首页 >出版文学> Travels and Researches in South Africa>第59章
  TheWatershedbetweenthenorthernandsouthernRiversAdeepValley
  RusticBridgeFountainsontheSlopesoftheValleys
  VillageofKabinjeGoodEffectsoftheBeliefinthePowerofCharms
  DemandforGunpowderandEnglishCalicoTheKasaiVexatiousTrick
  WantofFoodNoGameKatende’sunreasonableDemand
  AgraveOffenseToll-bridgeKeeperGreedyGuides
  FloodedValleysSwimtheNyuanaLokePromptKindnessofmyMen
  MakololoRemarksontherichuncultivatedValleys
  DifferenceintheColorofAfricansReachaVillageoftheChiboque
  TheHeadMan’simpudentMessageSurroundsourEncampmentwithhisWarriorsThePretenseTheirDemandProspectofaFight
  WayinwhichitwasavertedChangeourPathSummer
  FeverBeehivesandtheHoney-guideInstinctofTrees
  ClimbersTheOxSinbadAbsenceofThornsintheForests
  PlantpeculiartoaforsakenGardenBadGuides
  InsubordinationsuppressedBesetbyEnemiesARobberParty
  MoreTroublesDetainedbyIongaPanzaHisVillage
  AnnoyedbyBangalaTradersMyMendiscouraged
  TheirDeterminationandPrecaution。
  24THOFFEBRUARYOnreachingunfloodedlandsbeyondtheplain,wefoundthevillagesthereacknowledgedtheauthorityofthechiefnamedKatende,andwediscovered,also,tooursurprise,thatthealmostlevelplainwehadpassedformsthewatershedbetweenthesouthernandnorthernrivers,forwehadnowenteredadistrictinwhichtheriversflowedinanortherlydirectionintotheKasaiorLoke,neartowhichwenowwere,whiletheriverswehadhithertocrossedwereallrunningsouthward。
  Havingmetwithkindtreatmentandaidatthefirstvillage,Katema’sguidesreturned,andwewereledtotheN。N。Wbytheinhabitants,anddescendedintotheveryfirstreallydeepvalleywehadseensinceleavingKolobengAstreamranalongthebottomofaslopeofthreeorfourhundredyardsfromtheplainsabove。
  Wecrossedthisbyarusticbridgeatpresentsubmergedthigh-deepbytherainsThetreesgrowingalongthestreamofthislovelyvalleywerethicklyplantedandveryhighManyhadsixtyoreightyfeetofcleanstraighttrunk,andbeautifulflowersadornedthegroundbeneaththem。
  Ascendingtheoppositeside,wecame,intwohours’time,toanothervalley,equallybeautiful,andwithastreamalsoinitscentre。
  Itmayseemmeretriflingtonotesuchanunimportantthingastheoccurrenceofavalley,therebeingsomanyineverycountryunderthesun;butasthesewerebranchesofthatinwhichtheKasaiorLokeflows,andboththatriveranditsfeedersderivetheirwaterinasingularmannerfromthevalleysides,Imaybeexcusedforcallingparticularattentiontothemorefurrowednatureofthecountry。
  Atdifferentpointsontheslopesofthesevalleyswhichwenowforthefirsttimeentered,thereareoozingfountains,surroundedbyclumpsofthesameevergreen,straight,large-leavedtreeswehavenoticedalongthestreamsThesespotsaregenerallycoveredwithamatofgrassyvegetation,andpossessmorethecharacterofbogsthanoffountainsTheyslowlydischargeintothestreambelow,andaresonumerousalongbothbanksastogiveapeculiarcharactertothelandscapeThesegroupsofsylvanvegetationaregenerallyofaroundedform,andthetrunksofthetreesaretallandstraight,whilethoseonthelevelplainsabovearelowandscraggyintheirgrowth。
  Therecanbelittledoubtbutthatthewater,whichstandsformonthsontheplains,soaksin,andfindsitswayintotheriversandrivuletsbypercolatingthroughthesoil,andoutbytheseoozingbogs;
  andthedifferencebetweenthegrowthofthesetrees,thoughtheybeofdifferentspecies,maybeaproofthatthestuntednessofthoseontheplainsisowingtobeing,inthecourseofeachyear,moresubjectedtodroughtthanmoisture。
  ReachingthevillageofKabinje,intheeveninghesentusapresentoftobacco,Mutokuaneor“bang“`Cannabissativa’,andmaize,bythemanwhowentforwardtoannounceourarrival,andamessageexpressingsatisfactionattheprospectofhavingtradewiththecoast。
  ThewestingweweremakingbroughtusamongpeoplewhoarefrequentlyvisitedbytheMambariasslave-dealersThistradecausesbloodshed;
  forwhenapoorfamilyisselectedasthevictims,itisnecessarytogetridoftheoldermembersofit,becausetheyaresupposedtobeabletogiveannoyancetothechiefafterwardbymeansofenchantments。
