverlikedtoreadtravelsmyselfwheremuchwassaidabouttheillnessesofthetraveler,Ishallhenceforthendeavortosaylittleaboutthem。
  WeheresentbackthecanoeofSekeletu,andgottheloanofothersfromMpololoEightridingoxen,andsevenforslaughter,were,accordingtotheordersofthatchief,alsofurnished;
  somewereintendedforourownuse,andothersaspresentstothechiefsoftheBalondaMpololowasparticularlyliberalingivingallthatSekeletuordered,though,ashefeedsonthecattlehehasincharge,hemighthavefeltitsomuchabstractedfromhisownperquisitesMpololonowactsthegreatman,andisfollowedeverywherebyacrowdoftoadies,whosingsongsindisparagementofMpepe,ofwhomhealwayslivedinfear。
  WhileMpepewasalive,hetoowasregaledwiththesamefulsomeadulation,andnowtheycursehimTheyareveryfoul-tongued;equals,onmeeting,oftengreeteachotherwithaprofusionofoaths,andendthevolleywithalaugh。
  IncominguptherivertoNalielewemetapartyoffugitiveBarotsereturningtotheirhomes,and,asthecircumstanceillustratesthesocialstatusofthesesubjectsoftheMakololo,Iintroduceithere。
  Thevillagersinquestionwerethechildren,orserfs,ifwemayusetheterm,ofayoungmanofthesameageandtribeasSekeletu,who,beingofanirritabletemper,wentbythenicknameofSekobinyane
  alittleslavishthingHistreatmentofhisservantswassobadthatmostofthemhadfled;andwhentheMambaricame,and,contrarytotheordersofSekeletu,purchasedslaves,SekobinyanesoldoneortwooftheBarotsechildrenofhisvillage。
  TherestfledimmediatelytoMasiko,andweregladlyreceivedbythatBarotsechiefashissubjects。
  WhenSekeletuandIfirstascendedtheLeeambye,wemetSekobinyanecomingdown,onhiswaytoLinyantiOnbeingaskedthenews,heremainedsilentaboutthelossofhisvillage,itbeingconsideredacrimeamongtheMakololoforanyonetotreathispeoplesoillastocausethemtorunawayfromhimHethenpassedus,and,dreadingthevengeanceofSekeletuforhiscrime,secretlymadehisescapefromLinyantitoLakeNgamiHewassentfor,however,andthechiefatthelakedeliveredhimup,onSekeletudeclaringthathehadnointentionofpunishinghimotherwisethanbyscolding。
  Hedidnotevendothat,asSekobinyanewasevidentlyterrifiedenough,andalsobecameillthroughfear。
  ThefugitivevillagersremainedonlyafewweekswiththeirnewmasterMasiko,andthenfledbackagain,andwerereceivedasiftheyhaddonenothingwrong。
  AllunitedinabusingtheconductofSekobinyane,andnoonecondemnedthefugitives;andthecattle,theuseofwhichtheyhadpreviouslyenjoyed,neverhavingbeenremovedfromtheirvillage,theyre-establishedthemselveswithapparentgladness。
  Thisincidentmaygivesomeideaoftheserfdomofthesubjecttribes,and,exceptthattheyaresometimespunishedforrunningawayandotheroffenses,Icanaddnothingmorebywayofshowingthetruenatureofthisformofservitude。
  LeavingNaliele,amidabundanceofgoodwishesforthesuccessofourexpedition,andhopesthatwemightreturnaccompaniedwithwhitetraders,webeganagainourascentoftheriverItwasnowbeginningtorise,thoughtherainshadbutjustcommencedinthevalleyThebanksarelow,butcleanlycut,andseldomslopingAtlowwatertheyarefromfourtoeightfeethigh,andmaketheriveralwaysassumeverymuchtheaspectofacanalTheyareinsomepartsofwhitish,tenaciousclay,withstrataofblackclayintermixed,andblackloaminsand,orpuresandstratifiedAstheriverrisesitisalwayswearingtoonesideortheother,andisknowntohavecutacrossfromonebendtoanother,andtoformnewchannelsAswecoastalongtheshore,pieceswhichareunderminedoftenfallinwithasplashlikethatcausedbytheplungeofanalligator,andendangerthecanoe。
  Theseperpendicularbanksaffordbuilding-placestoaprettybee-eater,*
  whichlovestobreedinsocietyThefaceofthesand-bankisperforatedwithhundredsofholesleadingtotheirnests,eachofwhichisaboutafootapartfromtheother;andaswepasstheypouroutoftheirhiding-places,andfloatoverhead。
  *`Meropsapiaster’and`Mbullockoides’Smith。
  Aspeckledkingfisherisseennearlyeveryhundredyards,whichbuildsinsimilarspots,andattractstheattentionofherd-boys,whodigoutitsnestforthesakeoftheyoungThis,andamostlovelylittleblueandorangekingfisher,areseeneverywherealongthebanks,dashingdownlikeashotintothewaterfortheirpreyAthird,seenmorerarely,isaslargeasapigeon,andisofaslatycolor。
  Anotherinhabitantofthebanksisthesand-martin,whichalsolikescompanyintheworkofraisingafamilyTheyneverleavethispartofthecountry。
  Onemayseethempreeningthemselvesintheverydepthofwinter,whiletheswallows,ofwhichweshallyetspeak,takewintertrips。
  Isawsand-martinsattheOrangeRiverduringaperiodofwinterfrost;
  itis,therefore,probablethattheydonotmigrateevenfromthence。
