首页 >出版文学> Travels and Researches in South Africa>第56章
  Itrainedthewholeday,sowewerereconciledtothedelay;butonSunday,the5th,heletusknowthatwewerestilltwodaysdistantfromKatema。
  Weunfortunatelycouldnotmanagewithouthim,forthecountrywassodeluged,weshouldhavebeenbroughttoahaltbeforewewentmanymilesbysomedeepvalley,everyoneofwhichwasfullofwater。
  Intemesecontinuedtoplaithisbasketwithallhismight,andwouldnotcometoourreligiousserviceHeseemedtobeafraidofourincantations,butwasalwaysmerryandjocular。
  6THSoonafterstartingwecrossedabranchoftheLokaluejebymeansofacanoe,andintheafternoonpassedoverthemainstreambyalikeconveyanceTheformer,asisthecasewithallbranchesofriversinthiscountry,iscallednyuanaKaluejechildoftheKalueje。
  HippopotamiexistintheLokalueje,soitmaybeinferredtobeperennial,astheinhabitantsassertedWecannotjudgeofthesizeofthestreamfromwhatwenowsawIthadaboutfortyyardsofdeep,fast-flowingwater,butprobablynotmorethanhalfthatamountinthedryseason。
  Besidesthese,wecrossednumerousfeedersinourN。N。Wcourse,and,therebeingnocanoes,gotfrequentlywetinthecourseoftheday。
  Theoxeninsomeplaceshadtheirheadsonlyabovewater,andthestream,flowingovertheirbacks,wettedourblankets,whichweusedassaddles。
  Thearm-pitwastheonlysafespotforcarryingthewatch,forthereitwaspreservedfromrainsaboveandwatersbelow。
  Themenonfootcrossedthesegulliesholdinguptheirburdensatarms’length。
  TheLokaluejewindsfromnortheasttosouthwestintotheLeeba。
  Thecountryadjacenttoitsbanksisextremelyfineandfertile,withhereandtherepatchesofforestorclumpsofmagnificenttrees。
  ThevillagersthroughwhosegardenswepassedcontinuetosowandreapalltheyearroundThegrains,asmaize,lotsa`Pennisetumtyphoideum’,lokeshormillet,aretobeseenatallstagesoftheirgrowth
  somejustripe,whileatthistimetheMakololocropsarenothalfgrown。
  Mycompanions,whohaveagoodideaofthedifferentqualitiesofsoils,expressedthegreatestadmirationoftheagriculturalcapabilitiesofthewholeofLonda,andheretheywereloudintheirpraisesofthepasturage。
  Theyhaveanaccurateideaofthevarietiesofgrassesbestadaptedfordifferentkindsofstock,andlamentbecauseheretherearenocowstofeedofftherichgreencrop,whichatthistimeimpartsspecialbeautytothelandscape。
  Greatnumbersoftheomnivorousfeedingfish,`Glanissiluris’,ormosala,spreadthemselvesoverthefloodedplains,and,asthewatersretire,trytofindtheirwaybackagaintotheriversTheBalondamakeearthendikesandhedgesacrosstheoutletsoftheretreatingwaters,leavingonlysmallspacesthroughwhichthechiefpartofthewaterflows。
  Intheseopenspacestheyplantcreels,similarinshapetoourown,intowhichthefishcanenter,butcannotreturnTheysecurelargequantitiesoffishinthisway,which,whensmoke-dried,makeagoodrelishfortheirotherwiseinsipidfoodTheyusealsoaweirofmatsmadeofreedssewedtogether,withbuthalfaninchbetweeneachOpenspacesareleftfortheinsertionofthecreelsasbefore。
  Instillwater,afish-trapisemployedofthesameshapeandplanasthecommonroundwiremouse-trap,whichhasanopeningsurroundedwithwirespointinginwardThisismadeofreedsandsupplewands,andfoodisplacedinsidetoattractthefish。
  Besidesthesemeansofcatchingfish,theyuseahookofironwithoutabarb;
  thepointisbentinwardinstead,soasnottoallowthefishtoescape。
  NetsarenotsocommonasintheZougaandLeeambye,buttheykilllargequantitiesoffishesbymeansofthebruisedleavesofashrub,whichmaybeseenplantedbesideeveryvillageinthecountry。
  Onthe7thwecametothevillageofSoanaMolopo,ahalf-brotherofKatema,afewmilesbeyondtheLokaluejeWhenwewenttovisithim,wefoundhimsittingwithaboutonehundredmenHecalledonIntemesetogivesomeaccountofus,thoughnodoubtithadbeendoneinprivatebeforeHethenpronouncedthefollowingsentences:
  “Thejourneyofthewhitemanisveryproper,butShintehasdisturbedusbyshowingthepathtotheMakololowhoaccompanyhimHeoughttohavetakenthemthroughthecountrywithoutshowingthemthetowns。