  Thebeliefinthepowerofcharmsforgoodorevilproducesnotonlyhonesty,butagreatamountofgentledealingThepowerfulareoftenrestrainedintheirdespotismfromafearthattheweakandhelplessmayinjurethembytheirmedicalknowledgeTheyhavemanyfears。
  Amanatoneofthevillageswecametoshowedusthegraveofhischild,and,withmuchapparentfeeling,toldusshehadbeenburnedtodeathinherhutHehadcomewithallhisfamily,andbuilthutsarounditinordertoweepforherHethought,ifthegravewereleftunwatched,thewitcheswouldcomeandbewitchthembyputtingmedicinesonthebody。
  TheyhaveamoredecidedbeliefinthecontinuedexistenceofdepartedspiritsthananyofthemoresoutherlytribesEventheBarotsepossessitinastrongdegree,foroneofmymenofthattribe,onexperiencingheadache,said,withasadandthoughtfulcountenance,“MyfatherisscoldingmebecauseIdonotgivehimanyofthefoodIeat。”Iaskedwherehisfatherwas。
  “AmongtheBarimo。”wasthereply。
  Whenwewishedtomoveon,Kabinjerefusedaguidetothenextvillagebecausehewasatwarwithit;but,aftermuchpersuasion,heconsented,providedthattheguideshouldbeallowedtoreturnassoonashecameinsightoftheenemy’svillageThiswefelttobeamisfortune,asthepeopleallsuspectamanwhocomestellinghisowntale;
  buttherebeingnohelpforit,wewenton,andfoundtheheadmanofavillageontherivuletKalomba,calledKangenke,averydifferentmanfromwhathisenemyrepresentedWefound,too,thattheideaofbuyingandsellingtooktheplaceofgivingforfriendship。
  AsIhadnothingwithwhichtopurchasefoodexceptaparcelofbeadswhichwerepreservedforworsetimes,Ibegantofearthatweshouldsoonbecompelledtosuffermorefromhungerthanwehaddone。
  ThepeopledemandedgunpowderforeverythingIfwehadpossessedanyquantityofthatarticle,weshouldhavegotonwell,forhereitisofgreatvalueOnourreturn,nearthisspotwefoundagood-sizedfowlwassoldforasinglechargeofgunpowder。
  Nexttothat,Englishcalicowasingreatdemand,andsowerebeads;
  butmoneywasofnovaluewhateverGoldisquiteunknown;
  itisthoughttobebrass;tradeiscarriedonbybarteralone。
  ThepeopleknownothingofmoneyApurse-proudpersonwouldherefeelthegroundmovefrombeneathhisfeetOccasionallyalargepieceofcopper,intheshapeofaStAndrew’scross,isofferedforsale。
  FEBRUARY27THKangenkepromptlyfurnishedguidesthismorning,sowewentbrisklyonashortdistance,andcametoapartoftheKasye,Kasai,orLoke,wherehehadappointedtwocanoestoconveyusacross。
  Thisisamostbeautifulriver,andverymuchliketheClydeinScotland。
  Theslopeofthevalleydowntothestreamisaboutfivehundredyards,andfinelywoodedItis,perhaps,onehundredyardsbroad,andwaswindingslowlyfromsidetosideinthebeautifulgreenglen,inacoursetothenorthandnortheastInboththedirectionsfromwhichitcameandtowhichitwentitseemedtobealternatelyemboweredinsylvanvegetation,orrichmeadowscoveredwithtallgrass。
  Themenpointedoutitscourse,andsaid,“Thoughyousailalongitformonths,youwillturnwithoutseeingtheendofit。”
  WhileatthefordoftheKasaiweweresubjectedtoatrick,ofwhichwehadbeenforewarnedbythepeopleofShinteAknifehadbeendroppedbyoneofKangenke’speopleinordertoentrapmymen;itwasputdownnearourencampment,asiflost,theownerinthemeantimewatchingtilloneofmymenpickeditupNothingwassaiduntilourpartywasdivided,onehalfonthis,andtheotheronthatbankoftheriver。
  Thenthechargewasmadetomethatoneofmymenhadstolenaknife。
  Certainofmypeople’shonesty,Idesiredtheman,whowasmakingagreatnoise,tosearchtheluggageforit;theunluckyladwhohadtakenthebaitthencameforwardandconfessedthathehadtheknifeinabasket,whichwasalreadytakenovertheriverWhenitwasreturned,theownerwouldnotreceiveitbackunlessaccompaniedwithafine。
  Theladofferedbeads,butthesewererefusedwithscorn。
  Ashellhangingroundhisneck,similartothatwhichShintehadgivenme,wastheobjectdemanded,andthevictimofthetrick,asweallknewittobe,wasobligedtopartwithhiscostlyornamentIcouldnotsavehimfromtheloss,asallhadbeenforewarned;anditistheuniversalcustomamongtheMakololoandmanyothertribestoshowwhatevertheymayfindtothechiefpersonoftheircompany,andmakeasortofofferofittohim。
  Thisladoughttohavedonesotome;therestofthepartyalwaysobservedthiscustomIfeltannoyedattheimposition,buttheorderweinvariablyfollowedincrossingariverforcedmetosubmit。
