Thedifferentheadmenalongthisriveractverymuchinconcert,andifonerefusespassagetheyalldo,utteringthesageremark,“Ifso-and-sodidnotlendhiscanoes,hemusthavehadsomegoodreason。”
ThenextislandwecametowasthatofamannamedMozinkwa。
Hereweweredetainedsomedaysbycontinuousrains,andthoughtweobservedtheconfirmationoftheBakwaintheoryofrains。
Adoubletierofcloudsfloatedquicklyawaytothewest,andassoonastheybegantocomeinanoppositedirectiontherainspoureddown。
TheinhabitantswholiveinadryregionlikethatofKolobengarenearlyallasweather-wiseastherain-makers,andanyonelivingamongthemforanylengthoftimebecomesasmuchinterestedinthemotionsofthecloudsastheyarethemselvesMrMoffat,whowasassorelytriedbydroughtsaswewere,andhadhisattentiondirectedinthesameway,hasnotedthecuriousphenomenonofthunderwithoutcloudsMrsLhearditonce,butIneverhadthatgoodfortune。
ItisworththeattentionoftheobservantHumboldthasseenrainwithoutclouds,aphenomenonquiteassingularIhavebeeninthevicinityofthefallofthreeaerolites,noneofwhichIcouldafterwarddiscover。
OnefellintothelakeKumadauwithareportsomewhatlikeasharppealofthunderThewomenoftheBakurutsevillagesthereallutteredascreamonhearingitThishappenedatmidday,andsodidanotheratwhatiscalledtheGreatChuai,whichwasvisibleinitsdescent,andwasalsoaccompaniedwithathunderingnoise。
ThethirdfellnearKuruman,andatnight,andwasseenasafallingstarbypeopleatMotitoandatDaniel’sKuil,placesdistantfortymilesonoppositesidesofthespotItsoundedtomelikethereportofagreatgun,andafewsecondsafter,alessersound,asifstrikingtheearthafterareboundDoesthepassageofafewsuchaerolitesthroughtheatmospheretotheearthbydaycausethunderwithoutclouds?
Weweredetainedheresolongthatmytentbecameagainquiterotten。
Oneofmymen,afterlongsickness,whichIdidnotunderstand,diedhere。
HewasoneoftheBatoka,andwhenunabletowalkIhadsomedifficultyinmakinghiscompanionscarryhimTheywishedtoleavehimtodiewhenhiscasebecamehopelessAnotherofthemdesertedtoMozinkwa。
HesaidthathismotivefordoingsowasthattheMakololohadkilledbothhisfatherandmother,and,ashehadneitherwifenorchild,therewasnoreasonwhyheshouldcontinuelongerwiththem。
Ididnotobjecttohisstatements,butsaidifheshouldchangehismindhewouldbewelcometorejoinus,andintimatedtoMozinkwathathemustnotbesoldasaslaveWearenowamongpeopleinuredtoslave-dealingWewerevisitedbymenwhohadbeenasfarasTeteorNyungwe,andweretoldthatwewerebuttendaysfromthatfort。
Oneofthem,aMashonaman,whohadcomefromagreatdistancetothesouthwest,wasanxioustoaccompanyustothecountryofthewhitemen;
hehadtraveledfar,andIfoundthathehadalsoknowledgeoftheEnglishtribe,andoftheirhatredtothetradeinslaves。
HetoldSekwebuthatthe“Englishweremen“,anemphasisbeingputuponthetermMEN,whichleavestheimpressionthatothersare,astheyexpressitinspeakingscornfully,“onlyTHINGS“。
Severalspokeinthesamemanner,andIfoundthatfromMpende’sdownwardIrosehighereverydayintheestimationofmyownpeople。
EventheslavesgaveaveryhighcharactertotheEnglish,andIfoundoutafterwardthat,whenIwasfirstreportedatTete,theservantsofmyfriendthecommandantsaidtohiminjoke,“Ah!thisisourbrotherwhoiscoming;weshallallleaveyouandgowithhim。”Wehadstill,however,somedifficultiesinstoreforusbeforereachingthatpoint。
Themanwhowishedtoaccompanyuscameandtoldusbeforeourdeparturethathiswifewouldnotallowhimtogo,andsheherselfcametoconfirmthedecisionHerethewomenhaveonlyasmallpunctureintheupperlip,inwhichtheyinsertalittlebuttonoftin。
Theperforationismadebydegrees,aringwithanopeninginitbeingattachedtothelip,andtheendssqueezedgraduallytogether。
Thepressureonthefleshbetweentheendsoftheringcausesitsabsorption,andaholeistheresultChildrenmaybeseenwiththeringonthelip,butnotyetpuncturedThetintheypurchasefromthePortuguese,and,althoughsilverisreportedtohavebeenfoundinformertimesinthisdistrict,noonecoulddistinguishitfromtin。
Buttheyhadaknowledgeofgold,andforthefirsttimeIheardtheword“dalama“goldinthenativelanguage。
Thewordisquiteunknownintheinterior,andsoisthemetalitself。
