Theyaresaidsometimestouniteinwrenchingdownlargetrees。
Thenativesintheinteriorbelievethattheelephantnevertouchesgrass,andIneversawevidenceofhishavinggrazeduntilwecameneartoTete,andthenhehadfedongrassinseedonly;thisseedcontainssomuchfarinaceousmatterthatthenativescollectitfortheirownfood。
Thispartofthecountryaboundsinant-hillsIntheopenpartstheyarestuddedoverthesurfaceexactlyashaycocksareinharvest,orheapsofmanureinspring,ratherdisfiguringthelandscape。
Inthewoodstheyareaslargeasroundhaystacks,40or50feetindiameteratthebase,andatleast20feethighThesearemorefertilethantherestoftheland,andheretheyarethechiefgarden-groundformaize,pumpkins,andtobacco。
Whenwehadpassedtheoutskirtingvillages,whichaloneconsiderthemselvesinastateofwarwiththeMakololo,wefoundtheBatoka,orBatonga,astheyherecallthemselves,quitefriendlyGreatnumbersofthemcamefromallthesurroundingvillageswithpresentsofmaizeandmasuka,andexpressedgreatjoyatthefirstappearanceofawhiteman,andharbingerofpeaceThewomenclothethemselvesbetterthantheBalonda,butthemengo`inpurisnaturalibus’TheywalkaboutwithoutthesmallestsenseofshameTheyhaveevenlostthetraditionofthe“fig-leaf“。
Iaskedafine,large-bodiedoldmanifhedidnotthinkitwouldbebettertoadoptalittlecoveringHelookedwithapityingleer,andlaughedwithsurpriseatmythinkinghimatallindecent;
heevidentlyconsideredhimselfabovesuchweaksuperstition。
Itoldthemthat,onmyreturn,Ishouldhavemyfamilywithme,andnoonemustcomenearusinthatstate“Whatshallweputon?
wehavenoclothing。”ItwasconsideredagoodjokewhenItoldthemthat,iftheyhadnothingelse,theymustputonabunchofgrass。
Thefartherweadvanced,themorewefoundthecountryswarmingwithinhabitantsGreatnumberscametoseethewhiteman,asighttheyhadneverbeheldbeforeTheyalwaysbroughtpresentsofmaizeandmasuka。
TheirmodeofsalutationisquitesingularTheythrowthemselvesontheirbacksontheground,and,rollingfromsidetoside,slaptheoutsideoftheirthighsasexpressionsofthankfulnessandwelcome,utteringthewords“Kinabomba。”Thismethodofsalutationwastomeverydisagreeable,andInevercouldgetreconciledtoitIcalledout,“Stop,stop;Idon’twantthat;“butthey,imaginingIwasdissatisfied,onlytumbledaboutmorefuriously,andslappedtheirthighswithgreatervigorThemenbeingtotallyunclothed,thisperformanceimpartedtomymindapainfulsenseoftheirextremedegradation。
MyownBatokaweremuchmoredegradedthantheBarotse,andmorereckless。
Wehadtokeepastrictwatch,soasnottobeinvolvedbytheirthievingfromtheinhabitants,inwhosecountryandpowerwewere。
Wehadalsotowatchtheusetheymadeoftheirtongues,forsomewithinhearingofthevillagerswouldsay,“Ibrokeallthepotsofthatvillage。”or,“Ikilledamanthere。”Theywereeagertorecounttheirsoldierdeeds,whentheywereincompanywiththeMakololoinformertimesasaconqueringarmyTheywerethusplacingusindangerbytheirremarksIcalledthemtogether,andspoketothemabouttheirfolly,andgavethemaprettyplainintimationthatImeanttoinsistuponascompletesubordinationasIhadsecuredinmyformerjourney,asbeingnecessaryforthesafetyoftheparty。
Happily,itneverwasneedfultoresorttoanyothermeasurefortheirobedience,astheyallbelievedthatIwouldenforceit。
InconnectionwiththelowstateoftheBatoka,IwasledtothinkonthepeopleofKuruman,whowereequallydegradedandequallydepraved。
ThereamanscornedtoshedatearItwouldhavebeen“tlolo“,ortransgressionWeeping,suchasDrKanedescribesamongtheEsquimaux,isthereforequiteunknowninthatcountryButIhavewitnessedinstanceslikethis:Baba,amightyhuntertheinterpreterwhoaccompaniedCaptainHarris,andwhowasultimatelykilledbyarhinocerossatlisteningtotheGospelinthechurchatKuruman,andthegraciouswordsofChrist,madetotouchhisheart,evidentlybytheHolySpirit,meltedhimintotears;
