Nyamoana’sPresentCharmsManenko’spedestrianPowersAnIdol
BalondaArmsRainHungerPalisadesDenseForests
ArtificialBeehivesMushroomsVillagerslendtheRoofsoftheirHousesDivinationandIdolsManenko’sWhimsAnightAlarm
Shinte’sMessengersandPresentTheproperWaytoapproachaVillage
AMermanEnterShinte’sTown:itsAppearance
Meettwohalf-casteSlave-tradersTheMakololoscornthem
TheBalondarealNegroesGrandReceptionfromShinte
HisKotlaCeremonyofIntroductionTheOratorsWomen
MusiciansandMusicalInstrumentsAdisagreeableRequest
PrivateInterviewswithShinteGivehimanOxFertilityofSoil
Manenko’snewHutConversationwithShinteKolimbota’sProposal
Balonda’sPunctiliousnessSellingChildrenKidnapping
Shinte’sOfferofaSlaveMagicLanternAlarmofWomen
DelaySambanzareturnsintoxicatedThelastandgreatestProofofShinte’sFriendship。
11THOFJANUARY,1854Onstartingthismorning,SamoanaorratherNyamoana,fortheladiesarethechiefshere
presentedastringofbeads,andashellhighlyvaluedamongthem,asanatonementforhavingassistedManenko,astheythought,tovexmethedaybeforeTheyseemedanxioustoavertanyevilwhichmightarisefrommydispleasure;buthavingrepliedthatIneverkeptmyangerupallnight,theyweremuchpleasedtoseemesatisfiedWehadtocross,inacanoe,astreamwhichflowspastthevillageofNyamoanaManenko’sdoctorwavedsomecharmsoverher,andshetooksomeinherhandandonherbodybeforesheventureduponthewaterOneofmymenspokeratherloudlywhennearthedoctor’sbasketofmedicinesThedoctorreprovedhim,andalwaysspokeinawhisperhimself,glancingbacktothebasketasifafraidofbeingheardbysomethingthereinSomuchsuperstitionisquiteunknowninthesouth,andismentionedheretoshowthedifferenceinthefeelingsofthisnewpeople,andthecomparativewantofreverenceonthesepointsamongCaffresandBechuanas。
Manenkowasaccompaniedbyherhusbandandherdrummer;
thelattercontinuedtothumpmostvigorouslyuntilaheavy,drizzlingmistsetinandcompelledhimtodesistHerhusbandusedvariousincantationsandvociferationstodriveawaytherain,butdownitpouredincessantly,andonourAmazonwent,intheverylightestmarchingorder,andatapacethatfewofthemencouldkeepupwithBeingonox-back,Ikeptprettyclosetoourleader,andaskedherwhyshedidnotclotheherselfduringtherain,andlearnedthatitisnotconsideredproperforachieftoappeareffeminate。
Heorshemustalwaysweartheappearanceofrobustyouth,andbearvicissitudeswithoutwincingMymen,inadmirationofherpedestrianpowers,everynowandthenremarked,“Manenkoisasoldier;“
andthoroughlywetandcold,wewereallgladwhensheproposedahalttoprepareournight’slodgingonthebanksofastream。
Thecountrythroughwhichwewerepassingwasthesamesuccessionofforestandopenlawnsasformerlymentioned:thetreeswerenearlyallevergreens,andofgood,thoughnotverygiganticsize。
Thelawnswerecoveredwithgrass,which,inthicknessofcrop,lookedlikeordinaryEnglishhayWepassedtwosmallhamletssurroundedbygardensofmaizeandmanioc,andneareachoftheseIobserved,forthefirsttime,anuglyidolcommoninLondathefigureofananimal,resemblinganalligator,madeofclayItisformedofgrass,plasteredoverwithsoftclay;twocowrie-shellsareinsertedaseyes,andnumbersofthebristlesfromthetailofanelephantarestuckinabouttheneckItiscalledalion,though,ifonewerenottoldso,hewouldconcludeittobeanalligatorItstoodinashed,andtheBalondaprayandbeatdrumsbeforeitallnightincasesofsickness。
SomeofthemenofManenko’strainhadshieldsmadeofreeds,neatlywovenintoasquareshape,aboutfivefeetlongandthreebroad。
Withthese,andshortbroadswordsandsheavesofiron-headedarrows,theyappearedratherferociousButtheconstanthabitofwearingarmsisprobablyonlyasubstituteforthecouragetheydonotpossess。
Wealwaysdepositedourfire-armsandspearsoutsideavillagebeforeenteringit,whiletheBalonda,onvisitingusatourencampment,alwayscamefullyarmed,untilweorderedthemeithertolaydowntheirweaponsorbeoffNextdaywepassedthroughapieceofforestsodensethatnoonecouldhavepenetrateditwithoutanaxeItwasflooded,notbytheriver,butbytheheavyrainswhichpoureddowneveryday,andkeptthosewhohadclothingconstantlywetIobserved,inthispieceofforest,averystrongsmellofsulphuretedhydrogen。
