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diff --git a/2519.txt b/2519.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..373499e --- /dev/null +++ b/2519.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12198 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Popular Account of Dr. Livingstone's +Expedition to the Zambesi and Its Tributaries, by David Livingstone + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: A Popular Account of Dr. Livingstone's Expedition to the Zambesi and Its Tributaries + And of the Discovery of the Lakes Shirwa and Nyassa (1858-1864) + + +Author: David Livingstone + +Release Date: May 13, 2005 [eBook #2519] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A POPULAR ACCOUNT OF DR. +LIVINGSTONE'S EXPEDITION TO THE ZAMBESI AND ITS TRIBUTARIES*** + + + + + + +Transcribed from the 1894 John Murray edition by David Price, email +ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + + + + + +A POPULAR ACCOUNT OF +DR. LIVINGSTONE'S EXPEDITION TO THE ZAMBESI AND ITS TRIBUTARIES: +AND THE DISCOVERY OF LAKES SHIRWA AND NYASSA +1858-1864 + + +TO THE RIGHT HON. LORD PALMERSTON, +K.G., G.C.B. + +My Lord, + +I beg leave to dedicate this Volume to your Lordship, as a tribute justly +due to the great Statesman who has ever had at heart the amelioration of +the African race; and as a token of admiration of the beneficial effects +of that policy which he has so long laboured to establish on the West +Coast of Africa; and which, in improving that region, has most forcibly +shown the need of some similar system on the opposite side of the +Continent. + +DAVID LIVINGSTONE. + + + + +NOTICE TO THIS WORK. + + +The name of the late Mr. Charles Livingstone takes a prominent place +amongst those who acted under the leadership of Dr. Livingstone during +the adventurous sojourn of the "Zambesi Expedition" in East Africa. In +laying the result of their discoveries before the public, it was arranged +that Mr. Charles Livingstone should place his voluminous notes at the +disposal of his brother: they are incorporated in the present work, but +in a necessarily abridged form. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +It has been my object in this work to give as clear an account as I was +able of tracts of country previously unexplored, with their river +systems, natural productions, and capabilities; and to bring before my +countrymen, and all others interested in the cause of humanity, the +misery entailed by the slave-trade in its inland phases; a subject on +which I and my companions are the first who have had any opportunities of +forming a judgment. The eight years spent in Africa, since my last work +was published, have not, I fear, improved my power of writing English; +but I hope that, whatever my descriptions want in clearness, or literary +skill, may in a measure be compensated by the novelty of the scenes +described, and the additional information afforded on that curse of +Africa, and that shame, even now, in the 19th century, of an European +nation,--the slave-trade. + +I took the "Lady Nyassa" to Bombay for the express purpose of selling +her, and might without any difficulty have done so; but with the thought +of parting with her arose, more strongly than ever, the feeling of +disinclination to abandon the East Coast of Africa to the Portuguese and +slave-trading, and I determined to run home and consult my friends before +I allowed the little vessel to pass from my hands. After, therefore, +having put two Ajawa lads, Chuma and Wakatani, to school under the +eminent missionary the Rev. Dr. Wilson, and having provided +satisfactorily for the native crew, I started homewards with the three +white sailors, and reached London July 20th, 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Webb, my +much-loved friends, wrote to Bombay inviting me, in the event of my +coming to England, to make Newstead Abbey my headquarters, and on my +arrival renewed their invitation: and though, when I accepted it, I had +no intention of remaining so long with my kind-hearted generous friends, +I stayed with them until April, 1865, and under their roof transcribed +from my own and my brother's journal the whole of this present book. It +is with heartfelt gratitude I would record their unwearied kindness. My +acquaintance with Mr. Webb began in Africa, where he was a daring and +successful hunter, and his continued friendship is most valuable because +he has seen missionary work, and he would not accord his respect and +esteem to me had he not believed that I, and my brethren also, were to be +looked on as honest men earnestly trying to do our duty. + +The Government have supported the proposal of the Royal Geographical +Society made by my friend Sir Roderick Murchison, and have united with +that body to aid me in another attempt to open Africa to civilizing +influences, and a valued private friend has given a thousand pounds for +the same object. I propose to go inland, north of the territory which +the Portuguese in Europe claim, and endeavour to commence that system on +the East which has been so eminently successful on the West Coast; a +system combining the repressive efforts of H.M. cruisers with lawful +trade and Christian Missions--the moral and material results of which +have been so gratifying. I hope to ascend the Rovuma, or some other +river North of Cape Delgado, and, in addition to my other work, shall +strive, by passing along the Northern end of Lake Nyassa and round the +Southern end of Lake Tanganyika, to ascertain the watershed of that part +of Africa. In so doing, I have no wish to unsettle what with so much +toil and danger was accomplished by Speke and Grant, but rather to +confirm their illustrious discoveries. + +I have to acknowledge the obliging readiness of Lord Russell in lending +me the drawings taken by the artist who was in the first instance +attached to the Expedition. These sketches, with photographs by Charles +Livingstone and Dr. Kirk, have materially assisted in the illustrations. +I would also very sincerely thank my friends Professor Owen and Mr. +Oswell for many valuable hints and other aid in the preparation of this +volume. + +Newstead Abbey, + +April 16, 1865. + + + + +THE ZAMBESI AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +Objects of the Expedition--Personal Interest shown by Naval +Authorities--Members of the Zambesi Expedition. + +When first I determined on publishing the narrative of my "Missionary +Travels," I had a great misgiving as to whether the criticism my +endeavours might provoke would be friendly or the reverse, more +particularly as I felt that I had then been so long a sojourner in the +wilderness, as to be quite a stranger to the British public. But I am +now in this, my second essay at authorship, cheered by the conviction +that very many readers, who are personally unknown to me, will receive +this narrative with the kindly consideration and allowances of friends; +and that many more, under the genial influences of an innate love of +liberty, and of a desire to see the same social and religious blessings +they themselves enjoy, disseminated throughout the world, will sympathize +with me in the efforts by which I have striven, however imperfectly, to +elevate the position and character of our fellow-men in Africa. This +knowledge makes me doubly anxious to render my narrative acceptable to +all my readers; but, in the absence of any excellence in literary +composition, the natural consequence of my pursuits, I have to offer only +a simple account of a mission which, with respect to the objects proposed +to be thereby accomplished, formed a noble contrast to some of the +earlier expeditions to Eastern Africa. I believe that the information it +will give, respecting the people visited and the countries traversed, +will not be materially gainsaid by any future commonplace traveller like +myself, who may be blest with fair health and a gleam of sunshine in his +breast. This account is written in the earnest hope that it may +contribute to that information which will yet cause the great and fertile +continent of Africa to be no longer kept wantonly sealed, but made +available as the scene of European enterprise, and will enable its people +to take a place among the nations of the earth, thus securing the +happiness and prosperity of tribes now sunk in barbarism or debased by +slavery; and, above all, I cherish the hope that it may lead to the +introduction of the blessings of the Gospel. + +In order that the following narrative may be clearly understood, it is +necessary to call to mind some things which took place previous to the +Zambesi Expedition being sent out. Most geographers are aware that, +before the discovery of Lake Ngami and the well-watered country in which +the Makololo dwell, the idea prevailed that a large part of the interior +of Africa consisted of sandy deserts, into which rivers ran and were +lost. During my journey in 1852-6, from sea to sea, across the south +intertropical part of the continent, it was found to be a well-watered +country, with large tracts of fine fertile soil covered with forest, and +beautiful grassy valleys, occupied by a considerable population; and one +of the most wonderful waterfalls in the world was brought to light. The +peculiar form of the continent was then ascertained to be an elevated +plateau, somewhat depressed in the centre, and with fissures in the sides +by which the rivers escaped to the sea; and this great fact in physical +geography can never be referred to without calling to mind the remarkable +hypothesis by which the distinguished President of the Royal Geographical +Society (Sir Roderick I. Murchison) clearly indicated this peculiarity, +before it was verified by actual observation of the altitudes of the +country and by the courses of the rivers. New light was thrown on other +portions of the continent by the famous travels of Dr. Barth, by the +researches of the Church of England missionaries Krapf, Erkhardt, and +Rebman, by the persevering efforts of Dr. Baikie, the last martyr to the +climate and English enterprise, by the journey of Francis Galton, and by +the most interesting discoveries of Lakes Tanganyika and Victoria Nyanza +by Captain Burton, and by Captain Speke, whose untimely end we all so +deeply deplore. Then followed the researches of Van der Decken, +Thornton, and others; and last of all the grand discovery of the main +source of the Nile, which every Englishman must feel an honest pride in +knowing was accomplished by our gallant countrymen, Speke and Grant. The +fabulous torrid zone, of parched and burning sand, was now proved to be a +well-watered region resembling North America in its fresh-water lakes, +and India in its hot humid lowlands, jungles, ghauts, and cool highland +plains. + +The main object of this Zambesi Expedition, as our instructions from Her +Majesty's Government explicitly stated, was to extend the knowledge +already attained of the geography and mineral and agricultural resources +of Eastern and Central Africa--to improve our acquaintance with the +inhabitants, and to endeavour to engage them to apply themselves to +industrial pursuits and to the cultivation of their lands, with a view to +the production of raw material to be exported to England in return for +British manufactures; and it was hoped that, by encouraging the natives +to occupy themselves in the development of the resources of the country, +a considerable advance might be made towards the extinction of the slave- +trade, as they would not be long in discovering that the former would +eventually be a more certain source of profit than the latter. The +Expedition was sent in accordance with the settled policy of the English +Government; and the Earl of Clarendon, being then at the head of the +Foreign Office, the Mission was organized under his immediate care. When +a change of Government ensued, we experienced the same generous +countenance and sympathy from the Earl of Malmesbury, as we had +previously received from Lord Clarendon; and, on the accession of Earl +Russell to the high office he has so long filled, we were always favoured +with equally ready attention and the same prompt assistance. Thus the +conviction was produced that our work embodied the principles, not of any +one party, but of the hearts of the statesmen and of the people of +England generally. The Expedition owes great obligations to the Lords of +the Admiralty for their unvarying readiness to render us every assistance +in their power; and to the warm-hearted and ever-obliging hydrographer to +the Admiralty, the late Admiral Washington, as a subordinate, but most +effective agent, our heartfelt gratitude is also due; and we must ever +thankfully acknowledge that our efficiency was mainly due to the kind +services of Admirals Sir Frederick Grey, Sir Baldwin Walker, and all the +naval officers serving under them on the East Coast. Nor must I omit to +record our obligations to Mr. Skead, R.N. The Luawe was carefully +sounded and surveyed by this officer, whose skilful and zealous labours, +both on that river, and afterwards on the Lower Zambesi, were deserving +of all praise. + +In speaking of what has been done by the Expedition, it should always be +understood that Dr. Kirk, Mr. Charles Livingstone, Mr. R. Thornton, and +others composed it. In using the plural number they are meant, and I +wish to bear testimony to the untiring zeal, energy, courage, and +perseverance with which my companions laboured; undaunted by +difficulties, dangers, or hard fare. It is my firm belief that, were +their services required in any other capacity, they might be implicitly +relied on to perform their duty like men. The reason why Dr. Kirk's name +does not appear on the title-page of this narrative is, because it is +hoped that he may give an account of the botany and natural history of +the Expedition in a separate work from his own pen. He collected above +four thousand species of plants, specimens of most of the valuable woods, +of the different native manufactures, of the articles of food, and of the +different kinds of cotton from every spot we visited, and a great variety +of birds and insects; besides making meteorological observations, and +affording, as our instructions required, medical assistance to the +natives in every case where he could be of any use. + +Charles Livingstone was also fully occupied in his duties in following +out the general objects of our mission, in encouraging the culture of +cotton, in making many magnetic and meteorological observations, in +photographing so long as the materials would serve, and in collecting a +large number of birds, insects, and other objects of interest. The +collections, being Government property, have been forwarded to the +British Museum, and to the Royal Botanic, Gardens at Kew; and should Dr. +Kirk undertake their description, three or four years will be required +for the purpose. + +Though collections were made, it was always distinctly understood that, +however desirable these and our explorations might be, "Her Majesty's +Government attached more importance to the moral influence that might be +exerted on the minds of the natives by a well-regulated and orderly +household of Europeans setting an example of consistent moral conduct to +all who might witness it; treating the people with kindness, and +relieving their wants, teaching them to make experiments in agriculture, +explaining to them the more simple arts, imparting to them religious +instruction as far as they are capable of receiving it, and inculcating +peace and good will to each other." + +It would be tiresome to enumerate in detail all the little acts which +were performed by us while following out our instructions. As a rule, +whenever the steamer stopped to take in wood, or for any other purpose, +Dr. Kirk and Charles Livingstone went ashore to their duties: one of our +party, who it was intended should navigate the vessel and lay down the +geographical positions, having failed to answer the expectations formed +of him, these duties fell chiefly to my share. They involved a +considerable amount of night work, in which I was always cheerfully aided +by my companions, and the results were regularly communicated to our warm +and ever-ready friend, Sir Thomas Maclear of the Royal Observatory, Cape +of Good Hope. While this work was going through the press, we were +favoured with the longitudes of several stations determined from observed +occultations of stars by the moon, and from eclipses and reappearances of +Jupiter's satellites, by Mr. Mann, the able Assistant to the Cape +Astronomer Royal; the lunars are still in the hands of Mr. G. W. H. +Maclear of the same Observatory. In addition to these, the altitudes, +variations of the compass, latitudes and longitudes, as calculated on the +spot, appear in the map by Mr. Arrowsmith, and it is hoped may not differ +much from the results of the same data in abler bands. The office of +"skipper," which, rather than let the Expedition come to a stand, I +undertook, required no great ability in one "not too old to learn:" it +saved a salary, and, what was much more valuable than gold, saved the +Expedition from the drawback of any one thinking that he was +indispensable to its further progress. The office required attention to +the vessel both at rest and in motion. It also involved considerable +exposure to the sun; and to my regret kept me from much anticipated +intercourse with the natives, and the formation of full vocabularies of +their dialects. + +I may add that all wearisome repetitions are as much as possible avoided +in the narrative; and, our movements and operations having previously +been given in a series of despatches, the attempt is now made to give as +fairly as possible just what would most strike any person of ordinary +intelligence in passing through the country. For the sake of the +freshness which usually attaches to first impressions, the Journal of +Charles Livingstone has been incorporated in the narrative; and many +remarks made by the natives, which ho put down at the moment of +translation, will convey to others the same ideas as they did to +ourselves. Some are no doubt trivial; but it is by the little acts and +words of every-day life that character is truly and best known. And +doubtless many will prefer to draw their own conclusions from them rather +than to be schooled by us. + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +Arrival at the Zambesi--Rebel Warfare--Wild Animals--Shupanga--Hippopotamus +Hunters--The Makololo--Crocodiles. + +The Expedition left England on the 10th of March, 1858, in Her Majesty's +Colonial Steamer "Pearl," commanded by Captain Duncan; and, after +enjoying the generous hospitality of our friends at Cape Town, with the +obliging attentions of Sir George Grey, and receiving on board Mr. +Francis Skead, R.N., as surveyor, we reached the East Coast in the +following May. + +Our first object was to explore the Zambesi, its mouths and tributaries, +with a view to their being used as highways for commerce and Christianity +to pass into the vast interior of Africa. When we came within five or +six miles of the land, the yellowish-green tinge of the sea in soundings +was suddenly succeeded by muddy water with wrack, as of a river in flood. +The two colours did not intermingle, but the line of contact was as +sharply defined as when the ocean meets the land. It was observed that +under the wrack--consisting of reeds, sticks, and leaves,--and even under +floating cuttlefish bones and Portuguese "men-of-war" (Physalia), numbers +of small fish screen themselves from the eyes of birds of prey, and from +the rays of the torrid sun. + +We entered the river Luawe first, because its entrance is so smooth and +deep, that the "Pearl," drawing 9 feet 7 inches, went in without a boat +sounding ahead. A small steam launch having been brought out from +England in three sections on the deck of the "Pearl" was hoisted out and +screwed together at the anchorage, and with her aid the exploration was +commenced. She was called the "Ma Robert," after Mrs. Livingstone, to +whom the natives, according to their custom, gave the name Ma (mother) of +her eldest son. The harbour is deep, but shut in by mangrove swamps; and +though the water a few miles up is fresh, it is only a tidal river; for, +after ascending some seventy miles, it was found to end in marshes +blocked up with reeds and succulent aquatic plants. As the Luawe had +been called "West Luabo," it was supposed to be a branch of the Zambesi, +the main stream of which is called "Luabo," or "East Luabo." The "Ma +Robert" and "Pearl" then went to what proved to be a real mouth of the +river we sought. + +The Zambesi pours its waters into the ocean by four mouths, namely, the +Milambe, which is the most westerly, the Kongone, the Luabo, and the +Timbwe (or Muselo). When the river is in flood, a natural canal running +parallel with the coast, and winding very much among the swamps, forms a +secret way for conveying slaves from Quillimane to the bays Massangano +and Nameara, or to the Zambesi itself. The Kwakwa, or river of +Quillimane, some sixty miles distant from the mouth of the Zambesi, has +long been represented as the principal entrance to the Zambesi, in order, +as the Portuguese now maintain, that the English cruisers might be +induced to watch the false mouth, while slaves were quietly shipped from +the true one; and, strange to say, this error has lately been propagated +by a map issued by the colonial minister of Portugal. + +After the examination of three branches by the able and energetic +surveyor, Francis Skead, R.N., the Kongone was found to be the best +entrance. The immense amount of sand brought down by the Zambesi has in +the course of ages formed a sort of promontory, against which the long +swell of the Indian Ocean, beating during the prevailing winds, has +formed bars, which, acting against the waters of the delta, may have led +to their exit sideways. The Kongone is one of those lateral branches, +and the safest; inasmuch as the bar has nearly two fathoms on it at low +water, and the rise at spring tides is from twelve to fourteen feet. The +bar is narrow, the passage nearly straight, and, were it buoyed and a +beacon placed on Pearl Island, would always be safe to a steamer. When +the wind is from the east or north, the bar is smooth; if from the south +and south-east, it has a heavy break on it, and is not to be attempted in +boats. A strong current setting to the east when the tide is flowing, +and to the west when ebbing, may drag a boat or ship into the breakers. +If one is doubtful of his longitude and runs east, he will soon see the +land at Timbwe disappear away to the north; and coming west again, he can +easily make out East Luabo from its great size; and Kongone follows +several miles west. East Luabo has a good but long bar, and not to be +attempted unless the wind be north-east or east. It has sometimes been +called "Barra Catrina," and was used in the embarkations of slaves. This +may have been the "River of Good Signs," of Vasco da Gama, as the mouth +is more easily seen from the seaward than any other; but the absence of +the pillar dedicated by that navigator to "St. Raphael," leaves the +matter in doubt. No Portuguese live within eighty miles of any mouth of +the Zambesi. + +The Kongone is five miles east of the Milambe, or western branch, and +seven miles west from East Luabo, which again is five miles from the +Timbwe. We saw but few natives, and these, by escaping from their canoes +into the mangrove thickets the moment they caught sight of us, gave +unmistakeable indications that they had no very favourable opinion of +white men. They were probably fugitives from Portuguese slavery. In the +grassy glades buffaloes, wart-hogs, and three kinds of antelope were +abundant, and the latter easily obtained. A few hours' hunting usually +provided venison enough for a score of men for several days. + +On proceeding up the Kongone branch it was found that, by keeping well in +the bends, which the current had worn deep, shoals were easily avoided. +The first twenty miles are straight and deep; then a small and rather +tortuous natural canal leads off to the right, and, after about five +miles, during which the paddles almost touch the floating grass of the +sides, ends in the broad Zambesi. The rest of the Kongone branch comes +out of the main stream considerably higher up as the outgoing branch +called Doto. + +The first twenty miles of the Kongone are enclosed in mangrove jungle; +some of the trees are ornamented with orchilla weed, which appears never +to have been gathered. Huge ferns, palm bushes, and occasionally wild +date-palms peer out in the forest, which consists of different species of +mangroves; the bunches of bright yellow, though scarcely edible fruit, +contrasting prettily with the graceful green leaves. In some spots the +Milola, an umbrageous hibiscus, with large yellowish flowers, grows in +masses along the bank. Its bark is made into cordage, and is especially +valuable for the manufacture of ropes attached to harpoons for killing +the hippopotamus. The Pandanus or screw-palm, from which sugar bags are +made in the Mauritius, also appears, and on coming out of the canal into +the Zambesi many are so tall as in the distance to remind us of the +steeples of our native land, and make us relish the remark of an old +sailor, "that but one thing was wanting to complete the picture, and that +was a 'grog-shop near the church.'" We find also a few guava and lime- +trees growing wild, but the natives claim the crops. The dark woods +resound with the lively and exultant song of the kinghunter (_Halcyon +striolata_), as he sits perched on high among the trees. As the steamer +moves on through the winding channel, a pretty little heron or bright +kingfisher darts out in alarm from the edge of the bank, flies on ahead a +short distance, and settles quietly down to be again frightened off in a +few seconds as we approach. The magnificent fishhawk (_Halietus +vocifer_) sits on the top of a mangrove-tree, digesting his morning meal +of fresh fish, and is clearly unwilling to stir until the imminence of +the danger compels him at last to spread his great wings for flight. The +glossy ibis, acute of ear to a remarkable degree, hears from afar the +unwonted sound of the paddles, and, springing from the mud where his +family has been quietly feasting, is off, screaming out his loud, harsh, +and defiant Ha! ha! ha! long before the danger is near. + +Several native huts now peep out from the bananas and cocoa-palms on the +right bank; they stand on piles a few feet above the low damp ground, and +their owners enter them by means of ladders. The soil is wonderfully +rich, and the gardens are really excellent. Rice is cultivated largely; +sweet potatoes, pumpkins, tomatoes, cabbages, onions (shalots), peas, a +little cotton, and sugar-cane are also raised. It is said that English +potatoes, when planted at Quillimane on soil resembling this, in the +course of two years become in taste like sweet potatoes (_Convolvulus +batatas_), and are like our potato frosted. The whole of the fertile +region extending from the Kongone canal to beyond Mazaro, some eighty +miles in length, and fifty in breadth, is admirably adapted for the +growth of sugar-cane; and were it in the hands of our friends at the +Cape, would supply all Europe with sugar. The remarkably few people seen +appear to be tolerably well fed, but there was a dearth of clothing among +them; all were blacks, and nearly all Portuguese "colonos" or serfs. They +manifested no fear of white men, and stood in groups on the bank gazing +in astonishment at the steamers, especially at the "Pearl," which +accompanied us thus far up the river. One old man who came on board +remarked that never before had he seen any vessel so large as the +"Pearl," it was like a village, "Was it made out of one tree?" All were +eager traders, and soon came off to the ship in light swift canoes with +every kind of fruit and food they possessed; a few brought honey and +beeswax, which are found in quantities in the mangrove forests. As the +ships steamed off, many anxious sellers ran along the bank, holding up +fowls, baskets of rice and meal, and shouting "Malonda, Malonda," "things +for sale," while others followed in canoes, which they sent through the +water with great velocity by means of short broad-bladed paddles. + +Finding the "Pearl's" draught too great for that part of the river near +the island of Simbo, where the branch called the Doto is given off to the +Kongone on the right bank, and another named Chinde departs to the secret +canal already mentioned on the left, the goods belonging to the +expedition were taken out of her, and placed on one of the grassy islands +about forty miles from the bar. The "Pearl" then left us, and we had to +part with our good friends Duncan and Skead; the former for Ceylon, the +latter to return to his duties as Government Surveyor at the Cape. + +Of those who eventually did the work of the expedition the majority took +a sober common-sense view of the enterprise in which we were engaged. +Some remained on Expedition Island from the 18th June until the 13th +August, while the launch and pinnace were carrying the goods up to +Shupanga and Senna. The country was in a state of war, our luggage was +in danger, and several of our party were exposed to disease from +inactivity in the malaria of the delta. Here some had their first +introduction to African life, and African fever. Those alone were safe +who were actively employed with the vessels, and of course, remembering +the perilous position of their fellows, they strained every nerve to +finish the work and take them away. + +Large columns of smoke rose daily from different points of the horizon, +showing that the natives were burning off the immense crops of tall +grass, here a nuisance, however valuable elsewhere. A white cloud was +often observed to rest on the head of the column, as if a current of hot +damp air was sent up by the heat of the flames and its moisture was +condensed at the top. Rain did not follow, though theorists have +imagined that in such cases it ought. + +Large game, buffaloes, and zebras, were abundant abreast the island, but +no men could be seen. On the mainland, over on the right bank of the +river, we were amused by the eccentric gyrations and evolutions of flocks +of small seed-eating birds, who in their flight wheeled into compact +columns with such military precision as to give us the impression that +they must be guided by a leader, and all directed by the same signal. +Several other kinds of small birds now go in flocks, and among others the +large Senegal swallow. The presence of this bird, being clearly in a +state of migration from the north, while the common swallow of the +country, and the brown kite are away beyond the equator, leads to the +conjecture that there may be a double migration, namely, of birds from +torrid climates to the more temperate, as this now is, as well as from +severe winters to sunny regions; but this could not be verified by such +birds of passage as ourselves. + +On reaching Mazaro, the mouth of a narrow creek which in floods +communicates with the Quillimane river, we found that the Portuguese were +at war with a half-caste named Mariano _alias_ Matakenya, from whom they +had generally fled, and who, having built a stockade near the mouth of +the Shire, owned all the country between that river and Mazaro. Mariano +was best known by his native name Matakenya, which in their tongue means +"trembling," or quivering as trees do in a storm. He was a keen slave- +hunter, and kept a large number of men, well armed with muskets. It is +an entire mistake to suppose that the slave trade is one of buying and +selling alone; or that engagements can be made with labourers in Africa +as they are in India; Mariano, like other Portuguese, had no labour to +spare. He had been in the habit of sending out armed parties on slave- +hunting forays among the helpless tribes to the north-east, and carrying +down the kidnapped victims in chains to Quillimane, where they were sold +by his brother-in-law Cruz Coimbra, and shipped as "Free emigrants" to +the French island of Bourbon. So long as his robberies and murders were +restricted to the natives at a distance, the authorities did not +interfere; but his men, trained to deeds of violence and bloodshed in +their slave forays, naturally began to practise on the people nearer at +hand, though belonging to the Portuguese, and even in the village of +Senna, under the guns of the fort. A gentleman of the highest standing +told us that, while at dinner with his family, it was no uncommon event +for a slave to rush into the room pursued by one of Mariano's men with +spear in hand to murder him. + +The atrocities of this villain, aptly termed by the late governor of +Quillimane a "notorious robber and murderer," became at length +intolerable. All the Portuguese spoke of him as a rare monster of +inhumanity. It is unaccountable why half-castes, such as he, are so much +more cruel than the Portuguese, but such is undoubtedly the case. + +It was asserted that one of his favourite modes of creating an impression +in the country, and making his name dreaded, was to spear his captives +with his own hands. On one occasion he is reported to have thus killed +forty poor wretches placed in a row before him. We did not at first +credit these statements, and thought that they were merely exaggerations +of the incensed Portuguese, who naturally enough were exasperated with +him for stopping their trade, and harbouring their runaway slaves; but we +learned afterwards from the natives, that the accounts given us by the +Portuguese had not exceeded the truth; and that Mariano was quite as +great a ruffian as they had described him. One expects slave-owners to +treat their human chattels as well as men do other animals of value, but +the slave-trade seems always to engender an unreasoning ferocity, if not +blood-thirstiness. + +War was declared against Mariano, and a force sent to take him; he +resisted for a time; but seeing that he was likely to get the worst of +it, and knowing that the Portuguese governors have small salaries, and +are therefore "disposed to be reasonable," he went down to Quillimane to +"arrange" with the Governor, as it is termed here; but Colonel da Silva +put him in prison, and then sent him for trial to Mozambique. When we +came into the country, his people were fighting under his brother Bonga. +The war had lasted six months and stopped all trade on the river during +that period. On the 15th June we first came into contact with the +"rebels." They appeared as a crowd of well-armed and +fantastically-dressed people under the trees at Mazaro. On explaining +that we were English, some at once came on board and called to those on +shore to lay aside their arms. On landing among them we saw that many +had the branded marks of slaves on their chests, but they warmly approved +our objects, and knew well the distinctive character of our nation on the +slave question. The shout at our departure contrasted strongly with the +suspicious questioning on our approach. Hence-forward we were recognized +as friends by both parties. + +At a later period we were taking in wood within a mile of the scene of +action, but a dense fog prevented our hearing the noise of a battle