Theoldwomanwhohadbeenthecauseoftheaffraywishedustointerfere,andthecombatantsthemselveshopedasmuch;butwe,preferringtoremainneutral,allowedthemtofightitoutItendedbyonefallingundertheother,both,fromtheirscuffling,beinginastateofnudity。
Theypickeduptheirclothingandranoffindifferentdirections,eachthreateningtobringhisgunandsettlethedisputeinmortalcombat。
Onlyone,however,returned,andtheoldwomancontinuedherscoldingtillmymen,fairlytiredofhertongue,orderedhertobegone。
Thistriflingincidentwasoneofinteresttome,for,duringthewholeperiodofmyresidenceintheBechuanacountry,IneversawunarmedmenstrikeeachotherTheirdisputesareusuallyconductedwithgreatvolubilityandnoisyswearing,buttheygenerallyterminatebybothpartiesburstingintoalaugh。
Ateveryvillageattemptsweremadetoinduceustoremainanight。
Sometimeslargepotsofbeerwereofferedtousasatemptation。
OccasionallytheheadmanwouldperemptorilyorderustohaltunderatreewhichhepointedoutAtothertimesyoungmenvolunteeredtoguideustotheimpassablepartofthenextbog,inthehopeofbringingustoastand,forallareexcessivelyeagertotrade;butfoodwassoverycheapthatwesometimespreferredpayingthemtokeepit,andletuspartingoodhumor。
Agood-sizedfowlcouldbehadforasinglechargeofgunpowder。
Eachnativewhoownsaguncarriesaboutwithhimameasurecapableofholdingbutonecharge,inwhichhereceiveshispowder。
Throughoutthisregionthewomenarealmostentirelynaked,theirgownsbeingapatchofclothfrightfullynarrow,withnoflounces;
andnothingcouldexceedtheeagernesswithwhichtheyofferedtopurchasestripsofcalicoofaninferiordescriptionTheyweredelightedwiththelargepieceswegave,thoughonlyabouttwofeetlong,forafowlandabasketofupwardof20lbsofmealAswehadnowonlyasmallremnantofourstock,wewereobligedtowithstandtheirimportunity,andthenmanyoftheirwomen,withtruematernalfeelings,helduptheirlittlenakedbabies,entreatingustosellonlyalittleragforthemThefire,theysay,istheironlyclothingbynight,andthelittleonesderiveheatbystickingcloselytotheirparents。
Insteadofaskinorclothtocarrytheirbabiesin,thewomenplaitabeltaboutfourinchesbroad,oftheinnerbarkofatree,andthis,hungfromtheoneshouldertotheoppositeside,likeasoldier’sbelt,enablesthemtosupportthechildbyplacingitontheirsideinasittingpositionTheirlandisveryfertile,andtheycanraiseground-nutsandmaniocinabundanceHereIobservednocotton,noranydomesticanimalsexceptfowlsandlittledogsThechiefpossessedafewgoats,andInevercouldgetanysatisfactoryreasonwhythepeoplealsodidnotrearthem。
Ontheeveningofthe2dofJunewereachedthevillageofKawawa,ratheranimportantpersonageinthesepartsThisvillageconsistsoffortyorfiftyhuts,andissurroundedbyforest。
Drumswerebeatingoverthebodyofamanwhohaddiedtheprecedingday,andsomewomenweremakingaclamorouswailatthedoorofhishut,andaddressingthedeceasedasifaliveThedrumscontinuedbeatingthewholenight,withasmuchregularityasasteam-enginethumpsonboardshipWeobservedthatapersondressedfantasticallywithagreatnumberoffeathersleftthepeopleatthedanceandwailing,andwentawayintothedeepforestinthemorning,toreturnagaintotheobsequiesintheevening;heisintendedtorepresentoneoftheBarimo。
InthemorningwehadagreeableintercoursewithKawawa;hevisitedus,andwesatandtalkednearlythewholedaywithhimandhispeople。
Whenwevisitedhiminreturn,wefoundhiminhislargecourt-house,which,thoughofabeehiveshape,wasremarkablywellbuilt。
AsIhadshownhimanumberofcuriosities,henowproducedajug,ofEnglishware,shapedlikeanoldmanholdingacanofbeerinhishand,asthegreatestcuriosityhehadtoexhibit。
Wehadnowanopportunityofhearingacasebroughtbeforehimforjudgment。