Ihaveseenhimandotherssinkdowntothegroundweeping。
WhenBabawaslyingmangledbythefuriousbeastwhichtorehimoffhishorse,heshednotear,butquietlyprayedaslongashewasconscious。
Ihadnohandinhisinstruction:iftheseBatokaeverbecomelikehim,andtheymay,theinfluencethateffectsitmustbedivine。
Averylargeportionofthisquarteriscoveredwithmasuka-trees,andthegroundwassostrewedwiththepleasantfruitthatmymenkepteatingitconstantlyaswemarchedalong。
Wesawasmallerkindofthesametree,namedMolondo,thefruitofwhichisaboutthesizeofmarbles,havingatenderskin,andslightacidityoftastemingledwithitssweetness。
AnothertreewhichissaidtoyieldgoodfruitisnamedSombo,butitwasnotripeatthisseason。
DECEMBER6THWepassedthenightnearaseriesofvillages。
Beforewecametoastandunderourtree,amancamerunningtouswithhandsandarmsfirmlyboundwithcordsbehindhisback,entreatingmetoreleasehimWhenIhaddismounted,theheadmanofthevillageadvanced,andIinquiredtheprisoner’soffense。
HestatedthathehadcomefromtheBashukulompoasafugitive,andhehadgivenhimawifeandgardenandasupplyofseed;
but,onrefusingademandformore,theprisonerhadthreatenedtokillhim,andhadbeenseenthenightbeforeskulkingaboutthevillage,apparentlywiththatintentionIdeclinedintercedingunlesshewouldconfesstohisfather-in-law,andpromiseamendment。
Heatfirstrefusedtopromisetoabstainfromviolence,butafterwardagreed。
Thefather-in-lawthensaidthathewouldtakehimtothevillageandreleasehim,buttheprisonercriedoutbitterly,“Hewillkillmethere;
don’tleaveme,whiteman。”Iorderedaknife,andoneofthevillagersreleasedhimonthespotHisarmswerecutbythecords,andhewasquitelamefromtheblowshehadreceived。
Thesevillagerssuppliedusabundantlywithground-nuts,maize,andcorn。
Allexpressedgreatsatisfactiononhearingmymessage,asIdirectedtheirattentiontoJesusastheirSavior,whosewordis“Peaceonearth,andgood-willtomen。”Theycalledout,“Wearetiredofflight;giveusrestandsleep。”Theyofcoursedidnotunderstandthefullimportofthemessage,butitwasnowonderthattheyeagerlyseizedtheideaofpeaceTheircountryhasbeenvisitedbysuccessivescourgesduringthelasthalfcentury,andtheyarenow“anationscatteredandpeeled。”WhenSebituanecame,thecattlewereinnumerable,andyettheseweretheremnantsonly,leftbyachiefcalledPingola,whocamefromthenortheast。
Hesweptacrossthewholeterritoryinhabitedbyhiscattle-lovingcountrymen,devouringoxen,cows,andcalves,withoutretainingasingleheadHeseemstohavebeenactuatedbyasimpleloveofconquest,andisaninstanceofwhathasoccurredtwoorthreetimesineverycenturyinthiscountry,fromtimeimmemorialAmanormoreenergyorambitionthanhisfellowsrisesupandconquersalargeterritory,butassoonashediesthepowerhebuiltupisgone,andhisreign,havingbeenoneofterror,isnotperpetuatedThis,andthewantofliterature,havepreventedtheestablishmentofanygreatempireintheinteriorofAfrica。
Pingolaeffectedhisconquestsbycarryingnumbersofsmith’sbellowswithhimThearrow-headswereheatedbeforeshootingintoatown,andwhenawoundwasinflictedoneithermanorbeast,greatconfusionensued。
AfterPingolacameSebituane,andafterhimtheMatebeleofMosilikatse;
andthesesuccessiveinroadshavereducedtheBatokatoastateinwhichtheynaturallyrejoiceattheprospectofdeliveranceandpeace。
WespentSunday,the10th,atMonze’svillage,whoisconsideredthechiefofalltheBatokawehaveseenHelivesnearthehillKisekise,whencewehaveaviewofatleastthirtymilesofopenundulatingcountry,coveredwithshortgrass,andhavingbutfewtreesTheseopenlawnswouldinanyotherland,aswellasthis,betermedpastoral,butthepeoplehavenownocattle,andonlyafewgoatsandfowls。
Theyarelocatedalloverthecountryinsmallvillages,andcultivatelargegardensTheyaresaidtohaveadoptedthiswide-spreadmodeofhabitationinordertogivealarmshouldanyenemyappear。