at +Mazaro; and on arriving there, immediately after, many natives and +Portuguese appeared on the bank. + +Dr. Livingstone, landing to salute some of his old friends among the +latter, found himself in the sickening smell, and among the mutilated +bodies of the slain; he was requested to take the Governor, who was very +ill of fever, across to Shupanga, and just as he gave his assent, the +rebels renewed the fight, and the balls began to whistle about in all +directions. After trying in vain to get some one to assist the Governor +down to the steamer, and unwilling to leave him in such danger, as the +officer sent to bring our Kroomen did not appear, he went into the hut, +and dragged along his Excellency to the ship. He was a very tall man, +and as he swayed hither and thither from weakness, weighing down Dr. +Livingstone, it must have appeared like one drunken man helping another. +Some of the Portuguese white soldiers stood fighting with great bravery +against the enemy in front, while a few were coolly shooting at their own +slaves for fleeing into the river behind. The rebels soon retired, and +the Portuguese escaped to a sandbank in the Zambesi, and thence to an +island opposite Shupanga, where they lay for some weeks, looking at the +rebels on the mainland opposite. This state of inactivity on the part of +the Portuguese could not well be helped, as they had expended all their +ammunition and were waiting anxiously for supplies; hoping, no doubt +sincerely, that the enemy might not hear that their powder had failed. +Luckily their hopes were not disappointed; the rebels waited until a +supply came, and were then repulsed after three-and-a-half hours' hard +fighting. Two months afterwards Mariano's stockade was burned, the +garrison having fled in a panic; and as Bonga declared that he did not +wish to fight with this Governor, with whom he had no quarrel, the war +soon came to an end. His Excellency meanwhile, being a disciple of +Raspail, had taken nothing for the fever but a little camphor, and after +he was taken to Shupanga became comatose. More potent remedies were +administered to him, to his intense disgust, and he soon recovered. The +Colonel in attendance, whom he never afterwards forgave, encouraged the +treatment. "Give what is right; never mind him; he is very (_muito_) +impertinent:" and all night long, with every draught of water the Colonel +gave a quantity of quinine: the consequence was, next morning the patient +was cinchonized and better. + +For sixty or seventy miles before reaching Mazaro, the scenery is tame +and uninteresting. On either hand is a dreary uninhabited expanse, of +the same level grassy plains, with merely a few trees to relieve the +painful monotony. The round green top of the stately palm-tree looks at +a distance, when its grey trunk cannot be seen, as though hung in mid- +air. Many flocks of busy sand-martins, which here, and as far south as +the Orange River, do not migrate, have perforated the banks two or three +feet horizontally, in order to place their nests at the ends, and are now +chasing on restless wing the myriads of tropical insects. The broad +river has many low islands, on which are seen various kinds of waterfowl, +such as geese, spoonbills, herons, and flamingoes. Repulsive crocodiles, +as with open jaws they sleep and bask in the sun on the low banks, soon +catch the sound of the revolving paddles and glide quietly into the +stream. The hippopotamus, having selected some still reach of the river +to spend the day, rises out of the bottom, where he has been enjoying his +morning bath after the labours of the night on shore, blows a puff of +spray from his nostrils, shakes the water out of his ears, puts his +enormous snout up straight and yawns, sounding a loud alarm to the rest +of the herd, with notes as of a monster bassoon. + +As we approach Mazaro the scenery improves. We see the well-wooded +Shupanga ridge stretching to the left, and in front blue hills rise dimly +far in the distance. There is no trade whatever on the Zambesi below +Mazaro. All the merchandise of Senna and Tette is brought to that point +in large canoes, and thence carried six miles across the country on men's +heads to be reshipped on a small stream that flows into the Kwakwa, or +Quillimane river, which is entirely distinct from the Zambesi. Only on +rare occasions and during the highest floods can canoes pass from the +Zambesi to the Quillimane river through the narrow natural canal _Mutu_. +The natives of Maruru, or the country around Mazaro, the word Mazaro +meaning the "mouth of the creek" Mutu, have a bad name among the +Portuguese; they are said to be expert thieves, and the merchants +sometimes suffer from their adroitness while the goods are in transit +from one river to the other. In general they are trained canoe-men, and +man many of the canoes that ply thence to Senna and Tette; their pay is +small, and, not trusting the traders, they must always have it before +they start. Africans being prone to assign plausible reasons for their +conduct, like white men in more enlightened lands, it is possible they +may be good-humouredly giving their reason for insisting on being +invariably paid in advance in the words of their favourite canoe-song, +"Uachingere, Uachingere Kale," "You cheated me of old;" or, "Thou art +slippery slippery truly." + +The Landeens or Zulus are lords of the right bank of the Zambesi; and the +Portuguese, by paying this fighting tribe a pretty heavy annual tribute, +practically admit this. Regularly every year come the Zulus in force to +Senna and Shupanga for the accustomed tribute. The few wealthy merchants +of Senna groan under the burden, for it falls chiefly on them. They +submit to pay annually 200 pieces of cloth, of sixteen yards each, +besides beads and brass wire, knowing that refusal involves war, which +might end in the loss of all they possess. The Zulus appear to keep as +sharp a look out on the Senna and Shupanga people as ever landlord did on +tenant; the more they cultivate, the more tribute they have to pay. On +asking some of them why they did not endeavour to raise certain highly +profitable products, we were answered, "What's the use of our cultivating +any more than we do? the Landeens would only come down on us for more +tribute." + +In the forests of Shupanga the Mokundu-kundu tree abounds; its bright +yellow wood makes good boat-masts, and yields a strong bitter medicine +for fever; the Gunda-tree attains to an immense size; its timber is hard, +rather cross-grained, with masses of silica deposited in its substance; +the large canoes, capable of carrying three or four tons, are made of its +wood. For permission to cut these trees, a Portuguese gentleman of +Quillimane was paying the Zulus, in 1858, two hundred dollars a year, and +his successor now pays three hundred. + +At Shupanga, a one-storied stone house stands on the prettiest site on +the river. In front a sloping lawn, with a fine mango orchard at its +southern end, leads down to the broad Zambesi, whose green islands repose +on the sunny bosom of the tranquil waters. Beyond, northwards, lie vast +fields and forests of palm and tropical trees, with the massive mountain +of Morambala towering amidst the white clouds; and further away more +distant hills appear in the blue horizon. This beautifully situated +house possesses a melancholy interest from having been associated in a +most mournful manner with the history of two English expeditions. Here, +in 1826, poor Kirkpatrick, of Captain Owen's Surveying Expedition, died +of fever; and here, in 1862, died, of the same fatal disease, the beloved +wife of Dr. Livingstone. A hundred yards east of the house, under a +large Baobab-tree, far from their native land, both are buried. + +The Shupanga-house was the head-quarters of the Governor during the +Mariano war. He told us that the province of Mosambique costs the Home +Government between 5000_l_. and 6000_l_. annually, and East Africa yields +no reward in return to the mother country. We met there several other +influential Portuguese. All seemed friendly, and expressed their +willingness to assist the expedition in every way in their power; and +better still, Colonel Nunes and Major Sicard put their good-will into +action, by cutting wood for the steamer and sending men to help in +unloading. It was observable that not one of them knew anything about +the Kongone Mouth; all thought that we had come in by the "Barra +Catrina," or East Luabo. Dr. Kirk remained here a few weeks; and, +besides exploring a small lake twenty miles to the south-west, had the +sole medical care of the sick and wounded soldiers, for which valuable +services he received the thanks of the Portuguese Government. We wooded +up at this place with African ebony or black wood, and lignum vitae; the +latter tree attains an immense size, sometimes as much as four feet in +diameter; our engineer, knowing what ebony and lignum vitae cost at home, +said it made his heart sore to burn wood so valuable. Though botanically +different, they are extremely alike; the black wood as grown in some +districts is superior, and the lignum vitae inferior in quality, to these +timbers brought from other countries. Caoutchouc, or India-rubber, is +found in abundance inland from Shupanga-house, and calumba-root is +plentiful in the district; indigo, in quantities, propagates itself close +to the banks of the Aver, and was probably at some time cultivated, for +manufactured indigo was once exported. The India-rubber is made into +balls for a game resembling "fives," and calumba-root is said to be used +as a mordant for certain colours, but not as a dye itself. + +We started for Tette on the 17th August, 1858; the navigation was rather +difficult, the Zambesi from Shupanga to Senna being wide and full of +islands; our black pilot, John Scisssors, a serf, sometimes took the +wrong channel and ran us aground. Nothing abashed, he would exclaim in +an aggrieved tone, "This is not the path, it is back yonder." "Then why +didn't you go yonder at first?" growled out our Kroomen, who had the work +of getting the vessel off. When they spoke roughly to poor Scissors, the +weak cringing slave-spirit came forth in, "Those men scold me so, I am +ready to run away." This mode of finishing up an engagement is not at +all uncommon on the Zambesi; several cases occurred, when we were on the +river, of hired crews decamping with most of the goods in their charge. +If the trader cannot redress his own wrongs, he has to endure them. The +Landeens will not surrender a fugitive slave, even to his master. One +belonging to Mr. Azevedo fled, and was, as a great favour only, returned +after a present of much more than his value. + +We landed to wood at Shamoara, just below the confluence of the Shire. +Its quartz hills are covered with trees and gigantic grasses; the buaze, +a small forest-tree, grows abundantly; it is a species of polygala; its +beautiful clusters of sweet-scented pinkish flowers perfume the air with +a rich fragrance; its seeds produce a fine drying oil, and the bark of +the smaller branches yields a fibre finer and stronger than flax; with +which the natives make their nets for fishing. Bonga, the brother of the +rebel Mariano, and now at the head of the revolted natives, with some of +his principal men came to see us, and were perfectly friendly, though +told of our having carried the sick Governor across to Shupanga, and of +our having cured him of fever. On our acquainting Bonga with the object +of the expedition, he remarked that we should suffer no hindrance from +his people in our good work. He sent us a present of rice, two sheep, +and a quantity of firewood. He never tried to make any use of us in the +strife; the other side showed less confidence, by carefully +cross-questioning our pilot whether we had sold any powder to the enemy. +We managed, however, to keep on good terms with both rebels and +Portuguese. + +Senna is built on a low plain, on the right bank of the Zambesi, with +some pretty detached hills in the background; it is surrounded by a +stockade of living trees to protect its inhabitants from their +troublesome and rebellious neighbours. It contains a few large houses, +some ruins of others, and a weather-beaten cross, where once stood a +church; a mound shows the site of an ancient monastery, and a mud fort by +the river is so dilapidated, that cows were grazing peacefully over its +prostrate walls. + +The few Senna merchants, having little or no trade in the village, send +parties of trusted slaves into the interior to hunt for and purchase +ivory. It is a dull place, and very conducive to sleep. One is sure to +take fever in Senna on the second day, if by chance one escapes it on the +first day of a sojourn there; but no place is entirely bad. Senna has +one redeeming feature: it is the native village of the large-hearted and +hospitable Senhor H. A. Ferrao. The benevolence of this gentleman is +unbounded. The poor black stranger passing through the town goes to him +almost as a matter of course for food, and is never sent away hungry. In +times of famine the starving natives are fed by his generosity; hundreds +of his own people he never sees except on these occasions; and the only +benefit derived from being their master is, that they lean on him as a +patriarchal chief, and he has the satisfaction of settling their +differences, and of saving their lives in seasons of drought and +scarcity. + +Senhor Ferrao received us with his usual kindness, and gave us a +bountiful breakfast. During the day the principal men of the place +called, and were unanimously of opinion that the free natives would +willingly cultivate large quantities of cotton, could they find +purchasers. They had in former times exported largely both cotton and +cloth to Manica and even to Brazil. "On their own soil," they declared, +"the natives are willing to labour and trade, provided only they can do +so to advantage: when it is for their interest, blacks work very hard." +We often remarked subsequently that this was the opinion of men of +energy; and that all settlers of activity, enterprise, and sober habits +had become rich, while those who were much addicted to lying on their +backs smoking, invariably complained of the laziness of the negroes, and +were poor, proud, and despicable. + +Beyond Pita lies the little island Nyamotobsi, where we met a small +fugitive tribe of hippopotamus hunters, who had been driven by war from +their own island in front. All were busy at work; some were making +gigantic baskets for grain, the men plaiting from the inside. With the +civility so common among them the chief ordered a mat to be spread for us +under a shed, and then showed us the weapon with which they kill the +hippopotamus; it is a short iron harpoon inserted in the end of a long +pole, but being intended to unship, it is made fast to a strong cord of +milola, or hibiscus, bark, which is wound closely round the entire length +of the shaft, and secured at its opposite end. Two men in a swift canoe +steal quietly down on the sleeping animal. The bowman dashes the harpoon +into the unconscious victim, while the quick steersman sweeps the light +craft back with his broad paddle; the force of the blow separates the +harpoon from its corded handle, which, appearing on the surface, +sometimes with an inflated bladder attached, guides the hunters to where +the wounded beast hides below until they despatch it. + +These hippopotamus hunters form a separate people, called Akombwi, or +Mapodzo, and rarely--the women it is said never--intermarry with any +other tribe. The reason for their keeping aloof from certain of the +natives on the Zambesi is obvious enough, some having as great an +abhorrence of hippopotamus meat as Mahomedans have of swine's flesh. Our +pilot, Scissors, was one of this class; he would not even cook his food +in a pot which had contained hippopotamus meat, preferring to go hungry +till he could find another; and yet he traded eagerly in the animal's +tusks, and ate with great relish the flesh of the foul-feeding marabout. +These hunters go out frequently on long expeditions, taking in their +canoes their wives and children, cooking-pots, and sleeping-mats. When +they reach a good game district, they erect temporary huts on the bank, +and there dry the meat they have killed. They are rather a +comely-looking race, with very black smooth skins, and never disfigure +themselves with the frightful ornaments of some of the other tribes. The +chief declined to sell a harpoon, because they could not now get the +milola bark from the coast on account of Mariano's war. He expressed +some doubts about our being children of the same Almighty Father, +remarking that "they could not become white, let them wash ever so much." +We made him a present of a bit of cloth, and he very generously gave us +in return some fine fresh fish and Indian corn. + +The heat of the weather steadily increases during this month (August), +and foggy mornings are now rare. A strong breeze ending in a gale blows +up stream every night. It came in the afternoon a few weeks ago, then +later, and at present its arrival is near midnight; it makes our frail +cabin-doors fly open before it, but continues only for a short time, and +is succeeded by a dead calm. Game becomes more abundant; near our +wooding-places we see herds of zebras, both Burchell's and the mountain +variety, pallahs (_Antelope melampus_), waterbuck, and wild hogs, with +the spoor of buffaloes and elephants. + +Shiramba Dembe, on the right bank, is deserted; a few old iron guns show +where a rebel stockade once stood; near the river above this, stands a +magnificent Baobab hollowed out into a good-sized hut, with bark inside +as well as without. The old oaks in Sherwood Forest, when hollow, have +the inside dead or rotten; but the Baobab, though stripped of its bark +outside, and hollowed to a cavity inside, has the power of exuding new +bark from its substance to both the outer and inner surfaces; so, a hut +made like that in the oak called the "Forest Queen," in Sherwood, would +soon all be lined with bark. + +The portions of the river called Shigogo and Shipanga are bordered by a +low level expanse of marshy country, with occasional clumps of palm-trees +and a few thorny acacias. The river itself spreads out to a width of +from three to four miles, with many islands, among which it is difficult +to navigate, except when the river is in flood. In front, a range of +high hills from the north-east crosses and compresses it into a deep +narrow channel, called the Lupata Gorge. The Portuguese thought the +steamer would not stem the current here; but as it was not more than +about three knots, and as there was a strong breeze in our favour, steam +and sails got her through with ease. Heavy-laden canoes take two days to +go up this pass. A current sweeps round the little rocky promontories +Chifura and Kangomba, forming whirlpools and eddies dangerous for the +clumsy craft, which are dragged past with long ropes. + +The paddlers place meal on these rocks as an offering to the turbulent +deities, which they believe preside over spots fatal to many a large +canoe. We were slily told that native Portuguese take off their hats to +these river gods, and pass in solemn silence; when safely beyond the +promontories, they fire muskets, and, as we ought to do, give the canoe- +men grog. From the spoor of buffaloes and elephants it appears that +these animals frequent Lupata in considerable numbers, and--we have often +observed the association--the tsetse fly is common. A horse for the +Governor of Tette was sent in a canoe from Quillimane; and, lest it +should be wrecked on the Chifura and Kangomba rocks, it was put on shore +and sent in the daytime through the pass. It was of course bitten by the +tsetse, and died soon after; it was thought that the _air_ of Tette had +not agreed with it. The currents above Lupata are stronger than those +below; the country becomes more picturesque and hilly, and there is a +larger population. + +The ship anchored in the stream, off Tette, on the 8th September, 1858, +and Dr. Livingstone went ashore in the boat. No sooner did the Makololo +recognize him, than they rushed to the water's edge, and manifested great +joy at seeing him again. Some were hastening to embrace him, but others +cried out, "Don't touch him, you will spoil his new clothes." The five +headmen came on board and listened in quiet sadness to the story of poor +Sekwebu, who died at the Mauritius on his way to England. "Men die in +any country," they observed, and then told us that thirty of their own +number had died of smallpox, having been bewitched by the people of +Tette, who envied them because, during the first year, none of their +party had died. Six of their young men, becoming tired of cutting +firewood for a meagre pittance, proposed to go and dance for gain before +some of the neighbouring chiefs. "Don't go," said the others, "we don't +know the people of this country;" but the young men set out and visited +an independent half-caste chief, a few miles to the north, named Chisaka, +who some years ago burned all the Portuguese villas on the north bank of +the river; afterwards the young men went to Bonga, son of another half- +caste chief, who bade defiance to the Tette authorities, and had a +stockade at the confluence of the Zambesi and Luenya, a few miles below +that village. Asking the Makololo whence they came, Bonga rejoined, "Why +do you come from my enemy to me? You have brought witchcraft medicine to +kill me." In vain they protested that they did not belong to the +country; they were strangers, and had come from afar with an Englishman. +The superstitious savage put them all to death. "We do not grieve," said +their companions, "for the thirty victims of the smallpox, who were taken +away by Morimo (God); but our hearts are sore for the six youths who were +murdered by Bonga." Any hope of obtaining justice on the murderer was +out of the question. Bonga once caught a captain of the Portuguese army, +and forced him to perform the menial labour of pounding maize in a wooden +mortar. No punishment followed on this outrage. The Government of +Lisbon has since given Bonga the honorary title of Captain, by way of +coaxing him to own their authority; but he still holds his stockade. + +Tette stands on a succession of low sandstone ridges on the right bank of +the Zambesi, which is here nearly a thousand yards wide (960 yards). +Shallow ravines, running parallel with the river, form the streets, the +houses being built on the ridges. The whole surface of the streets, +except narrow footpaths, were overrun with self-sown indigo, and tons of +it might have been collected. In fact indigo, senna, and stramonium, +with a species of cassia, form the weeds of the place, which are annually +hoed off and burned. A wall of stone and mud surrounds the village, and +the native population live in huts outside. The fort and the church, +near the river, are the strongholds; the natives having a salutary dread +of the guns of the one, and a superstitious fear of the unknown power of +the other. The number of white inhabitants is small, and rather select, +many of them having been considerately sent out of Portugal "for their +country's good." The military element preponderates in society; the +convict and "incorrigible" class of soldiers, receiving very little pay, +depend in great measure on the produce of the gardens of their black +wives; the moral condition of the resulting population may be imagined. + +Droughts are of frequent occurrence at Tette, and the crops suffer +severely. This may arise partly from the position of the town between +the ranges of hills north and south, which appear to have a strong +attraction for the rain-clouds. It is often seen to rain on these hills +when not a drop falls at Tette. Our first season was one of drought. +Thrice had the women planted their gardens in vain, the seed, after just +vegetating, was killed by the intense dry heat. A fourth planting shared +the same hard fate, and then some of the knowing ones discovered the +cause of the clouds being frightened away: our unlucky rain-gauge in the +garden. We got a bad name through that same rain-gauge, and were +regarded by many as a species of evil omen. The Makololo in turn blamed +the people of Tette for drought: "A number of witches live here, who +won't let it rain." Africans in general are sufficiently superstitious, +but those of Tette are in this particular pre-eminent above their +fellows. Coming from many different tribes, all the rays of the separate +superstitions converge into a focus at Tette, and burn out common sense +from the minds of the mixed breed. They believe that many evil spirits +live in the air, the earth, and the water. These invisible malicious +beings are thought to inflict much suffering on the human race; but, as +they have a weakness for beer and a craving for food, they may be +propitiated from time to time by offerings of meat and drink. The +serpent is an object of worship, and hideous little images are hung in +the huts of the sick and dying. The uncontaminated Africans believe that +Morungo, the Great Spirit who formed all things, lives above the stars; +but they never pray to him, and know nothing of their relation to him, or +of his interest in them. The spirits of their departed ancestors are all +good, according to their ideas, and on special occasions aid them in +their enterprises. When a man has his hair cut, he is careful to burn +it, or bury it secretly, lest, falling into the hands of one who has an +evil eye, or is a witch, it should be used as a charm to afflict him with +headache. They believe, too, that they will live after the death of the +body, but do not know anything of the state of the Barimo (gods, or +departed spirits). + +The mango-tree grows luxuriantly above Lupata, and furnishes a grateful +shade. Its delicious fruit is superior to that on the coast. For weeks +the natives who have charge of the mangoes live entirely on the fruit, +and, as some trees bear in November and some in March, while the main +crop comes between, fruit in abundance may easily be obtained during four +months of the year; but no native can be induced to plant a mango. A +wide-spread superstition has become riveted in the native mind, that if +any one plants this tree he will soon die. The Makololo, like other +natives, were very fond of the fruit; but when told to take up some mango- +stones, on their return, and plant them in their own country--they too +having become deeply imbued with the belief that it was a suicidal act to +do so--replied "they did not wish to die too soon." There is also a +superstition even among the native Portuguese of Tette, that if a man +plants coffee he will never afterwards be happy: they drink it, however, +and seem the happier for it. + +The Portuguese of Tette have many slaves, with all the usual vices of +their class, as theft, lying, and impurity. As a general rule the real +Portuguese are tolerably humane masters and rarely treat a slave cruelly; +this may be due as much to natural kindness of heart as to a fear of +losing the slaves by their running away. When they purchase an adult +slave they buy at the same time, if possible, all his relations along +with him. They thus contrive to secure him to his new home by domestic +ties. Running away then would be to forsake all who hold a place in his +heart, for the mere chance of acquiring a freedom, which would probably +be forfeited on his entrance into the first native village, for the chief +might, without compunction, again sell him into slavery. + +A rather singular case of voluntary slavery came to our knowledge: a free +black, an intelligent active young fellow, called Chibanti, who had been +our pilot on the river, told us that he had sold himself into slavery. On +asking why he had done this, he replied that he was all alone in the +world, had neither father nor mother, nor any one else to give him water +when sick, or food when hungry; so he sold himself to Major Sicard, a +notoriously kind master, whose slaves had little to do, and plenty to +eat. "And how much did you get for yourself?" we asked. "Three thirty- +yard pieces of cotton cloth," he replied; "and I forthwith bought a man, +a woman, and child, who cost me two of the pieces, and I had one piece +left." This, at all events, showed a cool and calculating spirit; he +afterwards bought more slaves, and in two years owned a sufficient number +to man one of the large canoes. His master subsequently employed him in +carrying ivory to Quillimane, and gave him cloth to hire mariners for the +voyage; he took his own slaves, of course, and thus drove a thriving +business; and was fully convinced that he had made a good speculation by +the sale of himself, for had he been sick his master must have supported +him. Occasionally some of the free blacks become slaves voluntarily by +going through the simple but significant ceremony of breaking a spear in +the presence of their future master. A Portuguese officer, since dead, +persuaded one of the Makololo to remain in Tette, instead of returning to +his own country, and tried also to induce him to break a spear before +him, and thus acknowledge himself his slave, but the man was too shrewd +for this; he was a great elephant doctor, who accompanied the hunters, +told them when to attack the huge beast, and gave them medicine to ensure +success. Unlike the real Portuguese, many of the half-castes are +merciless slave-holders; their brutal treatment of the wretched slaves is +notorious. What a humane native of Portugal once said of them is +appropriate if not true: "God made white men, and God made black men, but +the devil made half-castes." + +The officers and merchants send parties of slaves under faithful headmen +to hunt elephants and to trade in ivory, providing them with a certain +quantity of cloth, beads, etc., and requiring so much ivory in return. +These slaves think that they have made a good thing of it, when they kill +an elephant near a village, as the natives give them beer and meal in +exchange for some of the elephant's meat, and over every tusk that is +brought there is expended a vast amount of time, talk, and beer. Most of +the Africans are natural-born traders, they love trade more for the sake +of trading than for what they make by it. An intelligent gentleman of +Tette told us that native traders often come to him with a tusk for sale, +consider the price he offers, demand more, talk over it, retire to +consult about it, and at length go away without selling it; next day they +try another merchant, talk, consider, get puzzled and go off as on the +previous day, and continue this course daily until they have perhaps seen +every merchant in the village, and then at last end by selling the +precious tusk to some one for even less than the first merchant had +offered. Their love of dawdling in the transaction arises from the self- +importance conferred on them by their being the object of the wheedling +and coaxing of eager merchants, a feeling to which even the love of gain +is subordinate. + +The native medical profession is reasonably well represented. In +addition to the regular practitioners, who are a really useful class, and +know something of their profession, and the nature and power of certain +medicines, there are others who devote their talents to some speciality. +The elephant doctor prepares a medicine which is considered indispensable +to the hunters when attacking that noble and sagacious beast; no hunter +is willing to venture out before investing in this precious nostrum. The +crocodile doctor sells a charm which is believed to possess the singular +virtue of protecting its owner from crocodiles. Unwittingly we offended +the crocodile school of medicine while at Tette, by shooting one of these +huge reptiles as it lay basking in the sun on a sandbank; the doctors +came to the Makololo in wrath, clamouring to know why the white man had +shot their crocodile. + +A shark's hook was baited one evening with a dog, of which the crocodile +is said to be particularly fond; but the doctors removed the bait, on the +principle that the more crocodiles the more demand for medicine, or +perhaps because they preferred to eat the dog themselves. Many of the +natives of this quarter are known, as in the South Seas, to eat the dog +without paying any attention to its feeding. The dice doctor or diviner +is an important member of the community, being consulted by Portuguese +and natives alike. Part of his business is that of a detective, it being +his duty to discover thieves. When goods are stolen, he goes and looks +at the place, casts his dice, and waits a few days, and then, for a +consideration, tells who is the thief: he is generally correct, for he +trusts not to his dice alone; he has confidential agents all over the +village, by whose inquiries and information he is enabled to detect the +culprit. Since the introduction of muskets, gun doctors have sprung up, +and they sell the medicine which professes to make good marksmen; others +are rain doctors, etc., etc. The various schools deal in little charms, +which are hung round the purchaser's neck to avert evil: some of them +contain the medicine, others increase its power. + +Indigo, about three or four feet high, grows in great luxuriance in the +streets of Tette, and so does the senna plant. The leaves are +undistinguishable from those imported in England. A small amount of +first-rate cotton is cultivated by the native population for the +manufacture of a coarse cloth. A neighbouring tribe raises the sugar- +cane, and makes a little sugar; but they use most primitive wooden +rollers, and having no skill in mixing lime with the extracted juice, the +product is of course of very inferior quality. Plenty of magnetic iron +ore is found near Tette, and coal also to any amount; a single cliff-seam +measuring twenty-five feet in thickness. It was found to burn well in +the steamer on the first trial. Gold is washed for in the beds of +rivers, within a couple of days of Tette. The natives are fully aware of +its value, but seldom search for it, and never dig deeper than four or +five feet. They dread lest the falling in of the sand of the river's bed +should bury them. In former times, when traders went with hundreds of +slaves to the washings, the produce was considerable. It is now +insignificant. The gold-producing lands have always been in the hands of +independent tribes. Deep cuttings near the sources of the gold-yielding +streams seem never to have been tried here, as in California and +Australia, nor has any machinery been used save common wooden basins for +washing. + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +Kebrabasa Rapids--Tette--African fever--Exploration of the +Shire--Discovery of Lake Shirwa. + +Our curiosity had been so much excited by the reports we had heard of the +Kebrabasa rapids, that we resolved to make a short examination of them, +and seized the opportunity of the Zambesi being unusually low, to +endeavour to ascertain their character while uncovered by the water. We +reached them on the 9th of November. The country between Tette and Panda +Mokua, where navigation ends, is well wooded and hilly on both banks. +Panda Mokua is a hill two miles below the rapids, capped with dolomite +containing copper ore. + +Conspicuous among the trees, for its gigantic