Thesepeoplearemoresuperstitiousthananywehadyetencountered;
thoughstillonlybuildingtheirvillage,theyhadfoundtimetoerecttwolittleshedsatthechiefdwellinginit,inwhichwereplacedtwopotshavingcharmsinthemWhenaskedwhatmedicinetheycontained,theyreplied,“MedicinefortheBarimo;“butwhenIroseandlookedintothem,theysaidtheyweremedicineforthegameHerewesawthefirstevidenceoftheexistenceofidolatryintheremainsofanoldidolatadesertedvillageItwassimplyahumanheadcarvedonablockofwood。
Certaincharmsmixedwithredochreandwhitepipe-clayaredottedoverthemwhentheyareinuse;andacrookedstickisusedinthesamewayforanidolwhentheyhavenoprofessionalcarver。
AstheLeebaseemedstilltocomefromthedirectioninwhichwewishedtogo,Iwasdesirousofproceedingfartherupwiththecanoes;
butNyamoanawasanxiousthatweshouldallowherpeopletoconductustoherbrotherShinte;andwhenIexplainedtheadvantageofwater-carriage,sherepresentedthatherbrotherdidnotliveneartheriver,and,moreover,therewasacataractinfront,overwhichitwouldbedifficulttoconveythecanoesShewasafraid,too,thattheBalobale,whosecountryliestothewestoftheriver,notknowingtheobjectsforwhichwehadcome,wouldkillus。
TomyreplythatIhadbeensooftenthreatenedwithdeathifIvisitedanewtribethatIwasnowmoreafraidofkillinganyonethanofbeingkilled,sherejoinedthattheBalobalewouldnotkillme,buttheMakololowouldallbesacrificedastheirenemies。
Thisproducedconsiderableeffectonmycompanions,andinclinedthemtotheplanofNyamoana,ofgoingtothetownofherbrotherratherthanascendingtheLeebaThearrivalofManenkoherselfonthescenethrewsomuchweightintothescaleontheirsidethatIwasforcedtoyieldthepoint。
Manenkowasatall,strappingwomanabouttwenty,distinguishedbyaprofusionofornamentsandmedicineshungroundherperson;
thelatteraresupposedtoactascharmsHerbodywassmearedalloverwithamixtureoffatandredochre,asaprotectionagainsttheweather;
anecessaryprecaution,for,likemostoftheBalondaladies,shewasotherwiseinastateoffrightfulnudityThiswasnotfromwantofclothing,for,beingachief,shemighthavebeenaswellcladasanyofhersubjects,butfromherpeculiarideasofeleganceindress。
Whenshearrivedwithherhusband,Sambanza,theylistenedforsometimetothestatementsIwasmakingtothepeopleofNyamoana,afterwhichthehusband,actingasspokesman,commencedanoration,statingthereasonsfortheircoming,and,duringeverytwoorthreesecondsofthedelivery,hepickedupalittlesand,andrubbeditontheupperpartofhisarmsandchestThisisacommonmodeofsalutationinLonda;
andwhentheywishtobeexcessivelypolite,theybringaquantityofashesorpipe-clayinapieceofskin,and,takinguphandfuls,rubitonthechestandupperfrontpartofeacharm;others,insaluting,drumtheirribswiththeirelbows;whileothersstilltouchthegroundwithonecheekaftertheother,andclaptheirhandsThechiefsgothroughthemanoeuvreofrubbingthesandonthearms,butonlymakeafeintatpickingupsomeWhenSambanzahadfinishedhisoration,heroseup,andshowedhisanklesornamentedwithabundleofcopperrings;
hadtheybeenveryheavy,theywouldhavemadehimadoptastragglingwalk。
Somechiefshavereallysomanyastobeforced,bytheweightandsize,tokeeponefootapartfromtheother,theweightbeingaseriousinconvenienceinwalkingThegentlemenlikeSambanza,whowishtoimitatetheirbetters,dosointheirwalk;
soyouseemen,withonlyafewouncesofornamentontheirlegs,struttingalongasiftheyhaddoublethenumberofpounds。
WhenIsmiledatSambanza’swalk,thepeopleremarked,“Thatisthewayinwhichtheyshowofftheirlordshipintheseparts。”
ManenkowasquitedecidedintheadoptionofthepolicyoffriendshipwiththeMakololowhichwerecommended;and,bywayofcementingthebond,sheandhercounselorsproposedthatKolimbotashouldtakeawifeamongthem。
