Whenthenervousforceisentire,terriblewoundsmaybeinflictedwithoutkilling;atsessebehavingbeenshotthroughtheneckwhilequietlyfeeding,wewenttohim,andoneofthemencuthisthroatdeepenoughtobleedhimlargelyHestartedupafterthisandranmorethanamile,andwouldhavegotclearoffhadnotadogbroughthimtobayunderatree,wherewefoundhimstanding。
Mymen,havingneverhadfire-armsintheirhandsbefore,founditsodifficulttoholdthemusketsteadyattheflashoffireinthepan,thattheynaturallyexpectedmetofurnishthemwith“gunmedicine“,withoutwhich,itisalmostuniversallybelieved,noonecanshootstraightGreatexpectationshadbeenformedwhenIarrivedamongtheMakololoonthissubject;but,havinginvariablydeclinedtodeceivethem,assomefortheirownprofithavedone,mymennowsupposedthatIwouldatlastconsent,andtherebyrelievemyselffromthehardworkofhuntingbyemployingthemafterduemedication。
ThisIwasmostwillingtodo,ifIcouldhavedoneithonestly;
for,havingbutlittleofthehunting`furore’inmycomposition,IalwayspreferredeatingthegametokillingitSulphuristheremedymostadmired,andIrememberSechelegivingalargepriceforaverysmallbitHealsogavesomeelephants’tusks,worth30Pounds,foranothermedicinewhichwastomakehiminvulnerabletomusketballs。
AsIuniformlyrecommendedthatthesethingsshouldbetestedbyexperiment,acalfwasanointedwiththecharmandtiedtoatreeItproveddecisive,andSecheleremarkeditwas“pleasantertobedeceivedthanundeceived。”
Iofferedsulphurforthesamepurpose,butthatwasdeclined,eventhoughapersoncametothetownafterwardandrubbedhishandswithalittlebeforeasuccessfultrialofshootingatamark。
Iexplainedtomymenthenatureofagun,andtriedtoteachthem,buttheywouldsoonhaveexpendedalltheammunitioninmypossession。
Iwasthusobligedtodoalltheshootingmyselfeverafterward。
Theirinabilitywasratheramisfortune;for,inconsequenceofworkingtoosoonafterhavingbeenbittenbythelion,theboneofmyleftarmhadnotunitedwellContinualhardmanuallabor,andsomefallsfromox-back,lengthenedtheligamentbywhichtheendsoftheboneswereunited,andafalsejointwastheconsequenceThelimbhasneverbeenpainful,asthoseofmycompanionsonthedayoftherencounterwiththelionhavebeen,but,therebeingajointtoomany,Icouldnotsteadytherifle,andwasalwaysobligedtoshootwiththepiecerestingontheleftshoulder。
Iwantedsteadinessofaim,anditgenerallyhappenedthatthemorehungrythepartybecame,themorefrequentlyImissedtheanimals。
WespentaSundayonourwayuptotheconfluenceoftheLeebaandLeeambye。
Rainshadfallenherebeforewecame,andthewoodshadputontheirgayesthueFlowersofgreatbeautyandcuriousformsgroweverywhere;
theyareunlikethoseinthesouth,andsoarethetrees。
Manyoftheforest-treeleavesarepalmatedandlargelydeveloped;
thetrunksarecoveredwithlichens,andtheabundanceoffernswhichappearinthewoodsshowswearenowinamorehumidclimatethananytothesouthoftheBarotsevalleyThegroundbeginstoswarmwithinsectlife;andinthecool,pleasantmorningsthewelkinringswiththesingingofbirds,whichisnotsodelightfulasthenotesofbirdsathome,becauseIhavenotbeenfamiliarwiththemfrominfancy。
Thenoteshere,however,strikethemindbytheirloudnessandvariety,asthewellingsforthfromjoyousheartsofpraisetoHimwhofillsthemwithoverflowinggladnessAllofusriseearlytoenjoythelusciousbalmyairofthemorningWethenhaveworship;