size, and bark coloured +exactly like Egyptian syenite, is the burly Baobab. It often makes the +other trees of the forest look like mere bushes in comparison. A hollow +one, already mentioned, is 74 feet in circumference, another was 84, and +some have been found on the West Coast which measure 100 feet. The lofty +range of Kebrabasa, consisting chiefly of conical hills, covered with +scraggy trees, crosses the Zambesi, and confines it within a narrow, +rough, and rocky dell of about a quarter of a mile in breadth; over this, +which may be called the flood-bed of the river, large masses of rock are +huddled in indescribable confusion. The drawing, for the use of which, +and of others, our thanks are due to Lord Russell, conveys but a faint +idea of the scene, inasmuch as the hills which confine the river do not +appear in the sketch. The chief rock is syenite, some portions of which +have a beautiful blue tinge like _lapis lazuli_ diffused through them; +others are grey. Blocks of granite also abound, of a pinkish tinge; and +these with metamorphic rocks, contorted, twisted, and thrown into every +conceivable position, afford a picture of dislocation or unconformability +which would gladden a geological lecturer's heart; but at high flood this +rough channel is all smoothed over, and it then conforms well with the +river below it, which is half a mile wide. In the dry season the stream +runs at the bottom of a narrow and deep groove, whose sides are polished +and fluted by the boiling action of the water in flood, like the rims of +ancient Eastern wells by the draw-ropes. The breadth of the groove is +often not more than from forty to sixty yards, and it has some sharp +turnings, double channels, and little cataracts in it. As we steamed up, +the masts of the "Ma Robert," though some thirty feet high, did not reach +the level of the flood-channel above, and the man in the chains sung out, +"No bottom at ten fathoms." Huge pot-holes, as large as draw-wells, had +been worn in the sides, and were so deep that in some instances, when +protected from the sun by overhanging boulders, the water in them was +quite cool. Some of these holes had been worn right through, and only +the side next the rock remained; while the sides of the groove of the +flood-channel were polished as smooth as if they had gone through the +granite-mills of Aberdeen. The pressure of the water must be enormous to +produce this polish. It had wedged round pebbles into chinks and +crannies of the rocks so firmly that, though they looked quite loose, +they could not be moved except with a hammer. The mighty power of the +water here seen gave us an idea of what is going on in thousands of +cataracts in the world. All the information we had been able to obtain +from our Portuguese friends amounted to this, that some three or four +detached rocks jutted out of the river in Kebrabasa, which, though +dangerous to the cumbersome native canoes, could be easily passed by a +steamer, and that if one or two of these obstructions were blasted away +with gunpowder, no difficulty would hereafter be experienced. After we +had painfully explored seven or eight miles of the rapid, we returned to +the vessel satisfied that much greater labour was requisite for the mere +examination of the cataracts than our friends supposed necessary to +remove them; we therefore went down the river for fresh supplies, and +made preparation for a more serious survey of this region. + +The steamer having returned from the bar, we set out on the 22nd of +November to examine the rapids of Kebrabasa. We reached the foot of the +hills again, late in the afternoon of the 24th, and anchored in the +stream. Canoe-men never sleep on the river, but always spend the night +on shore. The natives on the right bank, in the country called Shidima, +who are Banyai, and even at this short distance from Tette, independent, +and accustomed to lord it over Portuguese traders, wondered what could be +our object in remaining afloat, and were naturally suspicious at our +departing from the universal custom. + +They hailed us from the bank in the evening with "Why don't you come and +sleep onshore like other people?" + +The answer they received from our Makololo, who now felt as independent +as the Banyai, was, "We are held to the bottom with iron; you may see we +are not like your Bazungu." + +This hint, a little amplified, saved us from the usual exactions. It is +pleasant to give a present, but that pleasure the Banyai usually deny to +strangers by making it a fine, and demanding it in such a supercilious +way, that only a sorely cowed trader could bear it. They often refuse to +touch what is offered--throw it down and leave it--sneer at the trader's +slaves, and refuse a passage until the tribute is raised to the utmost +extent of his means. + +Leaving the steamer next morning, we proceeded on foot, accompanied by a +native Portuguese and his men and a dozen Makololo, who carried our +baggage. The morning was pleasant, the hills on our right furnished for +a time a delightful shade; but before long the path grew frightfully +rough, and the hills no longer shielded us from the blazing sun. Scarcely +a vestige of a track was now visible; and, indeed, had not our guide +assured us to the contrary, we should have been innocent of even the +suspicion of a way along the patches of soft yielding sand, and on the +great rocks over which we so painfully clambered. These rocks have a +singular appearance, from being dislocated and twisted in every +direction, and covered with a thin black glaze, as if highly polished and +coated with lamp-black varnish. This seems to have been deposited while +the river was in flood, for it covers only those rocks which lie between +the highest water-mark and a line about four feet above the lowest. +Travellers who have visited the rapids of the Orinoco and the Congo say +that the rocks there have a similar appearance, and it is attributed to +some deposit from the water, formed only when the current is strong. This +may account for it in part here, as it prevails only where the narrow +river is confined between masses of rock, backed by high hills, and where +the current in floods is known to be the strongest; and it does not exist +where the rocks are only on one side, with a sandy beach opposite, and a +broad expanse of river between. The hot rocks burnt the thick soles of +our men's feet, and sorely fatigued ourselves. Our first day's march did +not exceed four miles in a straight line, and that we found more than +enough to be pleasant. + +The state of insecurity in which the Badema tribe live is indicated by +the habit of hiding their provisions in the hills, and keeping only a +small quantity in their huts; they strip a particular species of tree of +its bitter bark, to which both mice and monkeys are known to have an +antipathy, and, turning the bark inside out, sew it into cylindrical +vessels for their grain, and bury them in holes and in crags on the +wooded hill-sides. By this means, should a marauding party plunder their +huts, they save a supply of corn. They "could give us no information, +and they had no food; Chisaka's men had robbed them a few weeks before." + +"Never mind," said our native Portuguese, "they will sell you plenty when +you return, they are afraid of you now, as yet they do not know who you +are." We slept under trees in the open air, and suffered no +inconvenience from either mosquitoes or dew: and no prowling wild beast +troubled us; though one evening, while we were here, a native sitting +with some others on the opposite bank was killed by a leopard. + +One of the Tette slaves, who wished to be considered a great traveller, +gave us, as we sat by our evening fire, an interesting account of a +strange race of men whom he had seen in the interior; they were only +three feet high, and had horns growing out of their heads; they lived in +a large town and had plenty of food. The Makololo pooh-poohed this +story, and roundly told the narrator that he was telling a downright lie. +"_We_ come from the interior," cried out a tall fellow, measuring some +six feet four, "are _we_ dwarfs? have _we_ horns on our heads?" and thus +they laughed the fellow to scorn. But he still stoutly maintained that +he had seen these little people, and had actually been in their town; +thus making himself the hero of the traditional story, which before and +since the time of Herodotus has, with curious persistency, clung to the +native mind. The mere fact that such absurd notions are permanent, even +in the entire absence of literature, invests the religious ideas of these +people also with importance, as fragments of the wreck of the primitive +faith floating down the stream of time. + +We waded across the rapid Luia, which took us up to the waist, and was +about forty yards wide. The water was discoloured at the time, and we +were not without apprehension that a crocodile might chance to fancy a +white man for dinner. Next day one of the men crawled over the black +rocks to within ten yards of a sleeping hippopotamus, and shot him +through the brain. The weather being warm, the body floated in a few +hours, and some of us had our first trial of hippopotamus flesh. It is a +cross-grained meat, something between pork and beef,--pretty good food +when one is hungry and can get nothing better. When we reached the foot +of the mountain named Chipereziwa, whose perpendicular rocky sides are +clothed with many-coloured lichens, our Portuguese companion informed us +there were no more obstructions to navigation, the river being all smooth +above; he had hunted there and knew it well. Supposing that the object +of our trip was accomplished we turned back; but two natives, who came to +our camp at night, assured us that a cataract, called Morumbwa, did still +exist in front. Drs. Livingstone and Kirk then decided to go forward +with three Makololo and settle the question for themselves. It was as +tough a bit of travel as they ever had in Africa, and after some painful +marching the Badema guides refused to go further; "the Banyai," they +said, "would be angry if they showed white men the country; and there was +besides no practicable approach to the spot, neither elephant, nor +hippopotamus, nor even a crocodile could reach the cataract." The slopes +of the mountains on each side of the river, now not 300 yards wide, and +without the flattish flood-channel and groove, were more than 3000 feet +from the sky-line down, and were covered either with dense thornbush or +huge black boulders; this deep trough-like shape caused the sun's rays to +converge as into a focus, making the surface so hot that the soles of the +feet of the Makololo became blistered. Around, and up and down, the +party clambered among these heated blocks, at a pace not exceeding a mile +an hour; the strain upon the muscles in jumping from crag to boulder, and +wriggling round projections, took an enormous deal out of them, and they +were often glad to cower in the shadow formed by one rock overhanging and +resting on another; the shelter induced the peculiarly strong and +overpowering inclination to sleep, which too much sun sometimes causes. +This sleep is curative of what may be incipient sunstroke: in its first +gentle touches, it caused the dream to flit over the boiling brain, that +they had become lunatics and had been sworn in as members of the Alpine +club; and then it became so heavy that it made them feel as if a portion +of existence had been cut out from their lives. The sun is excessively +hot, and feels sharp in Africa; but, probably from the greater dryness of +the atmosphere, we never heard of a single case of sunstroke, so common +in India. The Makololo told Dr. Livingstone they "always thought he had +a heart, but now they believed he had none," and tried to persuade Dr. +Kirk to return, on the ground that it must be evident that, in attempting +to go where no living foot could tread, his leader had given +unmistakeable signs of having gone mad. All their efforts of persuasion, +however, were lost upon Dr. Kirk, as he had not yet learned their +language, and his leader, knowing his companion to be equally anxious +with himself to solve the problem of the navigableness of Kebrabasa, was +not at pains to enlighten him. At one part a bare mountain spur barred +the way, and had to be surmounted by a perilous and circuitous route, +along which the crags were so hot that it was scarcely possible for the +hand to hold on long enough to ensure safety in the passage; and had the +foremost of the party lost his hold, he would have hurled all behind him +into the river at the foot of the promontory; yet in this wild hot +region, as they descended again to the river, they met a fisherman +casting his hand-net into the boiling eddies, and he pointed out the +cataract of Morumbwa; within an hour they were trying to measure it from +an overhanging rock, at a height of about one hundred feet. When you +stand facing the cataract, on the north bank, you see that it is situated +in a sudden bend of the river, which is flowing in a short curve; the +river above it is jammed between two mountains in a channel with +perpendicular sides, and less than fifty yards wide; one or two masses of +rock jut out, and then there is a sloping fall of perhaps twenty feet in +a distance of thirty yards. It would stop all navigation, except during +the highest floods; the rocks showed that the water then rises upwards of +eighty feet perpendicularly. + +Still keeping the position facing the cataract, on its right side rises +Mount Morumbwa from 2000 to 3000 feet high, which gives the name to the +spot. On the left of the cataract stands a noticeable mountain which may +be called onion-shaped, for it is partly conical and a large concave +flake has peeled off, as granite often does, and left a broad, smooth +convex face as if it were an enormous bulb. These two mountains extend +their bases northwards about half a mile, and the river in that distance, +still very narrow, is smooth, with a few detached rocks standing out from +its bed. They climbed as high up the base of Mount Morumbwa, which +touches the cataract, as they required. The rocks were all water-worn +and smooth, with huge potholes, even at 100 feet above low water. When +at a later period they climbed up the north-western base of this same +mountain, the familiar face of the onion-shaped one opposite was at once +recognised; one point of view on the talus of Mount Morumbwa was not more +than 700 or 800 yards distant from the other, and they then completed the +survey of Kebrabasa from end to end. + +They did not attempt to return by the way they came, but scaled the slope +of the mountain on the north. It took them three hours' hard labour in +cutting their way up through the dense thornbush which covered the +ascent. The face of the slope was often about an angle of 70 degrees, +yet their guide Shokumbenla, whose hard, horny soles, resembling those of +elephants, showed that he was accustomed to this rough and hot work, +carried a pot of water for them nearly all the way up. They slept that +night at a well in a tufaceous rock on the N.W. of Chipereziwa, and never +was sleep more sweet. + +A band of native musicians came to our camp one evening, on our own way +down, and treated us with their wild and not unpleasant music on the +Marimba, an instrument formed of bars of hard wood of varying breadth and +thickness, laid on different-sized hollow calabashes, and tuned to give +the notes; a few pieces of cloth pleased them, and they passed on. + +The rainy season of Tette differs a little from that of some of the other +intertropical regions; the quantity of rain-fall being considerably less. +It begins in November and ends in April. During our first season in that +place, only a little over nineteen inches of rain fell. In an average +year, and when the crops are good, the fall amounts to about thirty-five +inches. On many days it does not rain at all, and rarely is it wet all +day; some days have merely a passing shower, preceded and followed by hot +sunshine; occasionally an interval of a week, or even a fortnight, passes +without a drop of rain, and then the crops suffer from the sun. These +partial droughts happen in December and January. The heat appears to +increase to a certain point in the different latitudes so as to +necessitate a change, by some law similar to that which regulates the +intense cold in other countries. After several days of progressive heat +here, on the hottest of which the thermometer probably reaches 103 +degrees in the shade, a break occurs in the weather, and a thunderstorm +cools the air for a time. At Kuruman, when the thermometer stood above +84 degrees, rain might be expected; at Kolobeng, the point at which we +looked for a storm was 96 degrees. The Zambesi is in flood twice in the +course of the year; the first flood, a partial one, attains its greatest +height about the end of December or beginning of January; the second, and +greatest, occurs after the river inundates the interior, in a manner +similar to the overflow of the Nile, this rise not taking place at Tette +until March. The Portuguese say that the greatest height which the March +floods attain is thirty feet at Tette, and this happens only about every +fourth year; their observations, however, have never been very accurate +on anything but ivory, and they have in this case trusted to memory +alone. The only fluviometer at Tette, or anywhere else on the river, was +set up at our suggestion; and the first flood was at its greatest height +of thirteen feet six inches on the 17th January, 1859, and then gradually +fell a few feet, until succeeded by the greater flood of March. The +river rises suddenly, the water is highly discoloured and impure, and +there is a four-knot current in many places; but in a day or two after +the first rush of waters is passed, the current becomes more equally +spread over the whole bed of the river, and resumes its usual rate in the +channel, although continuing in flood. The Zambesi water at other times +is almost chemically pure, and the photographer would find that it is +nearly as good as distilled water for the nitrate of silver bath. + +A third visit to Kebrabasa was made for the purpose of ascertaining +whether it might be navigable when the Zambesi was in flood, the chief +point of interest being of course Morumbwa; it was found that the rapids +observed in our first trip had disappeared, and that while they were +smoothed over, in a few places the current had increased in strength. As +the river fell rapidly while we were on the journey, the cataract of +Morumbwa did not differ materially from what it was when discovered. Some +fishermen assured us that it was not visible when the river was at its +fullest, and that the current was then not very strong. On this occasion +we travelled on the right bank, and found it, with the additional +inconvenience of rain, as rough and fatiguing as the left had been. Our +progress was impeded by the tall wet grass and dripping boughs, and +consequent fever. During the earlier part of the journey we came upon a +few deserted hamlets only; but at last in a pleasant valley we met some +of the people of the country, who were miserably poor and hungry. The +women were gathering wild fruits in the woods. A young man having +consented for two yards of cotton cloth to show us a short path to the +cataract led us up a steep hill to a village perched on the edge of one +of its precipices; a thunderstorm coming on at the time, the headman +invited us to take shelter in a hut until it had passed. Our guide +having informed him of what he knew and conceived to be our object, was +favoured in return with a long reply in well-sounding blank verse; at the +end of every line the guide, who listened with deep attention, responded +with a grunt, which soon became so ludicrous that our men burst into a +loud laugh. Neither the poet nor the responsive guide took the slightest +notice of their rudeness, but kept on as energetically as ever to the +end. The speech, or more probably our bad manners, made some impression +on our guide, for he declined, although offered double pay, to go any +further. + +A great deal of fever comes in with March and April; in March, if +considerable intervals take place between the rainy days, and in April +always, for then large surfaces of mud and decaying vegetation are +exposed to the hot sun. In general an attack does not continue long, but +it pulls one down quickly; though when the fever is checked the strength +is as quickly restored. It had long been observed that those who were +stationed for any length of time in one spot, and lived sedentary lives, +suffered more from fever than others who moved about and had both mind +and body occupied; but we could not all go in the small vessel when she +made her trips, during which the change of place and scenery proved so +conducive to health; and some of us were obliged to remain in charge of +the expedition's property, making occasional branch trips to examine +objects of interest in the vicinity. Whatever may be the cause of the +fever, we observed that all were often affected at the same time, as if +from malaria. This was particularly the case during a north wind: it was +at first commonly believed that a daily dose of quinine would prevent the +attack. For a number of months all our men, except two, took quinine +regularly every morning. The fever some times attacked the believers in +quinine, while the unbelievers in its prophylactic powers escaped. +Whether we took it daily, or omitted it altogether for months, made no +difference; the fever was impartial, and seized us on the days of quinine +as regularly and as severely as when it remained undisturbed in the +medicine chest, and we finally abandoned the use of it as a prophylactic +altogether. The best preventive against fever is plenty of interesting +work to do, and abundance of wholesome food to eat. To a man well housed +and clothed, who enjoys these advantages, the fever at Tette will not +prove a more formidable enemy than a common cold; but let one of these be +wanting--let him be indolent, or guilty of excesses in eating or +drinking, or have poor, scanty fare,--and the fever will probably become +a more serious matter. It is of a milder type at Tette than at +Quillimane or on the low sea-coast; and, as in this part of Africa one is +as liable to fever as to colds in England, it would be advisable for +strangers always to hasten from the coast to the high lands, in order +that when the seizure does take place, it may be of the mildest type. +Although quinine was not found to be a preventive, except possibly in the +way of acting as a tonic, and rendering the system more able to resist +the influence of malaria, it was found invaluable in the cure of the +complaint, as soon as pains in the back, sore bones, headache, yawning, +quick and sometimes intermittent pulse, noticeable pulsations of the +jugulars, with suffused eyes, hot skin, and foul tongue, began. {1} + +Very curious are the effects of African fever on certain minds. +Cheerfulness vanishes, and the whole mental horizon is overcast with +black clouds of gloom and sadness. The liveliest joke cannot provoke +even the semblance of a smile. The countenance is grave, the eyes +suffused, and the few utterances are made in the piping voice of a +wailing infant. An irritable temper is often the first symptom of +approaching fever. At such times a man feels very much like a fool, if +he does not act like one. Nothing is right, nothing pleases the fever- +stricken victim. He is peevish, prone to find fault and to contradict, +and think himself insulted, and is exactly what an Irish naval surgeon +before a court-martial defined a drunken man to be: "a man unfit for +society." + +Finding that it was impossible to take our steamer of only ten-horse +power through Kebrabasa, and convinced that, in order to force a passage +when the river was in flood, much greater power was required, due +information was forwarded to Her Majesty's Government, and application +made for a more suitable vessel. Our attention was in the mean time +turned to the exploration of the river Shire, a northern tributary of the +Zambesi, which joins it about a hundred miles from the sea. We could +learn nothing satisfactory from the Portuguese regarding this affluent; +no one, they said, had ever been up it, nor could they tell whence it +came. Years ago a Portuguese expedition is said, however, to have +attempted the ascent, but to have abandoned it on account of the +impenetrable duckweed (_Pistia stratiotes_.) We could not learn from any +record that the Shire had ever been ascended by Europeans. As far, +therefore, as we were concerned, the exploration was absolutely new. All +the Portuguese believed the Manganja to be brave but bloodthirsty +savages; and on our return we found that soon after our departure a +report was widely spread that our temerity had been followed by fatal +results, Dr. Livingstone having been shot, and Dr. Kirk mortally wounded +by poisoned arrows. + +Our first trip to the Shire was in January, 1859. A considerable +quantity of weed floated down the river for the first twenty-five miles, +but not sufficient to interrupt navigation with canoes or with any other +craft. Nearly the whole of this aquatic plant proceeds from a marsh on +the west, and comes into the river a little beyond a lofty hill called +Mount Morambala. Above that there is hardly any. As we approached the +villages, the natives collected in large numbers, armed with bows and +poisoned arrows; and some, dodging behind trees, were observed taking aim +as if on the point of shooting. All the women had been sent out of the +way, and the men were evidently prepared to resist aggression. At the +village of a chief named Tingane, at least five hundred natives collected +and ordered us to stop. Dr. Livingstone went ashore; and on his +explaining that we were English and had come neither to take slaves nor +to fight, but only to open a path by which our countrymen might follow to +purchase cotton, or whatever else they might have to sell, except slaves, +Tingane became at once quite friendly. The presence of the steamer, +which showed that they had an entirely new people to deal with, probably +contributed to this result; for Tingane was notorious for being the +barrier to all intercourse between the Portuguese black traders and the +natives further inland; none were allowed to pass him either way. He was +an elderly, well-made man, grey-headed, and over six feet high. Though +somewhat excited by our presence, he readily complied with the request to +call his people together, in order that all might know what our objects +were. + +In commencing intercourse with any people we almost always referred to +the English detestation of slavery. Most of them already possess some +information respecting the efforts made by the English at sea to suppress +the slave-trade; and our work being to induce them to raise and sell +cotton, instead of capturing and selling their fellow-men, our errand +appears quite natural; and as they all have clear ideas of their own self- +interest, and are keen traders, the reasonableness of the proposal is at +once admitted; and as a belief in a Supreme Being, the Maker and Ruler of +all things, and in the continued existence of departed spirits, is +universal, it becomes quite appropriate to explain that we possess a Book +containing a Revelation of the will of Him to whom in their natural state +they recognise no relationship. The fact that His Son appeared among +men, and left His words in His Book, always awakens attention; but the +great difficulty is to make them feel that they have any relationship to +Him, and that He feels any interest in them. The numbness of moral +perception exhibited, is often discouraging; but the mode of +communication, either by interpreters, or by the imperfect knowledge of +the language, which not even missionaries of talent can overcome save by +the labour of many years, may, in part, account for the phenomenon. +However, the idea of the Father of all being displeased with His +children, for selling or killing each other, at once gains their ready +assent: it harmonizes so exactly with their own ideas of right and wrong. +But, as in our own case at home, nothing less than the instruction and +example of many years will secure their moral elevation. + +The dialect spoken here closely resembles that used at Senna and Tette. +We understood it at first only enough to know whether our interpreter was +saying what we bade him, or was indulging in his own version. After +stating pretty nearly what he was told, he had an inveterate tendency to +wind up with "The Book says you are to grow cotton, and the English are +to come and buy it," or with some joke of his own, which might have been +ludicrous, had it not been seriously distressing. + +In the first ascent of the Shire our attention was chiefly directed to +the river itself. The delight of threading out the meanderings of +upwards of 200 miles of a hitherto unexplored river must be felt to be +appreciated. All the lower part of the river was found to be at least +two fathoms in depth. It became shallower higher up, where many +departing and re-entering branches diminished the volume of water, but +the absence of sandbanks made it easy of navigation. We had to exercise +the greatest care lest anything we did should be misconstrued by the +crowds who watched us. After having made, in a straight line, one +hundred miles, although the windings of the river had fully doubled the +distance, we found further progress with the steamer arrested, in 15 +degrees 55 minutes south, by magnificent cataracts, which we called, "The +Murchison," after one whose name has already a world-wide fame, and whose +generous kindness we can never repay. The native name of that figured in +the woodcut is Mamvira. It is that at which the progress of the steamer +was first stopped. The angle of descent is much smaller than that of the +five cataracts above it; indeed, so small as compared with them, that +after they were discovered this was not included in the number. + +A few days were spent here in the hope that there might be an opportunity +of taking observations for longitude, but it rained most of the time, or +the sky was overcast. It was deemed imprudent to risk a land journey +whilst the natives were so very suspicious as to have a strong guard on +the banks of the river night and day; the weather also was unfavourable. +After sending presents and messages to two of the chiefs, we returned to +Tette. In going down stream our progress was rapid, as we were aided by +the current. The hippopotami never made a mistake, but got out of our +way. The crocodiles, not so wise, sometimes rushed with great velocity +at us, thinking that we were some huge animal swimming. They kept about +a foot from the surface, but made three well-defined ripples from the +feet and body, which marked their rapid progress; raising the head out of +the water when only a few yards from the expected feast, down they went +to the bottom like a stone, without touching the boat. + +In the middle of March of the same year (1859), we started again for a +second trip on the Shire. The natives were now friendly, and readily +sold us rice, fowls, and corn. We entered into amicable relations with +the chief, Chibisa, whose village was about ten miles below the cataract. +He had sent two men on our first visit to invite us to drink beer; but +the steamer was such a terrible apparition to them, that, after shouting +the invitation, they jumped ashore, and left their canoe to drift down +the stream. Chibisa was a remarkably shrewd man, the very image, save +his dark hue, of one of our most celebrated London actors, {2} and the +most intelligent chief, by far, in this quarter. A great deal of +fighting had fallen to his lot, he said; but it was always others who +began; he was invariably in the right, and they alone were to blame. He +was moreover a firm believer in the divine right of kings. He was an +ordinary man, he said, when his father died, and left him the +chieftainship; but directly he succeeded to the high office, he was +conscious of power passing into his head, and down his back; he felt it +enter, and knew that he was a chief, clothed with authority, and +possessed of wisdom; and people then began to fear and reverence him. He +mentioned this, as one would a fact of natural history, any doubt being +quite out of the question. His people, too, believed in him, for they +bathed in the river without the slightest fear of crocodiles, the chief +having placed a powerful medicine there, which protected them from the +bite of these terrible reptiles. + +Leaving the vessel opposite Chibisa's village, Drs. Livingstone and Kirk +and a number of the Makololo started on foot for Lake Shirwa. They +travelled in a northerly direction over a mountainous country. The +people were far from being well-disposed to them, and some of their +guides tried to mislead them, and could not be trusted. Masakasa, a +Makololo headman, overheard some remarks which satisfied him that the +guide was leading them into trouble. He was quiet till they reached a +lonely spot, when he came up to Dr. Livingstone, and said, "That fellow +is bad, he is taking us into mischief; my spear is sharp, and there is no +one here; shall I cast him into the long grass?" Had the Doctor given +the slightest token of assent, or even kept silence, never more would any +one have been led by that guide, for in a twinkling he would have been +where "the wicked cease from troubling." It was afterwards found that in +this case there was no treachery at all, but a want of knowledge on their +part of the language and of the country. They asked to be led to "Nyanja +Mukulu," or Great Lake, meaning, by this, Lake Shirwa; and the guide took +them round a terribly rough piece of mountainous country, gradually +edging away towards a long marsh, which from the numbers of those animals +we had seen there we had called the Elephant Marsh, but which was really +the place known to him by the name "Nyanja Mukulu," or Great Lake. Nyanja +or Nyanza means, generally, a marsh, lake, river, or even a mere rivulet. + +The party pushed on at last without guides, or only with crazy ones; for, +oddly enough, they were often under great obligations to the madmen of +the different villages: one of these honoured them, as they slept in the +open air, by dancing and singing at their feet the whole night. These +poor fellows sympathized with the explorers, probably in the belief that +they belonged to their own class; and, uninfluenced by the general +opinion of their countrymen, they really pitied, and took kindly to the +strangers, and often guided them faithfully from place to place, when no +sane man could be hired for love or money. + +The bearing of the Manganja at this time was very independent; a striking +contrast to the cringing attitude they afterwards assumed, when the cruel +scourge of slave-hunting passed over their country. Signals were given +from the different villages by means of drums, and notes of defiance and +intimidation were sounded in the travellers' ears by day; and +occasionally they were kept awake the whole night, in expectation of an +instant attack. Drs. Livingstone and Kirk were desirous that nothing +should occur to make the