Bythisexpedientshehopedtosecurehisfriendship,andalsoaccurateinformationastothefutureintentionsoftheMakololo。
ShethoughtthathewouldvisittheBalondamorefrequentlyafterward,havingthegoodexcuseofgoingtoseehiswife;andtheMakololowouldnever,ofcourse,killthevillagersamongwhomsoneararelativeofoneoftheirownchildrendwells。
Kolimbota,Ifound,thoughtfavorablyoftheproposition,anditafterwardledtohisdesertionfromus。
OntheeveningofthedayinwhichManenkoarrived,weweredelightedbytheappearanceofMosantuandanimposingembassyfromMasiko。
Itconsistedofallhisunder-chiefs,andtheybroughtafineelephant’stusk,twocalabashesofhoney,andalargepieceofbluebaize,asapresent。
Thelastwasintendedperhapstoshowmethathewasatrulygreatchief,whohadsuchstoresofwhitemen’sgoodsathandthathecouldaffordtogivepresentsofthem;itmightalsobeintendedforMosantu,forchiefsusuallyremembertheservants;Igaveittohim。
Masikoexpresseddelight,byhisprincipalmen,atthereturnofthecaptives,andattheproposalofpeaceandalliancewiththeMakololo。
HestatedthatheneversoldanyofhisownpeopletotheMambari,butonlycaptiveswhomhispeoplekidnappedfromsmallneighboringtribes。
WhenthequestionwasputwhetherhispeoplehadbeeninthehabitofmolestingtheMakololobykidnappingtheirservantsandstealingcanoes,itwasadmittedthattwoofhismen,whenhunting,hadgonetotheMakolologardens,toseeifanyoftheirrelativeswerethere。
Asthegreatobjectinallnativedisputesistogetbothpartiestoturnoveranewleaf,Iexplainedthedesirablenessofforgettingpastfeuds,acceptingthepresentMakololoprofessionsasgenuine,andavoidinginfuturetogivethemanycauseformaraudingIpresentedMasikowithanox,furnishedbySekeletuasprovisionforourselvesAllthesepeopleareexcessivelyfondofbeefandbutter,fromhavingbeenaccustomedtothemintheiryouth,beforetheMakololodeprivedthemofcattle。
Theyhaveabundanceofgame,butIamquiteoftheiropinionthat,afterall,thereisnaughtintheworldequaltoroastbeef,andthatintheirloveforittheEnglishshowbothgoodtasteandsoundsense。
TheoxwasintendedforMasiko,buthismenwereveryanxioustogetmysanctionforslaughteringitonthespotIrepliedthatwhenitwentoutofmyhandsIhadnomoretodowithit。
They,however,wishedtheresponsibilityofslaughteringittorestwithme;
ifIhadsaidtheymightkillit,notmanyounceswouldhaveremainedinthemorningIwouldhavegivenpermission,buthadnothingelsetoofferinreturnforMasiko’sgenerosity。
WewerenowwithoutanyprovisionsexceptasmalldoleofmaniocrootseacheveningfromNyamoana,which,wheneatenraw,producepoisonouseffects。
Asmallloaf,madefromnearlythelastmorselofmaize-mealfromLibonta,wasmystock,andourfriendsfromMasikowerestillmoredestitute;
yetweallrejoicedsomuchattheirarrivalthatweresolvedtospendadaywiththemTheBarotseofourparty,meetingwithrelativesandfriendsamongtheBarotseofMasiko,hadmanyoldtalestotell;
and,afterpleasanthungryconversebyday,weregaledourfriendswiththemagiclanternbynight,and,inordertomakethethingofusetoall,weremovedourcampuptothevillageofNyamoanaThisisagoodmeansofarrestingtheattention,andconveyingimportantfactstothemindsofthesepeople。
