首页 >出版文学> Travels and Researches in South Africa>第53章
  Duringtheintervalsbetweenthespeeches,theseladiesburstforthintoasortofplaintiveditty;butitwasimpossibleforanyofustocatchwhetheritwasinpraiseofthespeaker,ofShinte,orofthemselves。
  ThiswasthefirsttimeIhadeverseenfemalespresentinapublicassembly。
  Inthesouththewomenarenotpermittedtoenterthekotla;
  andevenwheninvitedtocometoareligiousservicethere,wouldnotenteruntilorderedtodosobythechief;butheretheyexpressedapprobationbyclappingtheirhands,andlaughingtodifferentspeakers;
  andShintefrequentlyturnedroundandspoketothem。
  Apartyofmusicians,consistingofthreedrummersandfourperformersonthepiano,wentroundthekotlaseveraltimes,regalinguswiththeirmusicTheirdrumsareneatlycarvedfromthetrunkofatree,andhaveasmallholeinthesidecoveredwithabitofspider’sweb:
  theendsarecoveredwiththeskinofanantelopepeggedon;
  andwhentheywishtotightenit,theyholdittothefiretomakeitcontract:theinstrumentsarebeatenwiththehands。
  Thepiano,named“marimba“,consistsoftwobarsofwoodplacedsidebyside,herequitestraight,but,farthernorth,bentroundsoastoresemblehalfthetireofacarriage-wheel;acrosstheseareplacedaboutfifteenwoodenkeys,eachofwhichistwoorthreeinchesbroad,andfifteenoreighteenincheslong;theirthicknessisregulatedaccordingtothedeepnessofthenoterequired:eachofthekeyshasacalabashbeneathit;fromtheupperpartofeachaportioniscutofftoenablethemtoembracethebars,andformhollowsounding-boardstothekeys,whichalsoareofdifferentsizes,accordingtothenoterequired;andlittledrumstickselicitthemusic。
  Rapidityofexecutionseemsmuchadmiredamongthem,andthemusicispleasanttotheearInAngolathePortugueseusethemarimbaintheirdances。
  Whenninespeakershadconcludedtheirorations,Shintestoodup,andsodidallthepeopleHehadmaintainedtrueAfricandignityofmannerallthewhile,butmypeopleremarkedthathescarcelyevertookhiseyesoffmeforamomentAboutathousandpeoplewerepresent,accordingtomycalculation,andthreehundredsoldiers。
  Thesunhadnowbecomehot;andthesceneendedbytheMambaridischargingtheirguns。
  18THWewereawakenedduringthenightbyamessagefromShinte,requestingavisitataveryunseasonablehourAsIwasjustinthesweatingstageofanintermittent,andthepathtothetownlaythroughawetvalley,IdeclinedgoingKolimbota,whoknowstheircustomsbest,urgedmetogo;but,independentofsickness,Ihatedwordsofthenightanddeedsofdarkness“Iwasneitherahyaenanorawitch。”
  Kolimbotathoughtthatweoughttoconformtotheirwishesineverything:
  Ithoughtweoughttohavesomechoiceinthematteraswell,whichputhimintohighdudgeonHowever,attennextmorningwewent,andwereledintothecourtsofShinte,thewallsofwhichwerewovenrods,allveryneatandhighManytreesstoodwithintheinclosureandaffordedagratefulshadeThesehadbeenplanted,forwesawsomerecentlyputin,withgrasswoundroundthetrunktoprotectthemfromthesunTheotherwisewastecornersofthestreetswereplantedwithsugar-caneandbananas,whichspreadtheirlargelightleavesoverthewalls。
  TheFicusIndicatree,underwhichwenowsat,hadverylargeleaves,butshoweditsrelationshiptotheIndianbanianbysendingdownshootstowardthegroundShintesooncame,andappearedamanofupwardoffifty-fiveyearsofage,offrankandopencountenance,andaboutthemiddleheightHeseemedingoodhumor,andsaidhehadexpectedyesterday“thatamanwhocamefromthegodswouldhaveapproachedandtalkedtohim。”Thathadbeenmyownintentioningoingtothereception;butwhenwecameandsawtheformidablepreparations,andallhisownmenkeepingatleastfortyyardsofffromhim,Iyieldedtothesolicitationsofmymen,andremainedbythetreeoppositetothatunderwhichhesatHisremarkconfirmedmypreviousbeliefthatafrank,open,fearlessmanneristhemostwinningwithalltheseAfricansIstatedtheobjectofmyjourneyandmission,andtoallIadvancedtheoldgentlemanclappedhishandsinapprobation。