natives regard them as enemies; Masakasa, on the +other hand, was anxious to show what he could do in the way of fighting +them. + +The perseverance of the party was finally crowned with success; for on +the 18th of April they discovered Lake Shirwa, a considerable body of +bitter water, containing leeches, fish, crocodiles, and hippopotami. From +having probably no outlet, the water is slightly brackish, and it appears +to be deep, with islands like hills rising out of it. Their point of +view was at the base of Mount Pirimiti or Mopeu-peu, on its S.S.W. side. +Thence the prospect northwards ended in a sea horizon with two small +islands in the distance--a larger one, resembling a hill-top and covered +with trees, rose more in the foreground. Ranges of hills appeared on the +east; and on the west stood Mount Chikala, which seems to be connected +with the great mountain-mass called Zomba. + +The shore, near which they spent two nights, was covered with reeds and +papyrus. Wishing to obtain the latitude by the natural horizon, they +waded into the water some distance towards what was reported to be a +sandbank, but were so assaulted by leeches, they were fain to retreat; +and a woman told them that in enticing them into the water the men only +wanted to kill them. The information gathered was that this lake was +nothing in size compared to another in the north, from which it is +separated by only a tongue of land. The northern end of Shirwa has not +been seen, though it has been passed; the length of the lake may probably +be 60 or 80 miles, and about 20 broad. The height above the sea is 1800 +feet, and the taste of the water is like a weak solution of Epsom salts. +The country around is very beautiful, and clothed with rich vegetation; +and the waves, at the time they were there breaking and foaming over a +rock on the south-eastern side, added to the beauty of the picture. +Exceedingly lofty mountains, perhaps 8000 feet above the sea-level, stand +near the eastern shore. When their lofty steep-sided summits appear, +some above, some below the clouds, the scene is grand. This range is +called Milanje; on the west stands Mount Zomba, 7000 feet in height, and +some twenty miles long. + +Their object being rather to gain the confidence of the people by degrees +than to explore, they considered that they had advanced far enough into +the country for one trip; and believing that they could secure their end +by a repetition of their visit, as they had done on the Shire, they +decided to return to the vessel at Dakanamoio island; but, instead of +returning by the way they came, they passed down southwards close by +Mount Chiradzuru, among the relatives of Chibisa, and thence by the pass +Zedi, down to the Shire. The Kroomen had, while we were away, cut a good +supply of wood for steaming, and we soon proceeded down the river. + +The steamer reached Tette on the 23rd of June, and, after undergoing +repairs, proceeded to the Kongone to receive provisions from one of H.M. +cruisers. We had been very abundantly supplied with first-rate stores, +but were unfortunate enough to lose a considerable portion of them, and +had now to bear the privation as best we could. On the way down, we +purchased a few gigantic cabbages and pumpkins at a native village below +Mazaro. Our dinners had usually consisted of but a single course; but we +were surprised the next day by our black cook from Sierra Leone bearing +in a second course. "What have you got there?" was asked in wonder. "A +tart, sir." "A tart! of what is it made?" "Of cabbage, sir." As we had +no sugar, and could not "make believe," as in the days of boyhood, we did +not enjoy the feast that Tom's genius had prepared. Her Majesty's brig +"Persian," Lieutenant Saumarez commanding, called on her way to the Cape; +and, though somewhat short of provisions herself, generously gave us all +she could spare. We now parted with our Kroomen, as, from their +inability to march, we could not use them in our land journeys. A crew +was picked out from the Makololo, who, besides being good travellers, +could cut wood, work the ship, and required only native food. + +While at the Kongone it was found necessary to beach the steamer for +repairs. She was built of a newly invented sort of steel plates, only a +sixteenth of an inch in thickness, patented, but unfortunately never +tried before. To build an exploring ship of untried material was a +mistake. Some chemical action on this preparation of steel caused a +minute hole; from this point, branches like lichens, or the little ragged +stars we sometimes see in thawing ice, radiated in all directions. Small +holes went through wherever a bend occurred in these branches. The +bottom very soon became like a sieve, completely full of minute holes, +which leaked perpetually. The engineer stopped the larger ones, but the +vessel was no sooner afloat, than new ones broke out. The first news of +a morning was commonly the unpleasant announcement of another leak in the +forward compartment, or in the middle, which was worse still. + +Frequent showers fell on our way up the Zambesi, in the beginning of +August. On the 8th we had upwards of three inches of rain, which large +quantity, more than falls in any single rainy day during the season at +Tette, we owed to being near the sea. Sometimes the cabin was nearly +flooded; for, in addition to the leakage from below, rain poured through +the roof, and an umbrella had to be used whenever we wished to write: the +mode of coupling the compartments, too, was a new one, and the action of +the hinder compartment on the middle one pumped up the water of the +river, and sent it in streams over the floor and lockers, where lay the +cushions which did double duty as chairs and beds. In trying to form an +opinion of the climate, it must be recollected that much of the fever, +from which we suffered, was caused by sleeping on these wet cushions. +Many of the botanical specimens, laboriously collected and carefully +prepared by Dr. Kirk, were destroyed, or double work imposed, by their +accidentally falling into wet places in the cabin. + +About the middle of August, after cutting wood at Shamoara, we again +steamed up the Shire, with the intention of becoming better acquainted +with the people, and making another and longer journey on foot to the +north of Lake Shirwa, in search of Lake Nyassa, of which we had already +received some information, under the name Nyinyesi (the stars). The +Shire is much narrower than the Zambesi, but deeper, and more easily +navigated. It drains a low and exceedingly fertile valley of from +fifteen to twenty miles in breadth. Ranges of wooded hills bound this +valley on both sides. For the first twenty miles the hills on the left +bank are close to the river; then comes Morambala, a detached mountain +500 yards from the river's brink, which rises, with steep sides on the +west, to 4000 feet in height, and is about seven miles in length. It is +wooded up to the very top, and very beautiful. The southern end, seen +from a distance, has a fine gradual slope, and looks as if it might be of +easy ascent; but the side which faces the Shire is steep and rocky, +especially in the upper half. A small village peeps out about halfway up +the mountain; it has a pure and bracing atmosphere; and is perched above +mosquito range. The people on the summit have a very different climate +and vegetation from those of the plains; but they have to spend a great +portion of their existence amidst white fleecy clouds, which, in the +rainy season, rest daily on the top of their favourite mountain. We were +kindly treated by these mountaineers on our first ascent; before our +second they were nearly all swept away by Mariano. Dr. Kirk found +upwards of thirty species of ferns on this and other mountains, and even +good-sized tree-ferns; though scarcely a single kind is to be met with on +the plains. Lemon and orange trees grew wild, and pineapples had been +planted by the people. Many large hornbills, hawks, monkeys, antelopes, +and rhinoceroses found a home and food among the great trees round its +base. A hot fountain boils up on the plain near the north end. It +bubbles out of the earth, clear as crystal, at two points, or eyes, a few +yards apart from each other, and sends off a fine flowing stream of hot +water. The temperature was found to be 174 degrees Fahr., and it boiled +an egg in about the usual time. Our guide threw in a small branch to +show us how speedily the Madse-awira (boiling water) could kill the +leaves. Unlucky lizards and insects did not seem to understand the +nature of a hot-spring, as many of their remains were lying at the +bottom. A large beetle had alighted on the water, and been killed before +it had time to fold its wings. An incrustation, smelling of sulphur, has +been deposited by the water on the stones. About a hundred feet from the +eye of the fountain the mud is as hot as can be borne by the body. In +taking a bath there, it makes the skin perfectly clean, and none of the +mud adheres: it is strange that the Portuguese do not resort to it for +the numerous cutaneous diseases with which they are so often afflicted. + +A few clumps of the palm and acacia trees appear west of Morambala, on +the rich plain forming the tongue of land between the rivers Shire and +Zambesi. This is a good place for all sorts of game. The Zambesi canoe- +men were afraid to sleep on it from the idea of lions being there; they +preferred to pass the night on an island. Some black men, who +accompanied us as volunteer workmen from Shupanga, called out one evening +that a lion stood on the bank. It was very dark, and we could only see +two sparkling lights, said to be the lion's eyes looking at us; for here, +as elsewhere, they have a theory that the lion's eyes always flash fire +at night. Not being fireflies--as they did not move when a shot was +fired in their direction--they were probably glowworms. + +Beyond Morambala the Shire comes winding through an extensive marsh. For +many miles to the north a broad sea of fresh green grass extends, and is +so level, that it might be used for taking the meridian altitude of the +sun. Ten or fifteen miles north of Morambala, stands the dome-shaped +mountain Makanga, or Chi-kanda; several others with granitic-looking +peaks stretch away to the north, and form the eastern boundary of the +valley; another range, but of metamorphic rocks, commencing opposite +Senna, bounds the valley on the west. After streaming through a portion +of this marsh, we came to a broad belt of palm and other trees, crossing +the fine plain on the right bank. Marks of large game were abundant. +Elephants had been feeding on the palm nuts, which have a pleasant fruity +taste, and are used as food by man. Two pythons were observed coiled +together among the branches of a large tree, and were both shot. The +larger of the two, a female, was ten feet long. They are harmless, and +said to be good eating. The Makololo having set fire to the grass where +they were cutting wood, a solitary buffalo rushed out of the +conflagration, and made a furious charge at an active young fellow named +Mantlanyane. Never did his fleet limbs serve him better than during the +few seconds of his fearful flight before the maddened animal. When he +reached the bank, and sprang into the river, the infuriated beast was +scarcely six feet behind him. Towards evening, after the day's labour in +wood-cutting was over, some of the men went fishing. They followed the +common African custom of agitating the water, by giving it a few sharp +strokes with the top of the fishing-rod, immediately after throwing in +the line, to attract the attention of the fish to the bait. Having +caught nothing, the reason assigned was the same as would have been given +in England under like circumstances, namely, that "the wind made the fish +cold, and they would not bite." Many gardens of maize, pumpkins, and +tobacco, fringed the marshy banks as we went on. They belong to natives +of the hills, who come down in the dry season, and raise a crop on parts +at other times flooded. While the crops are growing, large quantities of +fish are caught, chiefly _Clarias capensis_, and _Mugil Africanus_; they +are dried for sale or future consumption. + +As we ascended, we passed a deep stream about thirty yards wide, flowing +in from a body of open water several miles broad. Numbers of men were +busy at different parts of it, filling their canoes with the lotus root, +called _Nyika_, which, when boiled or roasted, resembles our chestnuts, +and is extensively used in Africa as food. Out of this lagoon, and by +this stream, the chief part of the duckweed of the Shire flows. The +lagoon itself is called Nyanja ea Motope (Lake of Mud). It is also named +Nyanja Pangono (Little Lake), while the elephant marsh goes by the name +of Nyanja Mukulu (Great Lake). It is evident from the shore line still +to be observed on the adjacent hills, that in ancient times these were +really lakes, and the traditional names thus preserved are only another +evidence of the general desiccation which Africa has undergone. + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +The Steamer in difficulties--Elephant hunting--Arrival at +Chibisa's--Search for Lake Nyassa--The Manganja country--Weavers and +smelters--Lake Pamalombe. + +Late in the afternoon of the first day's steaming, after we left the +wooding-place, we called at the village of Chikanda-Kadze, a female +chief, to purchase rice for our men; but we were now in the blissful +region where time is absolutely of no account, and where men may sit down +and rest themselves when tired; so they requested us to wait till next +day, and they would then sell us some food. As our forty black men, +however, had nothing to cook for supper, we were obliged to steam on to +reach a village a few miles above. When we meet those who care not +whether we purchase or let it alone, or who think men ought only to be in +a hurry when fleeing from an enemy, our ideas about time being money, and +the power of the purse, receives a shock. The state of eager +competition, which in England wears out both mind and body, and makes +life bitter, is here happily unknown. The cultivated spots are mere dots +compared to the broad fields of rich soil which is never either grazed or +tilled. Pity that the plenty in store for all, from our Father's +bountiful hands, is not enjoyed by more. + +The wretched little steamer could not carry all the hands we needed; so, +to lighten her, we put some into the boats and towed them astern. In the +dark, one of the boats was capsized; but all in it, except one poor +fellow who could not swim, were picked up. His loss threw a gloom over +us all, and added to the chagrin we often felt at having been so +ill-served in our sorry craft. + +Next day we arrived at the village of Mboma (16 degrees 56 minutes 30 +seconds S.), where the people raised large quantities of rice, and were +eager traders; the rice was sold at wonderfully low rates, and we could +not purchase a tithe of the food brought for sale. + +A native minstrel serenaded us in the evening, playing several quaint +tunes on a species of one stringed fiddle, accompanied by wild, but not +unmusical songs. He told the Makololo that he intended to play all night +to induce us to give him a present. The nights being cold, the +thermometer falling to 47 degrees, with occasional fogs, he was asked if +he was not afraid of perishing from cold; but, with the genuine spirit of +an Italian organ-grinder, he replied, "Oh, no; I shall spend the night +with my white comrades in the big canoe; I have often heard of the white +men, but have never seen them till now, and I must sing and play well to +them." A small piece of cloth, however, bought him off, and he moved +away in good humour. The water of the river was 70 degrees at sunrise, +which was 23 degrees warmer than the air at the same time, and this +caused fogs, which rose like steam off the river. When this is the case +cold bathing in the mornings at this time of the year is improper, for, +instead of a glow on coming out, one is apt to get a chill; the air being +so much colder than the water. + +A range of hills, commencing opposite Senna, comes to within two or three +miles of Mboma village, and then runs in a north-westerly direction; the +principal hill is named Malawe; a number of villages stand on its tree- +covered sides, and coal is found cropping out in the rocks. The country +improves as we ascend, the rich valley becoming less swampy, and adorned +with a number of trees. + +Both banks are dotted with hippopotamus traps, over every track which +these animals have made in going up out of the water to graze. The +hippopotamus feeds on grass alone, and, where there is any danger, only +at night. Its enormous lips act like a mowing-machine, and form a path +of short-cropped grass as it feeds. We never saw it eat aquatic plants +or reeds. The tusks seem weapons of both offence and defence. The +hippopotamus trap consists of a beam five or six feet long, armed with a +spear-head or hard-wood spike, covered with poison, and suspended to a +forked pole by a cord, which, coming down to the path, is held by a +catch, to be set free when the beast treads on it. Being wary brutes, +they are still very numerous. One got frightened by the ship, as she was +steaming close to the bank. In its eager hurry to escape it rushed on +shore, and ran directly under a trap, when down came the heavy beam on +its back, driving the poisoned spear-head a foot deep into its flesh. In +its agony it plunged back into the river, to die in a few hours, and +afterwards furnished a feast for the natives. The poison on the spear- +head does not affect the meat, except the part around the wound, and that +is thrown away. In some places the descending beam is weighted with +heavy stones, but here the hard heavy wood is sufficient. + +"She is leaking worse than ever forward, sir, and there is a foot of +water in the hold," was our first salutation on the morning of the 20th. +But we have become accustomed to these things now; the cabin-floor is +always wet, and one is obliged to mop up the water many times a day, +giving some countenance to the native idea that Englishmen live in or on +the water, and have no houses but ships. The cabin is now a favourite +breeding-place for mosquitoes, and we have to support both the ship-bred +and shore-bred bloodsuckers, of which several species show us their +irritating attentions. A large brown sort, called by the Portuguese +_mansos_ (tame), flies straight to its victim, and goes to work at once, +as though it were an invited guest. Some of the small kinds carry +uncommonly sharp lancets, and very potent poison. "What would these +insects eat, if we did not pass this way?" becomes a natural question. + +The juices of plants, and decaying vegetable matter in the mud, probably +form the natural food of mosquitoes, and blood is not necessary for their +existence. They appear so commonly at malarious spots, that their +presence may be taken as a hint to man to be off to more healthy +localities. None appear on the high lands. On the low lands they swarm +in myriads. The females alone are furnished with the biting apparatus, +and their number appears to be out of all proportion in excess of the +males. At anchor, on a still evening, they were excessively annoying; +and the sooner we took refuge under our mosquito curtains, the better. +The miserable and sleepless night that only one mosquito inside the +curtain can cause, is so well known, and has been so often described, +that it is needless to describe it here. One soon learns, from +experience, that to beat out the curtains thoroughly before entering +them, so that not one of these pests can possibly be harboured within, is +the only safeguard against such severe trials to one's tranquillity and +temper. + +A few miles above Mboma we came again to the village (16 degrees 44 +minutes 30 seconds S.) of the chief Tingane, the beat of whose war-drums +can speedily muster some hundreds of armed men. The bows and poisoned +arrows here are of superior workmanship to those below. Mariano's slave- +hunting parties stood in great awe of these barbed arrows, and long kept +aloof from Tingane's villages. His people were friendly enough with us +now, and covered the banks with a variety of articles for sale. The +majestic mountain, Chipirone, to which we have given the name of Mount +Clarendon, now looms in sight, and further to the N.W. the southern end +of the grand Milanje range rises in the form of an unfinished sphinx +looking down on Lake Shirwa. The Ruo (16 degrees 31 minutes 0 seconds +S.) is said to have its source in the Milanje mountains, and flows to the +S.W., to join the Shire some distance above Tingane's. A short way +beyond the Ruo lies the Elephant marsh, or Nyanja Mukulu, which is +frequented by vast herds of these animals. We believe that we counted +eight hundred elephants in sight at once. In the choice of such a strong +hold, they have shown their usual sagacity, for no hunter can get near +them through the swamps. They now keep far from the steamer; but, when +she first came up, we steamed into the midst of a herd, and some were +shot from the ship's deck. A single lesson was sufficient to teach them +that the steamer was a thing to be avoided; and at the first glimpse they +are now off two or three miles to the midst of the marsh, which is +furrowed in every direction by wandering branches of the Shire. A fine +young elephant was here caught alive, as he was climbing up the bank to +follow his retreating dam. When laid hold of, he screamed with so much +energy that, to escape a visit from the enraged mother, we steamed off, +and dragged him through the water by the proboscis. As the men were +holding his trunk over the gunwale, Monga, a brave Makololo +elephant-hunter, rushed aft, and drew his knife across it in a sort of +frenzy peculiar to the chase. The wound was skilfully sewn up, and the +young animal soon became quite tame, but, unfortunately the breathing +prevented the cut from healing, and he died in a few days from loss of +blood. Had he lived, and had we been able to bring him home, he would +have been the first _African_ elephant ever seen in England. The African +male elephant is from ten to a little over eleven feet in height, and +differs from the Asiatic species more particularly in the convex shape of +his forehead, and the enormous size of his ears. In Asia many of the +males, and all the females, are without tusks, but in Africa both sexes +are provided with these weapons. The enamel in the molar teeth is +arranged differently in the two species. By an admirable provision, new +teeth constantly come up at the part where in man the wisdom teeth +appear, and these push the others along, and out at the front end of the +jaws, thus keeping the molars sound by renewal, till the animal attains a +very great age. The tusks of animals from dry rocky countries are very +munch more dense and heavier than those from wet and marshy districts, +but the latter attain much the larger size. + +The Shire marshes support prodigious numbers of many kinds of water-fowl. +An hour at the mast-head unfolds novel views of life in an African marsh. +Near the edge, and on the branches of some favourite tree, rest scores of +plotuses and cormorants, which stretch their snake-like necks, and in +mute amazement turn one eye and then another towards the approaching +monster. By and-by the timid ones begin to fly off, or take "headers" +into the stream; but a few of the bolder, or more composed, remain, only +taking the precaution to spread their wings ready for instant flight. The +pretty ardetta (_Herodias bubulcus_), of a light yellow colour when at +rest, but seemingly of a pure white when flying, takes wing, and sweeps +across the green grass in large numbers, often showing us where buffaloes +and elephants are, by perching on their backs. Flocks of ducks, of which +the kind called "Soriri" (_Dendrocygna personata_) is most abundant, +being night feeders, meditate quietly by the small lagoons, until +startled by the noise of the steam machinery. Pelicans glide over the +water, catching fish, while the Scopus (_Scopus umbretta_) and large +herons peer intently into pools. The large black and white spur-winged +goose (a constant marauder of native gardens) springs up, and circles +round to find out what the disturbance can be, and then settles down +again with a splash. Hundreds of Linongolos (_Anastomus lamelligerus_) +rise on the wing from the clumps of reeds, or low trees (the +_Eschinomena_, from which pith hats are made), on which they build in +colonies, and are speedily high in mid-air. Charming little red and +yellow weavers (_Ploceidae_) remind one of butterflies, as they fly in +and out of the tall grass, or hang to the mouths of their pendent nests, +chattering briskly to their mates within. These weavers seem to have +"cock nests," built with only a roof, and a perch beneath, with a doorway +on each side. The natives say they are made to protect the bird from the +rain. Though her husband is very attentive, we have seen the hen bird +tearing her mate's nest to pieces, but why we cannot tell. Kites and +vultures are busy overhead, beating the ground for their repast of +carrion; and the solemn-looking, stately-stepping Marabout, with a taste +for dead fish, or men, stalks slowly along the almost stagnant channels. +Groups of men and boys are searching diligently in various places for +lotus and other roots. Some are standing in canoes, on the weed-covered +ponds, spearing fish, while others are punting over the small +intersecting streams, to examine their sunken fish-baskets. + +Towards evening, hundreds of pretty little hawks (_Erythropus +vespertinus_) are seen flying in a southerly direction, and feeding on +dragon-flies and locusts. They come, apparently, from resting on the +palm-trees during the heat of the day. Flocks of scissor-bills +(_Rhyncops_) are then also on the wing, and in search of food, ploughing +the water with their lower mandibles, which are nearly half an inch +longer than the upper ones. + +At the north-eastern end of the marsh, and about three miles from the +river, commences a great forest of palm-trees (_Borassus AEthiopium_). It +extends many miles, and at one point comes close to the river. The grey +trunks and green tops of this immense mass of trees give a pleasing tone +of colour to the view. The mountain-range, which rises close behind the +palms, is generally of a cheerful green, and has many trees, with patches +of a lighter tint among them, as if spots of land had once been +cultivated. The sharp angular rocks and dells on its sides have the +appearance of a huge crystal broken; and this is so often the case in +Africa, that one can guess pretty nearly at sight whether a range is of +the old crystalline rocks or not. The Borassus, though not an +oil-bearing palm, is a useful tree. The fibrous pulp round the large +nuts is of a sweet fruity taste, and is eaten by men and elephants. The +natives bury the nuts until the kernels begin to sprout; when dug up and +broken, the inside resembles coarse potatoes, and is prized in times of +scarcity as nutritious food. During several months of the year, palm- +wine, or sura, is obtained in large quantities; when fresh, it is a +pleasant drink, somewhat like champagne, and not at all intoxicating; +though, after standing a few hours, it becomes highly so. Sticks, a foot +long, are driven into notches in the hard outside of the tree--the inside +being soft or hollow--to serve as a ladder; the top of the fruit-shoot is +cut off, and the sap, pouring out at the fresh wound, is caught in an +earthen pot, which is hung at the point. A thin slice is taken off the +end, to open the pores, and make the juice flow every time the owner +ascends to empty the pot. Temporary huts are erected in the forest, and +men and boys remain by their respective trees day and night; the nuts, +fish, and wine, being their sole food. The Portuguese use the palm-wine +as yeast, and it makes bread so light, that it melts in the mouth like +froth. + +Beyond the marsh the country is higher, and has a much larger population. +We passed a long line of temporary huts, on a plain on the right bank, +with crowds of men and women hard at work making salt. They obtain it by +mixing the earth, which is here highly saline, with water, in a pot with +a small hole in it, and then evaporating the liquid, which runs through, +in the sun. From the number of women we saw carrying it off in bags, we +concluded that vast quantities must be made at these works. It is worth +observing that on soils like this, containing salt, the cotton is of +larger and finer staple than elsewhere. We saw large tracts of this rich +brackish soil both in the Shire and Zambesi valleys, and hence, probably, +sea-island cotton would do well; a single plant of it, reared by Major +Sicard, flourished and produced the long staple and peculiar tinge of +this celebrated variety, though planted only in the street at Tette; and +there also a salt efflorescence appears, probably from decomposition of +the rock, off which the people scrape it for use. + +The large village of the chief, Mankokwe, occupies a site on the right +bank; he owns a number of fertile islands, and is said to be the Rundo, +or paramount chief, of a large district. Being of an unhappy suspicious +disposition, he would not see us; so we thought it best to move on, +rather than spend time in seeking his favour. + +On the 25th August we reached Dakanamoio island, opposite the +perpendicular bluff on which Chibisa's village stands; he had gone, with +most of his people, to live near the Zambesi, but his headman was civil, +and promised us guides and whatever else we needed. A few of the men +were busy cleaning, sorting, spinning, and weaving cotton. This is a +common sight in nearly every village, and each family appears to have its +patch of cotton, as our own ancestors in Scotland had each his patch of +flax. Near sunset an immense flock of the large species of horn-bill +(_Buceros cristatus_) came here to roost on the great trees which skirt +the edge of the cliff. They leave early in the morning, often before +sunrise, for their feeding-places, coming and going in pairs. They are +evidently of a loving disposition, and strongly attached to each other, +the male always nestling close beside his mate. A fine male fell to the +ground, from fear, at the report of Dr. Kirk's gun; it was caught and +kept on board; the female did not go off in the mornings to feed with the +others, but flew round the ship, anxiously trying, by her plaintive +calls, to induce her beloved one to follow her: she came again in the +evenings to repeat the invitations. The poor disconsolate captive soon +refused to eat, and in five days died of grief, because he could not have +her company. No internal injury could be detected after death. + +Chibisa and his wife, with a natural show of parental feeling, had told +the Doctor, on his previous visit, that a few years before some of +Chisaka's men had kidnapped and sold their little daughter, and that she +was now a slave to the padre at Tette. On his return to Tette, the +Doctor tried hard to ransom and restore the girl to her parents, and +offered twice the value of a slave; the padre seemed willing, but she +could not be found. This padre was better than the average men of the +country; and, being always civil and obliging, would probably have +restored her gratuitously, but she had been sold, it might be to the +distant tribe Bazizulu, or he could not tell where. Custom had rendered +his feelings callous, and Chibisa had to be told that his child would +never return. It is this callous state of mind which leads some of our +own blood to quote Scripture in support of slavery. If we could afford +to take a backward step in civilization, we might find men among +ourselves who would in like manner prove Mormonism or any other enormity +to be divine. + +We left the ship on the 28th of August, 1859, for the discovery of Lake +Nyassa. Our party numbered forty-two in all--four whites, thirty-six +Makololo, and two guides. We did not actually need so many, either for +carriage or defence; but took them because we believed that, human nature +being everywhere the same, blacks are as ready as whites to take +advantage of the weak, and are as civil and respectful to the powerful. +We armed our men with muskets, which gave us influence, although it did +not add much to our strength, as most of the men had never drawn a +trigger, and in any conflict would in all probability have been more +dangerous to us than the enemy. + +Our path crossed the valley, in a north-easterly direction, up the course +of a beautiful flowing stream. Many of the gardens had excellent cotton +growing in them. An hour's march brought us to the foot of the Manganja +hills, up which lay the toilsome road. The vegetation soon changed; as +we rose bamboos appeared, and new trees and plants were met with, which +gave such incessant employment to Dr. Kirk, that he travelled the +distance three times over. Remarkably fine trees, one of which has oil- +yielding seeds, and belongs to the mahogany family, grow well in the +hollows along the rivulet courses. The ascent became very fatiguing, and +we were glad of a rest. Looking back from an elevation of a thousand +feet, we beheld a lovely prospect. The eye takes in at a glance the +valley beneath, and the many windings of its silver stream Makubula, or +Kubvula, from the shady hill-side, where it emerges in foaming haste, to +where it slowly glides into the tranquil Shire; then the Shire itself is +seen for many a mile above and below Chibisa's, and the great level +country beyond, with its numerous green woods; until the prospect, west +and north-west, is bounded far away by masses of peaked and dome-shaped +blue mountains, that fringe the highlands of the Maravi country. + +After a weary march we halted at Makolongwi, the village of Chitimba. It +stands in a woody hollow on the first of the three terraces of the +Manganja hills, and, like all other Manganja villages, is surrounded by +an impenetrable hedge of poisonous euphorbia. This tree casts a deep +shade, which would render it difficult for bowmen to take aim at the +villagers inside. The grass does not grow beneath it, and this may be +the reason why it is so universally used, for when dry the grass would +readily convey fire to the huts inside; moreover, the hedge acts as a +fender to all flying sparks. As strangers are wont to do, we sat down +under some fine trees near the entrance of the village. A couple of +mats, made of split reeds, were spread for the white men to sit on; and +the headman brought a seguati, or present, of a small goat and a basket +of meal. The full value in beads and cotton cloth was handed to him in +return. He measured the cloth, doubled it, and then measured that again. +The beads were scrutinized; he had never seen beads of that colour +before, and should like to consult with his comrades before accepting +them, and this, after repeated examinations and much anxious talk, he +concluded to do. Meal and peas were then brought for sale. A fathom of +blue cotton cloth, a full dress for man or woman, was produced. Our +Makololo headman, Sininyane, thinking a part of it was enough for the +meal, was proceeding to tear