but,amidallthebeautyandlovelinesswithwhichwearesurrounded,thereisstillafeelingofwantinthesoulinviewingone’spoorcompanions,andhearingbitter,impurewordsjarringontheearintheperfectionofthescenesofNature,andalongingthatboththeirheartsandoursmightbebroughtintoharmonywiththeGreatFatherofSpiritsIpointedout,in,asusual,thesimplestwordsIcouldemploy,theremedywhichGodhaspresentedtous,intheinexpressiblypreciousgiftofHisownSon,onwhomtheLord“laidtheiniquityofusall。”ThegreatdifficultyindealingwiththesepeopleistomakethesubjectplainThemindsoftheauditorscannotbeunderstoodbyonewhohasnotmingledmuchwiththem。
Theyreadilyprayfortheforgivenessofsins,andthensinagain;
confesstheevilofit,andtherethematterends。
IshallnotoftenadverttotheirdepravityMypracticehasalwaysbeentoapplytheremedywithallpossibleearnestness,butneverallowmyownmindtodwellonthedarkshadesofmen’scharactersIhaveneverbeenabletodrawpicturesofguilt,asifthatcouldawakenChristiansympathy。
TheevilisthereButallaroundinthisfaircreationarescenesofbeauty,andtoturnfromthesetoponderondeedsofsincannotpromoteahealthystateofthefacultiesIattributemuchofthebodilyhealthIenjoytofollowingtheplanadoptedbymostphysicians,who,whileengagedinactive,laboriouseffortstoassisttheneedy,atthesametimefollowthedelightfulstudiesofsomedepartmentofnaturalhistory。
Thehumanmiseryandsinweendeavortoalleviateandcuremaybelikenedtothesicknessandimpurityofsomeofthebackslumsofgreatcities。
Onecontentshimselfbyministeringtothesickandtryingtoremovethecauses,withoutremaininglongerinthefilththanisnecessaryforhiswork;another,equallyanxiousforthepublicgood,stirsupeverycesspool,thathemaydescribeitsreekingvapors,and,bylongcontactwithimpurities,becomeshimselfinfected,sickens,anddies。
Themenwentaboutduringtheday,andbroughtbackwildfruitsofseveralvarieties,whichIhadnothithertoseenOne,calledmogametsa,isabeanwithalittlepulproundit,whichtasteslikesponge-cake;
another,namedmawa,growsabundantlyonalowbushTherearemanyberriesandediblebulbsalmosteverywhereThemamoshoormoshomosho,andmiloamedlar,weretobefoundnearourencampment。
Thesearebothgood,ifindeedonecanbeafairjudgewhofeltquitedisposedtopassafavorableverdictoneveryfruitwhichhadthepropertyofbeingeatableatallManykindsarebetterthanourcrab-appleorsloe,and,hadtheythecareandculturethesehaveenjoyed,mighttakehighrankamongthefruitsoftheworldAllthattheAfricanshavethoughtofhasbeenpresentgratification;andnow,asIsometimesdepositdate-seedsinthesoil,andtellthemIhavenohopewhateverofseeingthefruit,itseemstothemastheactoftheSouthSeaIslandersappearstous,whentheyplantedintheirgardensironnailsreceivedfromCaptainCook。
Therearemanyfruitsandberriesintheforests,theusesofwhichareunknowntomycompanionsGreatnumbersofakindofpalmIhavenevermetwithbeforewereseengrowingatandbelowtheconfluenceoftheLoetiandLeeambye;theseedprobablycamedowntheformerriverItisnearlyastallasthepalmyraThefruitislargerthanofthatspecies;itisaboutfourincheslong,andhasasoftyellowpulproundthekernelorseed;whenripe,itisfluidandstringy,likethewildmango,andnotverypleasanttoeat。
BeforewecametothejunctionoftheLeebaandLeeambyewefoundthebankstwentyfeethigh,andcomposedofmarlysandstone。
Theyarecoveredwithtrees,andtheleftbankhasthetsetseandelephants。
Isuspecttheflyhassomeconnectionwiththisanimal,andthePortugueseinthedistrictofTetemustthinksotoo,fortheycallitthe`Muscadaelephant’theelephantfly。
Thewaterofinundationcoverseventheseloftybanks,butdoesnotstandlonguponthem;hencethecropoftreesWhereitremainsforanylengthoftime,treescannotliveOntherightbank,orthatinwhichtheLoetiflows,thereisanextensiveflatcountrycalledManga,which,thoughcoveredwithgrass,isdestituteinagreatmeasureoftrees。
