OnleavingtheChihunewecrossedtheLonge,and,asthedaywascloudy,ourguideswanderedinaforestawaytothewesttillwecametotheRiverChihombo,flowingtotheE。N。EMymendependedsomuchonthesunforguidancethat,havingseennothingoftheluminaryallday,theythoughtwehadwanderedbacktotheChiboque,and,asoftenhappenswhenbewildered,theydisputedastothepointwherethesunshouldrisenextmorningAssoonastherainswouldallownextday,wewentofftotheN。EItwouldhavebeenbettertohavetraveledbycompassalone,fortheguidestookadvantageofanyfearsexpressedbymypeople,andthreatenedtoreturnifpresentswerenotmadeatonceButmymenhadneverlefttheirowncountrybeforeexceptforrapineandmurderWhentheyformerlycametoavillagetheywereinthehabitofkillingnumbersoftheinhabitants,andthentakingafewyoungmentoserveasguidestothenextplace。
Asthiswastheirfirstattemptatanoppositelineofconduct,andastheywerewithouttheirshields,theyfeltdefenselessamongthegreedyChiboque,andsomeallowancemustbemadeforthemonthataccount。
SATURDAY,11THReachedasmallvillageonthebanksofanarrowstream。
IwastooilltogooutofmylittlecoveringexcepttoquellamutinywhichbegantoshowitselfamongsomeoftheBatokaandAmbondaofourparty。
Theygrumbled,astheyoftendoagainsttheirchiefs,whentheythinkthempartialintheirgifts,becausetheysupposedthatIhadshownapreferenceinthedistributionofthebeads;butthebeadsIhadgiventomyprincipalmenwereonlysufficienttopurchaseascantymeal,andIhadhastenedontothisvillageinordertoslaughteratiredox,andgivethemallafeastaswellasarestonSunday,aspreparationforthejourneybeforeusIexplainedthistothem,andthoughttheirgrumblingwasallayedIsoonsankintoastateofstupor,whichthefeversometimesproduced,andwasoblivioustoalltheirnoiseinslaughteringOnSundaythemutineersweremakingaterribledininpreparingaskintheyhadprocuredIrequestedthemtwice,bythemanwhoattendedme,tobemorequiet,asthenoisepainedme;
butastheypaidnoattentiontothiscivilrequest,Iputoutmyhead,and,repeatingitmyself,wasansweredbyanimpudentlaugh。
Knowingthatdisciplinewouldbeatanendifthismutinywerenotquelled,andthatourlivesdependedonvigorouslyupholdingauthority,Iseizedadouble-barreledpistol,anddartedforthfromthedomicile,looking,Isuppose,sosavageastoputthemtoaprecipitateflight。
Assomeremainedwithinhearing,ItoldthemthatImustmaintaindiscipline,thoughattheexpenseofsomeoftheirlimbs;solongaswetraveledtogethertheymustrememberthatIwasmaster,andnottheyTherebeingbutlittleroomtodoubtmydetermination,theyimmediatelybecameveryobedient,andneverafterwardgavemeanytrouble,orimaginedthattheyhadanyrighttomyproperty。
13THWewentforwardsomemiles,butwerebroughttoastandbytheseverityofmyfeveronthebanksofabranchoftheLoajima,anothertributaryoftheKasaiIwasinastateofpartialcomauntillateatnight,whenitbecamenecessaryformetogoout;
andIwassurprisedtofindthatmymenhadbuiltalittlestockade,andsomeofthemtooktheirspearsandactedasaguardIfoundthatweweresurroundedbyenemies,andapartyofChiboquelaynearthegateway,afterhavingpreferredthedemandof“aman,anox,agun,oratusk。”
Mymenhadpreparedfordefenseincaseofanightattack,andwhentheChiboquewishedtobeshownwhereIlaysick,theyveryproperlyrefusedtopointmeoutInthemorningIwentouttotheChiboque,andfoundthattheyansweredmecivillyregardingmyintentionsinopeningthecountry,teachingthem,etc。,etcTheyadmittedthattheirchiefswouldbepleasedwiththeprospectoffriendship,andnowonlywishedtoexchangetokensofgood-willwithme,andofferedthreepigs,whichtheyhopedIwouldacceptThepeoplehereareinthehabitofmakingapresent,andthendemandingwhatevertheychooseinreturnWehadbeenforewarnedofthisbyourguides,soItriedtodecline,byaskingiftheywouldeatoneofthepigsincompanywithus。
TothispropositiontheysaidthattheydurstnotaccedeIthenacceptedthepresentinthehopethattheblameofdeficientfriendlyfeelingmightnotrestwithme,andpresentedarazor,twobunchesofbeads,andtwelvecopperrings,contributedbymymenfromtheirarms。