it, when Chitimba remarked that it was a +pity to cut such a nice dress for his wife, he would rather bring more +meal. "All right," said Sininyane; "but look, the cloth is very wide, so +see that the basket which carries the meal be wide too, and add a cock to +make the meal taste nicely." A brisk trade sprang up at once, each being +eager to obtain as fine things as his neighbour,--and all were in good +humour. Women and girls began to pound and grind meal, and men and boys +chased the screaming fowls over the village, until they ran them down. In +a few hours the market was completely glutted with every sort of native +food; the prices, however, rarely fell, as they could easily eat what was +not sold. + +We slept under the trees, the air being pheasant, and no mosquitoes on +the hills. According to our usual plan of marching, by early dawn our +camp was in motion. After a cup of coffee and a bit of biscuit we were +on the way. The air was deliciously cool, and the path a little easier +than that of yesterday. We passed a number of villages, occupying very +picturesque spots among the hills, and in a few hours gained the upper +terrace, 3000 feet above the level of the sea. The plateau lies west of +the Milanje mountains, and its north-eastern border slopes down to Lake +Shirwa. We were all charmed with the splendid country, and looked with +never-failing delight on its fertile plains, its numerous hills, and +majestic mountains. In some of the passes we saw bramble-berries +growing; and the many other flowers, though of great beauty, did not +remind us of youth and of home like the ungainly thorny bramble-bushes. +We were a week in crossing the highlands in a northerly direction; then +we descended into the Upper Shire Valley, which is nearly 1200 feet above +the level of the sea. This valley is wonderfully fertile, and supports a +large population. After leaving the somewhat flat-topped southern +portion, the most prominent mountain of the Zomba range is Njongone, +which has a fine stream running past its northern base. We were detained +at the end of the chain some days by one of our companions being laid up +with fever. One night we were suddenly aroused by buffaloes rushing +close by the sick-bed. We were encamped by a wood on the border of a +marsh, but our patient soon recovered, notwithstanding the unfavourable +situation, and the poor accommodation. + +The Manganja country is delightfully well watered. The clear, cool, +gushing streams are very numerous. Once we passed seven fine brooks and +a spring in a single hour, and this, too, near the close of the dry +season. Mount Zomba, which is twenty miles long, and from 7000 to 8000 +feet high, has a beautiful stream flowing through a verdant valley on its +summit, and running away down into Lake Shirwa. The highlands are well +wooded, and many trees, admirable for their height and timber, grow on +the various watercourses. "Is this country good for cattle?" we inquired +of a Makololo herdsman, whose occupation had given him skill in +pasturage. "Truly," he replied, "do you not see abundance of those +grasses which the cattle love, and get fat upon?" Yet the people have +but few goats, and fewer sheep. With the exception of an occasional +leopard, there are no beasts of prey to disturb domestic animals. Wool- +sheep would, without doubt, thrive on these highlands. Part of the Upper +Shire valley has a lady paramount, named Nyango; and in her dominions +women rank higher and receive more respectful treatment than their +sisters on the hills. + +The hill chief, Mongazi, called his wife to take charge of a present we +had given him. She dropped down on her knees, clapping her hands in +reverence, before and after receiving our presents from his lordly hands. +It was painful to see the abject manner in which the women of the hill +tribes knelt beside the path as we passed; but a great difference took +place when we got into Nyango's country. + +On entering a village, we proceeded, as all strangers do, at once to the +Boalo: mats of split reeds or bamboo were usually spread for us to sit +on. Our guides then told the men who might be there, who we were, whence +we had come, whither we wanted to go, and what were our objects. This +information was duly carried to the chief, who, if a sensible man, came +at once; but, if he happened to be timid and suspicious, waited until he +had used divination, and his warriors had time to come in from outlying +hamlets. When he makes his appearance, all the people begin to clap +their hands in unison, and continue doing so till he sits down opposite +to us. His counsellors take their places beside him. He makes a remark +or two, and is then silent for a few seconds. Our guides then sit down +in front of the chief and his counsellors, and both parties lean forward, +looking earnestly at each other; the chief repeats a word, such as +"Ambuiatu" (our Father, or master)--or "moio" (life), and all clap their +hands. Another word is followed by two claps, a third by still more +clapping, when each touches the ground with both hands placed together. +Then all rise and lean forward with measured clap, and sit down again +with clap, clap, clap, fainter, and still fainter, till the last dies +away, or is brought to an end by a smart loud clap from the chief. They +keep perfect time in this species of court etiquette. Our guides now +tell the chief, often in blank verse, all they have already told his +people, with the addition perhaps of their own suspicions of the +visitors. He asks some questions, and then converses with us through the +guides. Direct communication between the chief and the head of the +stranger party is not customary. In approaching they often ask who is +the spokesman, and the spokesman of the chief addresses the person +indicated exclusively. There is no lack of punctilious good manners. The +accustomed presents are exchanged with civil ceremoniousness; until our +men, wearied and hungry, call out, "English do not buy slaves, they buy +food," and then the people bring meal, maize, fowls, batatas, yams, +beans, beer, for sale. + +The Manganja are an industrious race; and in addition to working in iron, +cotton, and basket-making, they cultivate the soil extensively. All the +people of a village turn out to labour in the fields. It is no uncommon +thing to see men, women, and children hard at work, with the baby lying +close by beneath a shady bush. When a new piece of woodland is to be +cleared, they proceed exactly as farmers do in America. The trees are +cut down with their little axes of soft native iron; trunks and branches +are piled up and burnt, and the ashes spread on the soil. The corn is +planted among the standing stumps which are left to rot. If grass land +is to be brought under cultivation, as much tall grass as the labourer +can conveniently lay hold of is collected together and tied into a knot. +He then strikes his hoe round the tufts to sever the roots, and leaving +all standing, proceeds until the whole ground assumes the appearance of a +field covered with little shocks of corn in harvest. A short time before +the rains begin, these grass shocks are collected in small heaps, covered +with earth, and burnt, the ashes and burnt soil being used to fertilize +the ground. Large crops of the mapira, or Egyptian dura (_Holcus +sorghum_), are raised, with millet, beans, and ground-nuts; also patches +of yams, rice, pumpkins, cucumbers, cassava, sweet potatoes, tobacco, and +hemp, or bang (_Cannabis setiva_). Maize is grown all the year round. +Cotton is cultivated at almost every village. Three varieties of cotton +have been found in the country, namely, two foreign and one native. The +"tonje manga," or foreign cotton, the name showing that it has been +introduced, is of excellent quality, and considered at Manchester to be +nearly equal to the best New Orleans. It is perennial, but requires +replanting once in three years. A considerable amount of this variety is +grown in the Upper and Lower Shire valleys. Every family of any +importance owns a cotton patch which, from the entire absence of weeds, +seemed to be carefully cultivated. Most were small, none seen on this +journey exceeding half an acre; but on the former trip some were observed +of more than twice that size. + +The "tonje cadja," or indigenous cotton, is of shorter staple, and feels +in the hand like wool. This kind has to be planted every season in the +highlands; yet, because it makes stronger cloth, many of the people +prefer it to the foreign cotton; the third variety is not found here. It +was remarked to a number of men near the Shire Lakelet, a little further +on towards Nyassa, "You should plant plenty of cotton, and probably the +English will come and buy it." "Truly," replied a far-travelled Babisa +trader to his fellows, "the country is full of cotton, and if these +people come to buy they will enrich us." Our own observation on the +cotton cultivated convinced us that this was no empty flourish, but a +fact. Everywhere we met with it, and scarcely ever entered a village +without finding a number of men cleaning, spinning, and weaving. It is +first carefully separated from the seed by the fingers, or by an iron +roller, on a little block of wood, and rove out into long soft bands +without twist. Then it receives its first twist on the spindle, and +becomes about the thickness of coarse candlewick; after being taken off +and wound into a large ball, it is given the final hard twist, and spun +into a firm cop on the spindle again: all the processes being painfully +slow. + +Iron ore is dug out of the hills, and its manufacture is the staple trade +of the southern highlands. Each village has its smelting-house, its +charcoal-burners, and blacksmiths. They make good axes, spears, needles, +arrowheads, bracelets and anklets, which, considering the entire absence +of machinery, are sold at surprisingly low rates; a hoe over two pounds +in weight is exchanged for calico of about the value of fourpence. In +villages near Lake Shirwa and elsewhere, the inhabitants enter pretty +largely into the manufacture of crockery, or pottery, making by hand all +sorts of cooking, water, and grain pots, which they ornament with +plumbago found in the hills. Some find employment in weaving neat +baskets from split bamboos, and others collect the fibre of the buaze, +which grows abundantly on the hills, and make it into fish-nets. These +they either use themselves, or exchange with the fishermen on the river +or lakes for dried fish and salt. A great deal of native trade is +carried on between the villages, by means of barter in tobacco, salt, +dried fish, skins, and iron. Many of the men are intelligent-looking, +with well-shaped heads, agreeable faces, and high foreheads. We soon +learned to forget colour, and we frequently saw countenances resembling +those of white people we had known in England, which brought back the +looks of forgotten ones vividly before the mind. The men take a good +deal of pride in the arrangement of their hair; the varieties of style +are endless. One trains his long locks till they take the admired form +of the buffalo's horns; others prefer to let their hair hang in a thick +coil down their backs, like that animal's tail; while another wears it in +twisted cords, which, stiffened by fillets of the inner bark of a tree +wound spirally round each curl, radiate from the head in all directions. +Some have it hanging all round the shoulders in large masses; others +shave it off altogether. Many shave part of it into ornamental figures, +in which the fancy of the barber crops out conspicuously. About as many +dandies run to seed among the blacks as among the whites. The Man ganja +adorn their bodies extravagantly, wearing rings on their fingers and +thumbs, besides throatlets, bracelets, and anklets of brass, copper, or +iron. But the most wonderful of ornaments, if such it may be called, is +the pelele, or upper-lip ring of the women. The middle of the upper lip +of the girls is pierced close to the septum of the nose, and a small pin +inserted to prevent the puncture closing up. After it has healed, the +pin is taken out and a larger one is pressed into its place, and so on +successively for weeks, and months, and years. The process of increasing +the size of the lip goes on till its capacity becomes so great that a +ring of two inches diameter can be introduced with ease. All the +highland women wear the pelele, and it is common on the Upper and Lower +Shire. The poorer classes make them of hollow or of solid bamboo, but +the wealthier of ivory or tin. The tin pelele is often made in the form +of a small dish. The ivory one is not unlike a napkin-ring. No woman +ever appears in public without the pelele, except in times of mourning +for the dead. It is frightfully ugly to see the upper lip projecting two +inches beyond the tip of the nose. When an old wearer of a hollow bamboo +ring smiles, by the action of the muscles of the cheeks, the ring and lip +outside it are dragged back and thrown above the eyebrows. The nose is +seen through the middle of the ring, amid the exposed teeth show how +carefully they have been chipped to look like those of a cat or +crocodile. The pelele of an old lady, Chikanda Kadze, a chieftainess, +about twenty miles north of Morambala, hung down below her chin, with, of +course, a piece of the upper lip around its border. The labial letters +cannot be properly pronounced, but the under lip has to do its best for +them, against the upper teeth and gum. Tell them it makes them ugly; +they had better throw it away; they reply, "Kodi! Really! it is the +fashion." How this hideous fashion originated is an enigma. Can thick +lips ever have been thought beautiful, and this mode of artificial +enlargement resorted to in consequence? The constant twiddling of the +pelele with the tongue by the younger women suggested the irreverent idea +that it might have been invented to give safe employment to that little +member. "Why do the women wear these things?" we inquired of the old +chief, Chinsunse. Evidently surprised at such a stupid question, he +replied, "For beauty, to be sure! Men have beards and whiskers; women +have none; and what kind of creature would a woman be without whiskers, +and without the pelele? She would have a mouth like a man, and no beard; +ha! ha! ha!" Afterwards on the Rovuma, we found men wearing the pelele, +as well as women. An idea suggested itself on seeing the effects of the +slight but constant pressure exerted on the upper gum and front teeth, of +which our medical brethren will judge the value. In many cases the upper +front teeth, instead of the natural curve outwards, which the row +presents, had been pressed so as to appear as if the line of alveoli in +which they were planted had an inward curve. As this was produced by the +slight pressure of the pelele backwards, persons with too prominent teeth +might by slight, but long-continued pressure, by some appliance only as +elastic as the lip, have the upper gum and teeth depressed, especially in +youth, more easily than is usually imagined. The pressure should be +applied to the upper gum more than to the teeth. + +The Manganja are not a sober people: they brew large quantities of beer, +and like it well. Having no hops, or other means of checking +fermentation, they are obliged to drink the whole brew in a few days, or +it becomes unfit for use. Great merry-makings take place on these +occasions, and drinking, drumming, and dancing continue day and night, +till the beer is gone. In crossing the hills we sometimes found whole +villages enjoying this kind of mirth. The veteran traveller of the party +remarked, that he had not seen so much drunkenness during all the sixteen +years he had spent in Africa. As we entered a village one afternoon, not +a man was to be seen; but some women were drinking beer under a tree. In +a few moments the native doctor, one of the innocents, "nobody's enemy +but his own," staggered out of a hut, with his cupping-horn dangling from +his neck, and began to scold us for a breach of etiquette. "Is this the +way to come into a man's village, without sending him word that you are +coming?" Our men soon pacified the fuddled but good-humoured medico, +who, entering his beer-cellar, called on two of them to help him to carry +out a huge pot of beer, which he generously presented to us. While the +"medical practitioner" was thus hospitably employed, the chief awoke in a +fright, and shouted to the women to run away, or they would all be +killed. The ladies laughed at the idea of their being able to run away, +and remained beside the beer-pots. We selected a spot for our camp, our +men cooked the dinner as usual, and we were quietly eating it, when +scores of armed men, streaming with perspiration, came pouring into the +village. They looked at us, then at each other, and turning to the chief +upbraided him for so needlessly sending for them. "These people are +peaceable; they do not hurt you; you are killed with beer:" so saying, +they returned to their homes. + +Native beer has a pinkish colour, and the consistency of gruel. The +grain is made to vegetate, dried in the sun, pounded into meal, and +gently boiled. When only a day or two old, the beer is sweet, with a +slight degree of acidity, which renders it a most grateful beverage in a +hot climate, or when fever begets a sore craving for acid drinks. A +single draught of it satisfies this craving at once. Only by deep and +long-continued potations can intoxication be produced: the grain being in +a minutely divided state, it is a good way of consuming it, and the +decoction is very nutritious. At Tette a measure of beer is exchanged +for an equal-sized pot full of grain. A present of this beer, so +refreshing to our dark comrades, was brought to us in nearly every +village. Beer-drinking does not appear to produce any disease, or to +shorten life on the hills. Never before did we see so many old, grey- +headed men and women; leaning on their staves they came with the others +to see the white men. The aged chief, Muata Manga, could hardly have +been less than ninety years of age; his venerable appearance struck the +Makololo. "He is an old man," said they, "a very old man; his skin hangs +in wrinkles, just like that on elephants' hips." "Did you never," he was +asked, "have a fit of travelling come over you; a desire to see other +lands and people?" No, he had never felt that, and had never been far +from home in his life. For long life they are not indebted to frequent +ablutions. An old man told us that he remembered to have washed once in +his life, but it was so long since that he had forgotten how it felt. +"Why do you wash?" asked Chinsunse's women of the Makololo; "our men +never do." + +The superstitious ordeal, by drinking the poisonous muave, obtains credit +here; and when a person is suspected of crime, this ordeal is resorted +to. If the stomach rejects the poison, the accused is pronounced +innocent; but if it is retained, guilt is believed to be demonstrated. +Their faith is so firm in its discriminating power, that the supposed +criminal offers of his own accord to drink it, and even chiefs are not +exempted. Chibisa, relying on its efficacy, drank it several times, in +order to vindicate his character. When asserting that all his wars had +been just, it was hinted that, as every chief had the same tale of +innocence to tell, we ought to suspend our judgment. "If you doubt my +word," said he, "give me the muave to drink." A chief at the foot of +Mount Zomba successfully went through the ordeal the day we reached his +village; and his people manifested their joy at his deliverance by +drinking beer, dancing, and drumming for two days and nights. It is +possible that the native doctor, who mixes the ingredients of the +poisoned bowl, may be able to save those whom he considers innocent; but +it is difficult to get the natives to speak about the matter, and no one +is willing to tell what the muave poison consists of. We have been shown +trees said to be used, but had always reason to doubt the accuracy of our +informants. We once found a tree in a village, with many pieces of the +bark chipped off, closely allied to the Tangena or Tanghina, the ordeal +poison tree of Madagascar; but we could not ascertain any particulars +about it. Death is inflicted on those found guilty of witchcraft, by the +muave. + +The women wail for the dead two days. Seated on the ground they chant a +few plaintive words, and end each verse with the prolonged sound of a--a, +or o--o, or ea-ea-ea--a. Whatever beer is in the house of the deceased, +is poured out on the ground with the meal, and all cooking and water pots +are broken, as being of no further use. Both men and women wear signs of +mourning for their dead relatives. These consist of narrow strips of the +palm-leaf wound round the head, the arms, legs, neck, and breasts, and +worn till they drop off from decay. They believe in the existence of a +supreme being, called Mpambe, and also Morungo, and in a future state. +"We live only a few days here," said old Chinsunse, "but we live again +after death: we do not know where, or in what condition, or with what +companions, for the dead never return to tell us. Sometimes the dead do +come back, and appear to us in dreams; but they never speak nor tell us +where they have gone, nor how they fare." + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +The Upper Shire--Discovery of Lake Nyassa--Distressing exploration--Return +to Zambesi--Unpleasant visitors--Start for Sekeletu's Country in the +interior. + +Our path followed the Shire above the cataracts, which is now a broad +deep river, with but little current. It expands in one place into a +lakelet, called Pamalombe, full of fine fish, and ten or twelve miles +long by five or six in breadth. Its banks are low, and a dense wall of +papyrus encircles it. On its western shore rises a range of hills +running north. On reaching the village of the chief Muana-Moesi, and +about a day's march distant from Nyassa, we were told that no lake had +ever been heard of there; that the River Shire stretched on as we saw it +now to a distance of "two months," and then came out from between +perpendicular rocks, which towered almost to the skies. Our men looked +blank at this piece of news, and said, "Let us go back to the ship, it is +of no use trying to find the lake." "We shall go and see those wonderful +rocks at any rate," said the Doctor. "And when you see them," replied +Masakasa, "you will just want to see something else. But there _is_ a +lake," rejoined Masakasa, "for all their denying it, for it is down in a +book." Masakasa, having unbounded faith in whatever was in a book, went +and scolded the natives for telling him an untruth. "There is a lake," +said he, "for how could the white men know about it in a book if it did +not exist?" They then admitted that there was a lake a few miles off. +Subsequent inquiries make it probable that the story of the +"perpendicular rocks" may have had reference to a fissure, known to both +natives and Arabs, in the north-eastern portion of the lake. The walls +rise so high that the path along the bottom is said to be underground. It +is probably a crack similar to that which made the Victoria Falls, and +formed the Shire Valley. + +The chief brought a small present of meal in the evening, and sat with us +for a few minutes. On leaving us he said that he wished we might sleep +well. Scarce had he gone, when a wild sad cry arose from the river, +followed by the shrieking of women. A crocodile had carried off his +principal wife, as she was bathing. The Makololo snatched up their arms, +and rushed to the bank, but it was too late, she was gone. The wailing +of the women continued all night, and next morning we met others coming +to the village to join in the general mourning. Their grief was +evidently heartfelt, as we saw the tears coursing down their cheeks. In +reporting this misfortune to his neighbours, Muana-Moesi said, "that +white men came to his village; washed themselves at the place where his +wife drew water and bathed; rubbed themselves with a white medicine +(soap); and his wife, having gone to bathe afterwards, was taken by a +crocodile; he did not know whether in consequence of the medicine used or +not." This we could not find fault with. On our return we were viewed +with awe, and all the men fled at our approach; the women remained; and +this elicited the remark from our men, "The women have the advantage of +men, in not needing to dread the spear." The practice of bathing, which +our first contact with Chinsunse's people led us to believe was unknown +to the natives, we afterwards found to be common in other parts of the +Manganja country. + +We discovered Lake Nyassa a little before noon of the 16th September, +1859. Its southern end is in 14 degrees 25 minutes S. Lat., and 35 +degrees 30 minutes E. Long. At this point the valley is about twelve +miles wide. There are hills on both sides of the lake, but the haze from +burning grass prevented us at the time from seeing far. A long time +after our return from Nyassa, we received a letter from Captain R. B. +Oldfield, R.N., then commanding H.M.S. "Lyra," with the information that +Dr. Roscher, an enterprising German who unfortunately lost his life in +his zeal for exploration, had also reached the Lake, but on the 19th +November following our discovery; and on his arrival had been informed by +the natives that a party of white men were at the southern extremity. On +comparing dates (16th September and 19th November) we were about two +months before Dr. Roscher. + +It is not known where Dr. Roscher first saw its waters; as the exact +position of Nusseewa on the borders of the Lake, where he lived some +time, is unknown. He was three days north-east of Nusseewa, and on the +Arab road back to the usual crossing-place of the Rovuma, when he was +murdered. The murderers were seized by one of the chiefs, sent to +Zanzibar, and executed. He is said to have kept his discoveries to +himself, with the intention of publishing in Europe the whole at once, in +a splendid book of travels. + +The chief of the village near the confluence of the Lake and River Shire, +an old man, called Mosauka, hearing that we were sitting under a tree, +came and kindly invited us to his village. He took us to a magnificent +banyan-tree, of which he seemed proud. The roots had been trained down +to the ground into the form of a gigantic arm-chair, without the seat. +Four of us slept in the space betwixt its arms. Mosauka brought us a +present of a goat and basket of meal "to comfort our hearts." He told us +that a large slave party, led by Arabs, were encamped close by. They had +been up to Cazembe's country the past year, and were on their way back, +with plenty of slaves, ivory, and malachite. In a few minutes half a +dozen of the leaders came over to see us. They were armed with long +muskets, and, to our mind, were a villanous-looking lot. They evidently +thought the same of us, for they offered several young children for sale, +but, when told that we were English, showed signs of fear, and decamped +during the night. On our return to the Kongone, we found that H.M.S. +"Lynx" had caught some of these very slaves in a dhow; for a woman told +us she first saw us at Mosauka's, and that the Arabs had fled for fear of +an _uncanny_ sort of Basungu. + +This is one of the great slave-paths from the interior, others cross the +Shire a little below, and some on the lake itself. We might have +released these slaves but did not know what to do with them afterwards. +On meeting men, led in slave-sticks, the Doctor had to bear the +reproaches of the Makololo, who never slave, "Ay, you call us bad, but +are we yellow-hearted, like these fellows--why won't you let us choke +them?" To liberate and leave them, would have done but little good, as +the people of the surrounding villages would soon have seized them, and +have sold them again into slavery. The Manganja chiefs sell their own +people, for we met Ajawa and slave-dealers in several highland villages, +who had certainly been encouraged to come among them for slaves. The +chiefs always seemed ashamed of the traffic, and tried to excuse +themselves. "We do not sell many, and only those who have committed +crimes." As a rule the regular trade is supplied by the low and criminal +classes, and hence the ugliness of slaves. Others are probably sold +besides criminals, as on the accusation of witchcraft. Friendless +orphans also sometimes disappear suddenly, and no one inquires what has +become of them. The temptation to sell their people is peculiarly great, +as there is but little ivory on the hills, and often the chief has +nothing but human flesh with which to buy foreign goods. The Ajawa offer +cloth, brass rings, pottery, and sometimes handsome young women, and +agree to take the trouble of carrying off by night all those whom the +chief may point out to them. They give four yards of cotton cloth for a +man, three for a woman, and two for a boy or girl, to be taken to the +Portuguese at Mozambique, Iboe, and Quillimane. + +The Manganja were more suspicious and less hospitable than the tribes on +the Zambesi. They were slow to believe that our object in coming into +their country was really what we professed it to be. They naturally +judge us by the motives which govern themselves. A chief in the Upper +Shire Valley, whose scared looks led our men to christen him Kitlabolawa +(I shall be killed), remarked that parties had come before, with as +plausible a story as ours, and, after a few days, had jumped up and +carried off a number of his people as slaves. We were not allowed to +enter some of the villages in the valley, nor would the inhabitants even +sell us food; Zimika's men, for instance, stood at the entrance of the +euphorbia hedge, and declared we should not pass in. We sat down under a +tree close by. A young fellow made an angry oration, dancing from side +to side with his bow and poisoned arrows, and gesticulating fiercely in +our faces. He was stopped in the middle of his harangue by an old man, +who ordered him to sit down, and not talk to strangers in that way; he +obeyed reluctantly, scowling defiance, and thrusting out his large lips +very significantly. The women were observed leaving the village; and, +suspecting that mischief might ensue, we proceeded on our journey, to the +great disgust of our men. They were very angry with the natives for +their want of hospitality to strangers, and with us, because we would not +allow them to give "the things a thrashing." "This is what comes of +going with white men," they growled out; "had we been with our own chief, +we should have eaten their goats to-night, and had some of themselves to +carry the bundles for us to-morrow." On our return by a path which left +his village on our right, Zimika sent to apologize, saying that "he was +ill, and in another village at the time; it was not by his orders we were +sent away; his men did not know that we were a party wishing the land to +dwell in peace." + +We were not able, when hastening back to the men left in the ship, to +remain in the villages belonging to this chief; but the people came after +us with things for sale, and invited us to stop, and spend the night with +them, urging, "Are we to have it said that white people passed through +our country and we did not see them?" We rested by a rivulet to gratify +these sight-seers. We appear to them to be red rather than white; and, +though light colour is admired among themselves, our clothing renders us +uncouth in aspect. Blue eyes appear savage, and a red beard hideous. +From the numbers of aged persons we saw on the highlands, and the +increase of mental and physical vigour we experienced on our ascent from +the lowlands, we inferred that the climate was salubrious, and that our +countrymen might there enjoy good health, and also be of signal benefit, +by leading the multitude of industrious inhabitants to cultivate cotton, +buaze, sugar, and other valuable produce, to exchange for goods of +European manufacture; at the same time teaching them, by precept and +example, the great truths of our Holy Religion. + +Our stay at the Lake was necessarily short. We had found that the best +plan for allaying any suspicions, that might arise in the minds of a +people accustomed only to slave-traders, was to pay a hasty visit, and +then leave for a while, and allow the conviction to form among the people +that, though our course of action was so different from that of others, +we were not dangerous, but rather disposed to be friendly. We had also a +party at the vessel, and any indiscretion on their part might have proved +fatal to the character of the Expedition. + +The trade of Cazembe and Katanga's country, and of other parts of the +interior, crosses Nyassa and the Shire, on its way to the Arab port, +Kilwa, and the Portuguese ports of Iboe and Mozambique. At present, +slaves, ivory, malachite, and copper ornaments, are the only articles of +commerce. According to information collected by Colonel Rigby at +Zanzibar, and from other sources, nearly all the slaves shipped from the +above-mentioned ports come from the Nyassa district. By means of a small +steamer, purchasing the ivory of the Lake and River above the cataracts, +which together have a shore-line of at least 600 miles, the slave-trade +in this quarter would be rendered unprofitable,--for it is only by the +ivory being carried by the slaves, that the latter do not eat up all the +profits of a trip. An influence would be exerted over an enormous area +of country, for the Mazitu about the north end of the Lake will not allow +slave-traders to pass round that way through their country. They would +be most efficient allies to the English, and might themselves be +benefited by more intercourse. As things are now, the native traders in +ivory and malachite have to submit to heavy exactions; and if we could +give them the same prices which they at present get after carrying their +merchandise 300 miles beyond this to the Coast, it might induce them to +return without going further. It is only by cutting off the supplies in +the interior, that we can crush the slave-trade on the Coast. The plan +proposed would stop the slave-trade from the Zambesi on one side and +Kilwa on the other; and would leave, beyond this tract, only the +Portuguese port of Inhambane on the south, and a portion of the Sultan of +Zanzibar's dominion on the north, for our cruisers to look after. The +Lake people grow abundance of cotton for their own consumption, and can +sell it for a penny a pound or even less. Water-carriage exists by the +Shire and Zambesi all the way to England, with the single exception of a +portage of about thirty-five miles past the Murchison Cataracts, along +which a road of less than forty miles could be made at a trifling +expense; and it seems feasible that a legitimate and thriving trade +might, in a short time, take the place of the present unlawful traffic. + +Colonel Rigby, Captains Wilson, Oldfield, and Chapman, and all the most +intelligent officers on the Coast, were unanimous in the belief, that one +small vessel on the Lake would have decidedly more influence, and do more +good in suppressing the slave-trade, than half a dozen men-of-war on the +ocean. By judicious operations, therefore, on a small scale inland, +little expense would be incurred, and