InformertimestheylivedinlargetownsInthedistancesoutheast
weseerangesofdarkmountainsalongthebanksoftheZambesi,andaretoldoftheexistencethereoftherapidnamedKansala,whichissaidtoimpedethenavigationTheriverisreportedtobeplacidabovethatasfarastheterritoryofSinamane,aBatokachief,whoissaidtocommanditafteritemergessmoothagainbelowthefalls。
KansalaistheonlyrapidreportedintheriveruntilwecometoKebrabasa,twentyorthirtymilesaboveTeteOnthenorthwehavemountainsappearingabovethehorizon,whicharesaidtobeonthebanksoftheKafue。
ThechiefMonzecametousonSundaymorning,wrappedinalargecloth,androlledhimselfaboutinthedust,screaming“Kinabomba。”astheyalldo。
Thesightofgreatnakedmenwallowingontheground,thoughintendedtodomehonor,wasalwaysverypainful;itmademefeelthankfulthatmylothadbeencastinsuchdifferentcircumstancesfromthatofsomanyofmyfellow-menOneofhiswivesaccompaniedhim;
shewouldhavebeencomelyifherteethhadbeenspared;
shehadalittlebattle-axeinherhand,andhelpedherhusbandtoscream。
Shewasmuchexcited,forshehadneverseenawhitemanbefore。
WeratherlikedMonze,forhesoonfeltathomeamongus,andkeptupconversationduringmuchofthedayOneheadmanofavillageafteranotherarrived,andeachofthemsuppliedusliberallywithmaize,ground-nuts,andcornMonzegaveusagoatandafowl,andappearedhighlysatisfiedwithapresentofsomehandkerchiefsIhadgotinmysuppliesleftattheislandBeingofprintedcotton,theyexcitedgreatadmiration;andwhenIputagaudy-coloredoneasashawlabouthischild,hesaidthathewouldsendforallhispeopletomakeadanceaboutitIntellingthemthatmyobjectwastoopenupapathwherebytheymight,bygettingmerchandiseforivory,avoidtheguiltofsellingtheirchildren,IaskedMonze,withabout150ofhismen,iftheywouldlikeawhitemantoliveamongthemandteachthemAllexpressedhighsatisfactionattheprospectofthewhitemanandhispath:theywouldprotectbothhimandhispropertyIaskedthequestion,becauseitwouldbeofgreatimportancetohavestationsinthishealthyregion,whitheragentsoppressedbysicknessmightretire,andwhichwouldserve,moreover,aspartofachainofcommunicationbetweentheinteriorandthecoast。
TheanswerdoesnotmeanmuchmorethanwhatIknow,byothermeans,tobethecasethatawhitemanOFGOODSENSEwouldbewelcomeandsafeinallthesepartsByuprightness,andlayinghimselfoutforthegoodofthepeople,hewouldbeknownalloverthecountryasaBENEFACTORoftheraceNonedesireChristianinstruction,forofittheyhavenoideaButthepeoplearenowhumbledbythescourgingstheyhavereceived,andseemtobeinafavorablestateforthereceptionoftheGospelThegradualrestorationoftheirformerprosperityincattle,simultaneouslywithinstruction,wouldoperatebeneficiallyupontheirmindsThelanguageisadialectoftheothernegrolanguagesinthegreatvalley;
andasmanyoftheBatokalivingundertheMakololounderstandbothitandtheSichuana,missionariescouldsoonacquireitthroughthatmedium。
Monzehadneverbeenvisitedbyanywhiteman,buthadseenblacknativetraders,who,hesaid,cameforivory,notforslaves。
HehadheardofwhitemenpassingfartotheeastofhimtoCazembe,referring,nodoubt,toPereira,Lacerda,andothers,whohavevisitedthatchief。
Thestreamsinthispartarenotperennial;IdidnotobserveonesuitableforthepurposeofirrigationThereisbutlittlewood;
hereandthereyouseelargesingletrees,orsmallclumpsofevergreens,buttheabundanceofmaizeandground-nutswemetwithshowsthatmorerainfallsthanintheBechuanacountry,fortheretheyneverattempttoraisemaizeexceptindamphollowsonthebanksofriversThepasturageisveryfineforbothcattleandsheep。
Myownmen,whoknowthelandthoroughly,declarethatitisallgarden-groundtogether,andthatthemoretendergrains,whichrequirerichersoilthanthenativecorn,neednocarehere。
Itisseldomstony。