butthemanemadetheirbodiesappearratherlarger。
ApartyofArabsfromZanzibarwereinthecountryatthistime。
SekeletuhadgonefromNalieletothetownofhismotherbeforewearrivedfromthenorth,butleftanoxforouruse,andinstructionsforustofollowhimthitherWecamedownabranchoftheLeeambyecalledMarile,whichdepartsfromthemainriverinlatitude15d15’43“S。,andisafinedeepstreamaboutsixtyyardswideItmakesthewholeofthecountryaroundNalieleanislandWhensleepingatavillageinthesamelatitudeasNalieletown,twooftheArabsmentionedmadetheirappearanceTheywerequiteasdarkastheMakololo,but,havingtheirheadsshaved,IcouldnotcomparetheirhairwiththatoftheinhabitantsofthecountryWhenwewereabouttoleavetheycametobidadieu,butIaskedthemtostayandhelpustoeatourox。
Astheyhadscruplesabouteatingananimalnotbloodedintheirownway,Igainedtheirgood-willbysayingIwasquiteoftheiropinionastogettingquitoftheblood,andgavethemtwolegsofananimalslaughteredbythemselvesTheyprofessedthegreatestdetestationofthePortuguese,“becausetheyeatpigs;“anddislikedtheEnglish,“becausetheythrashthemforsellingslaves。”Iwassilentaboutpork;
though,hadtheyseenmeatahippopotamustwodaysafterward,theywouldhavesetmedownasbeingasmuchahereticasanyofthatnation;
butIventuredtotellthemthatIagreedwiththeEnglish,thatitwasbettertoletthechildrengrowupandcomforttheirmotherswhentheybecameold,thantocarrythemawayandsellthemacrossthesea。
Thistheyneverattempttojustify;“theywantthemonlytocultivatetheland,andtakecareofthemastheirchildren。”
Itisthesameoldstory,justifyingamonstrouswrongonpretenseoftakingcareofthosedegradedportionsofhumanitywhichcannottakecareofthemselves;doingevilthatgoodmaycome。
TheseArabs,orMoors,couldreadandwritetheirownlanguagereadily;
and,whenspeakingaboutourSavior,Iadmiredtheboldnesswithwhichtheyinformedme“thatChristwasaverygoodprophet,butMohammedwasfargreater。”Andwithrespecttotheirloathingofpork,itmayhavesomefoundationintheirnature;forIhaveknownBechuanas,whohadnoprejudiceagainstthewildanimal,andatethetamewithoutscruple,yet,unconsciousofanycauseofdisgust,vomititagain。
TheBechuanassouthofthelakehaveaprejudiceagainsteatingfish,andallegeadisgusttoeatinganythinglikeaserpent。
Thismayarisefromtheremnantsofserpent-worshipfloatingintheirminds,as,inadditiontothishorrorofeatingsuchanimals,theysometimesrenderasortofobeisancetolivingserpentsbyclappingtheirhandstothem,andrefusingtodestroythereptiles;butinthecaseofthehogtheyareconsciousofnosuperstitiousfeeling。
HavingpartedwithourArabfriends,weproceededdowntheMariletillwere-enteredtheLeeambye,andwenttothetownofMa-SekeletumotherofSekeletu,oppositetheislandofLoyelaSekeletuhadalwayssuppliedmemostliberallywithfood,and,assoonasIarrived,presentedmewithapotofboiledmeat,whilehismotherhandedmealargejarofbutter,ofwhichtheymakegreatquantitiesforthepurposeofanointingtheirbodiesHehadhimselfsometimesfeltthebenefitofmywayofputtingasideaquantityofthemeatafterameal,andhadnowfollowedmyexamplebyorderingsometobekeptforme。
Accordingtotheirhabits,everyparticleofanoxisdevouredatonemeal;
andasthechiefcannot,withoutadeviationfromtheircustoms,eatalone,heisoftencompelledtosufferseverelyfromhungerbeforeanothermealisreadyWehenceforthalwaysworkedintoeachother’shandsbysavingalittleforeachother;andwhensomeofthesticklersforuseandcustomgrumbled,Iadvisedthemtoeatlikemen,andnotlikevultures。
AsthiswasthefirstvisitwhichSekeletuhadpaidtothispartofhisdominions,itwastomanyaseasonofgreatjoy。
Theheadmenofeachvillagepresentedoxen,milk,andbeer,morethanthehordewhichaccompaniedhimcoulddevour,thoughtheirabilitiesinthatlinearesomethingwonderful。