the English slave-trade policy on +the East would have the same fair chance of success, as on the West +Coast. + +After a land-journey of forty days, we returned to the ship on the 6th of +October, 1859, in a somewhat exhausted condition, arising more from a +sort of poisoning, than from the usual fatigue of travel. We had taken a +little mulligatawney paste, for making soup, in case of want of time to +cook other food. Late one afternoon, at the end of an unusually long +march, we reached Mikena, near the base of Mount Njongone to the north of +Zomba, and the cook was directed to use a couple of spoonfuls of the +paste; but, instead of doing so, he put in the whole potful. The soup +tasted rather hot, but we added boiled rice to it, and, being very +hungry, partook freely of it; and, in consequence of the overdose, we +were delayed several days in severe suffering, and some of the party did +not recover till after our return to the ship. Our illness may partly +have arisen from another cause. One kind of cassava (_Jatropha maligna_) +is known to be, in its raw state, poisonous, but by boiling it carefully +in two waters, which must be thrown off, the poison is extracted and the +cassava rendered fit for food. The poisonous sort is easily known by +raising a bit of the bark of the root, and putting the tongue to it. A +bitter taste shows poison, but it is probable that even the sweet kind +contains an injurious principle. The sap, which, like that of our +potatoes, is injurious as an article of food, is used in the "Pepper-pot" +of the West Indies, under the name of "Cassereep," as a perfect +preservative of meat. This juice put into an earthen vessel with a +little water and Chili pepper is said to keep meat, that is immersed in +it, good for a great length of time; even for years. No iron or steel +must touch the mixture, or it will become sour. This "Pepper-pot," of +which we first heard from the late Archbishop Whately, is a most +economical meat-safe in a hot climate; any beef, mutton, pork, or fowl +that may be left at dinner, if put into the mixture and a little fresh +cassereep added, keeps perfectly, though otherwise the heat of the +climate or flies would spoil it. Our cook, however, boiled the cassava +root as he was in the habit of cooking meat, namely, by filling the pot +with it, and then pouring in water, which he allowed to stand on the fire +until it had become absorbed and boiled away. This method did not expel +the poisonous properties of the root, or render it wholesome; for, +notwithstanding our systematic caution in purchasing only the harmless +sort, we suffered daily from its effects, and it was only just before the +end of our trip that this pernicious mode of boiling it was discovered by +us. + +In ascending 3000 feet from the lowlands to the highlands, or on reaching +the low valley of the Shire from the higher grounds, the change of +climate was very marked. The heat was oppressive below, the thermometer +standing at from 84 degrees to 103 degrees in the shade; and our spirits +were as dull and languid as they had been exhilarated on the heights in a +temperature cooler by some 20 degrees. The water of the river was +sometimes 84 degrees or higher, whilst that we had been drinking in the +hill streams was only 65 degrees. + +It was found necessary to send two of our number across from the Shire to +Tette; and Dr. Kirk, with guides from Chibisa, and accompanied by Mr. +Rae, the engineer, accomplished the journey. We had found the country to +the north and east so very well watered, that no difficulty was +anticipated in this respect in a march of less than a hundred miles; but +on this occasion our friends suffered severely. The little water to be +had at this time of the year, by digging in the beds of dry watercourses, +was so brackish as to increase thirst--some of the natives indeed were +making salt from it; and when at long intervals a less brackish supply +was found, it was nauseous and muddy from the frequent visits of large +game. The tsetse abounded. The country was level, and large tracts of +it covered with mopane forest, the leaves of which afford but scanty +shade to the baked earth, so that scarcely any grass grows upon it. The +sun was so hot, that the men frequently jumped from the path, in the vain +hope of cooling, for a moment, their scorched feet under the almost +shadeless bushes; and the native who carried the provision of salt pork +got lost, and came into Tette two days after the rest of the party, with +nothing but the fibre of the meat left, the fat, melted by the blazing +sun, having all run down his back. This path was soon made a highway for +slaving parties by Captain Raposo, the Commandant. The journey nearly +killed our two active young friends; and what the slaves must have since +suffered on it no one can conceive; but slaving probably can never be +conducted without enormous suffering and loss of life. + +Mankokwe now sent a message to say that he wished us to stop at his +village on our way down. He came on board on our arrival there with a +handsome present, and said that his young people had dissuaded him from +visiting us before; but now he was determined to see what every one else +was seeing. A bald square-headed man, who had been his Prime Minister +when we came up, was now out of office, and another old man, who had +taken his place accompanied the chief. In passing the Elephant Marsh, we +saw nine large herds of elephants; they sometimes formed a line two miles +long. + +On the 2nd of November we anchored off Shamoara, and sent the boat to +Senna for biscuit and other provisions. Senhor Ferrao, with his wonted +generosity, gave us a present of a bullock, which he sent to us in a +canoe. Wishing to know if a second bullock would be acceptable to us, he +consulted his Portuguese and English dictionary, and asked the sailor in +charge if he would take _another_; but Jack, mistaking the Portuguese +pronunciation of the letter h, replied, "Oh no, sir, thank you, I don't +want an _otter_ in the boat, they are such terrible biters!" + +We had to ground the vessel on a shallow sandbank every night; she leaked +so fast, that in deep water she would have sunk, and the pump had to be +worked all day to keep her afloat. Heavy rains fell daily, producing the +usual injurious effects in the cabin; and, unable to wait any longer for +our associates, who had gone overland from the Shire to Tette, we ran +down the Kongone and beached her for repairs. Her Majesty's ship "Lynx," +Lieut. Berkeley commanding, called shortly afterwards with supplies; the +bar, which had been perfectly smooth for some time before, became rather +rough just before her arrival, so that it was two or three days before +she could communicate with us. Two of her boats tried to come in on the +second day, and one of them, mistaking the passage, capsized in the heavy +breakers abreast of the island. Mr. Hunt, gunner, the officer in charge +of the second boat, behaved nobly, and by his skilful and gallant conduct +succeeded in rescuing every one of the first boat's crew. Of course the +things that they were bringing to us were lost, but we were thankful that +all the men were saved. The loss of the mail-bags, containing Government +despatches and our friends' letters for the past year, was felt severely, +as we were on the point of starting on an expedition into the interior, +which might require eight or nine months; and twenty months is a weary +time to be without news of friends and family. In the repairing of our +crazy craft, we received kind and efficient aid from Lieutenant Berkeley, +and we were enabled to leave for Tette on December 16th. + +We had now frequent rains, and the river rose considerably; our progress +up the stream was distressingly slow, and it was not until the 2nd of +February, 1860, that we reached Tette. Mr. Thornton returned on the same +day from a geological tour, by which some Portuguese expected that a +fabulous silver-mine would be rediscovered. The tradition in the country +is, that the Jesuits formerly knew and worked a precious lode at Chicova. +Mr. Thornton had gone beyond Zumbo, in company with a trader of colour; +he soon after this left the Zambesi and, joining the expedition of the +Baron van der Decken, explored the snow mountain Kilimanjaro, north-west +of Zanzibar. Mr. Thornton's companion, the trader, brought back much +ivory, having found it both abundant and cheap. He was obliged, however, +to pay heavy fines to the Banyai and other tribes, in the country which +is coolly claimed in Europe as Portuguese. During this trip of six +mouths 200 pieces of cotton cloth of sixteen yards each, besides beads +and brass wire, were paid to the different chiefs, for leave to pass +through their country. In addition to these sufficiently weighty +exactions, the natives of _this dominion_ have got into the habit of +imposing fines for alleged milandos, or crimes, which the traders' men +may have unwittingly committed. The merchants, however, submit rather +than run the risk of fighting. + +The general monotony of existence at Tette is sometimes relieved by an +occasional death or wedding. When the deceased is a person of +consequence, the quantity of gunpowder his slaves are allowed to expend +is enormous. The expense may, in proportion to their means, resemble +that incurred by foolishly gaudy funerals in England. When at Tette, we +always joined with sympathizing hearts in aiding, by our presence at the +last rites, to soothe the sorrows of the surviving relatives. We are +sure that they would have done the same to us had we been the mourners. +We never had to complain of want of hospitality. Indeed, the great +kindness shown by many of whom we have often spoken, will never be +effaced from our memory till our dying day. When we speak of their +failings it is in sorrow, not in anger. Their trading in slaves is an +enormous mistake. Their Government places them in a false position by +cutting them off from the rest of the world; and of this they always +speak with a bitterness which, were it heard, might alter the tone of the +statesmen of Lisbon. But here there is no press, no booksellers' shops, +and scarcely a schoolmaster. Had we been born in similar untoward +circumstances--we tremble to think of it! + +The weddings are celebrated with as much jollity as weddings are +anywhere. We witnessed one in the house of our friend the Padre. It +being the marriage of his goddaughter, he kindly invited us to be +partakers in his joy; and we there became acquainted with old Donna +Engenia, who was a married wife and had children, when the slaves came +from Cassange, before any of us were born. The whole merry-making was +marked by good taste amid propriety. + +About the only interesting object in the vicinity of Tette is the coal a +few miles to the north. There, in the feeders of the stream Revubue, it +crops out in cliff sections. The seams are from four to seven feet in +thickness; one measured was found to be twenty-five feet thick. + +Learning that it would be difficult for our party to obtain food beyond +Kebrabasa before the new crop came in and knowing the difficulty of +hunting for so many men in the wet season, we decided on deferring our +departure for the interior until May, and in the mean time to run down +once more to the Kongone, in the hopes of receiving letters and +despatches from the man-of-war that was to call in March. We left Tette +on the 10th, and at Senna heard that our lost mail had been picked up on +the beach by natives, west of the Milambe; carried to Quillimane, sent +thence to Senna, and, passing us somewhere on the river, on to Tette. At +Shupanga the governor informed us that it was a very large mail; no great +comfort, seeing it was away up the river. + +Mosquitoes were excessively troublesome at the harbour, and especially +when a light breeze blew from the north over the mangroves. We lived for +several weeks in small huts, built by our men. Those who did the hunting +for the party always got wet, and were attacked by fever, but generally +recovered in time to be out again before the meat was all consumed. No +ship appearing, we started off on the 15th of March, and stopped to wood +on the Luabo, near an encampment of hippopotamus hunters; our men heard +again, through them, of the canoe path from this place to Quillimane, but +they declined to point it out. + +We found our friend Major Sicard at Mazaro with picks, shovels, hurdles, +and slaves, having come to build a fort and custom-house at the Kongone. +As we had no good reason to hide the harbour, but many for its being made +known, we supplied him with a chart of the tortuous branches, which, +running among the mangroves, perplex the search; and with such directions +as would enable him to find his way down to the river. He had brought +the relics of our fugitive mail, and it was a disappointment to find that +all had been lost, with the exception of a bundle of old newspapers, two +photographs, and three letters, which had been written before we left +England. + +The distance from Mazaro, on the Zambesi side, to the Kwakwa at Nterra, +is about six miles, over a surprisingly rich dark soil. We passed the +night in the long shed, erected at Nterra, on the banks of this river, +for the use of travellers, who have often to wait several days for +canoes; we tried to sleep, but the mosquitoes and rats were so +troublesome as to render sleep impossible. The rats, or rather large +mice, closely resembling _Mus pumilio_ (Smith), of this region, are quite +facetious, and, having a great deal of fun in them, often laugh heartily. +Again and again they woke us up by scampering over our faces, and then +bursting into a loud laugh of He! he! he! at having performed the feat. +Their sense of the ludicrous appears to be exquisite; they screamed with +laughter at the attempts which disturbed and angry human nature made in +the dark to bring their ill-timed merriment to a close. Unlike their +prudent European cousins, which are said to leave a sinking ship, a party +of these took up their quarters in our leaky and sinking vessel. Quiet +and invisible by day, they emerged at night, and cut their funny pranks. +No sooner were we all asleep, than they made a sudden dash over the +lockers and across our faces for the cabin door, where all broke out into +a loud He! he! he! he! he! he! showing how keenly they enjoyed the joke. +They next went forward with as much delight, and scampered over the men. +Every night they went fore and aft, rousing with impartial feet every +sleeper, and laughing to scorn the aimless blows, growls, and deadly +rushes of outraged humanity. We observed elsewhere a species of large +mouse, nearly allied to _Euryotis unisulcatus_ (F. Cuvier), escaping up a +rough and not very upright wall, with six young ones firmly attached to +the perineum. They were old enough to be well covered with hair, and +some were not detached by a blow which disabled the dam. We could not +decide whether any involuntary muscles were brought into play in helping +the young to adhere. Their weight seemed to require a sort of cataleptic +state of the muscles of the jaw, to enable them to hold on. + +Scorpions, centipedes, and poisonous spiders also were not unfrequently +brought into the ship with the wood, and occasionally found their way +into our beds; but in every instance we were fortunate enough to discover +and destroy them before they did any harm. Naval officers on this coast +report that, when scorpions and centipedes remain a few weeks after being +taken on board in a similar manner, their poison loses nearly all its +virulence; but this we did not verify. Snakes sometimes came in with the +wood, but oftener floated down the river to us, climbing on board with +ease by the chain-cable, and some poisonous ones were caught in the +cabin. A green snake lived with us several weeks, concealing himself +behind the casing of the deckhouse in the daytime. To be aroused in the +dark by five feet of cold green snake gliding over one's face is rather +unpleasant, however rapid the movement may be. Myriads of two varieties +of cockroaches infested the vessel; they not only ate round the roots of +our nails, but even devoured and defiled our food, flannels, and boots. +Vain were all our efforts to extirpate these destructive pests; if you +kill one, say the sailors, a hundred come down to his funeral! In the +work of Commodore Owen it is stated that cockroaches, pounded into a +paste, form a powerful carminative; this has not been confirmed, but when +monkeys are fed on them they are sure to become lean. + +On coming to Senna, we found that the Zulus had arrived in force for +their annual tribute. These men are under good discipline, and never +steal from the people. The tax is claimed on the ground of conquest, the +Zulus having formerly completely overcome the Senna people, and chased +them on to the islands in the Zambesi. Fifty-four of the Portuguese were +slain on the occasion, and, notwithstanding the mud fort, the village has +never recovered its former power. Fever was now very prevalent, and most +of the Portuguese were down with it. + +For a good view of the adjacent scenery, the hill, Baramuana, behind the +village, was ascended. A caution was given about the probability of an +attack of fever from a plant that grows near the summit. Dr. Kirk +discovered it to be the _Paedevia foetida_, which, when smelt, actually +does give headache and fever. It has a nasty fetor, as its name +indicates. This is one instance in which fever and a foul smell +coincide. In a number of instances offensive effluvia and fever seems to +have no connection. Owing to the abundant rains, the crops in the Senna +district were plentiful; this was fortunate, after the partial failure of +the past two years. It was the 25th of April, 1860, before we reached +Tette; here also the crops were luxuriant, and the people said that they +had not had such abundance since 1856, the year when Dr. Livingstone came +down the river. It is astonishing to any one who has seen the works for +irrigation in other countries, as at the Cape and in Egypt, that no +attempt has ever been made to lead out the water either of the Zambesi or +any of its tributaries; no machinery has ever been used to raise it even +from the stream, but droughts and starvations are endured, as if they +were inevitable dispensations of Providence, incapable of being +mitigated. + +Feeling in honour bound to return with those who had been the faithful +companions of Dr. Livingstone, in 1856, and to whose guardianship and +services was due the accomplishment of a journey which all the Portuguese +at Tette had previously pronounced impossible, the requisite steps were +taken to convey them to their homes. + +We laid the ship alongside of the island Kanyimbe, opposite Tette; and, +before starting for the country of the Makololo, obtained a small plot of +land, to form a garden for the two English sailors who were to remain in +charge during our absence. We furnished them with a supply of seeds, and +they set to work with such zeal, that they certainly merited success. +Their first attempt at African horticulture met with failure from a most +unexpected source; every seed was dug up and the inside of it eaten by +mice. "Yes," said an old native, next morning, on seeing the husks, +"that is what happens this month; for it is the mouse month, and the seed +should have been sown last mouth, when I sowed mine." The sailors, +however, sowed more next day; and, being determined to outwit the mice, +they this time covered the beds over with grass. The onions, with other +seeds of plants cultivated by the Portuguese, are usually planted in the +beginning of April, in order to have the advantage of the cold season; +the wheat a little later, for the same reason. If sown at the beginning +of the rainy season in November, it runs, as before remarked, entirely to +straw; but as the rains are nearly over in May, advantage is taken of low- +lying patches, which have been flooded by the river. A hole is made in +the mud with a hoe, a few seeds dropped in, and the earth shoved back +with the foot. If not favoured with certain misty showers, which, lower +down the river, are simply fogs, water is borne from the river to the +roots of the wheat in earthern pots; and in about four months the crop is +ready for the sickle. The wheat of Tette is exported, as the best grown +in the country; but a hollow spot at Maruru, close by Mazaro, yielded +very good crops, though just at the level of the sea, as a few inches +rise of tide shows. + +A number of days were spent in busy preparation for our journey; the +cloth, beads, and brass wire, for the trip were sewn up in old canvas, +and each package had the bearer's name printed on it. The Makololo, who +had worked for the Expedition, were paid for their services, and every +one who had come down with the Doctor from the interior received a +present of cloth and ornaments, in order to protect them from the greater +cold of their own country, and to show that they had not come in vain. +Though called Makololo by courtesy, as they were proud of the name, +Kanyata, the principal headman, was the only real Makololo of the party; +and he, in virtue of his birth, had succeeded to the chief place on the +death of Sekwebu. The others belonged to the conquered tribes of the +Batoka, Bashubia, Ba-Selea, and Barotse. Some of these men had only +added to their own vices those of the Tette slaves; others, by toiling +during the first two years in navigating canoes, and hunting elephants, +had often managed to save a little, to take back to their own country, +but had to part with it all for food to support the rest in times of +hunger, and, latterly, had fallen into the improvident habits of slaves, +and spent their surplus earnings in beer and agua ardiente. + +Everything being ready on the 15th of May, we started at 2 p.m. from the +village where the Makololo had dwelt. A number of the men did not leave +with the goodwill which their talk for months before had led us to +anticipate; but some proceeded upon being told that they were not +compelled to go unless they liked, though others altogether declined +moving. Many had taken up with slave-women, whom they assisted in +hoeing, and in consuming the produce of their gardens. Some fourteen +children had been born to them; and in consequence of now having no chief +to order them, or to claim their services, they thought that they were +about as well off as they had been in their own country. They knew and +regretted that they could call neither wives nor children their own; the +slave-owners claimed the whole; but their natural affections had been so +enchained, that they clave to the domestic ties. By a law of Portugal +the baptized children of slave women are all free; by the custom of the +Zambesi that law is void. When it is referred to, the officers laugh and +say, "These Lisbon-born laws are very stringent, but somehow, possibly +from the heat of the climate, here they lose all their force." Only one +woman joined our party--the wife of a Batoka man: she had been given to +him, in consideration of his skilful dancing, by the chief, Chisaka. A +merchant sent three of his men along with us, with a present for +Sekeletu, and Major Sicard also lent us three more to assist us on our +return, and two Portuguese gentleman kindly gave us the loan of a couple +of donkeys. We slept four miles above Tette, and hearing that the +Banyai, who levy heavy fines on the Portuguese traders, lived chiefly on +the right bank, we crossed over to the left, as we could not fully trust +our men. If the Banyai had come in a threatening manner, our followers +might, perhaps, from having homes behind them, have even put down their +bundles and run. Indeed, two of them at this point made up their minds +to go no further, and turned back to Tette. Another, Monga, a Batoka, +was much perplexed, and could not make out what course to pursue, as he +had, three years previously, wounded Kanyata, the headman, with a spear. +This is a capital offence among the Makololo, and he was afraid of being +put to death for it on his return. He tried, in vain, to console himself +with the facts that he had neither father, mother, sisters, nor brothers +to mourn for him, and that he could die but once. He was good, and would +go up to the stars to Yesu, and therefore did not care for death. In +spite, however, of these reflections, he was much cast down, until +Kanyata assured him that he would never mention his misdeed to the chief; +indeed, he had never even mentioned it to the Doctor, which he would +assuredly have done had it lain heavy on his heart. We were right glad +of Monga's company, for he was a merry good-tempered fellow, and his +lithe manly figure had always been in the front in danger; and, from +being left-handed, had been easily recognized in the fight with +elephants. + +We commenced, for a certain number of days, with short marches, walking +gently until broken in to travel. This is of so much importance, that it +occurs to us that more might be made out of soldiers if the first few +days' marches were easy, and gradually increased in length and quickness. +The nights were cold, with heavy dews and occasional showers, and we had +several cases of fever. Some of the men deserted every night, and we +fully expected that all who had children would prefer to return to Tette, +for little ones are well known to prove the strongest ties, even to +slaves. It was useless informing them, that if they wanted to return +they had only to come and tell us so; we should not be angry with them +for preferring Tette to their own country. Contact with slaves had +destroyed their sense of honour; they would not go in daylight, but +decamped in the night, only in one instance, however, taking our goods, +though, in two more, they carried off their comrades' property. By the +time we had got well into the Kebrabasa hills thirty men, nearly a third +of the party, had turned back, and it became evident that, if many more +left us, Sekeletu's goods could not be carried up. At last, when the +refuse had fallen away, no more desertions took place. + +Stopping one afternoon at a Kebrabasa village, a man, who pretended to be +able to change himself into a lion, came to salute us. Smelling the +gunpowder from a gun which had been discharged, he went on one side to +get out of the wind of the piece, trembling in a most artistic manner, +but quite overacting his part. The Makololo explained to us that he was +a Pondoro, or a man who can change his form at will, and added that he +trembles when he smells gunpowder. "Do you not see how he is trembling +now?" We told them to ask him to change himself at once into a lion, and +we would give him a cloth for the performance. "Oh no," replied they; +"if we tell him so, he may change himself and come when we are asleep and +kill us." Having similar superstitions at home, they readily became as +firm believers in the Pondoro as the natives of the village. We were +told that he assumes the form of a lion and remains in the woods for +days, and is sometimes absent for a whole month. His considerate wife +had built him a hut or den, in which she places food and beer for her +transformed lord, whose metamorphosis does not impair his human appetite. +No one ever enters this hut except the Pondoro and his wife, and no +stranger is allowed even to rest his gun against the baobab-tree beside +it: the Mfumo, or petty chief, of another small village wished to fine +our men for placing their muskets against an old tumble-down hut, it +being that of the Pondoro. At times the Pondoro employs his acquired +powers in hunting for the benefit of the village; and after an absence of +a day or two, his wife smells the lion, takes a certain medicine, places +it in the forest, and there quickly leaves it, lest the lion should kill +even her. This medicine enables the Pondoro to change himself back into +a man, return to the village, and say, "Go and get the game that I have +killed for you." Advantage is of course taken of what a lion has done, +and they go and bring home the buffalo or antelope killed when he was a +lion, or rather found when he was patiently pursuing his course of +deception in the forest. We saw the Pondoro of another village dressed +in a fantastic style, with numerous charms hung round him, and followed +by a troop of boys who were honouring him with rounds of shrill cheering. + +It is believed also that the souls of departed chiefs enter into lions, +and render them sacred. On one occasion, when we had shot a buffalo in +the path beyond the Kafue, a hungry lion, attracted probably by the smell +of the meat, came close to our camp, and roused up all hands by his +roaring. Tuba Mokoro, imbued with the popular belief that the beast was +a chief in disguise, scolded him roundly during his brief intervals of +silence. "You a chief, eh? You call yourself a chief, do you? What +kind of chief are you to come sneaking about in the dark, trying to steal +our buffalo meat! Are you not ashamed of yourself? A pretty chief +truly; you are like the scavenger beetle, and think of yourself only. You +have not the heart of a chief; why don't you kill your own beef? You +must have a stone in your chest, and no heart at all, indeed!" Tuba +Mokoro producing no impression on the transformed chief, one of the men, +the most sedate of the party, who seldom spoke, took up the matter, and +tried the lion in another strain. In his slow quiet way he expostulated +with him on the impropriety of such conduct to strangers, who had never +injured him. "We were travelling peaceably through the country back to +our own chief. We never killed people, nor stole anything. The buffalo +meat was ours, not his, and it did not become a great chief like him to +be prowling round in the dark, trying, like a hyena, to steal the meat of +strangers. He might go and hunt for himself, as there was plenty of game +in the forest." The Pondoro, being deaf to reason, and only roaring the +louder, the men became angry, and threatened to send a ball through him +if he did not go away. They snatched up their guns to shoot him, but he +prudently kept in the dark, outside the luminous circle made by our camp +fires, and there they did not like to venture. A little strychnine was +put into a piece of meat, and thrown to him, when he soon departed, and +we heard no more of the majestic sneaker. + +The Kebrabasa people were now plumper and in better condition than on our +former visits; the harvest had been abundant; they had plenty to eat and +drink, and they were enjoying life as much as ever they could. At +Defwe's village, near where the ship lay on her first ascent, we found +two Mfumos or headmen, the son and son-in-law of the former chief. A +sister's son has much more chance of succeeding to a chieftainship than +the chief's own offspring, it being unquestionable that the sister's +child has the family blood. The men are all marked across the nose and +up the middle of the forehead with short horizontal bars or cicatrices; +and a single brass earring of two or three inches diameter, like the +ancient Egyptian, is worn by the men. Some wear the hair long like the +ancient Assyrians and Egyptians, and a few have eyes with the downward +and inward slant of the Chinese. + +After fording the rapid Luia, we left our former path on the banks of the +Zambesi, and struck off in a N.W. direction behind one of the hill +ranges, the eastern end of which is called Mongwa, the name of an acacia, +having a peculiarly strong fetor, found on it. Our route wound up a +valley along a small mountain-stream which was nearly dry, and then +crossed the rocky spurs of some of the lofty hills. The country was all +very dry at the time, and no water was found except in an occasional +spring and a few wells dug in the beds of watercourses. The people were +poor, and always anxious to convince travellers of the fact. The men, +unlike those on the plains, spend a good deal of their time in hunting; +this may be because they have but little ground on the hill-sides +suitable for gardens, and but little certainty of reaping what may be +sown in the valleys. No women came forward in the hamlet, east of +Chiperiziwa, where we halted for the night. Two shots had been fired at +guinea-fowl a little way off in the valley; the women fled into the +woods, and the men came to know if war was meant, and a few of the old +folks only returned after hearing that we were for peace. The headman, +Kambira, apologized for not having a present ready, and afterwards +brought us some meal, a roasted coney (_Hyrax capensis_), and a pot of +beer; he wished to be thought poor. The beer had come to him from a +distance; he had none of his own. Like the Manganja, these people salute +by clapping their hands. When a man comes to a place where others are +seated, before sitting down he claps his hands to each in succession, and +they do the same to him. If he has anything to tell, both speaker and +hearer clap their hands at the close of every paragraph, and then again +vigorously at the end of the speech. The guide, whom the headman gave +us, thus saluted each of his comrades before he started off with us. +There is so little difference in the language, that all the tribes of +this region are virtually of one family. + +We proceeded still in the same direction, and passed only two small +hamlets during the day. Except the noise our men made on the march, +everything was still around us: few birds were seen. The appearance of a +whydahbird showed that he had not yet parted with his fine long plumes. +We passed immense quantities of ebony and lignum-vitae, and the tree from +whose smooth and bitter bark granaries are made for corn. The country +generally is clothed with a forest of ordinary-sized trees. We slept in +the little village near Sindabwe, where our men contrived to purchase +plenty of beer, and were uncommonly boisterous all the evening. We +breakfasted next morning under green wild date-palms, beside the fine +flowery stream, which runs through the charming valley of Zibah. We now +had Mount Chiperiziwa between us, and part of the river near Morumbwa, +having in fact come north about in order to avoid the difficulties of our +former path. The last of the deserters, a reputed thief, took French +leave of us here. He left the bundle of cloth he was carrying in the +path a hundred yards in front of where we halted, but made off with the +musket and most of the brass rings and beads of his comrade Shirimba, who +had unsuspectingly intrusted them to his care. + +Proceeding S.W. up this lovely valley, in about an hour's time we reached +Sandia's village. The chief was said to be absent hunting, and they did +not know when he would return. This is such a common answer to the +inquiry after a headman, that one is inclined to think that it only means +that they wish to know the stranger's object before exposing their +superior to danger. As some of our men were ill, a halt was made here. + +As we were unable to march next morning, six of our young men, anxious to +try their muskets, went off to hunt elephants. For several hours they +saw nothing, and some of them, getting tired, proposed to go to a village +and buy food. "No!" said Mantlanyane, "we came to hunt, so let us go +on." In a short time they fell in with a herd of cow elephants and +calves. As soon as the first cow