Inconversingwiththedifferentpeople,wefoundtheideaprevalentthatthosewhohadpurchasedslavesfromthemhaddonethemaninjury。
“AlltheslavesofNyungwe。”saidone,“areourchildren;
theBazungahavemadeatownatourexpense。”WhenIaskediftheyhadnottakenthepricesofferedthem,theyatonceadmittedit,butstillthoughtthattheyhadbeeninjuredbybeingsofartempted。
FromthewayinwhichthelandsofZumbowerespokenofasstillbelongingtothePortugueseandtheyaresaidtohavebeenobtainedbypurchase,Iwasinclinedtoconcludethatthepurchaseoflandisnotlookeduponbytheinhabitantsinthesamelightasthepurchaseofslaves。
FEBRUARY1STWemetsomenativetraders,and,asmanyofmymenwerenowinastateofnudity,IboughtsomeAmericancalicomarked“LawrenceMills,Lowell“,withtwosmalltusks,anddistributeditamongthemostneedyAfterleavingMozinkwa’swecametotheZingesi,asand-rivuletinfloodlat15d38’34“S。,long31d1’E。Itwassixtyorseventyyardswide,andwaist-deepLikeallthesesand-rivers,itisforthemostpartdry;butbydiggingdownafewfeet,wateristobefound,whichispercolatingalongthebedonastratumofclayThisisthephenomenonwhichisdignifiedbythenameof“ariverflowingunderground。”IntryingtofordthisIfeltthousandsofparticlesofcoarsesandstrikingmylegs,andtheslightdisturbanceofourfootstepscauseddeepholestobemadeinthebedThewater,whichisalmostalwaysveryrapidinthem,dugoutthesandbeneathourfeetinasecondortwo,andwewereallsinkingbythatmeanssodeepthatweweregladtorelinquishtheattempttoforditbeforewegothalfwayover;
theoxenwerecarriedawaydownintotheZambesiThesesand-riversremovevastmassesofdisintegratedrockbeforeitisfineenoughtoformsoil。
Themanwhoprecededmewasonlythigh-deep,butthedisturbancecausedbyhisfeetmadeitbreast-deepformeTheshowerofparticlesandgravelwhichstruckagainstmylegsgavemetheideathattheamountofmatterremovedbyeveryfreshetmustbeverygreatInmostriverswheremuchwearingisgoingon,apersondivingtothebottommayhearliterallythousandsofstonesknockingagainsteachother。
Thisattrition,beingcarriedonforhundredsofmilesindifferentrivers,musthaveaneffectgreaterthanifallthepestlesandmortarsandmillsoftheworldweregrindingandwearingawaytherocks。
ThepoundingtowhichIrefermaybeheardmostdistinctlyintheVaalRiver,whenthatisslightlyinfloodItwasthereIfirstheardit。
IntheLeeambye,inthemiddleofthecountry,wherethereisnodiscoloration,andlittlecarriedalongbutsand,itisnottobeheard。
WhileoppositethevillageofaheadmancalledMosusa,anumberofelephantstookrefugeonanislandintheriverThereweretwomales,andathirdnotfullgrown;indeed,scarcelythesizeofafemale。
ThiswasthefirstinstanceIhadeverseenofacomparativelyyoungonewiththemales,fortheyusuallyremainwiththefemaleherdtillaslargeastheirdamsTheinhabitantswereveryanxiousthatmymenshouldattackthem,astheygointothegardensontheislands,anddomuchdamageThemenwent,buttheelephantsranabouthalfamiletotheoppositeendoftheisland,andswamtothemainlandwiththeirproboscesabovethewater,and,nocanoebeingnear,theyescaped。
Theyswimstrongly,withtheprobosciserectintheair。
Iwasnotverydesiroustohaveoneoftheseanimalskilled,forweunderstoodthatwhenwepassedMpendewecameintoacountrywherethegame-lawsarestrictlyenforcedThelandsofeachchiefareverywelldefined,theboundariesbeingusuallymarkedbyrivulets,greatnumbersofwhichflowintotheZambesifrombothbanks,and,ifanelephantiswoundedononeman’slandanddiesonthatofanother,theunderhalfofthecarcassisclaimedbythelordofthesoil;
andsostringentisthelaw,thatthehuntercannotbeginatoncetocutuphisownelephant,butmustsendnoticetothelordofthesoilonwhichitlies,andwaituntilthatpersonagesendsoneauthorizedtoseeafairpartitionmadeIfthehuntershouldbegintocutupbeforetheagentofthelandownerarrives,heisliabletoloseboththetusksandallthefleshThehindlegofabuffalomustalsobegiventothemanonwhoselandtheanimalwasgrazing,andastilllargerquantityoftheeland,whichhereandeverywhereelseinthecountryisesteemedrightroyalfoodInthecountryaboveZumbowedidnotfindavestigeofthislaw;andbutforthefactthatitexistedinthecountryoftheBamapela,fartothesouthofthis,IshouldhavebeendisposedtoregarditinthesamelightasIdothepaymentforleavetopassanimpositionleviedonhimwhoisseentobeweakbecauseinthehandsofhisslavesTheonlygame-lawsintheinteriorare,thatthemanwhofirstwoundsananimal,thoughhehasinflictedbutamerescratch,isconsideredthekillerofit;