  WeareafraidoftheMakololo。”Hethengaveusahandsomepresentoffood,andseemedperplexedbymysittingdownfamiliarly,andgivinghimafewofourideasWhenweleft,IntemesecontinuedbusilyimpartinganaccountofallwehadgiventoShinteandMasiko,andinstillingthehopethatSoanaMolopomightobtainasmuchastheyhadreceived。
  Accordingly,whenweexpectedtomoveonthemorningofthe8th,wegotsomehintsabouttheoxwhichSoanaMolopoexpectedtoeat,butwerecommendedhimtogetthebreedofcattleforhimself,seeinghiscountrywassowelladaptedforrearingstock。
  Intemesealsorefusedtomove;he,moreover,triedtofrightenusintopartingwithanoxbysayingthatSoanaMolopowouldsendforwardamessagethatwewereamaraudingparty;butwepackedupandwentonwithouthim。
  Wedidnotabsolutelyneedhim,buthewasusefulinpreventingtheinhabitantsofsecludedvillagesfrombetakingthemselvestoflight。
  Wewishedtobeongoodtermswithall,andthereforeputupwithourguide’speccadilloesHisgoodwordrespectingushadconsiderableinfluence,andhewasalwaysaskedifwehadbehavedourselveslikemenonthewayTheMakololoareviewedasgreatsavages,butIntemesecouldnotjustlylookwithscornonthem,forhehasthemarkofalargegashonhisarm,gotinfighting;
  andhewouldnevertellthecauseofbattle,butboastedofhispowersastheMakololodo,tillaskedaboutascaronhisback,betokeninganythingbutbravery。
  IntemesewasusefulincaseslikethatofMonday,whenwecameuponawholevillageinaforestenjoyingtheirnoondaynapOursuddenappearanceintheirmidstsoterrifiedthemthatonewomannearlywentintoconvulsionsfromfearWhentheysawandheardIntemese,theirterrorsubsided。
  Asusual,wewerecaughtbyrainsafterleavingSoanaMolopo’s,andmadeourboothsatthehouseofMozinkwa,amostintelligentandfriendlymanbelongingtoKatemaHehadafinelargegardenincultivation,andwellhedgedroundHehadmadethewallsofhiscompound,orcourt-yard,ofbranchesofthebanian,which,takingroot,hadgrowntobealivehedgeofthattreeMozinkwa’swifehadcottongrowingallroundherpremises,andseveralplantsusedasrelishestotheinsipidporridgeofthecountryShecultivatedalsothecommoncastor-oilplant,andalargershrub`Jatrophacurcas’,whichalsoyieldsapurgativeoilHere,however,theoilisusedforanointingtheheadsandbodiesaloneWesawinhergardenlikewisetheIndianbringalls,yams,andsweetpotatoesSeveraltreeswereplantedinthemiddleoftheyard,andinthedeepshadetheygavestoodthehutsofhisfinefamilyHischildren,allbyonemother,veryblack,butcomelytoview,werethefinestnegrofamilyIeversaw。
  WeweremuchpleasedwiththefrankfriendshipandliberalityofthismanandhiswifeSheaskedmetobringheraclothfromthewhiteman’scountry;
  but,whenwereturned,poorMozinkwa’swifewasinhergrave,andhe,asisthecustom,hadabandonedtrees,garden,andhutstoruin。
  Theycannotliveonaspotwhereafavoritewifehasdied,probablybecauseunabletobeartheremembranceofthehappytimestheyhavespentthere,orafraidtoremaininaspotwheredeathhasoncevisitedtheestablishment。
  Ifevertheplaceisrevisited,itistopraytoher,ormakesomeoffering。
  Thisfeelingrendersanypermanentvillageinthecountryimpossible。
  WelearnedfromMozinkwathatSoanaMolopowastheelderbrotherofKatema,butthathewaswantinginwisdom;andKatema,bypurchasingcattleandreceivinginakindmannerallthefugitiveswhocametohim,hadsecuredthebirthrighttohimself,sofarasinfluenceinthecountryisconcerned。
  Soana’sfirstaddresstousdidnotsavormuchofAfricanwisdom。
  FRIDAY,10THOnleavingMozinkwa’shospitablemansionwecrossedanotherstream,aboutfortyyardswide,incanoes。
  Whilethistediousprocesswasgoingon,IwasinformedthatitiscalledtheMona-Kalueje,orbrotherofKalueje,asitflowsintothatriver;thatboththeKaluejeandLivoaflowintotheLeeba;andthattheChifumadze,swollenbytheLotembwa,isafeederofthatriveralso,belowthepointwherewelatelycrossedit。