caught sight of the hunters on the +rocks above her, she, with true motherly instinct, placed her young one +between her fore-legs for protection. The men were for scattering, and +firing into the herd indiscriminately. "That won't do," cried +Mantlanyane, "let us all fire at this one." The poor beast received a +volley, and ran down into the plain, where another shot killed her; the +young one escaped with the herd. The men were wild with excitement, and +danced round the fallen queen of the forest, with loud shouts and +exultant songs. They returned, bearing as trophies the tail and part of +the trunk, and marched into camp as erect as soldiers, and evidently +feeling that their stature had increased considerably since the morning. + +Sandia's wife was duly informed of their success, as here a law decrees +that half the elephant belongs to the chief on whose ground it has been +killed. The Portuguese traders always submit to this tax, and, were it +of native origin, it could hardly be considered unjust. A chief must +have some source of revenue; and, as many chiefs can raise none except +from ivory or slaves, this tax is more free from objections than any +other that a black Chancellor of the Exchequer could devise. It seems, +however, to have originated with the Portuguese themselves, and then to +have spread among the adjacent tribes. The Governors look sharply after +any elephant that may be slain on the Crown lands, and demand one of the +tusks from their vassals. We did not find the law in operation in any +tribe beyond the range of Portuguese traders, or further than the sphere +of travel of those Arabs who imitated Portuguese customs in trade. At +the Kafue in 1855 the chiefs bought the meat we killed, and demanded +nothing as their due; and so it was up the Shire during our visits. The +slaves of the Portuguese, who are sent by their masters to shoot +elephants, probably connive at the extension of this law, for they strive +to get the good will of the chiefs to whose country they come, by +advising them to make a demand of half of each elephant killed, and for +this advice they are well paid in beer. When we found that the +Portuguese argued in favour of this law, we told the natives that they +might exact tusks from _them_, but that the English, being different, +preferred the pure native custom. It was this which made Sandia, as +afterwards mentioned, hesitate; but we did not care to insist on +exemption in our favour, where the prevalence of the custom might have +been held to justify the exaction. + +The cutting up of an elephant is quite a unique spectacle. The men stand +remind the animal in dead silence, while the chief of the travelling +party declares that, according to ancient law, the head and right hind- +leg belong to him who killed the beast, that is, to him who inflicted the +first wound; the left leg to bins who delivered the second, or first +touched the animal after it fell. The meat around the eye to the +English, or chief of the travellers, and different parts to the headmen +of the different fires, or groups, of which the camp is composed; not +forgetting to enjoin the preservation of the fat and bowels for a second +distribution. This oration finished, the natives soon become excited, +and scream wildly as they cut away at the carcass with a score of spears, +whose long handles quiver in the air above their heads. Their excitement +becomes momentarily more and more intense, and reaches the culminating +point when, as denoted by a roar of gas, the huge mass is laid fairly +open. Some jump inside, and roll about there in their eagerness to seize +the precious fat, while others run off, screaming, with pieces of the +bloody meat, throw it on the grass, and run back for more: all keep +talking and shouting at the utmost pitch of their voices. Sometimes two +or three, regardless of all laws, seize the same piece of meat, and have +a brief fight of words over it. Occasionally an agonized yell bursts +forth, and a native emerges out of the moving mass of dead elephant and +wriggling humanity, with his hand badly cut by the spear of his excited +friend and neighbour: this requires a rag and some soothing words to +prevent bad blood. In an incredibly short time tons of meat are cut up, +and placed in separate heaps around. + +Sandia arrived soon after the beast was divided: he is an elderly man, +and wears a wig made of "ife" fibre (_sanseviera_) dyed black, and of a +fine glossy appearance. This plant is allied to the aloes, and its thick +fleshy leaves, in shape somewhat like our sedges, when bruised yield much +fine strong fibre, which is made into ropes, nets, and wigs. It takes +dyes readily, and the fibre might form a good article of commerce. "Ife" +wigs, as we afterwards saw, are not uncommon in this country, though +perhaps not so common as hair wigs at home. Sandia's mosamela, or small +carved wooden pillow, exactly resembling the ancient Egyptian one, was +hung from the back of his neck; this pillow and a sleeping mat are +usually carried by natives when on hunting excursions. + +We had the elephant's fore-foot cooked for ourselves, in native fashion. +A large hole was dug in the ground, in which a fire was made; and, when +the inside was thoroughly heated, the entire foot was placed in it, and +covered over with the hot ashes and soil; another fire was made above the +whole, and kept burning all night. We had the foot thus cooked for +breakfast next morning, and found it delicious. It is a whitish mass, +slightly gelatinous, and sweet, like marrow. A long march, to prevent +biliousness, is a wise precaution after a meal of elephant's foot. +Elephant's trunk and tongue are also good, and, after long simmering, +much resemble the hump of a buffalo and the tongue of an ox; but all the +other meat is tough, and, from its peculiar flavour, only to be eaten by +a hungry man. The quantities of meat our men devour is quite astounding. +They boil as much as their pots will hold, and eat till it becomes +physically impossible for them to stow away any more. An uproarious +dance follows, accompanied with stentorian song; and as soon as they have +shaken their first course down, and washed off the sweat and dust of the +after performance, they go to work to roast more: a short snatch of sleep +succeeds, and they are up and at it again; all night long it is boil and +eat, roast and devour, with a few brief interludes of sleep. Like other +carnivora, these men can endure hunger for a much longer period than the +mere porridge-eating tribes. Our men can cook meat as well as any +reasonable traveller could desire; and, boiled in earthen pots, like +Indian chatties, it tastes much better than when cooked in iron ones. + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +Magnificent scenery--Method of marching--Hippopotamus killed--Lions and +buffalo--Sequasha the ivory-trader. + +Sandia gave us two guides; and on the 4th of June we left the Elephant +valley, taking a westerly course; and, after crossing a few ridges, +entered the Chingerere or Paguruguru valley, through which, in the rainy +season, runs the streamlet Pajodze. The mountains on our left, between +us and the Zambesi, our guides told us have the same name as the valley, +but that at the confluence of the Pajodze is called Morumbwa. We struck +the river at less than half a mile to the north of the cataract Morumbwa. +On climbing up the base of this mountain at Pajodze, we found that we +were distant only the diameter of the mountain from the cataract. In +measuring the cataract we formerly stood on its southern flank; now we +were perched on its northern flank, and at once recognized the +onion-shaped mountain, here called Zakavuma, whose smooth convex surface +overlooks the broken water. Its bearing by compass was l80 degrees from +the spot to which we had climbed, and 700 or 800 yards distant. We now, +from this standing-point, therefore, completed our inspection of all +Kebrabasa, and saw what, as a whole, was never before seen by Europeans +so far as any records show. + +The remainder of the Kebrabasa path, on to Chicova, was close to the +compressed and rocky river. Ranges of lofty tree-covered mountains, with +deep narrow valleys, in which are dry watercourses, or flowing rivulets, +stretch from the north-west, and are prolonged on the opposite side of +the river in a south-easterly direction. Looking back, the mountain +scenery in Kebrabasa was magnificent; conspicuous from their form and +steep sides, are the two gigantic portals of the cataract; the vast +forests still wore their many brilliant autumnal-coloured tints of green, +yellow, red, purple, and brown, thrown into relief by the grey bark of +the trunks in the background. Among these variegated trees were some +conspicuous for their new livery of fresh light-green leaves, as though +the winter of others was their spring. The bright sunshine in these +mountain forests, and the ever-changing forms of the cloud shadows, +gliding over portions of the surface, added fresh charms to scenes +already surpassingly beautiful. + +From what we have seen of the Kebrabasa rocks and rapids, it appears too +evident that they must always form a barrier to navigation at the +ordinary low water of the river; but the rise of the water in this gorge +being as much as eighty feet perpendicularly, it is probable that a +steamer might be taken up at high flood, when all the rapids are smoothed +over, to run on the Upper Zambesi. The most formidable cataract in it, +Morumbwa, has only about twenty feet of fall, in a distance of thirty +yards, and it must entirely disappear when the water stands eighty feet +higher. Those of the Makololo who worked on board the ship were not +sorry at the steamer being left below, as they had become heartily tired +of cutting the wood that the insatiable furnace of the "Asthmatic" +required. Mbia, who was a bit of a wag, laughingly exclaimed in broken +English, "Oh, Kebrabasa good, very good; no let shippee up to Sekeletu, +too muchee work, cuttee woodyee, cuttee woodyee: Kebrabasa good." It is +currently reported, and commonly believed, that once upon a time a +Portuguese named Jose Pedra,--by the natives called Nyamatimbira,--chief, +or capitao mor, of Zumbo, a man of large enterprise and small +humanity,--being anxious to ascertain if Kebrabasa could be navigated, +made two slaves fast to a canoe, and launched it from Chicova into +Kebrabasa, in order to see if it would come out at the other end. As +neither slaves nor canoe ever appeared again, his Excellency concluded +that Kebrabasa was unnavigable. A trader had a large canoe swept away by +a sudden rise of the river, and it was found without damage below; but +the most satisfactory information was that of old Sandia, who asserted +that in flood all Kebrabasa became quite smooth, and he had often seen it +so. + +We emerged from the thirty-five or forty miles of Kebrabasa hills into +the Chicova plains on the 7th of June, 1860, having made short marches +all the way. The cold nights caused some of our men to cough badly, and +colds in this country almost invariably become fever. The Zambesi +suddenly expands at Chicova, and assumes the size and appearance it has +at Tette. Near this point we found a large seam of coal exposed in the +left bank. + +We met with native travellers occasionally. Those on a long journey +carry with them a sleeping-mat and wooden pillow, cooking-pot and bag of +meal, pipe and tobacco-pouch, a knife, bow, and arrows, and two small +sticks, of from two to three feet in length, for making fire, when +obliged to sleep away from human habitations. Dry wood is always +abundant, and they get fire by the following method. A notch is cut in +one of the sticks, which, with a close-grained outside, has a small core +of pith, and this notched stick is laid horizontally on a knife-blade on +the ground; the operator squatting, places his great toes on each end to +keep all steady, and taking the other wand which is of very hard wood cut +to a blunt point, fits it into the notch at right angles; the upright +wand is made to spin rapidly backwards and forwards between the palms of +the hands, drill fashion, and at the same time is pressed downwards; the +friction, in the course of a minute or so, ignites portions of the pith +of the notched stick, which, rolling over like live charcoal on to the +knife-blade, are lifted into a handful of fine dry grass, and carefully +blown, by waving backwards and forwards in the air. It is hard work for +the hands to procure fire by this process, as the vigorous drilling and +downward pressure requisite soon blister soft palms. + +Having now entered a country where lions were numerous, our men began to +pay greater attention to the arrangements of the camp at night. As they +are accustomed to do with their chiefs, they place the white men in the +centre; Kanyata, his men, and the two donkeys, camp on our right; Tuba +Mokoro's party of Bashubia are in front; Masakasa, and Sininyane's body +of Batoka, on the left; and in the rear six Tette men have their fires. +In placing their fires they are careful to put them where the smoke will +not blow in our faces. Soon after we halt, the spot for the English is +selected, and all regulate their places accordingly, and deposit their +burdens. The men take it by turns to cut some of the tall dry grass, and +spread it for our beds on a spot, either naturally level, or smoothed by +the hoe; some, appointed to carry our bedding, then bring our rugs and +karosses, and place the three rugs in a row on the grass; Dr. +Livingstone's being in the middle, Dr. Kirk's on the right, and Charles +Livingstone's on the left. Our bags, rifles, and revolvers are carefully +placed at our heads, and a fire made near our feet. We have no tent nor +covering of any kind except the branches of the tree under which we may +happen to lie; and it is a pretty sight to look up and see every branch, +leaf, and twig of the tree stand out, reflected against the clear star- +spangled and moonlit sky. The stars of the first magnitude have names +which convey the same meaning over very wide tracts of country. Here +when Venus comes out in the evenings, she is called Ntanda, the eldest or +first-born, and Manjika, the first-born of morning, at other times: she +has so much radiance when shining alone, that she casts a shadow. Sirius +is named Kuewa usiko, "drawer of night," because supposed to draw the +whole night after it. The moon has no evil influence in this country, so +far as we know. We have lain and looked up at her, till sweet sleep +closed our eyes, unharmed. Four or five of our men were affected with +moon-blindness at Tette; though they had not slept out of doors there, +they became so blind that their comrades had to guide their hands to the +general dish of food; the affection is unknown in their own country. When +our posterity shall have discovered what it is which, distinct from foul +smells, causes fever, and what, apart from the moon, causes men to be +moon-struck, they will pity our dulness of perception. + +The men cut a very small quantity of grass for themselves, and sleep in +fumbas or sleeping-bags, which are double mats of palm-leaf, six feet +long by four wide, and sewn together round three parts of the square, and +left open only on one side. They are used as a protection from the cold, +wet, and mosquitoes, and are entered as we should get into our beds, were +the blankets nailed to the top, bottom, and one side of the bedstead. + +A dozen fires are nightly kindled in the camp; and these, being +replenished from time to time by the men who are awakened by the cold, +are kept burning until daylight. Abundance of dry hard wood is obtained +with little trouble; and burns beautifully. After the great business of +cooking and eating is over, all sit round the camp-fires, and engage in +talking or singing. Every evening one of the Batoka plays his "sansa," +and continues at it until far into the night; he accompanies it with an +extempore song, in which he rehearses their deeds ever since they left +their own country. At times animated political discussions spring up, +and the amount of eloquence expended on these occasions is amazing. The +whole camp is aroused, and the men shout to one another from the +different fires; whilst some, whose tongues are never heard on any other +subject, burst forth into impassioned speech. + +As a specimen of our mode of marching, we rise about five, or as soon as +dawn appears, take a cup of tea and a bit of biscuit; the servants fold +up the blankets and stow them away in the bags they carry; the others tie +their fumbas and cooking-pots to each end of their carrying-sticks, which +are borne on the shoulder; the cook secures the dishes, and all are on +the path by sunrise. If a convenient spot can be found we halt for +breakfast about nine a.m. To save time, this meal is generally cooked +the night before, and has only to be warmed. We continue the march after +breakfast, rest a little in the middle of the day, and break off early in +the afternoon. We average from two to two-and-a-half miles an hour in a +straight line, or as the crow flies, and seldom have more than five or +six hours a day of actual travel. This in a hot climate is as much as a +man can accomplish without being oppressed; and we always tried to make +our progress more a pleasure than a toil. To hurry over the ground, +abuse, and look ferocious at one's native companions, merely for the +foolish vanity of boasting how quickly a distance was accomplished, is a +combination of silliness with absurdity quite odious; while kindly +consideration for the feelings of even blacks, the pleasure of observing +scenery and everything new as one moves on at an ordinary pace, and the +participation in the most delicious rest with our fellows, render +travelling delightful. Though not given to over haste, we were a little +surprised to find that we could tire our men out; and even the headman, +who carried but little more than we did, and never, as we often had to +do, hunted in the afternoon, was no better than his comrades. Our +experience tends to prove that the European constitution has a power of +endurance, even in the tropics, greater than that of the hardiest of the +meat-eating Africans. + +After pitching our camp, one or two of us usually go off to hunt, more as +a matter of necessity than of pleasure, for the men, as well as +ourselves, must have meat. We prefer to take a man with us to carry home +the game, or lead the others to where it lies; but as they frequently +grumble and complain of being tired, we do not particularly object to +going alone, except that it involves the extra labour of our making a +second trip to show the men where the animal that has been shot is to be +found. When it is a couple of miles off it is rather fatiguing to have +to go twice; more especially on the days when it is solely to supply +their wants that, instead of resting ourselves, we go at all. Like those +who perform benevolent deeds at home, the tired hunter, though trying +hard to live in charity with all men, is strongly tempted to give it up +by bringing only sufficient meat for the three whites and leaving the +rest; thus sending the "idle ungrateful poor" supperless to bed. And yet +it is only by continuance in well-doing, even to the length of what the +worldly-wise call weakness, that the conviction is produced anywhere, +that our motives are high enough to secure sincere respect. + +A jungle of mimosa, ebony, and "wait-a-bit" thorn lies between the +Chicova flats and the cultivated plain, on which stand the villages of +the chief, Chitora. He brought us a present of food and drink, because, +as he, with the innate politeness of an African, said, he "did not wish +us to sleep hungry: he had heard of the Doctor when he passed down, and +had a great desire to see and converse with him; but he was a child then, +and could not speak in the presence of great men. He was glad that he +had seen the English now, and was sorry that his people were away, or he +should have made them cook for us." All his subsequent conduct showed +him to be sincere. + +Many of the African women are particular about the water they use for +drinking and cooking, and prefer that which is filtered through sand. To +secure this, they scrape holes in the sandbanks beside the stream, and +scoop up the water, which slowly filters through, rather than take it +from the equally clear and limpid river. This practice is common in the +Zambesi, the Rovuma, and Lake Nyassa; and some of the Portuguese at Tette +have adopted the native custom, and send canoes to a low island in the +middle of the river for water. Chitora's people also obtained their +supply from shallow wells in the sandy bed of a small rivulet close to +the village. The habit may have arisen from observing the unhealthiness +of the main stream at certain seasons. During nearly nine months in the +year, ordure is deposited around countless villages along the thousands +of miles drained by the Zambesi. When the heavy rains come down, and +sweep the vast fetid accumulation into the torrents, the water is +polluted with filth; and, but for the precaution mentioned, the natives +would prove themselves as little fastidious as those in London who drink +the abomination poured into the Thames by Reading and Oxford. It is no +wonder that sailors suffered so much from fever after drinking African +river water, before the present admirable system of condensing it was +adopted in our navy. + +The scent of man is excessively terrible to game of all kinds, much more +so, probably, than the sight of him. A herd of antelopes, a hundred +yards off, gazed at us as we moved along the winding path, and timidly +stood their ground until half our line had passed, but darted off the +instant they "got the wind," or caught the flavour of those who had gone +by. The sport is all up with the hunter who gets to the windward of the +African beast, as it cannot stand even the distant aroma of the human +race, so much dreaded by all wild animals. Is this the fear and the +dread of man, which the Almighty said to Noah was to be upon every beast +of the field? A lion may, while lying in wait for his prey, leap on a +human being as he would on any other animal, save a rhinoceros or an +elephant, that happened to pass; or a lioness, when she has cubs, might +attack a man, who, passing "up the wind of her," had unconsciously, by +his scent, alarmed her for the safety of her whelps; or buffaloes, amid +other animals, might rush at a line of travellers, in apprehension of +being surrounded by them; but neither beast nor snake will, as a general +rule, turn on man except when wounded, or by mistake. If gorillas, +unwounded, advance to do battle with him, and beat their breasts in +defiance, they are an exception to all wild beasts known to us. From the +way an elephant runs at the first glance of man, it is inferred that this +huge brute, though really king of beasts, would run even from a child. + +Our two donkeys caused as much admiration as the three white men. Great +was the astonishment when one of the donkeys began to bray. The timid +jumped more than if a lion had roared beside them. All were startled, +and stared in mute amazement at the harsh-voiced one, till the last +broken note was uttered; then, on being assured that nothing in +particular was meant, they looked at each other, and burst into a loud +laugh at their common surprise. When one donkey stimulated the other to +try his vocal powers, the interest felt by the startled visitors, must +have equalled that of the Londoners, when they first crowded to see the +famous hippopotamus. + +We were now, when we crossed the boundary rivulet Nyamatarara, out of +Chicova and amongst sandstone rocks, similar to those which prevail +between Lupata and Kebrabasa. In the latter gorge, as already mentioned, +igneous and syenitic masses have been acted on by some great fiery +convulsion of nature; the strata are thrown into a huddled heap of +confusion. The coal has of course disappeared in Kebrabasa, but is found +again in Chicova. Tette grey sandstone is common about Sinjere, and +wherever it is seen with fossil wood upon it, coal lies beneath; and +here, as at Chicova, some seams crop out on the banks of the Zambesi. +Looking southwards, the country is open plain and woodland, with detached +hills and mountains in the distance; but the latter are too far off, the +natives say, for them to know their names. The principal hills on our +right, as we look up stream, are from six to twelve miles away, and +occasionally they send down spurs to the river, with brooks flowing +through their narrow valleys. The banks of the Zambesi show two well- +defined terraces; the first, or lowest, being usually narrow, and of +great fertility, while the upper one is a dry grassy plain, a thorny +jungle, or a mopane (_Bauhinia_) forest. One of these plains, near the +Kafue, is covered with the large stumps and trunks of a petrified forest. +We halted a couple of days by the fine stream Sinjere, which comes from +the Chiroby-roby hills, about eight miles to the north. Many lumps of +coal, brought down by the rapid current, lie in its channel. The natives +never seem to have discovered that coal would burn, and, when informed of +the fact, shook their heads, smiled incredulously, and said "_Kodi_" +(really), evidently regarding it as a mere traveller's tale. They were +astounded to see it burning freely on our fire of wood. They told us +that plenty of it was seen among the hills; but, being long ago aware +that we were now in an immense coalfield, we did not care to examine it +further. + +A dyke of black basaltic rock, called Kakolole, crosses the river near +the mouth of the Sinjere; but it has two open gateways in it of from +sixty to eighty yards in breadth, and the channel is very deep. + +On a shallow sandbank, under the dyke, lay a herd of hippopotami in +fancied security. The young ones were playing with each other like young +puppies, climbing on the backs of their dams, trying to take hold of one +another by the jaws and tumbling over into the water. Mbia, one of the +Makololo, waded across to within a dozen yards of the drowsy beasts, and +shot the father of the herd; who, being very fat, soon floated, and was +secured at the village below. The headman of the village visited us +while we were at breakfast. He wore a black "ife" wig and a printed +shirt. After a short silence he said to Masakasa, "You are with the +white people, so why do you not tell them to give me a cloth?" "We are +strangers," answered Masakasa, "why do you not bring us some food?" He +took the plain hint, and brought us two fowls, in order that we should +not report that in passing him we got nothing to eat; and, as usual, we +gave a cloth in return. In reference to the hippopotamus he would make +no demand, but said he would take what we chose to give him. The men +gorged themselves with meat for two days, and cut large quantities into +long narrow strips, which they half-dried and half-roasted on wooden +frames over the fire. Much game is taken in this neighbourhood in +pitfalls. Sharp-pointed stakes are set in the bottom, on which the game +tumbles and gets impaled. The natives are careful to warn strangers of +these traps, and also of the poisoned beams suspended on the tall trees +for the purpose of killing elephants and hippopotami. It is not +difficult to detect the pitfalls after one's attention has been called to +them; but in places where they are careful to carry the earth off to a +distance, and a person is not thinking of such things, a sudden descent +of nine feet is an experience not easily forgotten by the traveller. The +sensations of one thus instantaneously swallowed up by the earth are +peculiar. A momentary suspension of consciousness is followed by the +rustling sound of a shower of sand and dry grass, and the half-bewildered +thought of where he is, and how he came into darkness. Reason awakes to +assure him that he must have come down through that small opening of +daylight overhead, and that he is now where a hippopotamus ought to have +been. The descent of a hippopotamus pitfall is easy, but to get out +again into the upper air is a work of labour. The sides are smooth and +treacherous, and the cross reeds, which support the covering, break in +the attempt to get out by clutching them. A cry from the depths is +unheard by those around, and it is only by repeated and most desperate +efforts that the buried alive can regain the upper world. At Tette we +are told of a white hunter, of unusually small stature, who plumped into +a pit while stalking a guinea-fowl on a tree. It was the labour of an +entire forenoon to get out; and he was congratulating himself on his +escape, and brushing off the clay from his clothes, when down he went +into a second pit, which happened, as is often the case, to be close +beside the first, and it was evening before he could work himself out of +_that_. + +Elephants and buffaloes seldom return to the river by the same path on +two successive nights, they become so apprehensive of danger from this +human art. An old elephant will walk in advance of the herd, and uncover +the pits with his trunk, that the others may see the openings and tread +on firm ground. Female elephants are generally the victims: more timid +by nature than the males, and very motherly in their anxiety for their +calves, they carry their trunks up, trying every breeze for fancied +danger, which often in reality lies at their feet. The tusker, fearing +less, keeps his trunk down, and, warned in time by that exquisitely +sensitive organ, takes heed to his ways. + +Our camp on the Sinjere stood under a wide-spreading wild fig-tree. From +the numbers of this family, of large size, dotted over the country, the +fig or banyan species would seem to have been held sacred in Africa from +the remotest times. The soil teemed with white ants, whose clay tunnels, +formed to screen them from the eyes of birds, thread over the ground, up +the trunks of trees, and along the branches, from which the little +architects clear away all rotten or dead wood. Very often the exact +shape of branches is left in tunnels on the ground and not a bit of the +wood inside. The first night we passed here these destructive insects +ate through our grass-beds, and attacked our blankets, and certain large +red-headed ones even bit our flesh. + +On some days not a single white ant is to be seen abroad; and on others, +and during certain hours, they appear out of doors in myriads, and work +with extraordinary zeal and energy in carrying bits of dried grass down +into their nests. During these busy reaping-fits the lizards and birds +have a good time of it, and enjoy a rich feast at the expense of +thousands of hapless workmen; and when they swarm they are caught in +countless numbers by the natives, and their roasted bodies are spoken of +in an unctuous manner as resembling grains of soft rice fried in +delicious fresh oil. + +A strong marauding party of large black ants attacked a nest of white +ones near the camp: as the contest took place beneath the surface, we +could not see the order of the battle; but it soon became apparent that +the blacks had gained the day, and sacked the white town, for they +returned in triumph, bearing off the eggs, and choice bits of the bodies +of the vanquished. A gift, analogous to that of language, has not been +withheld from ants: if part of their building is destroyed, an official +is seen coming out to examine the damage; and, after a careful survey of +the ruins, he chirrups a few clear and distinct notes, and a crowd of +workers begin at once to repair the breach. When the work is completed, +another order is given, and the workmen retire, as will appear on +removing the soft freshly-built portion. We tried to sleep one rainy +might in a native hut, but could not because of attacks by the fighting +battalions of a very small species of formica, not more than +one-sixteenth of an inch in length. It soon became obvious that they +were under regular discipline, and even attempting to carry out the +skilful plans and stratagems of some eminent leader. Our hands and necks +were the first objects of attack. Large bodies of these little pests +were massed in silence round the point to be assaulted. We could hear +the sharp shrill word of command two or three times repeated, though +until then we had not believed in the vocal power of an ant; the instant +after we felt the storming hosts range over head and neck, biting the +tender skin, clinging with a death-grip to the hair, and parting with +their jaws rather than quit their hold. On our lying down again in the +hope of their having been driven off, no sooner was the light out, and +all still, than the manoeuvre was repeated. Clear and audible orders +were issued, and the assault renewed. It was as hard to sleep in that +hut as in the trenches before Sebastopol. The white ant, being a +vegetable feeder, devours articles of vegetable origin only, and leather, +which, by tanning, is imbued with a vegetable flavour. "A man may be +rich to-day and poor to-morrow, from the ravages of white ants," said a +Portuguese merchant. "If he gets sick, and unable to look after his +goods, his slaves neglect them, and they are soon destroyed by these +insects." The reddish ant, in the west called drivers, crossed our path +daily, in solid columns an inch wide, and never did the pugnacity of +either man or beast exceed theirs. It is a sufficient cause of war if +you only approach them, even by accident. Some turn out of the ranks and +stand with open mandibles, or, charging with extended jaws, bite with +savage ferocity. When hunting, we lighted among them too often; while we +were intent on the game, and without a thought of ants, they quietly +covered us from head to foot, then all began to bite at the same instant; +seizing a piece of the skin with their powerful pincers, they twisted +themselves round with it, as if determined to tear it out. Their bites +are so terribly sharp that the bravest must run, and then strip to pick +off those that still cling with their hooked jaws, as with steel forceps. +This kind abounds in damp places, and is usually met with on the banks of +streams. We have not heard of their actually killing any animal except +the Python, and that only when gorged and quite lethargic, but they soon +clear away any dead animal matter; this appears to be their principal +food, and their use in the economy of nature is clearly in the scavenger +line. + +We started from the Sinjere on the 12th of June, our men carrying with +them bundles of hippopotamus meat for sale, and for future use. We +rested for breakfast opposite the Kakolole dyke, which confines the +channel, west of the Manyerere mountain. A rogue monkey, the largest by +far that we ever saw, and very fat and tame, walked off leisurely from a +garden as we approached. The monkey is a sacred animal in this region, +and is never molested or killed, because the people believe devoutly that +the souls of their ancestors now occupy these degraded forms, and +anticipate that they themselves must, sooner or later, be transformed in +like manner; a future as cheerless for the black as the spirit-rapper's +heaven is for the whites. The gardens are separated from each other by a +single row of small stones, a few handfuls of grass, or a slight furrow +made by the