  Aroundthereeds,whichinsomepartslinethebanks,weseefresh-waterspongesTheyusuallyencirclethestalk,andarehardandbrittle,presentingnumbersofsmallroundgrainsneartheircircumference。
  Theriverwasrunningattherateoffivemilesanhour,andcarriedbunchesofreedanddecayingvegetablematteronitssurface;
  yetthewaterwasnotdiscoloredIthad,however,aslightlyyellowish-greentinge,somewhatdeeperthanitsnaturalcolor。
  Thisarosefromthequantityofsandcarriedbytherisingfloodfromsand-banks,whichareannuallyshiftedfromonespottoanother,andfromthepiecesfallinginasthebanksareworn;forwhenthewaterisallowedtostandinaglass,afewsecondssufficeforitsdepositatthebottomThisisconsideredanunhealthyperiodWhenwaiting,ononeoccasion,fortheothercanoestocomeup,IfeltnoinclinationtoleavetheoneIwasin;butmyheadboatman,Mashauana,toldmenevertoremainonboardwhilesomuchvegetablematterwasfloatingdownthestream。
  17THDECEMBERAtLibontaWeweredetainedfordaystogethercollectingcontributionsoffatandbutter,accordingtotheordersofSekeletu,aspresentstotheBalondachiefsMuchfeverprevailed,andophthalmiawasrife,asisgenerallythecasebeforetherainsbegin。
  Someofmyownmenrequiredmyassistance,aswellasthepeopleofLibonta。
  Alionhaddoneagooddealofmischiefhere,andwhenthepeoplewenttoattackittwomenwerebadlywounded;oneofthemhadhisthigh-bonequitebroken,showingtheprodigiouspowerofthisanimal’sjaws。
  Theinflammationproducedbytheteeth-woundsprovedfataltooneofthem。
  Herewedemandedtheremainderofthecaptives,andgotournumberincreasedtonineteenTheyconsistedofwomenandchildren,andoneyoungmanoftwentyOneoftheboyswassmuggledawayinthecrowdasweembarkedTheMakololounder-chiefsoftenactindirectoppositiontothewilloftheheadchief,trustingtocircumstancesandbrazenfacednesstoscreenthemselvesfromhisopendispleasure;andashedoesnotalwaysfinditconvenienttonoticefaults,theyoftengotoconsiderablelengthsinwrong-doing。
  LibontaisthelasttownoftheMakololo;so,whenwepartedfromit,wehadonlyafewcattle-stationsandoutlyinghamletsinfront,andthenanuninhabitedbordercountrytillwecametoLondaorLunda。
  LibontaissituatedonamoundliketherestofthevillagesintheBarotsevalley,butherethetree-coveredsidesofthevalleybegintoapproachnearertheriverThevillageitselfbelongstotwoofthechiefwivesofSebituane,whofurnisheduswithanoxandabundanceofotherfoodThesamekindnesswasmanifestedbyallwhocouldaffordtogiveanything;andasIglanceovertheirdeedsofgenerosityrecordedinmyjournal,myheartglowswithgratitudetothem,andIhopeandpraythatGodmaysparemetomakethemsomereturn。
  Beforeleavingthevillagesentirely,wemayglanceatourwayofspendingthenightsAssoonasweland,someofthemencutalittlegrassformybed,whileMashauanaplantsthepolesofthelittletent。
  Theseareusedbydayforcarryingburdens,fortheBarotsefashionisexactlylikethatofthenativesofIndia,onlytheburdenisfastenedneartheendsofthepole,andnotsuspendedbylongcordsThebedismade,andboxesrangedoneachsideofit,andthenthetentpitchedoverall。
  Fourorfivefeetinfrontofmytentisplacedtheprincipalorkotlafire,thewoodforwhichmustbecollectedbythemanwhooccupiesthepostofherald,andtakesashisperquisitetheheadsofalltheoxenslaughtered,andofallthegametooEachpersonknowsthestationheistooccupy,inreferencetothepostofhonoratthefireinfrontofthedoorofthetentThetwoMakololooccupymyrightandleft,bothineatingandsleeping,aslongasthejourneylastsButMashauana,myheadboatman,makeshisbedatthedoorofthetentassoonasIretire。
  Therest,dividedintosmallcompaniesaccordingtotheirtribes,makeshedsallroundthefire,leavingahorseshoe-shapedspaceinfrontsufficientforthecattletostandinThefiregivesconfidencetotheoxen,sothemenarealwayscarefultokeeptheminsightofitTheshedsareformedbyplantingtwostoutforkedpolesinaninclineddirection,andplacinganotherovertheseinahorizontalpositionAnumberofbranchesarethenstuckinthegroundinthedirectiontowhichthepolesareinclined,thetwigsdrawndowntothehorizontalpoleandtiedwithstripsofbark。
  Longgrassisthenlaidoverthebranchesinsufficientquantitytodrawofftherain,andwehaveshedsopentothefireinfront,butsecurefrombeastsbehindInlessthananhourwewereusuallyallundercoverWeneverlackedabundanceofgrassduringthewholejourneyItisapicturesquesightatnight,whentheclearbrightmoonoftheseclimatesglancesonthesleepingformsaround,tolookoutupontheattitudesofprofoundreposebothmenandbeastsassumeTherebeingnodangerfromwildanimalsinsuchanight,thefiresareallowedalmosttogoout;andasthereisnofearofhungrydogscomingoversleepersanddevouringthefood,orquietlyeatingupthepoorfellows’blankets,whichatbestwerebutgreasyskins,whichsometimeshappenedinthevillages,thepicturewasoneofperfectpeace。