首页 >出版文学> Travels and Researches in South Africa>第73章
  Aftersomedaysthebrideelectistakentoanotherhut,andadornedwithalltherichestclothingandornamentsthattherelativescaneitherlendorborrowSheisthenplacedinapublicsituation,salutedasalady,andpresentsmadebyallheracquaintancesareplacedaroundherAfterthissheistakentotheresidenceofherhusband,whereshehasahutforherself,andbecomesoneofseveralwives,forpolygamyisgeneralDancing,feasting,anddrinkingonsuchoccasionsareprolongedforseveraldaysIncaseofseparation,thewomanreturnstoherfather’sfamily,andthehusbandreceivesbackwhathegaveforherInnearlyallcasesamangivesapriceforthewife,andincasesofmulattoes,asmuchas60PoundsisoftengiventotheparentsofthebrideThisisoneoftheevilsthebishopwastryingtoremedy。
  Incasesofdeaththebodyiskeptseveraldays,andthereisagrandconcourseofbothsexes,withbeatingofdrums,dances,anddebauchery,keptupwithfeasting,etc。,accordingtothemeansoftherelatives。
  ThegreatambitionofmanyoftheblacksofAngolaistogivetheirfriendsanexpensivefuneralOften,whenoneisaskedtosellapig,hereplies,“Iamkeepingitincaseofthedeathofanyofmyfriends。”
  Apigisusuallyslaughteredandeatenonthelastdayoftheceremonies,anditsheadthrownintotheneareststreamorriver。
  Anativewillsometimesappearintoxicatedontheseoccasions,and,ifblamedforhisintemperance,willreply,“Why!mymotherisdead!”
  asifhethoughtitasufficientjustificationTheexpensesoffuneralsaresoheavythatoftenyearselapsebeforetheycandefraythem。
  Thesepeoplearesaidtobeverylitigiousandobstinate:
  constantdisputesaretakingplacerespectingtheirlands。
  Acasecamebeforetheweeklycourtofthecommandantinvolvingpropertyinapalm-treeworthtwopenceThejudgeadvisedthepursuertowithdrawthecase,asthemereexpensesofenteringitwouldbemuchmorethanthecostofthetree“Ohno。”saidhe;
  “Ihaveapieceofcalicowithmefortheclerk,andmoneyforyourself。
  It’smyright;Iwillnotforegoit。”ThecalicoitselfcostthreeorfourshillingsTheyrejoiceiftheycansayofanenemy,“Itookhimbeforethecourt。”
  MyfriendMrCanto,thecommandant,beingseizedwithfeverinasevereform,itaffordedmemuchpleasuretoattendHIMinhissickness,whohadbeensokindtoMEinmineHewasforsometimeinastateofinsensibility,andI,havingthechargeofhisestablishment,hadthusanopportunityofobservingtheworkingsofslavery。
  Whenamasterisill,theslavesrunriotamongtheeatables。
  IdidnotknowthisuntilIobservedthateverytimethesugar-basincametothetableitwasemptyOnvisitingmypatientbynight,Ipassedalongacorridor,andunexpectedlycameuponthewasherwomaneatingpine-applesandsugarAllthesweetmeatsweredevoured,anditwasdifficultformetogetevenbreadandbutteruntilItooktheprecautionoflockingthepantrydoorProbablytheslavesthoughtthat,asboththeyandtheluxurieswerethemaster’sproperty,therewasnogoodreasonwhytheyshouldbekeptapart。
  Debarredbymyprecautionfromthesesourcesofenjoyment,theytooktokillingthefowlsandgoats,and,whentheanimalwasdead,broughtittome,saying,“Wefoundthisthinglyingoutthere。”
  TheythenenjoyedafeastoffleshAfeelingofinsecurityprevailsthroughoutthiscountryItisquitecommontofurnishvisitorswiththekeysoftheirroomsWhencalledontocometobreakfastordinner,eachlockshisdoorandputsthekeyinhispocketAtKolobengweneverlockedourdoorsbynightorbydayformonthstogether;
  butthereslaveryisunknownThePortuguesedonotseematallbigotedintheirattachmenttoslavery,noryetintheirprejudicesagainstcolor。
  MrCantogaveanentertainmentinordertodrawallclassestogetherandpromotegeneralgood-willTwosovasornativechiefswerepresent,andtooktheirplaceswithouttheleastappearanceofembarrassment。
  TheSovaofKilomboappearedinthedressofageneral,andtheSovaofBangowasgaylyattiredinaredcoat,profuselyornamentedwithtinsel。
  Thelatterhadabandofmusicianswithhimconsistingofsixtrumpetersandfourdrummers,whoperformedverywell。
  Thesemenarefondoftitles,andthePortuguesegovernmenthumorsthembyconferringhonorarycaptaincies,etc。:theSovaofBangowasatpresentanxioustoobtainthetitleof“MajorofalltheSovas“。