ThisIhadobservedrepeatedlyinotherpartsbefore。
Ihadattacksoffeveroftheintermittenttypeagainandagain,inconsequenceofrepeateddrenchingsintheseunhealthyspots。
Onthe11thand12thweweredetainedbyincessantrains,andsoheavyIneversawthelikeinthesouthIhadalittletapiocaandasmallquantityofLibontameal,whichIstillreservedforworsetimes。
Thepatienceofmymenunderhungerwasadmirable;theactualwantofthepresentisneversopainfulasthethoughtofgettingnothinginthefutureWethoughtthepeopleofsomelargehamletsveryniggardlyandveryindependentoftheirchiefs,fortheygaveusandManenkonothing,thoughtheyhadlargefieldsofmaizeinaneatablestatearoundthem。
Whenshewentandkindlybeggedsomeforme,theygaveherfiveearsonly。
Theyweresubjectsofheruncle;and,hadtheybeenMakololo,wouldhavebeenlavishintheirgiftstothenieceoftheirchief。
IsuspectedthattheyweredependentsofsomeofShinte’sprincipalmen,andhadnopowertopartwiththemaizeoftheirmasters。
Eachhouseofthesehamletshasapalisadeofthickstakesaroundit,andthedoorismadetoresembletherestofthestockade;
thedoorisneverseenopen;whentheownerwishestoenter,heremovesastakeortwo,squeezeshisbodyin,thenplantsthemagainintheirplaces,sothatanenemycominginthenightwouldfinditdifficulttodiscovertheentranceThesepalisadesseemtoindicateasenseofinsecurityinregardtotheirfellow-men,fortherearenowildbeaststodisturbthem;thebowsandarrowshavebeennearlyasefficaciousinclearingthecountryhereasgunshaveinthecountryfarthersouthThiswasadisappointmenttous,forweexpectedacontinuanceoftheabundanceofgameinthenorthwhichwefoundwhenwefirstcameuptotheconfluenceoftheLeebaandLeeambye。
Aspeciesofthesilver-treeoftheCape`Leucodendronargenteum’
isfoundinabundanceinthepartsthroughwhichwehavetraveledsinceleavingSamoana’sAsitgrowsataheightofbetweentwoandthreethousandfeetabovethelevelofthesea,ontheCapeTableMountain,andagainonthenorthernslopeoftheCashanMountains,andhereatconsiderablygreaterheightsfourthousandfeet,thedifferenceofclimatepreventsthebotanicalrangebeingconsideredasaffordingagoodapproximationtothealtitude。
TherapidflowoftheLeeambye,whichonceseemedtomeevidenceofmuchelevationofthecountryfromwhichitcomes,Inowfound,bytheboilingpointofwater,wasfallacious。*
*OnexaminingthissubjectwhenIreturnedtoLinyanti,Ifoundthat,accordingtoDrArnott,adeclivityofthreeinchespermilegivesavelocityinasmooth,straightchannelofthreemilesanhour。
ThegeneralvelocityoftheZambesiisthreemilesandthreequartersperhour,thoughintherockypartsitissometimesasmuchasfourandahalfIf,however,wemakeallowancesforroughnessofbottom,bendingsofchannel,andsuddendescentsatcataracts,andsaythedeclivityisevenseveninchespermile,those800milesbetweentheeastcoastandthegreatfallswouldrequirelessthan500feettogivetheobservedvelocity,andtheadditionaldistancetothispointwouldrequirebut150feetofaltitudemoreIfmyobservationofthisaltitudemaybedependedon,wehaveasteeperdeclivityfortheZambesithanforsomeothergreatriversTheGanges,forinstance,issaidtobeat1800milesfromitsmouthonly800feetabovethelevelofthesea,andwaterrequiresamonthtocomethatdistance。
Buttherearesomanymodifyingcircumstances,itisdifficulttodrawanyreliableconclusionfromthecurrentsTheChobeissometimesheardofasflooded,about40milesaboveLinyanti,afortnightbeforetheinundationreachesthatpoint,butitisverytortuous。
ThegreatriverMagdalenafallsonly500feetinathousandmiles;
otherriversmuchmore。
TheforestsbecamemoredenseaswewentnorthWetraveledmuchmoreinthedeepgloomoftheforestthaninopensunlightNopassageexistedoneithersideofthenarrowpathmadebytheaxeLargeclimbingplantsentwinedthemselvesaroundthetrunksandbranchesofgigantictreeslikeboaconstrictors,andtheyoftendoconstrictthetreesbywhichtheyrise,and,killingthem,standerectthemselves。
Thebarkofafinetreefoundinabundancehere,andcalled“motuia“,isusedbytheBarotseformakingfish-linesandnets,andthe“molompi“,sowelladaptedforpaddlesbyitslightnessandflexibility,wasabundantTherewereothertreesquitenewtomycompanions;
