Ihad,duringtheelevenyearsofmypreviouscourse,invariablyabstainedfromtakingpresentsofivory,fromanideathatareligiousinstructordegradedhimselfbyacceptinggiftsfromthosewhosespiritualwelfareheprofessedtoseekMyprecedenceofalltradersinthelineofdiscoveryputmeofteninthewayofveryhandsomeoffers,butIalwaysadvisedthedonorstoselltheirivorytotraders,whowouldbesuretofollow,andwhenatsomefuturetimetheyhadbecomerichbybarter,theymightremembermeormychildrenWhenLakeNgamiwasdiscoveredImighthaverefusedpermissiontoatraderwhoaccompaniedus;
butwhenheappliedforleavetoformpartofourcompany,knowingthatMrOswellwouldnomoretradethanmyself,andthatthepeopleofthelakewouldbedisappointediftheycouldnotdisposeoftheirivory,Iwillinglygrantedasanction,withoutwhichhispeoplewouldnotatthattimehaveventuredsofar。
Thiswassurelypreferringtheinterestofanothertomyown。
ThereturnIgotforthiswasanoticeinoneoftheCapepapersthatthis“manwasthetruediscovererofthelake!”
TheconclusionIhadcometowas,thatitisquitelawful,thoughperhapsnotexpedient,formissionariestotrade;butbarteristheonlymeansbywhichamissionaryintheinteriorcanpayhisway,asmoneyhasnovalueInallthejourneysIhadpreviouslyundertakenforwiderdiffusionoftheGospel,theextraexpensesweredefrayedfrommysalaryof100PoundsperannumThissumissufficienttoenableamissionarytoliveintheinteriorofSouthAfrica,supposinghehasagardencapableofyieldingcornandvegetables;
butshouldhenot,andstillconsiderthatsixoreightmonthscannotlawfullybespentsimplyingettinggoodsatalowerpricethantheycanbehadfromitineranttraders,thesummentionedisbarelysufficientforthepoorestfareandplainestapparel。
Asweneverfeltourselvesjustifiedinmakingjourneystothecolonyforthesakeofsecuringbargains,themostfrugallivingwasnecessarytoenableustobealittlecharitabletoothers;butwhentothiswereaddedextratravelingexpenses,thewantsofanincreasingfamily,andliberalgiftstochiefs,itwasdifficulttomakebothendsmeet。
Thepleasureofmissionarylaborwouldbeenhancedifonecoulddevotehislifetotheheathen,withoutdrawingasalaryfromasocietyatall。
Theluxuryofdoinggoodfromone’sownprivateresources,withoutappearingtoeithernativesorEuropeanstobemakingagainofit,isfarpreferable,andanobjectworthytheambitionoftherich。
Butfewmenoffortune,however,nowdevotethemselvestoChristianmissions,asofoldPresentswerealwaysgiventothechiefswhomwevisited,andnothingacceptedinreturn;butwhenSebituanein1851
offeredsomeivory,Itookit,andwasablebyitssaletopresenthissonwithanumberofreallyusefularticlesofahighervaluethanIhadeverbeenabletogivebeforetoanychiefIndoingthis,ofcourse,Iappearedtotrade,but,feelingIhadarighttodoso,Ifeltperfectlyeasyinmymind;and,asIstillheldtheviewoftheinexpediencyofcombiningthetwoprofessions,IwasgladoftheproposalofoneofthemosthonorablemerchantsofCapeTown,MrHERutherford,thatheshouldriskasumofmoneyinFleming’shandsforthepurposeofattemptingtodevelopatradewiththeMakololo。
ItwastothismanIsuggestedSekeletushouldsellthetuskswhichhehadpresentedformyacceptance,butthechiefrefusedtotakethembackfrommeThegoodswhichFleminghadbroughtwereilladaptedfortheuseofthenatives,buthegotaprettygoodloadofivoryinexchange;andthoughitwashisfirstattemptattrading,andthedistancetraveledovermadetheexpensesenormous,hewasnotaloserbythetripOthertradersfollowed,whodemanded90lbsofivoryforamusketTheMakololo,knowingnothingofsteelyards,butsupposingthattheyweremeanttocheatthem,declinedtotradeexceptbyexchangingonebullandonecowelephant’stuskforeachgun。
Thiswouldaverage70lbsofivory,whichsellsattheCapefor5sperpound,forasecond-handmusketworth10s。
