首页 >出版文学> Travels and Researches in South Africa>第82章
  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。