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。