thesecondisentitledtoahindquarter,andthethirdtoaforeleg。
Thechiefsaregenerallyentitledtoashareastribute;insomepartsitisthebreast,inothersthewholeoftheribsandoneforeleg。
Igenerallyrespectedthislaw,althoughexceptionsaresometimesmadewhenanimalsarekilledbygunsTheknowledgethathewhosucceedsinreachingthewoundedbeastfirstisentitledtoasharestimulatesthewholepartytogreaterexertionsindispatchingit。
Oneofmymen,havingaknowledgeofelephantmedicine,wasconsideredtheleaderinthehunt;hewentbeforetheothers,examinedtheanimals,andonhisdecisionalldependedIfhedecidedtoattackaherd,therestwentboldlyon;butifhedeclined,noneofthemwouldengage。
Acertainpartoftheelephantbelongedtohimbyrightoftheofficeheheld,andsuchwasthefaithinmedicineheldbytheslavesofthePortuguesewhomwemethunting,thattheyofferedtopaythismanhandsomelyifhewouldshowthemtheelephantmedicine。
WhennearMosusa’svillagewepassedarivuletcalledChowe,nowrunningwithrain-waterTheinhabitantsthereextractalittlesaltfromthesandwhenitisdry,andallthepeopleoftheadjacentcountrycometopurchaseitfromthemThiswasthefirstsaltwehadmetwithsinceleavingAngola,fornoneistobefoundineitherthecountryoftheBalondaorBarotse;butweheardofsalt-pansaboutafortnightwestofNaliele,andIgotasmallsupplyfromMpololowhilethereThathadlongsincebeenfinished,andIhadagainlivedtwomonthswithoutsalt,sufferingnoinconvenienceexceptanoccasionallongingforanimalfoodormilk。
Inmarchingalong,therichreddish-brownsoilwassoclammythatitwasverydifficulttowalkItis,however,extremelyfertile,andthepeoplecultivateamazingquantitiesofcorn,maize,millet,ground-nuts,pumpkins,andcucumbersWeobservedthat,whenplantsfailedinonespot,theywereinthehabitoftransplantingthemintoanother,andtheyhadalsogrownlargenumbersofyoungplantsontheislands,wheretheyarefavoredbymoisturefromtheriver,andwerenowremovingthemtothemainlandThefactoftheirbeingobligedtodothisshowsthatthereislessrainherethaninLonda,forthereweobservedthegraininallstagesofitsgrowthatthesametime。
Thepeopleherebuildtheirhutsingardensonhighstages。
Thisisnecessaryonaccountofdangerfromthespottedhyaena,whichissaidtobeveryfierce,andalsoasaprotectionagainstlionsandelephantsThehyaenaisaverycowardlyanimal,butfrequentlyapproachespersonslyingasleep,andmakesanuglygashonthefaceMozinkwahadlosthisupperlipinthisway,andIhaveheardofmenbeingkilledbythem;children,too,aresometimescarriedoff;for,thoughheissocowardlythatthehumanvoicewillmakehimrunawayatonce,yet,whenhisteethareintheflesh,heholdson,andshowsamazingpowerofjawLeg-bonesofoxen,fromwhichthenativeshaveextractedthemarrowandeverythingeatable,arebythisanimalcrunchedupwiththegreatestease,whichheapparentlyeffectsbyturningthemroundinhisteethtilltheyareinasuitablepositionforbeingsplit。
Wehadnowcomeamongpeoplewhohadplenty,andwerereallyveryliberal。
MymenneverreturnedfromavillagewithoutsomecornormaizeintheirhandsTherealpolitenesswithwhichfoodisgivenbynearlyalltheinteriortribes,whohavenothadmuchintercoursewithEuropeans,makesitapleasuretoacceptAgainandagainIhaveheardanapologymadeforthesmallnessofthepresent,orregretexpressedthattheyhadnotreceivednoticeofmyapproachintimetogrindmore,andgenerallytheyreadilyacceptedourexcuseathavingnothingtogiveinreturnbysayingthattheywerequiteawarethattherearenowhitemen’sgoodsintheinteriorWhenIhaditinmypower,IalwaysgavesomethingreallyusefulToKatema,Shinte,andothers,Igavepresentswhichcostmeabout2Poundseach,andIcouldreturntothematanytimewithouthavingacharacterforstinginessHowsomemencanofferthreebuttons,orsomeotherequallycontemptiblegift,whiletheyhaveabundanceintheirpossession,istomeunaccountable。