  Herepliedthroughaspokesman;thenallthecompanyjoinedintheresponsebyclappingofhandstoo。
  Afterthemoreseriousbusinesswasover,IaskedifhehadeverseenawhitemanbeforeHereplied,“Never;youaretheveryfirstIhaveseenwithawhiteskinandstraighthair;yourclothing,too,isdifferentfromanywehaveeverseen。”TheyhadbeenvisitedbynativePortugueseandMambarionly。
  Onlearningfromsomeofthepeoplethat“Shinte’smouthwasbitterforwantoftastingox-flesh。”Ipresentedhimwithanox,tohisgreatdelight;and,ashiscountryissowelladaptedforcattle,IadvisedhimtobeginatradeincowswiththeMakololo。
  Hewaspleasedwiththeidea,andwhenwereturnedfromLoanda,wefoundthathehadprofitedbythehint,forhehadgotthree,andoneofthemjustifiedmyopinionofthecountry,foritwasmorelikeaprizeheiferforfatnessthananywehadseeninAfrica。
  Hesoonafterwardsentusabasketofgreenmaizeboiled,anotherofmanioc-meal,andasmallfowlThemaizeshowsbyitssizethefertilityoftheblacksoilofallthevalleyshere,andsodoesthemanioc,thoughnomanureiseverapplied。
  Wesawmaniocattainaheightofsixfeetandupward,andthisisaplantwhichrequirestheverybestsoil。
  DuringthistimeManenkohadbeenextremelybusywithallherpeopleingettingupaveryprettyhutandcourt-yard,tobe,asshesaid,herresidencealwayswhenwhitemenwerebroughtbyheralongthesamepath。
  Whensheheardthatwehadgivenanoxtoheruncle,shecameforwardtouswiththeairofonewronged,andexplainedthat“thiswhitemanbelongedtoher;shehadbroughthimhere,andthereforetheoxwashers,notShinte’s。”Sheorderedhermentobringit,gotitslaughteredbythem,andpresentedherunclewithalegonlyShintedidnotseematallannoyedattheoccurrence。
  19THIwasawakenedatanearlyhourbyamessengerfromShinte;
  butthethirstofaragingfeverbeingjustassuagedbytheburstingforthofacopiousperspiration,Ideclinedgoingforafewhours。
  Violentactionoftheheartallthewaytothetowndidnotpredisposemetobepatientwiththedelaywhichthenoccurred,probablyonaccountofthedivinationbeingunfavorable:“TheycouldnotfindShinte。”
  WhenIreturnedtobed,anothermessagewasreceived,“Shintewishedtosayallhehadtotellmeatonce。”Thiswastootemptinganoffer,sowewent,andhehadafowlreadyinhishandtopresent,alsoabasketofmanioc-meal,andacalabashofmead。
  Referringtotheconstantly-recurringattacksoffever,heremarkedthatitwastheonlythingwhichwouldpreventasuccessfulissuetomyjourney,forhehadmentoguidemewhoknewallthepathswhichledtothewhitemenHehadhimselftraveledfarwhenayoungman。
  Onaskingwhathewouldrecommendforthefever,“Drinkplentyofthemead,andasitgetsin,itwilldrivethefeverout。”Itwasratherstrong,andIsuspecthelikedtheremedyprettywell,eventhoughhehadnofever。
  HehadalwaysbeenafriendtoSebituane,and,nowthathissonSekeletuwasinhisplace,Shintewasnotmerelyafriend,butafathertohim;
  andifasonasksafavor,thefathermustgiveitHewashighlypleasedwiththelargecalabashesofclarifiedbutterandfatwhichSekeletuhadsenthim,andwishedtodetainKolimbota,thathemightsendapresentbacktoSekeletubyhishandsThispropositionweafterwarddiscoveredwasKolimbota’sown,ashehadheardsomuchabouttheferocityofthetribesthroughwhichweweretopassthathewishedtosavehisskin。
  Itwillbeseenfartheronthathewastheonlyoneofourpartywhoreturnedwithawound。
  Wewereparticularlystruck,inpassingthroughthevillage,withthepunctiliousnessofmannersshownbytheBalonda。
  Theinferiors,onmeetingtheirsuperiorsinthestreet,atoncedropontheirkneesandrubdustontheirarmsandchest;
  theycontinuethesalutationofclappingthehandsuntilthegreatoneshavepassedSambanzakneltdowninthismannertillthesonofShintehadpassedhim。