ApoormanandhiswifewereaccusedofhavingbewitchedthemanwhosewakewasnowheldinthevillageBeforeKawawaevenheardthedefense,hesaid,“Youhavekilledoneofmychildren;bringallyoursbeforeme,thatImaychoosewhichofthemshallbemineinstead。”
Thewifeeloquentlydefendedherself,butthisavailedlittle,fortheseaccusationsarethemeansresortedtobysomechiefstosecuresubjectsfortheslave-marketHeprobablythoughtthatIhadcometopurchaseslaves,thoughIhadalreadygivenaprettyfullexplanationofmypursuitsbothtohimselfandhispeople。
Weexhibitedthepicturesofthemagiclanternintheevening,andallweredelightedexceptKawawahimselfHeshowedsymptomsofdread,andseveraltimesstartedupasiftorunaway,butwaspreventedbythecrowdbehindSomeofthemoreintelligentunderstoodtheexplanationswell,andexpatiatedeloquentlyonthemtothemoreobtuse。
Nothingcouldexceedthecivilitieswhichhadpassedbetweenusduringthisday;butKawawahadheardthattheChiboquehadforcedustopayanox,andnowthoughthemightdothesameWhen,therefore,Isentnextmorningtolethimknowthatwewerereadytostart,herepliedinhisfigurativeway,“Ifanoxcameinthewayofaman,oughthenottoeatit?IhadgivenonetotheChiboque,andmustgivehimthesame,togetherwithagun,gunpowder,andablackrobe,likethathehadseenspreadouttodrythedaybefore;that,ifIrefusedanox,Imustgiveoneofmymen,andabookbywhichhemightseethestateofMatiamvo’shearttowardhim,andwhichwouldforewarnhim,shouldMatiamvoeverresolvetocutoffhishead。”Kawawacameinthecoolestmannerpossibletoourencampmentaftersendingthismessage,andtoldmehehadseenallourgoods,andmusthaveallheasked,ashehadcommandoftheKasaiinourfront,andwouldpreventusfrompassingitunlesswepaidthistributeIrepliedthatthegoodsweremypropertyandnothis;thatIwouldneverhaveitsaidthatawhitemanhadpaidtributetoablack,andthatIshouldcrosstheKasaiinspiteofhimHeorderedhispeopletoarmthemselves,andwhensomeofmymensawthemrushingfortheirbows,arrows,andspears,theybecamesomewhatpanic-strickenIorderedthemtomoveaway,andnottofireunlessKawawa’speoplestruckthefirstblow。
Itookthelead,andexpectedthemalltofollow,astheyusuallyhaddone,butmanyofmymenremainedbehindWhenIknewthis,Ijumpedofftheox,andmadearushtothemwiththerevolverinmyhandKawawaranawayamonghispeople,andtheyturnedtheirbackstooIshoutedtomymentotakeuptheirluggageandmarch;somedidsowithalacrity,feelingthattheyhaddisobeyedordersbyremaining;butoneofthemrefused,andwaspreparingtofireatKawawa,untilIgavehimapunchontheheadwiththepistol,andmadehimgotooIfelthere,aselsewhere,thatsubordinationmustbemaintainedatallrisksWeallmovedintotheforest,thepeopleofKawawastandingaboutahundredyardsoff,gazing,butnotfiringashotoranarrowItisextremelyunpleasanttopartwiththesechieftainsthus,afterspendingadayortwointhemostamicableintercourse,andinapartwherethepeoplearegenerallycivilThisKawawa,however,isnotagoodspecimenoftheBalondachiefs,andisrathernotoriousintheneighborhoodforhisfollyWeweretoldthathehasgoodreasontobelievethatMatiamvowillsomedaycutoffhisheadforhisdisregardoftherightsofstrangers。
Kawawawasnottobebalkedofhissupposedrightsbytheunceremoniouswayinwhichwehadlefthim;for,whenwehadreachedthefordoftheKasai,abouttenmilesdistant,wefoundthathehadsentfourofhismen,withorderstotheferrymentorefuseuspassageWewereheredulyinformedthatwemustdeliverupallthearticlesmentioned,andoneofourmenbesidesThisdemandforoneofournumberalwaysnettledeveryheartThecanoesweretakenawaybeforeoureyes,andweweresupposedtobequitehelplesswithoutthem,atariveragoodhundredyardsbroad,andverydeepPitsanestoodonthebank,gazingwithapparentindifferenceonthestream,andmadeanaccurateobservationofwherethecanoeswerehiddenamongthereeds。