Flocksofgreenpigeonsrosefromthetreesaswepassedalongthebanks,andthenotesofmanybirdstoldthatwewerenowamongstrangersofthefeatheredtribeThebeautifultrogon,withbrightscarletbreastandblackback,utteredamostpeculiarnote,similartothatwereadofashavingoncebeenemittedbyMemnon,andlikenedtothetuningofalyreTheboatmenanswereditbycalling“Nama,nama!”meat,meatasiftheythoughtthatarepetitionofthenotewouldbeagoodomenforoursuccessinhunting。
Manymoreinterestingbirdsweremet;butIcouldmakenocollection,asIwasproceedingontheplanofhavingaslittleluggageaspossible,soasnottoexcitethecupidityofthosethroughwhosecountryweintendedtopass。
VastshoalsoffishcomedowntheLeeambyewiththerisingwaters,asweobservedtheyalsodointheZougaTheyareprobablyinducedtomakethismigrationbytheincreasedrapidityofthecurrentdislodgingthemfromtheiroldpasture-groundshigheruptheriver。
Insectsconstitutebutasmallportionofthefoodofmanyfish。
Finevegetablematter,likeslendermosses,growingonthebottom,isdevouredgreedily;andasthefishesaredislodgedfromthemainstreambytheforceofthecurrent,andfindabundantpastureonthefloodedplains,thewholecommunitybecomesdisturbedandwanders。
Themosala`ClariasCapensis’and`Glanissiluris’,themullet`MugilAfricanus’,andotherfishes,spreadovertheBarotsevalleyinsuchnumbersthatwhenthewatersretireallthepeopleareemployedincuttingthemupanddryingtheminthesunThesupplyexceedsthedemand,andthelandinnumerousplacesissaidtoemitamostoffensivesmell。
WhereveryouseetheZambesiinthecentreofthecountry,itisremarkablefortheabundanceofanimallifeinanduponitswaters,andontheadjacentbanks。
WepassedgreatnumbersofhippopotamiTheyareverynumerousinthepartsoftheriverwheretheyareneverhunted。
Themalesappearofadarkcolor,thefemalesofyellowishbrown。
ThereisnotsuchacompleteseparationofthesexesamongthemasamongelephantsTheyspendmostoftheirtimeinthewater,lollingaboutinalistless,dreamymannerWhentheycomeoutoftheriverbynight,theycropoffthesoftsucculentgrassesveryneatlyWhentheyblow,theypuffupthewateraboutthreefeethigh。
Chapter15。
MessagetoMasiko,theBarotseChief,regardingtheCaptives
NavigationoftheLeeambyeCapabilitiesofthisDistrict
TheLeebaFlowersandBeesBuffalo-huntFieldforaBotanist
YoungAlligators;theirsavageNatureSuspicionoftheBalonda
Sekelenke’sPresentAManandhistwoWivesHunters
MessagefromManenko,afemaleChiefMambariTradersADream
SheakondoandhisPeopleTeeth-filingDesireforButter
InterviewwithNyamoana,anotherfemaleChiefCourtEtiquette
HairversusWoolIncreaseofSuperstitionArrivalofManenko;
herAppearanceandHusbandModeofSalutationAnklets
Embassy,withaPresentfromMasikoRoastBeefManioc
MagicLanternManenkoanaccomplishedScold:compelsustowait
UnsuccessfulZebra-hunt。
Onthe27thofDecemberwewereattheconfluenceoftheLeebaandLeeambyelat14d10’52“S。,long23d35’40“E。Masiko,theBarotsechief,forwhomwehadsomecaptives,livednearlydueeastofthispointTheyweretwolittleboys,alittlegirl,ayoungman,andtwomiddle-agedwomen。
OneofthesewasamemberofaBabimpetribe,whoknockoutbothupperandlowerfrontteethasadistinctionAswehadbeeninformedbythecaptivesonthepreviousSundaythatMasikowasinthehabitofseizingallorphans,andthosewhohavenopowerfulfriendinthetribewhoseprotectiontheycanclaim,andsellingthemforclothingtotheMambari,wethoughttheobjectionofthewomentogofirsttohistownbeforeseeingtheirfriendsquitereasonable,andresolvedtosendapartyofourownpeopletoseethemsafelyamongtheirrelatives。