首页 >出版文学> Travels and Researches in South Africa>第47章
  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。