  WeseveraltimessawthewomanwhooccupiestheofficeofdrawerofwaterforShinte;sheringsabellasshepassesalongtogivewarningtoalltokeepoutofherway;itwouldbeagraveoffenseforanyonetocomenearher,andexerciseanevilinfluencebyhispresenceonthedrinkofthechiefIsuspectthatoffensesoftheslightestcharacteramongthepooraremadethepretextforsellingthemortheirchildrentotheMambariAyoungmanofLobalehadfledintothecountryofShinte,andlocatedhimselfwithoutshowinghimselftothechiefThiswasconsideredanoffensesufficienttowarranthisbeingseizedandofferedforsalewhilewewerethereHehadnotreportedhimself,sotheydidnotknowthereasonofhisrunningawayfromhisownchief,andthatchiefmightaccusethemofreceivingacriminalItwascurioustonoticetheeffectoftheslave-tradeinbluntingthemoralsusceptibility:
  nochiefinthesouthwouldtreatafugitiveinthisway。
  Mymenwerehorrifiedattheact,eventhougholdShinteandhiscouncilhadsomeshowofreasonontheirside;andboththeBarotseandtheMakololodeclaredthat,iftheBalondaonlyknewofthepolicypursuedbythemtofugitives,butfewofthediscontentedwouldremainlongwithShinte。
  Mymenexcitedthewonderofhispeoplebystatingthateveryoneofthemhadonecowatleastinhispossession。
  Anotherincident,whichoccurredwhilewewerehere,maybementioned,asofacharactertotallyunknowninthesouthTwochildren,ofsevenandeightyearsold,wentouttocollectfirewoodashortdistancefromtheirparents’home,whichwasaquarterofamilefromthevillage,andwerekidnapped;thedistractedparentscouldnotfindatraceofthem。
  Thishappenedsoclosetothetown,wheretherearenobeastsofprey,thatwesuspectsomeofthehighmenofShinte’scourtweretheguiltyparties:theycansellthembynight。
  TheMambarierectlargehutsofasquareshapetostowthesestolenonesin;
  theyarewellfed,butairedbynightonlyThefrequentkidnappingfromoutlyinghamletsexplainsthestockadeswesawaroundthem;
  theparentshavenoredress,forevenShintehimselfseemsfondofworkinginthedarkOnenighthesentforme,thoughIalwaysstatedIlikedallmydealingstobeaboveboardWhenIcamehepresentedmewithaslavegirlabouttenyearsold;hesaidhehadalwaysbeeninthehabitofpresentinghisvisitorswithachildOnmythankinghim,andsayingthatIthoughtitwrongtotakeawaychildrenfromtheirparents,thatIwishedhimtogiveupthissystemaltogether,andtradeincattle,ivory,andbees’-wax,heurgedthatshewas“tobeachild“tobringmewater,andthatagreatmanoughttohaveachildforthepurpose,yetIhadnone。
  AsIrepliedthatIhadfourchildren,andshouldbeverysorryifmychiefweretotakemylittlegirlandgiveheraway,andthatIwouldpreferthischildtoremainandcarrywaterforherownmother,hethoughtIwasdissatisfiedwithhersize,andsentforoneaheadtaller;
  aftermanyexplanationsofourabhorrenceofslavery,andhowdispleasingitmustbetoGodtoseehischildrensellingoneanother,andgivingeachothersomuchgriefasthischild’smothermustfeel,IdeclinedheralsoIfIcouldhavetakenherintomyfamilyforthepurposeofinstruction,andthenreturnedherasafreewoman,accordingtoapromiseIshouldhavemadetotheparents,Imighthavedoneso;buttotakeheraway,andprobablyneverbeabletosecureherreturn,wouldhaveproducednogoodeffectonthemindsoftheBalonda;theywouldnotthenhaveseenevidenceofourhatredtoslavery,andthekindattentionsofmyfriendswould,asitalmostalwaysdoesinsimilarcases,haveturnedthepoorthing’shead。
  ThedifferenceinpositionbetweenthemandusisasgreatasbetweenthelowestandhighestinEngland,andweknowtheeffectsofsuddenelevationonwiserheadsthanhers,whoseownershadnotbeenborntoit。
  Shintewasmostanxioustoseethepicturesofthemagiclantern;butfeverhadsoweakeninganeffect,andIhadsuchviolentactionoftheheart,withbuzzingintheears,thatIcouldnotgoforseveraldays;whenIdidgoforthepurpose,hehadhisprincipalmenandthesamecrowdofcourtbeautiesnearhimasatthereceptionThefirstpictureexhibitedwasAbrahamabouttoslaughterhissonIsaac;itwasshownaslargeaslife,andtheupliftedknifewasintheactofstrikingthelad;