  AtthetablesofothergentlemenIobservedthesamethingconstantlyoccurringAtthismeetingMrCantocommunicatedsomeideaswhichIhadwrittenoutonthedignityoflabor,andthesuperiorityoffreeoverslavelaborThePortuguesegentlemenpresentwereanxiouslyexpectinganarrivalofAmericancotton-seedfromMrGabriel。
  Theyarenowinthetransitionstatefromunlawfultolawfultrade,andturneagerlytocotton,coffee,andsugarasnewsourcesofwealth。
  MrCantohadbeencommissionedbythemtopurchasethreesugar-mills。
  Ourcruisershavebeentheprincipalagentsincompellingthemtoabandontheslave-trade;andourgovernment,infurnishingthemwithasupplyofcotton-seed,showedagenerousintentiontoaidthemincommencingamorehonorablecourseItcanscarcelybebelieved,however,thatafterLordClarendonhadbeenatthetroubleofprocuringfreshcotton-seedthroughourministeratWashington,andhadsentitouttothecareofHMCommissioneratLoanda,probablyfromhavingfallenintothehandsofafewincorrigibleslave-traders,itneverreacheditsdestinationItwasmostlikelycastintotheseaofAmbriz,andmyfriendsatGolungoAltowereleftwithoutthemeansofcommencinganewenterprise。
  MrCantomentionedthatthereisnowmuchmorecottoninthecountrythancanbeconsumed;andifhehadpossessionofafewhundredpounds,hewouldbuyupalltheoilandcottonatafairprice,andtherebybringaboutarevolutionintheagricultureofthecountry。
  Thesecommoditiesarenotproducedingreaterquantity,becausethepeoplehavenomarketforthosewhichnowspringupalmostspontaneouslyaroundthemTheabovewasputdowninmyjournalwhenIhadnoideathatenlargedsuppliesofcottonfromnewsourcesweresomuchneededathome。
  Itiscommontocutdowncotton-treesasanuisance,andcultivatebeans,potatoes,andmaniocsufficientonlyfortheirownconsumption。
  Ihavetheimpressionthatcotton,whichisdeciduousinAmerica,isperennialhere;fortheplantsIsawinwinterwerenotdead,thoughgoingbythenameAlgodaoAmericana,orAmericancotton。
  Therentspaidforgardensbelongingtotheoldconventsaremerelynominal,varyingfromoneshillingtothreepoundsperannumThehigherrentsbeingrealizedfromthoseintheimmediatevicinityofLoanda,nonebutPortugueseorhalf-castescanpaythem。
  Whenabouttostart,thehorsewhichthegovernorhadkindlypresentedforSekeletuwasseizedwithinflammation,whichdelayedussometimelonger,andweultimatelylostitWehadbeencarefultowatchitwhencomingthroughthedistrictofMatamba,wherewehaddiscoveredthetsetse,thatnoinsectmightlightuponitThechangeofdietheremayhavehadsomeinfluenceinproducingthedisease;forIwasinformedbyDrWelweitsch,anableGermannaturalist,whomwefoundpursuinghisarduouslaborshere,andwhoselifewehopemaybesparedtogivehisresearchestotheworld,that,offifty-eightkindsofgrassesfoundatLoanda,onlythreeorfourspeciesexisthere,andtheseofthemostdiminutivekinds。
  Thetwenty-fourdifferentspeciesofgrassofGolungoAltoarenearlyallgiganticIndeed,giganticgrasses,climbers,shrubsandtrees,withbutfewplants,constitutethevegetationofthisregion。
  NOVEMBER20THAneclipseofthesun,whichIhadanxiouslyhopedtoobservewithaviewofdeterminingthelongitude,happenedthismorning,and,asoftentookplaceinthiscloudyclimate,thesunwascoveredfourminutesbeforeitbeganWhenitshoneforththeeclipsewasinprogress,andafewminutesbeforeitshouldaccordingtomycalculationshaveendedthesunwasagaincompletelyobscuredThegreatestpatienceandperseverancearerequired,ifonewishestoascertainhispositionwhenitistherainyseason。
  Beforeleaving,Ihadanopportunityofobservingacuriousinsect,whichinhabitstreesofthefigfamily`Ficus’,upwardoftwentyspeciesofwhicharefoundhereSevenoreightofthemclusterroundaspotononeofthesmallerbranches,andtherekeepupaconstantdistillationofaclearfluid,which,droppingtotheground,formsalittlepuddlebelow。
  Ifavesselisplacedunderthemintheevening,itcontainsthreeorfourpintsoffluidinthemorningThenativessaythat,ifadropfallsintotheeyes,itcausesinflammationoftheseorgans。