ThepeopleusuallyshowtheirjoyandworkofftheirexcitementindancesandsongsThedanceconsistsofthemenstandingnearlynakedinacircle,withclubsorsmallbattle-axesintheirhands,andeachroaringattheloudestpitchofhisvoice,whiletheysimultaneouslyliftoneleg,stampheavilytwicewithit,thenlifttheotherandgiveonestampwiththat;thisistheonlymovementincommon。
Thearmsandheadareoftenthrownaboutalsoineverydirection;
andallthistimetheroaringiskeptupwiththeutmostpossiblevigor;
thecontinuedstampingmakesacloudofdustascend,andtheyleaveadeepringinthegroundwheretheystoodIfthescenewerewitnessedinalunaticasylumitwouldbenothingoutoftheway,andquiteappropriateeven,asameansoflettingofftheexcessiveexcitementofthebrain;butheregray-headedmenjoinedintheperformancewithasmuchzestasotherswhoseyouthmightbeanexcuseformakingtheperspirationstreamofftheirbodieswiththeexertionMotibeaskedwhatIthoughtoftheMakololodance。
Ireplied,“Itisveryhardwork,andbringsbutsmallprofit。”
“Itis。”repliedhe,“butitisverynice,andSekeletuwillgiveusanoxfordancingforhim。”Heusuallydoesslaughteranoxforthedancerswhentheworkisover。
Thewomenstandby,clappingtheirhands,andoccasionallyoneadvancesintothecircle,composedofahundredmen,makesafewmovements,andthenretiresAsInevertriedit,andamunabletoenterintothespiritofthething,IcannotrecommendtheMakololopolkatothedancingworld,butIhavetheauthorityofnolessapersonthanMotibe,Sekeletu’sfather-in-law,forsaying“itisverynice。”
TheyoftenaskedifwhitepeopleeverdancedIthoughtofthediseasecalledStVitus’sdance,butcouldnotsaythatallourdancerswereaffectedbyit,andgaveananswerwhich,Ioughttobeashamedtoown,didnotraisesomeofouryoungcountrywomenintheestimationoftheMakololo。
AsSekeletuhadbeenwaitingformeathismother’s,weleftthetownassoonasIarrived,andproceededdowntheriverOurspeedwiththestreamwasverygreat,forinonedaywewentfromLitofetoGonye,adistanceofforty-fourmilesoflatitude;andifweaddtothisthewindingsoftheriver,inlongitudethedistancewillnotbemuchlessthansixtygeographicalmilesAtthisratewesoonreachedSesheke,andthenthetownofLinyanti。
Ihadbeen,duringanineweeks’tour,inclosercontactwithheathenismthanIhadeverbeenbefore;andthoughall,includingthechief,wereaskindandattentivetomeaspossible,andtherewasnowantoffoodoxenbeingslaughtereddaily,sometimestenatatime,morethansufficientforthewantsofall,yettoendurethedancing,roaring,andsinging,thejesting,anecdotes,grumbling,quarreling,andmurderingofthesechildrenofnature,seemedmorelikeaseverepenancethananythingIhadbeforemetwithinthecourseofmymissionaryduties。
ItookthenceamoreintensedisgustatheathenismthanIhadbefore,andformedagreatlyelevatedopinionofthelatenteffectsofmissionsinthesouth,amongtribeswhicharereportedtohavebeenassavageastheMakololoTheindirectbenefitswhich,toacasualobserver,liebeneaththesurfaceandareinappreciable,inreferencetotheprobablewidediffusionofChristianityatsomefuturetime,areworthallthemoneyandlaborthathavebeenexpendedtoproducethem。
Chapter13。
PreliminaryArrangementsfortheJourneyAPichoTwenty-sevenMenappointedtoaccompanymetotheWestEagernessoftheMakololofordirectTradewiththeCoastEffectsofFeverAMakololoQuestionThelostJournalReflectionsTheOutfitfortheJourney
11thNovember,1853,leaveLinyanti,andembarkontheChobe
DangerousHippopotamiBanksofChobeTreesTheCourseoftheRiverTheIslandMpariaattheConfluenceoftheChobeandtheLeeambye
AnecdoteAscendtheLeeambyeAMakalakaMotherdefiestheAuthorityoftheMakololoHeadManatSeshekePunishmentofThieves
ObservanceofthenewMoonPublicAddressesatSesheke
AttentionofthePeopleResultsProceeduptheRiver
TheFruitwhichyields`Nuxvomica’OtherFruitsTheRapids
BirdsFishHippopotamiandtheirYoung。
Linyanti,SEPTEMBER,1853TheobjectproposedtotheMakololoseemedsodesirablethatitwasresolvedtoproceedwithitassoonasthecoolinginfluenceoftherainsshouldbefeltinNovember。