I,beingsixtymilesdistant,didnotwitnessthisattemptatbarter,but,anxioustoenablemycountrymentodriveabrisktrade,toldtheMakololotosellmytentusksontheirownaccountforwhatevertheywouldbringSeventytuskswereforsale,but,thepartiesnotunderstandingeachother’stalk,notradewasestablished;andwhenIpassedthespotsometimeafterward,Ifoundthatthewholeofthativoryhadbeendestroyedbyanaccidentalfire,whichbrokeoutinthevillagewhenallthepeoplewereabsent。
Successintradeisasmuchdependentonknowledgeofthelanguageassuccessintraveling。
Ihadbroughtwithmeaspresentsanimprovedbreedofgoats,fowls,andapairofcatsAsuperiorbullwasbought,alsoasagifttoSekeletu,butIwascompelledtoleaveitonaccountofitshavingbecomefoot-soreAstheMakololoareveryfondofimprovingthebreedoftheirdomesticanimals,theyweremuchpleasedwithmyselection。
Iendeavoredtobringthebull,inperformanceofapromisemadetoSebituanebeforehediedAdmiringacalfwhichwehadwithus,heproposedtogivemeacowforit,whichinthenativeestimationwasofferingthreetimesitsvalueIpresentedittohimatonce,andpromisedtobringhimanotherandabetteroneSekeletuwasmuchgratifiedbymyattempttokeepmywordgiventohisfather。
TheyhavetwobreedsofcattleamongthemOne,calledtheBatoka,becausecapturedfromthattribe,isofdiminutivesize,butverybeautiful,andcloselyresemblestheshort-hornsofourowncountryThelittlepairpresentedbytheKingofPortugaltoH。R。Htheprinceconsort,isofthisbreedTheyareverytame,andremarkablyplayful;
theymaybeseenlyingontheirsidesbythefiresintheevening;
and,whentheherdgoesout,theherdsmanoftenprecedesthem,andhasonlytocommencecaperingtosetthemallagamboling。
ThemeatissuperiortothatofthelargeanimalTheother,orBarotseox,ismuchlarger,andcomesfromthefertileBarotseValley。
Theystandhighontheirlegs,oftennearlysixfeetatthewithers;
andtheyhavelargehornsThoseofoneofasimilarbreedthatwebroughtfromthelakemeasuredfromtiptotipeightandahalffeet。
TheMakololoareinthehabitofshavingoffalittlefromonesideofthehornsoftheseanimalswhenstillgrowing,inordertomakethemcurveinthatdirectionandassumefantasticshapes。
Thestrangerthecurvature,themorehandsometheoxisconsideredtobe,andthelongerthisornamentofthecattle-penissparedtobeautifytheherd。
ThisisaveryancientcustominAfrica,forthetributarytribesofEthiopiaareseen,onsomeofthemostancientEgyptianmonuments,bringingcontorted-hornedcattleintoEgypt。
Allareremarkablyfondoftheircattle,andspendmuchtimeinornamentingandadorningthemSomearebrandedalloverwithahotknife,soastocauseapermanentdiscolorationofthehair,inlineslikethebandsonthehideofazebraPiecesofskintwoorthreeincheslongandbroadaredetached,andallowedtohealinadependentpositionaroundtheheadastrangestyleofornament;
indeed,itisdifficulttoconceiveinwhattheirnotionofbeautyconsists。
ThewomenhavesomewhatthesameideaswithourselvesofwhatconstitutescomelinessTheycamefrequentlyandaskedforthelooking-glass;
andtheremarkstheymadewhileIwasengagedinreading,andapparentlynotattendingtothemonfirstseeingthemselvestherein,wereamusinglyridiculous“Isthatme?”“WhatabigmouthIhave!”
“Myearsareasbigaspumpkin-leaves。”“Ihavenochinatall。”
Or,“Iwouldhavebeenpretty,butamspoiledbythesehighcheek-bones。”
“Seehowmyheadshootsupinthemiddle!”laughingvociferouslyallthetimeattheirownjokesTheyreadilyperceiveanydefectineachother,andgivenicknamesaccordinglyOnemancamealonetohaveaquietgazeathisownfeaturesonce,whenhethoughtIwasasleep;
aftertwistinghismouthaboutinvariousdirections,heremarkedtohimself,“PeoplesayIamugly,andhowveryuglyIamindeed!”