  Tothequestionwhenceisthisfluidderived,thepeoplereplythattheinsectssuckitoutofthetree,andourownnaturalistsgivethesameanswerIhaveneverseenanorifice,anditisscarcelypossiblethatthetreecanyieldsomuch。
  Asimilarbutmuchsmallerhomopterousinsect,ofthefamily`Cercopidae’,isknowninEnglandasthefrog-hopper`Aphrophoraspumaria’,whenfullgrownandfurnishedwithwings,butwhilestillinthepupastateitiscalled“Cuckoo-spit“,fromthemassoffrothinwhichitenvelopsitselfThecirculationofsapinplantsinourclimate,especiallyofthegraminaceae,isnotquickenoughtoyieldmuchmoisture。
  TheAfricanspeciesisfiveorsixtimesthesizeoftheEnglish。
  Inthecaseofbranchesofthefig-tree,thepointtheinsectscongregateonissoonmarkedbyanumberofincipientroots,suchasarethrownoutwhenacuttingisinsertedinthegroundforthepurposeofstartinganothertree。
  IbelievethatboththeEnglishandAfricaninsectsbelongtothesamefamily,anddifferonlyinsize,andthatthechiefpartofthemoistureisderivedfromtheatmosphereIleaveitfornaturaliststoexplainhowtheselittlecreaturesdistillbothbynightanddayasmuchwaterastheyplease,andaremoreindependentthanhermajesty’ssteam-ships,withtheirapparatusforcondensingsteam;for,withoutcoal,theirabundantsuppliesofsea-waterareofnoavailItriedthefollowingexperiment:Findingacolonyoftheseinsectsbusilydistillingonabranchofthe`Ricinuscommunis’,orcastor-oilplant,Idenudedabout20inchesofthebarkonthetreesideoftheinsects,andscrapedawaytheinnerbark,soastodestroyalltheascendingvessels。
  Ialsocutaholeinthesideofthebranch,reachingtothemiddle,andthencutoutthepithandinternalvesselsThedistillationwasthengoingonattherateofonedropeach67seconds,orabout2ounces5-1/2dramsin24hoursNextmorningthedistillation,sofarfrombeingaffectedbytheattempttostopthesupplies,supposingtheyhadcomeupthroughthebranchfromthetree,wasincreasedtoadropevery5seconds,or12dropsperminute,making1pint16ouncesinevery24hoursIthencutthebranchsomuchthat,duringtheday,itbroke;buttheystillwentonattherateofadropevery5seconds,whileanothercolonyonabranchofthesametreegaveadropevery17secondsonly,orattherateofabout10ounces4-4/5dramsin24hours。
  Ifinallycutoffthebranch;butthiswastoomuchfortheirpatience,fortheyimmediatelydecamped,asinsectswilldofromeitheradeadbranchoradeadanimal,whichIndianhunterssoonknow,whentheysitdownonarecently-killedbearThepresenceofgreatermoistureintheairincreasedthepowerofthesedistillers:theperiodofgreatestactivitywasinthemorning,whentheairandeverythingelsewaschargedwithdew。
  Havingbutonedayleftforexperiment,Ifoundagainthatanothercolonyonabranchdenudedinthesamewayyieldedadropevery2seconds,or4pints10ouncesin24hours,whileacolonyonabranchuntouchedyieldedadropevery11seconds,or16ounces2-19/20dramsin24hours。
  Iregrettedsomewhatthewantoftimetoinstituteanotherexperiment,namely,tocutabranchandplaceitinwater,soastokeepitinlife,andthenobserveiftherewasanydiminutionofthequantityofwaterinthevesselThisalonewaswantingtomakeitcertainthattheydrawwaterfromtheatmosphereIimaginethattheyhavesomepowerofwhichwearenotaware,besidesthatnervousinfluencewhichcausesconstantmotiontoourowninvoluntarymuscles,thepoweroflife-longactionwithoutfatigueThereaderwillremember,inconnectionwiththisinsect,thecaseoftheantsalreadymentioned。
  DECEMBER14THBothmyselfandmenhavingrecoveredfromsevereattacksoffever,weleftthehospitableresidenceofMrCantowithadeepsenseofhiskindnesstousall,andproceededonourwaytoAmbacaLat9d16’35“S。,long15d23’E。
  FrequentrainshadfalleninOctoberandNovember,whichwerenearlyalwaysaccompaniedwiththunderOccasionallythequantityofmoistureintheatmosphereisgreatlyincreasedwithoutanyvisiblecause:
  thisimpartsasensationofconsiderablecold,thoughthethermometerexhibitsnofallofthemercuryThegreaterhumidityintheair,affordingabetterconductingmediumfortheradiationofheatfromthebody,isasdangerousasasuddenfallofthethermometer:itcausesconsiderablediseaseamongthenatives,andthisseasonisdenominated“Carneirado“,asifbythediseasetheywereslaughteredlikesheep。