  Itmayberemarkedherethattheseriverswerenowinflood,andthatthewaterwasallperfectlyclearThevegetationonthebanksissothicklyplantedthatthesurfaceoftheearthisnotabradedbythetorrentsThegrassislaidflat,andformsaprotectiontothebanks,whicharegenerallyastiffblackloamThefactofcanoesbeinguponthemshowsthat,thoughnotlarge,theyarenotlikethesouthernrivulets,whichdryupduringmostoftheyear,andrendercanoesunnecessary。
  AswewerecrossingtheriverwewerejoinedbyamessengerfromKatema,calledShakatwalaThispersonwasasortofstewardorfactotumtohischiefEverychiefhasoneattachedtohisperson,and,thoughgenerallypoor,theyareinvariablymenofgreatshrewdnessandabilityTheyactthepartofmessengersonallimportantoccasions,andpossessconsiderableauthorityinthechief’shousehold。
  ShakatwalainformedusthatKatemahadnotreceivedpreciseinformationaboutus,butifwewerepeaceablydisposed,ashelovedstrangers,weweretocometohistownWeproceededforthwith,butwereturnedaside,bythestrategyofourfriendIntemese,tothevillageofQuendende,thefather-in-lawofKatemaThisfineoldmanwassoverypolitethatwedidnotregretbeingobligedtospendSundayathisvillage。
  HeexpressedhispleasureathavingashareinthehonorofavisitaswellasKatema,thoughitseemedtomethattheconferringthatpleasurerequiredsomethinglikeaprettygoodstockofimpudence,inleadingtwenty-sevenmenthroughthecountrywithoutthemeansofpurchasingfood。
  Mymendidalittlebusinessforthemselvesinthebeggingline;
  theygenerallycommencedeveryinterviewwithnewvillagersbysaying“Ihavecomefromafar;givemesomethingtoeat。”
  Iforbadethisatfirst,believingthat,astheMakololohadabadname,thevillagersgavefoodfromfearBut,aftersometime,itwasevidentthatinmanycasesmaizeandmaniocweregivenfrompuregenerosity。
  ThefirsttimeIcametothisconclusionwasatthehouseofMozinkwa;
  scarcelyanyoneofmymenreturnedfromitwithoutsomethinginhishand;
  andastheyprotestedtheyhadnotbegged,Iaskedhimself,andfoundthatitwasthecase,andthathehadgivenspontaneously。
  Inotherpartsthechiefsattendedtomywants,andthecommonpeoplegaveliberallytomymenIpresentedsomeofmyrazorsandironspoonstodifferentheadmen,butmymenhadnothingtogive;yeteveryonetriedtoappropriateanindividualineachvillageas“Molekane“,orcomrade,andthevillagersoftenassented;so,ifthereaderremembersthemolekanesystemoftheMopato,hemayperceivethatthosewhopresentedfoodfreelywouldexpecttheMakololototreattheminlikemanner,shouldtheyeverbeplacedinsimilarcircumstances。
  Theircountryissofertilethattheyareinnowantoffoodthemselves;
  however,theirgenerositywasremarkable;onlyonewomanrefusedtogivesomeofmymenfood,butherhusbandcallingouttohertobemoreliberal,sheobeyed,scoldingallthewhile。
  Inthispartofthecountry,buffaloes,elands,koodoos,andvariousantelopesaretobefound,butwedidnotgetany,astheyareexceedinglywaryfrombeingmuchhuntedWehadthesamewoodlandandmeadowasbefore,withhereandtherepleasantnegrovillages;andbeingallingoodhealth,couldenjoythefinegreenscenery。
  Quendende’sheadwasagoodspecimenofthegreatercropofwoolwithwhichthenegroesofLondaarefurnishedThefrontwaspartedinthemiddle,andplaitedintotwothickrolls,which,fallingdownbehindtheears,reachedtheshoulders;therestwascollectedintoalargeknot,whichlayonthenapeoftheneckAshewasanintelligentman,wehadmuchconversationtogether:hehadjustcomefromattendingthefuneralofoneofhispeople,andIfoundthatthegreatamountofdrum-beatingwhichtakesplaceontheseoccasionswaswiththeideathattheBarimo,orspirits,couldbedrummedtosleep。
  Thereisadrumineveryvillage,andweoftenhearitgoingfromsunsettosunriseTheyseemtolookuponthedepartedasvindictivebeings,and,Isuspect,aremoreinfluencedbyfearthanbyloveInbeginningtospeakonreligioussubjectswiththosewhohaveneverheardofChristianity,thegreatfactoftheSonofGodhavingcomedownfromheaventodieforusistheprominenttheme。
  Nofactmorestrikingcanbementioned“Heactuallycametomen。
  HehimselftoldusabouthisFather,andthedwelling-placewhitherhehasgoneWehavehiswordsinthisbook,andhereallyenduredpunishmentinoursteadfrompurelove。”etcIfthisfailstointerestthem,nothingelsewillsucceed。