Whenerectingourshedsatthevillage,ManenkofelluponourfriendsfromMasikoinawaythatleftnodoubtonourmindsbutthatsheisamostaccomplishedscoldMasikohad,onaformeroccasion,senttoSamoanaforacloth,acommonwayofkeepingupintercourse,and,afterreceivingit,sentitback,becauseithadtheappearanceofhavinghad“witchcraftmedicine“onit;thiswasagraveoffense,andnowManenkohadagoodexcuseforventingherspleen,theembassadorshavingcalledathervillage,andsleptinoneofthehutswithoutleaveIfherfamilywastobesuspectedofdealinginevilcharms,whywereMasiko’speoplenottobethoughtguiltyofleavingthesameinherhut?Sheadvancedandrecededintrueoratoricalstyle,belaboringherownservantsaswellforallowingtheoffense,and,asusualinmorecivilizedfemininelectures,sheleanedovertheobjectsofherire,andscreamedforthalltheirfaultsandfailingseversincetheywereborn,andherdespairofeverseeingthembecomebetter,untiltheywereall“killedbyalligators“Masiko’speoplefollowedtheplanofreceivingthistorrentofabuseinsilence,and,asneitherwenortheyhadanythingtoeat,wepartednextmorning。
InreferencetoMasikosellingslavestotheMambari,theypromisedtoexplaintherelationshipwhichexistsbetweeneventhemostabjectofhispeopleandourcommonFather;andthatnomorekidnappingoughttobeallowed,asheoughttogivethatpeaceandsecuritytothesmallertribesonhiseasternborderswhichhesomuchdesiredtoobtainhimselffromtheMakololoWepromisedtoreturnthroughhistownwhenwecamebackfromthesea-coast。
Manenkogaveussomemaniocrootsinthemorning,andhaddeterminedtocarryourbaggagetoheruncle’s,KabompoorShinte。
Wehadheardasampleofwhatshecoulddowithhertongue;
andasneithermymennormyselfhadmuchinclinationtoencounterascoldingfromthisblackMrsCaudle,wemadereadythepackages;
butshecameandsaidthemenwhomshehadorderedfortheservicehadnotyetcome;theywouldarriveto-morrowBeingonlowanddisagreeablediet,Ifeltannoyedatthisfurtherdelay,andorderedthepackagestobeputintothecanoestoproceeduptheriverwithoutherservants;
butManenkowasnottobecircumventedinthisway;shecameforwardwithherpeople,andsaidherunclewouldbeangryifshedidnotcarryforwardthetusksandgoodsofSekeletu,seizedtheluggage,anddeclaredthatshewouldcarryitinspiteofmeMymensuccumbedsoonertothispetticoatgovernmentthanIfeltinclinedtodo,andleftmenopower;
and,beingunwillingtoencounterhertongue,Iwasmovingofftothecanoes,whenshegavemeakindexplanation,and,withherhandonmyshoulder,putonamotherlylook,saying,“Now,mylittleman,justdoastheresthavedone。”Myfeelingsofannoyanceofcoursevanished,andIwentouttotryandgetsomemeat。
TheonlygametobefoundinthesepartsaretheZEBRA,theKUALATAortahetsi`Aigocerosequina’,kama`Bubaluscaama’,buffaloes,andthesmallantelopehakitenwe`Philantomba’。
Theanimalscanbeseenhereonlybyfollowingontheirtrailformanymiles。
Urgedonbyhunger,wefollowedthatofsomezebrasduringthegreaterpartoftheday:whenwithinfiftyyardsofthem,inadensethicket,Imadesureofone,but,tomyinfinitedisgust,thegunmissedfire,andofftheyboundedTheclimateissoverydamp,fromdailyheavyrains,thateverythingbecomesloadedwithmoisture,andthepowderinthegun-nipplescannotbekeptdryItiscurioustomarktheintelligenceofthegame;indistrictswheretheyaremuchannoyedbyfire-arms,theykeepoutonthemostopenspotsofcountrytheycanfind,inordertohaveawidely-extendedrangeofvision,andamanarmediscarefullyshunnedFromthefrequencywithwhichIhavebeenallowedtoapproachnearerwithoutthanwithagun,IbelievetheyknowthedifferencebetweensafetyanddangerinthetwocasesButhere,wheretheyarekilledbythearrowsoftheBalonda,theyselectforsafetythedensestforest,wherethearrowcannotbeeasilyshot。
Thevariationintheselectionofstanding-spotsduringthedaymay,however,beowingpartlytothegreaterheatofthesun,forhereitisparticularlysharpandpenetratingHoweveraccountedfor,thewildanimalsheredoselecttheforestsbyday,whilethosefarthersouthgenerallyshunthesecovers,and,onseveraloccasions,Ihaveobservedtherewasnosunshinetocausethemtoseekforshade。