ThelongitudeandlatitudeofLinyantilat18d17’20“S。,long23d50’9“E。showedthatStPhilipdeBenguelawasmuchnearertousthanLoanda;andImighthaveeasilymadearrangementswiththeMambaritoallowmetoaccompanythemasfarasBihe,whichisontheroadtothatport;butitissoundesirabletotravelinapathoncetroddenbyslave-tradersthatIpreferredtofindoutanotherlineofmarch。
Accordingly,menweresentatmysuggestiontoexamineallthecountrytothewest,toseeifanybeltofcountryfreefromtsetsecouldbefoundtoaffordusanoutletThesearchwasfruitless。
ThetownanddistrictofLinyantiaresurroundedbyforestsinfestedbythispoisonousinsect,exceptatafewpoints,asthatbywhichweenteredatSanshurehandanotheratSesheke。
ButthelandsbotheastandwestoftheBarotsevalleyarefreefromthisinsectplagueThere,however,theslave-tradehaddefiledthepath,andnooneoughttofollowinitswakeunlesswellarmed。
TheMambarihadinformedmethatmanyEnglishlivedatLoanda,soIpreparedtogothitherTheprospectofmeetingwithcountrymenseemedtooverbalancethetoilsofthelongermarch。
A“picho“wascalledtodeliberateonthestepsproposed。
Intheseassembliesgreatfreedomofspeechisallowed;andonthisoccasiononeoftheolddivinerssaid,“Whereishetakingyouto?
ThiswhitemanisthrowingyouawayYourgarmentsalreadysmellofblood。”
ItiscurioustoobservehowmuchidentityofcharacterappearsallovertheworldThismanwasanotedcroakerHealwaysdreamedsomethingdreadfulineveryexpedition,andwascertainthataneclipseorcometbetokenedtheproprietyofflight。
ButSebituaneformerlysethisvisionsdowntocowardice,andSekeletuonlylaughedathimnowThegeneralvoicewasinmyfavor;
soabandoftwenty-sevenwereappointedtoaccompanymetothewest。
Thesemenwerenothired,butsenttoenablemetoaccomplishanobjectasmuchdesiredbythechiefandmostofhispeopleasbyme。
Theywereeagertoobtainfreeandprofitabletradewithwhitemen。
ThepriceswhichtheCapemerchantscouldgive,afterdefrayingthegreatexpensesofalongjourneyhither,beingverysmall,madeitscarceworthwhileforthenativestocollectproduceforthatmarket;
andtheMambari,givingonlyafewbitsofprintandbaizeforelephants’tusksworthmorepoundsthantheygaveyardsofcloth,hadproducedthebeliefthattradewiththemwasthrowingivoryaway。
ThedesireoftheMakololofordirecttradewiththesea-coastcoincidedexactlywithmyownconvictionthatnopermanentelevationofapeoplecanbeeffectedwithoutcommerce。
Neithercouldtherebeapermanentmissionhere,unlessthemissionariesshoulddescendtotheleveloftheMakololo,forevenatKolobengwefoundthattradersdemandedthreeorfourtimesthepriceofthearticlesweneeded,andexpectedustobegratefultothembesidesforlettingushavethematall。
ThethreemenwhomIhadbroughtfromKurumanhadfrequentrelapsesofthefever;so,findingthatinsteadofservingmeIhadtowaitonthem,IdecidedthattheyshouldreturntothesouthwithFlemingassoonashehadfinishedhistradingIwasthenentirelydependentonmytwenty-sevenmen,whomImightnameZambesians,forthereweretwoMakololoonly,whiletherestconsistedofBarotse,Batoka,Bashubia,andtwooftheAmbonda。
Thefeverhadcausedconsiderableweaknessinmyownframe,andastrangegiddinesswhenIlookedupsuddenlytoanycelestialobject,foreverythingseemedtorushtotheleft,andifIdidnotcatchholdofsomeobject,Ifellheavilyontheground:somethingresemblingagushofbilealongtheductfromthelivercausedthesamefittooccuratnight,wheneverIturnedsuddenlyround。
TheMakololonowputthequestion,“Intheeventofyourdeath,willnotthewhitepeopleblameusforhavingallowedyoutogoawayintoanunhealthy,unknowncountryofenemies?”Irepliedthatnoneofmyfriendswouldblamethem,becauseIwouldleaveabookwithSekeletu,tobesenttoMrMoffatincaseIdidnotreturn,whichwouldexplaintohimallthathadhappeneduntilthetimeofmydeparture。