Theywentofftoreporttotheirchief;andasIwasquiteunabletomovefromexcessivegiddiness,wecontinuedinthesamespotonTuesdayevening,whentheyreturnedwithamessagecouchedinveryplainterms,thataman,tusk,gun,orevenanox,alonewouldbeacceptable;
thathehadeverythingelseinhispossessionbutoxen,andthat,whateverIshouldpleasetodemandfromhim,hewouldgladlygiveit。
Asthiswasallsaidcivilly,andtherewasnohelpforitifwerefusedbutbloodshed,Igaveatiredriding-oxMylatechiefmutineer,anAmbondaman,wasnowover-loyal,forhearmedhimselfandstoodatthegatewayHewouldratherdiethanseehisfatherimposedon;
butIorderedMosantutotakehimoutoftheway,whichhedidpromptly,andallowedtheChiboquetomarchoffwellpleasedwiththeirbooty。
ItoldmymenthatIesteemedoneoftheirlivesofmorevaluethanalltheoxenwehad,andthattheonlycausewhichcouldinducemetofightwouldbetosavethelivesandlibertiesofthemajority。
Intheproprietyofthistheyallagreed,andsaidthat,iftheChiboquemolesteduswhobehavedsopeaceably,theguiltwouldbeontheirheads。
Thisisafavoritemodeofexpressionthroughoutthewholecountry。
Allareanxioustogiveexplanationofanyactstheyhaveperformed,andconcludethenarrationwith,“Ihavenoguiltorblame““molatu“。
“Theyhavetheguilt。”InevercouldbepositivewhethertheideaintheirmindsisguiltinthesightoftheDeity,orofmankindonly。
NextmorningtherobberpartycamewithaboutthirtyyardsofstrongstripedEnglishcalico,anaxe,andtwohoesforouracceptance,andreturnedthecopperrings,asthechiefwasagreatman,anddidnotneedtheornamentsofmymen,butwenoticedthattheyweretakenbackagain。
Idividedtheclothamongmymen,andpleasedthemalittlebythuscompensatingforthelossoftheoxIadvisedthechief,whosenamewedidnotlearn,ashedidnotdeigntoappearexceptunderthealiasMatiamvo,togetcattleforhisownuse,andexpressedsorrowthatIhadnonewherewithtoenablehimtomakeacommencementRainspreventedourproceedingtillThursdaymorning,andthenmessengersappearedtotellusthattheirchiefhadlearnedthatalltheclothsentbyhimhadnotbeenpresented;thatthecopperringshadbeensecretedbythepersonsorderedtorestorethemtous,andthathehadstrippedthethievishemissariesoftheirpropertyasapunishmentOurguidesthoughtthesewereonlyspiesofalargerparty,concealedintheforestthroughwhichwewerenowabouttopass。
Wepreparedfordefensebymarchinginacompactbody,andallowingnoonetostragglefarbehindtheothers。
Wemarchedthroughmanymilesofgloomyforestingloomiersilence,butnothingdisturbedusWecametoavillage,andfoundallthemenabsent,theguidesthought,intheforest,withtheircountrymen。
Iwastooilltocaremuchwhetherwewereattackedornot。
Thoughapouringraincameon,aswewereallanxioustogetawayoutofabadneighborhood,weproceededThethickatmospherepreventedmyseeingthecreepingplantsintimetoavoidthem;
soPitsane,Mohorisi,andI,whoaloneweremounted,wereoftencaught;
andasthereisnostoppingtheoxenwhentheyhavetheprospectofgivingtherideratumble,wecamefrequentlytotheground。
Inadditiontothesemishaps,Sinbadwentoffataplunginggallop,thebridlebroke,andIcamedownbackwardonthecrownofmyhead。
HegavemeakickonthethighatthesametimeIfeltnonetheworseforthisroughtreatment,butwouldnotrecommendittoothersasapalliativeincasesoffever!Thislastattackoffeverwassoobstinatethatitreducedmealmosttoaskeleton。
TheblanketwhichIusedasasaddleonthebackoftheox,beingfrequentlywet,remainedsobeneathmeeveninthehotsun,and,aidedbytheheatoftheox,causedextensiveabrasionoftheskin,whichwascontinuallyhealingandgettingsoreagainTothisinconveniencewasnowaddedthechafingofmyprojectingbonesonthehardbed。
OnFridaywecametoavillageofcivilpeopleonthebanksoftheLoajimaitself,andwewerewetalldayinconsequenceofcrossingit。
Thebridgesoverit,andanotherstreamwhichwecrossedatmidday,weresubmerged,aswehavehithertoinvariablyfound,byafloodofperfectlyclearwaterAtthesecondfordweweremetbyahostilepartywhorefusedusfurtherpassageIorderedmymentoproceedinthesamedirectionwehadbeenpursuing,butourenemiesspreadthemselvesoutinfrontofuswithloudcries。