TheferrymencasuallyaskedoneofmyBatokaiftheyhadriversinhiscountry,andheansweredwithtruth,“No,wehavenone。”
Kawawa’speoplethenfeltsurewecouldnotcrossIthoughtofswimmingwhentheyweregone;butafteritwasdark,bytheunaskedloanofoneofthehiddencanoes,wesoonweresnuginourbivouaconthesouthernbankoftheKasaiIleftsomebeadsaspaymentforsomemealwhichhadbeenpresentedbytheferrymen;and,thecanoehavingbeenleftontheirownsideoftheriver,Pitsaneandhiscompanionslaugheduproariouslyatthedisgustourenemieswouldfeel,andtheirperplexityastowhohadbeenourpaddleracross。
TheywerequitesurethatKawawawouldimaginethatwehadbeenferriedoverbyhisownpeople,andwouldbediviningtofindoutwhohaddonethedeed。
Whenreadytodepartinthemorning,Kawawa’speopleappearedontheoppositeheights,andcouldscarcelybelievetheireyeswhentheysawuspreparedtostartawaytothesouthAtlastoneofthemcalledout,“Ah!yearebad。”towhichPitsaneandhiscompanionsretorted,“Ah!yearegood,andwethankyoufortheloanofyourcanoe。”
WewerecarefultoexplainthewholeofthecircumstancestoKatemaandtheotherchiefs,andtheyallagreedthatwewereperfectlyjustifiableunderthecircumstances,andthatMatiamvowouldapproveourconduct。
Whenanythingthatmightbearanunfavorableconstructionhappensamongthemselves,theysendexplanationstoeachother。
Themerefactofdoingsopreventsthemfromlosingtheircharacter,forthereispublicopinionevenamongthem。
Chapter24。
LevelPlainsVulturesandotherBirdsDiversityofColorinFlowersofthesameSpeciesTheSundewTwenty-seventhAttackofFever
ARiverwhichflowsinoppositeDirectionsLakeDilolotheWatershedbetweentheAtlanticandIndianOceansPositionofRocks
SirRoderickMurchison’sExplanationCharacteristicsoftheRainySeasoninconnectionwiththeFloodsoftheZambesiandtheNile
ProbableReasonofDifferenceinAmountofRainSouthandNorthoftheEquatorArabReportsofRegioneastofLonda
ProbableWatershedoftheZambesiandtheNileLakeDilolo
ReachKatema’sTown:hisrenewedHospitality;desiretoappearlikeaWhiteMan;ludicrousDepartureJackdaws
FordsouthernBranchofLakeDiloloSmallFishProjectforaMakololoVillageneartheConfluenceoftheLeebaandtheLeeambye
HeartyWelcomefromShinteKolimbota’sWound
Plant-seedsandFruit-treesbroughtfromAngola
MasikoandLimboa’sQuarrelNyamoananowaWidow
PurchaseCanoesanddescendtheLeebaHerdsofwildAnimalsonitsBanksUnsuccessfulBuffalo-huntFrogsSinbadandtheTsetse
DispatchaMessagetoManenkoArrivalofherHusbandSambanza
TheCeremonycalledKasendiUnexpectedFeeforperformingasurgicalOperationSocialConditionoftheTribes
DesertionofMboengaStratagemofMamboweHuntersWater-turtles
ChargedbyaBuffaloReceptionfromthePeopleofLibonta
ExplaintheCausesofourlongDelayPitsane’sSpeech
ThanksgivingServicesAppearanceofmy“Braves“
WonderfulKindnessofthePeople。
AfterleavingtheKasai,weenteredupontheextensivelevelplainswhichwehadformerlyfoundinafloodedconditionThewateronthemwasnotyetdriedup,asitstillremainedincertainhollowspots。
Vultureswereseenfloatingintheair,showingthatcarrionwastobefound;
and,indeed,wesawseveralofthelargegame,butsoexceedinglywildastobeunapproachableNumbersofcaterpillarsmountedthestalksofgrass,andmanydragonfliesandbutterfliesappeared,thoughthiswaswinter。
Thecaprimulgusorgoat-sucker,swifts,anddifferentkindsofswallows,withafiery-redbee-eaterinflocks,showedthatthelowesttemperatureheredoesnotdestroytheinsectsonwhichtheyfeedJet-blacklarks,withyellowshoulders,enliventhemorningswiththeirsongs,buttheydonotcontinuesolongonthewingasours,norsoarsohigh。
Wesawmanyoftheprettywhiteardea,andotherwater-birds,flyingoverthespotsnotyetdriedup;andoccasionallywildducks,buttheseonlyinnumberssufficienttoremindusthatwewereapproachingtheZambesi,whereeverywater-fowlhasahome。