  Theheadofthepartyremainedtobeferriedoverlast;
  so,ifIhadnotcometoterms,Iwouldhavebeen,asIalwayswasincrossingriverswhichwecouldnotswim,completelyinthepoweroftheenemy。
  Itwasbutrarelywecouldgetaheadmansowitlessastocrossariverwithus,andremainontheoppositebankinaconvenientpositiontobeseizedasahostageincaseofmybeingcaught。
  Thistrickisbutoneofanumberequallydishonorablewhicharepracticedbytribesthatlieadjacenttothemorecivilizedsettlements。
  TheBalondafarthereasttoldus,bywayofwarning,thatmanypartiesofthemorecentraltribeshadatvariousperiodssetout,inordertotradewiththewhitementhemselves,insteadofthroughtheMambari,buthadalwaysbeenobligedtoreturnwithoutreachingtheirdestination,inconsequenceofsomanypretextsbeinginventedbythetribesencounteredinthewayforfiningthemoftheirivory。
  Thisfordwasin11d15’47“Slatitude,buttheweatherwassoexcessivelycloudywegotnoobservationforlongitude。
  Wewerenowinwantoffood,for,tothegreatsurpriseofmycompanions,thepeopleofKangenkegavenothingexceptbywayofsale,andchargedthemostexorbitantpricesforthelittlemealandmanioctheybrought。
  TheonlyarticleofbartermymenhadwasalittlefatsavedfromtheoxweslaughteredatKatema’s,soIwasobligedtogivethemaportionofthestockofbeadsOneday29thofwestingbroughtusfromtheKasaitonearthevillageofKatende,andwesawthatwewereinalandwherenohopecouldbeentertainedofgettingsuppliesofanimalfood,foroneofourguidescaughtalight-bluecoloredmoleandtwomiceforhissupper。
  ThecarewithwhichhewrappedthemupinaleafandslungthemonhisspeartoldthatwecouldnothopetoenjoyanylargergameWesawnoevidenceofanyanimalsbesides;and,oncomingtothevillagesbeyondthis,weoftensawboysandgirlsengagedindiggingupthesetinyquadrupeds。
  Katendesentformeonthedayfollowingourarrival,and,beingquitewillingtovisithim,Iwalked,forthispurpose,aboutthreemilesfromourencampmentWhenweapproachedthevillageweweredesiredtoenterahut,and,asitwasrainingatthetime,wedidso。
  Afteralongtimespentingivingandreceivingmessagesfromthegreatman,weweretoldthathewantedeitheraman,atusk,beads,copperrings,orashell,aspaymentforleavetopassthroughhiscountry。
  Noone,wewereassured,wasallowedthatliberty,oreventobeholdhim,withoutsomethingofthesortbeingpresentedHavinghumblyexplainedourcircumstances,andthathecouldnotexpectto“catchahumblecowbythehorns“aproverbsimilartooursthat“youcan’tdrawmilkoutofastone“weweretoldtogohome,andhewouldspeakagaintousnextdayIcouldnotavoidaheartylaughatthecoolimpudenceofthesavage,andmadethebestofmywayhomeinthestillpouringrainMymenwererathernettledatthiswantofhospitality,but,aftertalkingoverthematterwithoneofKatende’sservants,heproposedthatsomesmallarticleshouldbegiven,andanattemptmadetopleaseKatende。
  Iturnedoutmyshirts,andselectedtheworstoneasasopforhim,andinvitedKatendetocomeandchooseanythingelseIhad,butaddedthat,whenIshouldreachmyownchiefnaked,andwasaskedwhatIhaddonewithmyclothes,IshouldbeobligedtoconfessthatIhadleftthemwithKatendeTheshirtwasdispatchedtohim,andsomeofmypeoplewentalongwiththeservant;theysoonreturned,sayingthattheshirthadbeenaccepted,andguidesandfoodtoowouldbesenttousnextdayThechiefhad,moreover,expressedahopetoseemeonmyreturnHeisreportedtobeverycorpulent。
  Thetraderswhohavecomehereseemtohavebeenverytimid,yieldingtoeverydemandmadeonthemostfrivolouspretenses。
  Oneofmymen,seeinganothermuchlikeanacquaintanceathome,addressedhimbythenameofthelatterinsport,tellinghim,atthesametime,whyhedidso;thiswaspronouncedtobeagraveoffense,andalargefinedemanded;whenthecasecamebeforemeIcouldseenoharminwhathadbeendone,andtoldmypeoplenottoanswertheyoungfellow。
  Thelatterfelthimselfdisarmed,foritischieflyinabrawltheyhavepower;thenwordsarespokeninangerwhichrousethepassionsofthecomplainant’sfriendsInthiscase,aftervociferatingsometime,thewould-beoffendedpartycameandsaidtomymanthat,iftheyexchangedsomesmallgift,allwouldberight,but,mymantakingnonoticeofhim,hewentoffrathercrestfallen。