Ournumberswereaboutequaltotheirsthistime,soImovedonattheheadofmymenSomeranofftoothervillages,orbacktotheirownvillage,onpretenseofgettingammunition;
otherscalledoutthatalltraderscametothem,andthatwemustdothesame。
Asthesepeoplehadplentyofiron-headedarrowsandsomeguns,whenwecametotheedgeoftheforestIorderedmymentoputtheluggageinourcentre;and,ifourenemiesdidnotfire,tocutdownsomeyoungtreesandmakeascreenasquicklyaspossible,butdonothingtothemexceptincaseofactualattack。
Ithendismounted,and,advancingalittletowardourprincipalopponent,showedhimhoweasilyIcouldkillhim,butpointedupward,saying,“IfearGod。”Hedidthesame,placinghishandonhisheart,pointingupward,andsaying,“Ifeartokill;butcometoourvillage;
comedocome。”Atthisjuncture,theoldheadman,IongaPanza,avenerablenegro,cameup,andIinvitedhimandalltobeseated,thatwemighttalkthematteroverIongaPanzasoonletusknowthathethoughthimselfveryilltreatedinbeingpassedby。
Asmostskirmishesarisefrommisunderstanding,thismighthavebeenaseriousone;for,likeallthetribesnearthePortuguesesettlements,peoplehereimaginethattheyhavearighttodemandpaymentfromeveryonewhopassesthroughthecountry;andnow,thoughIongaPanzawascertainlynomatchformymen,yettheyweredeterminednottoforegotheirrightwithoutastruggleIremovedwithmymentothevicinityofthevillage,thankfulthatnoaccidenthadasyetbroughtusintoactualcollision。
ThereasonwhythepeoplehaveimbibedtheideasostronglythattheyhavearighttodemandpaymentforleavetopassthroughthecountryisprobablythisTheyhaveseennotradersexceptthoseeitherengagedinpurchasingslaves,orwhohaveslavesintheiremployment。
Theseslave-tradershavealwaysbeenverymuchatthemercyofthechiefsthroughwhosecountrytheyhavepassed;foriftheyaffordedareadyasylumforrunawayslaves,thetradersmightbedesertedatanymoment,andstrippedoftheirpropertyaltogetherTheyarethusobligedtocurryfavorwiththechiefs,soastogetasafeconductfromthem。
Thesamesystemisadoptedtoinducethechiefstopartwiththeirpeople,whomallfeeltobetherealsourceoftheirimportanceinthecountry。
Onthereturnofthetradersfromtheinteriorwithchainsofslaves,itissoeasyforachiefwhomaybesodisposedtotakeawayachainofeightortenunresistingslaves,thatthemerchantisfaintogiveanyamountofpresentsinordertosecurethegood-willoftherulers。
Theindependentchiefs,notknowingwhytheirfavorissoeagerlysought,becomeexcessivelyproudandsuperciliousintheirdemands,andlookuponwhitemenwiththegreatestcontemptTosuchlengthsdidtheBangala,atribeneartowhichwehadnowapproached,proceedafewyearsago,thattheycompelledthePortuguesetraderstopayforwater,wood,andevengrass,andeverypossiblepretextwasinventedforlevyingfines;andthesewerepatientlysubmittedtosolongastheslave-tradecontinuedtoflourishWehadunconsciouslycomeincontactwithasystemwhichwasquiteunknowninthecountryfromwhichmymenhadsetoutAnEnglishtradermaytherehearademandforpaymentofguides,butnever,sofarasIamaware,isheaskedtopayforleavetotraverseacountryTheideadoesnotseemtohaveenteredthenativemind,exceptthroughslave-traders,fortheaboriginesallacknowledgethattheuntilledland,notneededforpasturage,belongstoGodalone,andthatnoharmisdonebypeoplepassingthroughit。
Iratherbelievethat,wherevertheslave-tradehasnotpenetrated,thevisitsofstrangersareesteemedarealprivilege。
ThevillageofoldIongaPanzalat10d25’S。,long20d15’E。issmall,andemboweredinloftyevergreentrees,whichwerehungaroundwithfinefestoonsofcreepersHesentusfoodimmediately,andsoonafterwardagoat,whichwasconsideredahandsomegift,therebeingbutfewdomesticanimals,thoughthecountryiswelladaptedforthem。
Isuspectthis,likethecountryofShinteandKatema,musthavebeenatsetsedistrict,andonlyrecentlyrenderedcapableofsupportingotherdomesticanimalsbesidesthegoat,bythedestructionofthegamethroughtheextensiveintroductionoffire-armsWemightallhavebeenasignorantoftheexistenceofthisinsectplagueasthePortuguese,haditnotbeenforthenumerousmigrationsofpastoraltribeswhichtookplaceinthesouthinconsequenceofZuluirruptions。