TheMakololousealltheskinsoftheiroxenformakingeithermantlesorshieldsFortheformer,thehideisstretchedoutbymeansofpegs,anddriedTenoradozenmenthencollectrounditwithsmalladzes,which,whensharpenedwithanironbodkin,arecapableofshavingoffthesubstanceoftheskinonthefleshysideuntilitisquitethin;whensufficientlythin,aquantityofbrainissmearedoverit,andsomethickmilkThenaninstrumentmadeofanumberofironspikestiedroundapieceofwood,sothatthepointsonlyprojectbeyondit,isappliedtoitinacardingfashion,untilthefibresofthebulkofitarequiteloose。
Milkorbutterisappliedtoitagain,anditformsagarmentnearlyassoftascloth。
Theshieldsaremadeofhidespartiallydriedinthesun,andthenbeatenwithhammersuntiltheyarestiffanddry。
Twobroadbeltsofadifferently-coloredskinaresewedintothemlongitudinally,andsticksinsertedtomakethemrigidandnotliabletobendeasilyTheshieldisagreatprotectionintheirwayoffightingwithspears,buttheyalsotrustlargelytotheiragilityinspringingasidefromthecomingjavelin。
TheshieldassistswhensomanyspearsarethrownthatitisimpossiblenottoreceivesomeofthemTheirspearsarelightjavelins;
and,judgingfromwhatIhaveseenthemdoinelephant-hunting,Ibelieve,whentheyhaveroomtomakearunanddischargethemwiththeaidofthejerkofstopping,theycanthrowthembetweenfortyandfiftyyardsTheygivethemanupwarddirectioninthedischarge,sothattheycomedownontheobjectwithacceleratedforce。
Isawamanwhoinbattlehadreceivedoneintheshin;
theexcitementofthemomentpreventedhisfeelinganypain;
but,whenthebattlewasover,thebladewasfoundtohavesplitthebone,andbecomesoimpactedinthecleftthatnoforcecouldextractit。
Itwasnecessarytotakeanaxeandpressthesplitboneasunderbeforetheweaponcouldbetakenout。
TheFeverItsSymptomsRemediesofthenativeDoctors
HospitalityofSekeletuandhisPeopleOneoftheirReasonsforPolygamyTheycultivatelargelyTheMakalakaorsubjectTribes
Sebituane’sPolicyrespectingthemTheirAffectionforhim
ProductsoftheSoilInstrumentofCultureTheTribute
DistributedbytheChiefAwarlikeDemonstration
Lechulatebe’sProvocationsTheMakololodeterminetopunishhim
TheBechuanasMeaningoftheTermThreeDivisionsofthegreatFamilyofSouthAfricans。
Onthe30thofMayIwasseizedwithfeverforthefirsttime。
WereachedthetownofLinyantionthe23d;andasmyhabitsweresuddenlychangedfromgreatexertiontocomparativeinactivity,atthecommencementofthecoldseasonIsufferedfromasevereattackofstoppageofthesecretions,closelyresemblingacommoncoldWarmbathsanddrinksrelievedme,andIhadnoideabutthatIwasnowrecoveringfromtheeffectsofachill,gotbyleavingthewarmwagonintheeveninginordertoconductfamilyworshipatmypeople’sfireButonthe2dofJunearelapseshowedtotheMakololo,whoknewthecomplaint,thatmyindispositionwasnootherthanthefever,withwhichIhavesincemadeamoreintimateacquaintanceColdeastwindsprevailatthistime;andastheycomeovertheextensiveflatsinundatedbytheChobe,aswellasmanyotherdistrictswherepoolsofrain-waterarenowdryingup,theymaybesupposedtobeloadedwithmalariaandwateryvapor,andmanycasesoffeverfollow。
Theusualsymptomsofstoppedsecretionaremanifested
shiveringandafeelingofcoldness,thoughtheskinisquitehottothetouchofanotherTheheatintheaxilla,overtheheartandregionofthestomach,wasinmycase100Deg。;butalongthespineandatthenapeoftheneck103DegTheinternalprocesseswereall,withtheexceptionofthekidneysandliver,stopped;
thelatter,initseffortstofreethebloodofnoxiousparticles,oftensecretesenormousquantitiesofbileTherewerepainsalongthespine,andfrontalheadacheAnxioustoascertainwhetherthenativespossessedtheknowledgeofanyremedyofwhichwewereignorant,IrequestedtheassistanceofoneofSekeletu’sdoctors。