manyofthemranuptoaheightoffiftyfeetofonethickness,andwithoutbranches。
IntheseforestswefirstencounteredtheartificialbeehivessocommonlymetwithallthewayfromthistoAngolaTheyconsistofaboutfivefeetofthebarkofatreefifteenoreighteeninchesindiameter。
Twoincisionsaremaderightroundthetreeatpointsfivefeetapart,thenonelongitudinalslitfromoneofthesetotheother;
theworkmannextliftsupthebarkoneachsideofthisslit,anddetachesitfromthetrunk,takingcarenottobreakit,untilthewholecomesfromthetreeTheelasticityofthebarkmakesitassumetheformithadbefore;theslitissewedorpeggedupwithwoodenpins,andendsmadeofcoiledgrass-ropeareinserted,oneofwhichhasaholefortheingressofthebeesinthecentre,andthehiveiscompleteThesehivesareplacedinahorizontalpositiononhightreesindifferentpartsoftheforest,andinthiswayallthewaxexportedfromBenguelaandLoandaiscollected。
ItisalltheproduceoffreelaborA“pieceofmedicine“istiedroundthetrunkofthetree,andprovessufficientprotectionagainstthieves。
Thenativesseldomrobeachother,forallbelievethatcertainmedicinescaninflictdiseaseanddeath;andthoughtheyconsiderthattheseareonlyknowntoafew,theyactontheprinciplethatitisbesttoletthemallaloneThegloomoftheseforestsstrengthensthesuperstitiousfeelingsofthepeopleInotherquarters,wheretheyarenotsubjectedtothisinfluence,Ihaveheardthechiefsissueproclamationstotheeffectthatrealwitchcraftmedicineshadbeenplacedatcertaingardensfromwhichproducehadbeenstolen,thethieveshavingriskedthepoweroftheordinarycharmspreviouslyplacedthere。
Thisbeingtherainyseason,greatquantitiesofmushroomsweremetwith,andwereeagerlydevouredbymycompanions:theediblevarietyisalwaysfoundgrowingoutofant-hills,andattainsthediameterofthecrownofahat;theyarequitewhite,andverygood,evenwheneatenraw;
theyoccupyanextensiveregionoftheinterior;some,notedible,areofabrilliantred,andothersareofthesamelightblueasthepaperusedbyapothecariestoputuptheirmedicines。
Therewasaconsiderablepleasure,inspiteofrainandfever,inthisnewsceneryThedeepgloomcontrastedstronglywiththeshadelessglareoftheKalahari,whichhadleftanindelibleimpressiononmymemoryThoughdrencheddaybydayatthistime,andformonthsafterward,itwaslongbeforeIcouldbelievethatweweregettingtoomuchofagoodthingNorcouldIlookatwaterbeingthrownawaywithoutaslight,quickimpressionflittingacrossthemindthatwewereguiltyofwastingitEverynowandthenweemergedfromthedeepgloomintoaprettylittlevalley,havingadampportioninthemiddle;which,thoughnowfilledwithwater,atothertimescontainsmoistureenoughforwellsonlyThesewellshaveshadesputoverthemintheformoflittlehuts。
Wecrossed,incanoes,alittlenever-failingstream,whichpassesbythenameofLefuje,or“therapid“Itcomesfromagoodlyhighmountain,calledMonakadzithewoman,whichgladdenedoureyesasitrosetooursightabouttwentyorthirtymilestotheeastofourcourse。
Itisofanoblongshape,andseemedatleasteighthundredfeetabovetheplainsTheLefujeprobablyderivesitsnamefromtherapiddescentoftheshortcourseithastoflowfromMonakadzitotheLeeba。
Thenumberoflittlevillagesseemedaboutequaltothenumberofvalleys。
Atsomewestoppedandrested,thepeoplebecomingmoreliberalasweadvancedOtherswefounddeserted,asuddenpanichavingseizedtheinhabitants,thoughthedrumofManenkowaskeptbeatenprettyconstantly,inordertogivenoticeoftheapproachofgreatpeopleWhenwehaddecidedtoremainforthenightatanyvillage,theinhabitantslentustheroofsoftheirhuts,whichinformresemblethoseoftheMakololo,oraChinaman’shat,andcanbetakenoffthewallsatpleasure。
Theyliftedthemoff,andbroughtthemtothespotwehadselectedasourlodging,and,whenmymenhadproppedthemupwithstakes,theywerethensafelyhousedforthenightEveryonewhocomestosaluteeitherManenkoorourselvesrubstheupperpartsofthearmsandchestwithashes;thosewhowishtoshowprofounderreverenceputsomealsoontheface。
WefoundthateveryvillagehaditsidolsnearitThisisthecaseallthroughthecountryoftheBalonda,sothat,whenwecametoanidolinthewoods,wealwaysknewthatwewerewithinaquarterofanhourofhumanhabitationsOneveryuglyidolwepassedrestedonahorizontalbeamplacedontwouprightposts。