hoe. Some are enclosed by a reed fence of the flimsiest +construction, yet sufficient to keep out the ever wary hippopotamus, who +dreads a trap. His extreme caution is taken advantage of by the women, +who hang, as a miniature trap-beam, a kigelia fruit with a bit of stick +in the end. This protects the maize, of which he is excessively fond. + +The quantity of hippopotamus meat eaten by our men made some of them ill, +and our marches were necessarily short. After three hours' travel on the +13th, we spent the remainder of the day at the village of Chasiribera, on +a rivulet flowing through a beautiful valley to the north, which is +bounded by magnificent mountain-ranges. Pinkwe, or Mbingwe, otherwise +Moeu, forms the south-eastern angle of the range. On the 16th June we +were at the flourishing village of Senga, under the headman Manyame, +which lies at the foot of the mount Motemwa. Nearly all the mountains in +this country are covered with open forest and grass, in colour, according +to the season, green or yellow. Many are between 2000 and 3000 feet +high, with the sky line fringed with trees; the rocks show just +sufficiently for one to observe their stratification, or their granitic +form, and though not covered with dense masses of climbing plants, like +those in moister eastern climates, there is still the idea conveyed that +most of the steep sides are fertile, and none give the impression of that +barrenness which, in northern mountains, suggests the idea that the bones +of the world are sticking through its skin. + +The villagers reported that we were on the footsteps of a Portuguese half- +caste, who, at Senga, lately tried to purchase ivory, but, in consequence +of his having murdered a chief near Zumbo and twenty of his men, the +people declined to trade with him. He threatened to take the ivory by +force, if they would not sell it; but that same night the ivory and the +women were spirited out of the village, and only a large body of armed +men remained. The trader, fearing that he might come off second best if +it came to blows, immediately departed. Chikwanitsela, or Sekuanangila, +is the paramount chief of some fifty miles of the northern bank of the +Zambesi in this locality. He lives on the opposite, or southern side, +and there his territory is still more extensive. We sent him a present +from Senga, and were informed by a messenger next morning that he had a +cough and could not come over to see us. "And has his present a cough +too," remarked one of our party, "that it does not come to us? Is this +the way your chief treats strangers, receives their present, and sends +them no food in return?" Our men thought Chikwanitsela an uncommonly +stingy fellow; but, as it was possible that some of them might yet wish +to return this way, they did not like to scold him more than this, which +was sufficiently to the point. + +Men and women were busily engaged in preparing the ground for the +November planting. Large game was abundant; herds of elephants and +buffaloes came down to the river in the night, but were a long way off by +daylight. They soon adopt this habit in places where they are hunted. + +The plains we travel over are constantly varying in breadth, according as +the furrowed and wooded hills approach or recede from the river. On the +southern side we see the hill Bungwe, and the long, level, wooded ridge +Nyangombe, the first of a series bending from the S.E. to the N.W. past +the Zambesi. We shot an old pallah on the 16th, and found that the poor +animal had been visited with more than the usual share of animal +afflictions. He was stone-blind in both eyes, had several tumours, and a +broken leg, which showed no symptoms of ever having begun to heal. Wild +animals sometimes suffer a great deal from disease, and wearily drag on a +miserable existence before relieved of it by some ravenous beast. Once +we drove off a maneless lion and lioness from a dead buffalo, which had +been in the last stage of a decline. They had watched him staggering to +the river to quench his thirst, and sprang on him as he was crawling up +the bank. One had caught him by the throat, and the other by his high +projecting backbone, which was broken by the lion's powerful fangs. The +struggle, if any, must have been short. They had only eaten the +intestines when we frightened them off. It is curious that this is the +part that wild animals always begin with, and that it is also the first +choice of our men. Were it not a wise arrangement that only the +strongest males should continue the breed, one could hardly help pitying +the solitary buffalo expelled from the herd for some physical blemish, or +on account of the weakness of approaching old age. Banished from female +society, he naturally becomes morose and savage; the necessary +watchfulness against enemies is now never shared by others; disgusted, he +passes into a state of chronic war with all who enjoy life, and the +sooner after his expulsion that he fills the lion's or the wild-dog's +maw, the better for himself and for the peace of the country. + +We encamped on the 20th of June at a spot where Dr. Livingstone, on his +journey from the West to the East Coast, was formerly menaced by a chief +named Mpende. No offence had been committed against him, but he had +firearms, and, with the express object of showing his power, he +threatened to attack the strangers. Mpende's counsellors having, +however, found out that Dr. Livingstone belonged to a tribe of whom they +had heard that "they loved the black man and did not make slaves," his +conduct at once changed from enmity to kindness, and, as the place was +one well selected for defence, it was perhaps quite as well for Mpende +that he decided as he did. Three of his counsellors now visited us, and +we gave them a handsome present for their chief, who came himself next +morning and made us a present of a goat, a basket of boiled maize, and +another of vetches. A few miles above this the headman, Chilondo of +Nyamasusa, apologized for not formerly lending us canoes. "He was +absent, and his children were to blame for not telling him when the +Doctor passed; he did not refuse the canoes." The sight of our men, now +armed with muskets, had a great effect. Without any bullying, firearms +command respect, and lead men to be reasonable who might otherwise feel +disposed to be troublesome. Nothing, however, our fracas with Mpende +excepted, could be more peaceful than our passage through this tract of +country in 1856. We then had nothing to excite the cupidity of the +people, and the men maintained themselves, either by selling elephant's +meat, or by exhibiting feats of foreign dancing. Most of the people were +very generous and friendly; but the Banyai, nearer to Tette than this, +stopped our march with a threatening war-dance. One of our party, +terrified at this, ran away, as we thought, insane, and could not, after +a painful search of three days, be found. The Banyai, evidently touched +by our distress, allowed us to proceed. Through a man we left on an +island a little below Mpende's, we subsequently learned that poor +Monaheng had fled thither, and had been murdered by the headman for no +reason except that he was defenceless. This headman had since become +odious to his countrymen, and had been put to death by them. + +On the 23rd of June we entered Pangola's principal village, which is +upwards of a mile from the river. The ruins of a mud wall showed that a +rude attempt had been made to imitate the Portuguese style of building. +We established ourselves under a stately wild fig-tree, round whose trunk +witchcraft medicine had been tied, to protect from thieves the honey of +the wild bees, which had their hive in one of the limbs. This is a +common device. The charm, or the medicine, is purchased of the dice +doctors, and consists of a strip of palm-leaf smeared with something, and +adorned with a few bits of grass, wood, or roots. It is tied round the +tree, and is believed to have the power of inflicting disease and death +on the thief who climbs over it. Superstition is thus not without its +uses in certain states of society; it prevents many crimes and +misdemeanours, which would occur but for the salutary fear that it +produces. + +Pangola arrived, tipsy and talkative.--"We are friends, we are great +friends; I have brought you a basket of green maize--here it is!" We +thanked him, and handed him two fathoms of cotton cloth, four times the +market-value of his present. No, he would not take so small a present; +he wanted a double-barrelled rifle--one of Dixon's best. "We are +friends, you know; we are all friends together." But although we were +willing to admit that, we could not give him our best rifle, so he went +off in high dudgeon. Early next morning, as we were commencing Divine +service, Pangola returned, sober. We explained to him that we wished to +worship God, and invited him to remain; he seemed frightened, and +retired: but after service he again importuned us for the rifle. It was +of no use telling him that we had a long journey before us, and needed it +to kill game for ourselves.--"He too must obtain meat for himself and +people, for they sometimes suffered from hunger." He then got sulky, and +his people refused to sell food except at extravagant prices. Knowing +that we had nothing to eat, they felt sure of starving us into +compliance. But two of our young men, having gone off at sunrise, shot a +fine waterbuck, and down came the provision market to the lower figure; +they even became eager to sell, but our men were angry with them for +trying compulsion, and would not buy. Black greed had outwitted itself, +as happens often with white cupidity; and not only here did the traits of +Africans remind us of Anglo-Saxons elsewhere: the notoriously ready world- +wide disposition to take an unfair advantage of a man's necessities shows +that the same mean motives are pretty widely diffused among all races. It +may not be granted that the same blood flows in all veins, or that all +have descended from the same stock; but the traveller has no doubt that, +practically, the white rogue and black are men and brothers. + +Pangola is the child or vassal of Mpende. Sandia and Mpende are the only +independent chiefs from Kebrabasa to Zumbo, and belong to the tribe +Manganja. The country north of the mountains here in sight from the +Zambesi is called Senga, and its inhabitants Asenga, or Basenga, but all +appear to be of the same family as the rest of the Manganja and Maravi. +Formerly all the Manganja were united under the government of their great +chief, Undi, whose empire extended from Lake Shirwa to the River Loangwa; +but after Undi's death it fell to pieces, and a large portion of it on +the Zambesi was absorbed by their powerful southern neighbours the +Banyai. This has been the inevitable fate of every African empire from +time immemorial. A chief of more than ordinary ability arises and, +subduing all his less powerful neighbours, founds a kingdom, which he +governs more or less wisely till he dies. His successor not having the +talents of the conqueror cannot retain the dominion, and some of the +abler under-chiefs set up for themselves, and, in a few years, the +remembrance only of the empire remains. This, which may be considered as +the normal state of African society, gives rise to frequent and +desolating wars, and the people long in vain for a power able to make all +dwell in peace. In this light, a European colony would be considered by +the natives as an inestimable boon to intertropical Africa. Thousands of +industrious natives would gladly settle round it, and engage in that +peaceful pursuit of agriculture and trade of which they are so fond, and, +undistracted by wars or rumours of wars, might listen to the purifying +and ennobling truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Manganja on the +Zambesi, like their countrymen on the Shire, are fond of agriculture; +and, in addition to the usual varieties of food, cultivate tobacco and +cotton in quantities more than equal to their wants. To the question, +"Would they work for Europeans?" an affirmative answer may be given, if +the Europeans belong to the class which can pay a reasonable price for +labour, and not to that of adventurers who want employment for +themselves. All were particularly well clothed from Sandia's to +Pangola's; and it was noticed that all the cloth was of native +manufacture, the product of their own looms. In Senga a great deal of +iron is obtained from the ore and manufactured very cleverly. + +As is customary when a party of armed strangers visits the village, +Pangola took the precaution of sleeping in one of the outlying hamlets. +No one ever knows, or at any rate will tell, where the chief sleeps. He +came not next morning, so we went our way; but in a few moments we saw +the rifle-loving chief approaching with some armed men. Before meeting +us, he left the path and drew up his "following" under a tree, expecting +us to halt, and give him a chance of bothering us again; but, having +already had enough of that, we held right on: he seemed dumbfoundered, +and could hardly believe his own eyes. For a few seconds he was +speechless, but at last recovered so far as to be able to say, "You are +passing Pangola. Do you not see Pangola?" Mbia was just going by at the +time with the donkey, and, proud of every opportunity of airing his small +stock of English, shouted in reply, "All right! then get on." "Click, +click, click." + +On the 26th June we breakfasted at Zumbo, on the left bank of the +Loangwa, near the ruins of some ancient Portuguese houses. The Loangwa +was too deep to be forded, and there were no canoes on our side. Seeing +two small ones on the opposite shore, near a few recently erected huts of +two half-castes from Tette, we halted for the ferry-men to come over. +From their movements it was evident that they were in a state of +rollicking drunkenness. Having a waterproof cloak, which could be +inflated into a tiny boat, we sent Mantlanyane across in it. Three half- +intoxicated slaves then brought us the shaky canoes, which we lashed +together and manned with our own canoe-men. Five men were all that we +could carry over at a time; and after four trips had been made the slaves +began to clamour for drink; not receiving any, as we had none to give, +they grew more insolent, and declared that not another man should cross +that day. Sininyane was remonstrating with them, when a loaded musket +was presented at him by one of the trio. In an instant the gun was out +of the rascal's hands, a rattling shower of blows fell on his back, and +he took an involuntary header into the river. He crawled up the bank a +sad and sober man, and all three at once tumbled from the height of saucy +swagger to a low depth of slavish abjectness. The musket was found to +have an enormous charge, and might have blown our man to pieces, but for +the promptitude with which his companions administered justice in a +lawless land. We were all ferried safely across by 8 o'clock in the +evening. + +In illustration of what takes place where no government, or law exists, +the two half-castes, to whom these men belonged, left Tette, with four +hundred slaves, armed with the old Sepoy Brown Bess, to hunt elephants +and trade in ivory. On our way up, we heard from natives of their +lawless deeds, and again, on our way down, from several, who had been +eyewitnesses of the principal crime, and all reports substantially +agreed. The story is a sad one. After the traders reached Zumbo, one of +them, called by the natives Sequasha, entered into a plot with the +disaffected headman, Namakusuru, to kill his chief, Mpangwe, in order +that Namakusuru might seize upon the chieftainship; and for the murder of +Mpangwe the trader agreed to receive ten large tusks of ivory. Sequasha, +with a picked party of armed slaves, went to visit Mpangwe who received +him kindly, and treated him with all the honour and hospitality usually +shown to distinguished strangers, and the women busied themselves in +cooking the best of their provisions for the repast to be set before him. +Of this, and also of the beer, the half-caste partook heartily. Mpangwe +was then asked by Sequasha to allow his men to fire their guns in +amusement. Innocent of any suspicion of treachery, and anxious to hear +the report of firearms, Mpangwe at once gave his consent; and the slaves +rose and poured a murderous volley into the merry group of unsuspecting +spectators, instantly killing the chief and twenty of his people. The +survivors fled in horror. The children and young women were seized as +slaves, and the village sacked. Sequasha sent the message to Namakusuru: +"I have killed the lion that troubled you; come and let us talk over the +matter." He came and brought the ivory. "No," said the half-caste, "let +us divide the land:" and he took the larger share for himself, and +compelled the would-be usurper to deliver up his bracelets, in token of +subjection on becoming the child or vassal of Sequasha. These were sent +in triumph to the authorities at Tette. The governor of Quillimane had +told us that he had received orders from Lisbon to take advantage of our +passing to re-establish Zumbo; and accordingly these traders had built a +small stockade on the rich plain of the right bank of Loangwa, a mile +above the site of the ancient mission church of Zumbo, as part of the +royal policy. The bloodshed was quite unnecessary, because, the land at +Zumbo having of old been purchased, the natives would have always of +their own accord acknowledged the right thus acquired; they pointed it +out to Dr. Livingstone in 1856 that, though they were cultivating it, is +was not theirs, but white man's land. Sequasha and his mate had left +their ivory in charge of some of their slaves, who, in the absence of +their masters, were now having a gay time of it, and getting drunk every +day with the produce of the sacked villages. The head slave came and +begged for the musket of the delinquent ferryman, which was returned. He +thought his master did perfectly right to kill Mpangwe, when asked to do +it for the fee of ten tusks, and he even justified it thus: "If a man +invites you to eat, will you not partake?" + +We continued our journey on the 28th of June. Game was extremely +abundant, and there were many lions. Mbia drove one off from his feast +on a wild pig, and appropriated what remained of the pork to his own use. +Lions are particularly fond of the flesh of wild pigs and zebras, and +contrive to kill a large number of these animals. In the afternoon we +arrived at the village of the female chief, Ma-mburuma, but she herself +was now living on the opposite side of the river. Some of her people +called, and said she had been frightened by seeing her son and other +children killed by Sequasha, and had fled to the other bank; but when her +heart was healed, she would return and live in her own village, and among +her own people. She constantly inquired of the black traders, who came +up the river, if they had any news of the white man who passed with the +oxen. "He has gone down into the sea," was their reply, "but we belong +to the same people." "Oh no; you need not tell me that; he takes no +slaves, but wishes peace: you are not of his tribe." This antislavery +character excites such universal attention, that any missionary who +winked at the gigantic evils involved in the slave-trade would certainly +fail to produce any good impression on the native mind. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +Illness--The Honey-guide--Abundance of game--The Baenda pezi--The Batoka. + +We left the river here, and proceeded up the valley which leads to the +Mburuma or Mohango pass. The nights were cold, and on the 30th of June +the thermometer was as low as 39 degrees at sunrise. We passed through a +village of twenty large huts, which Sequasha had attacked on his return +from the murder of the chief, Mpangwe. He caught the women and children +for slaves, and carried off all the food, except a huge basket of bran, +which the natives are wont to save against a time of famine. His slaves +had broken all the water-pots and the millstones for grinding meal. + +The buaze-trees and bamboos are now seen on the hills; but the jujube or +zisyphus, which has evidently been introduced from India, extends no +further up the river. We had been eating this fruit, which, having +somewhat the taste of apples, the Portuguese call Macaas, all the way +from Tette; and here they were larger than usual, though immediately +beyond they ceased to be found. No mango-tree either is to be met with +beyond this point, because the Portuguese traders never established +themselves anywhere beyond Zumbo. Tsetse flies are more numerous and +troublesome than we have ever before found them. They accompany us on +the march, often buzzing round our heads like a swarm of bees. They are +very cunning, and when intending to bite, alight so gently that their +presence is not perceived till they thrust in their lance-like proboscis. +The bite is acute, but the pain is over in a moment; it is followed by a +little of the disagreeable itching of the mosquito's bite. This fly +invariably kills all domestic animals except goats and donkeys; man and +the wild animals escape. We ourselves were severely bitten on this pass, +and so were our donkeys, but neither suffered from any after effects. + +Water is scarce in the Mburuma pass, except during the rainy season. We +however halted beside some fine springs in the bed of the now dry +rivulet, Podebode, which is continued down to the end of the pass, and +yields water at intervals in pools. Here we remained a couple of days in +consequence of the severe illness of Dr. Kirk. He had several times been +attacked by fever; and observed that when we were on the cool heights he +was comfortable, but when we happened to descend from a high to a lower +altitude, he felt chilly, though the temperature in the latter case was +25 degrees higher than it was above; he had been trying different +medicines of reputed efficacy with a view to ascertain whether other +combinations might not be superior to the preparation we generally used; +in halting by this water he suddenly became blind, and unable to stand +from faintness. The men, with great alacrity, prepared a grassy bed, on +which we laid our companion, with the sad forebodings which only those +who have tended the sick in a wild country can realize. We feared that +in experimenting he had over-drugged himself; but we gave him a dose of +our fever pills; on the third day he rode the one of the two donkeys that +would allow itself to be mounted, and on the sixth he marched as well as +any of us. This case is mentioned in order to illustrate what we have +often observed, that moving the patient from place to place is most +conducive to the cure; and the more pluck a man has--the less he gives in +to the disease--the less likely he is to die. + +Supplied with water by the pools in the Podebode, we again joined the +Zambesi at the confluence of the rivulet. When passing through a dry +district the native hunter knows where to expect water by the animals he +sees. The presence of the gemsbuck, duiker or diver, springbucks, or +elephants, is no proof that water is near; for these animals roam over +vast tracts of country, and may be met scores of miles from it. Not so, +however, the zebra, pallah, buffalo, and rhinoceros; their spoor gives +assurance that water is not far off, as they never stray any distance +from its neighbourhood. But when amidst the solemn stillness of the +woods, the singing of joyous birds falls upon the ear, it is certain that +water is close at hand. + +Our men in hunting came on an immense herd of buffaloes, quietly resting +in the long dry grass, and began to blaze away furiously at the +astonished animals. In the wild excitement of the hunt, which heretofore +had been conducted with spears, some forgot to load with ball, and, +firing away vigorously with powder only, wondered for the moment that the +buffaloes did not fall. The slayer of the young elephant, having buried +his four bullets in as many buffaloes, fired three charges of No. 1 shot +he had for killing guinea-fowl. The quaint remarks and merriment after +these little adventures seemed to the listener like the pleasant prattle +of children. Mbia and Mantlanyane, however, killed one buffalo each; +both the beasts were in prime condition; the meat was like really +excellent beef, with a smack of venison. A troop of hungry, howling +hyenas also thought the savour tempting, as they hung round the camp at +night, anxious to partake of the feast. They are, fortunately, arrant +cowards, and never attack either men or beasts except they can catch them +asleep, sick, or at some other disadvantage. With a bright fire at our +feet their presence excites no uneasiness. A piece of meat hung on a +tree, high enough to make him jump to reach it, and a short spear, with +its handle firmly planted in the ground beneath, are used as a device to +induce the hyena to commit suicide by impalement. + +The honey-guide is an extraordinary bird; how is it that every member of +its family has learned that all men, white or black, are fond of honey? +The instant the little fellow gets a glimpse of a man, he hastens to +greet him with the hearty invitation to come, as Mbia translated it, to a +bees' hive, and take some honey. He flies on in the proper direction, +perches on a tree, and looks back to see if you are following; then on to +another and another, until he guides you to the spot. If you do not +accept his first invitation he follows you with pressing importunities, +quite as anxious to lure the stranger to the bees' hive as other birds +are to draw him away from their own nest. Except while on the march, our +men were sure to accept the invitation, and manifested the same by a +peculiar responsive whistle, meaning, as they said, "All right, go ahead; +we are coming." The bird never deceived them, but always guided them to +a hive of bees, though some had but little honey in store. Has this +peculiar habit of the honey-guide its origin, as the attachment of dogs, +in friendship for man, or in love for the sweet pickings of the plunder +left on the ground? Self-interest aiding in preservation from danger +seems to be the rule in most cases, as, for instance, in the bird that +guards the buffalo and rhinoceros. The grass is often so tall and dense +that one could go close up to these animals quite unperceived; but the +guardian bird, sitting on the beast, sees the approach of danger, flaps +its wings and screams, which causes its bulky charge to rush off from a +foe he has neither seen nor heard; for his reward the vigilant little +watcher has the pick of the parasites on his fat friend. In other cases +a chance of escape must be given even by the animal itself to its prey; +as in the rattle-snake, which, when excited to strike, cannot avoid using +his rattle, any more than the cat can resist curling its tail when +excited in the chase of a mouse, or the cobra can refrain from inflating +the loose skin of the neck and extending it laterally, before striking +its poison fangs into its victim. There are many snakes in parts of this +pass; they basked in the warm sunshine, but rustled off through the +leaves as we approached. We observed one morning a small one of a deadly +poisonous species, named Kakone, on a bush by the wayside, quietly +resting in a horizontal position, digesting a lizard for breakfast. +Though openly in view, its colours and curves so closely resembled a +small branch that some failed to see it, even after being asked if they +perceived anything on the bush. Here also one of our number had a glance +at another species, rarely seen, and whose swift lightning-like motion +has given rise to the native proverb, that when a man sees this snake he +will forthwith become a rich man. + +We slept near the ruined village of the murdered chief, Mpangwe, a lovely +spot, with the Zambesi in front, and extensive gardens behind, backed by +a semicircle of hills receding up to lofty mountains. Our path kept +these mountains on our right, and crossed several streamlets, which +seemed to be perennial, and among others the Selole, which apparently +flows past the prominent peak Chiarapela. These rivulets have often +human dwellings on their banks; but the land can scarcely be said to be +occupied. The number of all sorts of game increases wonderfully every +day. As a specimen of what may be met with where there are no human +habitations, and where no firearms have been introduced, we may mention +what at times has actually been seen by us. On the morning of July 3rd a +herd of elephants passed within fifty yards of our sleeping-place, going +down to the river along the dry bed of a rivulet. Starting a few minutes +before the main body, we come upon large flocks of guinea-fowl, shoot +what may be wanted for dinner, or next morning's breakfast, and leave +them in the path to be picked up by the cook and his mates behind. As we +proceed, francolins of three varieties run across the path, and hundreds +of turtle-doves rise, with great blatter of wing, and fly off to the +trees. Guinea-fowls, francolins, turtle-doves, ducks, and geese are the +game birds of this region. At sunrise a herd of pallahs, standing like a +flock of sheep, allow the first man of our long Indian file to approach +within about fifty yards; but having meat, we let them trot off leisurely +and unmolested. Soon afterwards we come upon a herd of waterbucks, which +here are very much darker in colour, and drier in flesh, than the same +species near the sea. They look at us and we at them; and we pass on to +see a herd of doe koodoos, with a magnificently horned buck or two, +hurrying off to the dry hill-sides. We have ceased shooting antelopes, +as our men have been so often gorged with meat that they have become fat +and dainty. They say that they do not want more venison, it is so dry +and tasteless, and ask why we do not give them shot to shoot the more +savoury guinea-fowl. + +About eight o'clock the tsetse commence to buzz about us, and bite our +hands and necks sharply. Just as we are thinking of breakfast, we meet +some buffaloes grazing by the path; but they make off in a heavy gallop +at the sight of man. We fire, and the foremost, badly wounded, separates +from the herd, and is seen to stop amongst the trees; but, as it is a +matter of great danger to follow a wounded buffalo, we hold on our way. +It is this losing of wounded animals which makes firearms so annihilating +to these beasts of the field, and will in time sweep them all away. The +small Enfield bullet is worse than the old round one for this. It often +goes through an animal without killing him, and he afterwards perishes, +when he is of no value to man. After breakfast we draw near a pond of +water; a couple of elephants stand on its bank, and, at a respectful +distance behind these monarchs of the wilderness, is seen a herd of +zebras, and another of waterbucks. On getting our wind the royal beasts +make off at once; but the zebras remain till the foremost man is within +eighty yards of them, when old and young canter gracefully away. The +zebra has a great deal of curiosity; and this is often fatal to him, for +he has the habit of stopping to look at the hunter. In this particular +he is the exact opposite of the diver antelope, which rushes off like the +wind, and never for a moment stops to look behind, after having once seen +or smelt danger. The finest zebra of the herd is sometimes shot, our men +having taken a sudden fancy to the flesh, which all declare to be the +"king of good meat." On the plains of short grass between us and the +river many antelopes of different species are calmly grazing, or +reposing. Wild pigs are common, and walk abroad during the day; but are +so shy as seldom to allow a close approach. On taking alarm they erect +their slender tails in the air, and trot off swiftly in a straight line, +keeping their bodies as steady as a locomotive on a railroad. A mile +beyond the pool three cow buffaloes with their calves come from the +woods, and move out into the plain. A troop of monkeys, on the edge of +the forest, scamper back to its depths on hearing the loud song of +Singeleka, and old surly fellows, catching sight of the human party, +insult it with a loud and angry bark. Early in the afternoon we may see +buffaloes again, or other animals. We camp on the dry higher ground, +after, as has happened, driving off a solitary elephant. The nights are +warmer now, and possess nearly as much of interest and novelty as the +days. A new world awakes and comes forth, more numerous, if we may judge +by the noise it makes, than that which is abroad by sunlight. Lions and +hyenas roar around us, and sometimes come disagreeably near, though they +have never ventured into our midst. Strange birds sing their agreeable +songs, while others scream and call harshly as if in fear or anger. +Marvellous insect-sounds fall upon the ear; one, said by natives to +proceed from a large beetle, resembles a succession of measured musical +blows upon an anvil, while many others are perfectly indescribable. A +little lemur was once seen to leap about from branch to branch with the +agility of a frog; it chirruped like a bird, and is not larger than a +robin red-breast. Reptiles, though numerous, seldom troubled us; only +two men suffered from stings, and that very slightly, during the entire +journey, the one supposed that he was bitten by a snake, and the other +was stung by a scorpion. + +Grass-burning has begun, and is producing the blue hazy atmosphere of the +American Indian summer, which in Western Africa is called the "smokes." +Miles of fire burn on the mountain-sides in the evenings, but go out +during the night. From their height they resemble a broad zigzag line of +fire in the heavens. + +We slept on the night of the 6th of July on the left bank of the Chongwe, +which comes through a gap in the hills on our right, and is twenty yards +wide. A small tribe of the Bazizulu, from the south, under Dadanga, have +recently settled here and built a village. Some of their houses are +square, and they seem to be on friendly terms with the Bakoa, who own the +country. They, like the other natives, cultivate cotton, but of a +different species from any we have yet seen in Africa, the staple being +very long, and the boll larger than what is usually met with; the seeds +cohere as in the Pernambuco kind. They brought the seed with them from +their own country, the distant mountains of which in the south, still +inhabited by their fellow-countrymen, who possess much cattle and use +shields, can be seen from this high ground. These people profess to be +children of the great paramount chief, Kwanyakarombe, who is said to be +lord of all the Bazizulu. The name of this tribe is known to +geographers, who derive their information from the Portuguese, as the +_Morusurus_, and the hills mentioned above are said to have been the +country of Changamira, the warrior-chief of history, whom no Portuguese +ever dared to approach. The Bazizulu seem, by report, to be brave +mountaineers; nearer the river, the Sidima inhabit the plains; just as on +the north side, the Babimpe live on the heights, about two days off, and +the Makoa on or near the river. The chief of the Bazizulu we were now +with was hospitable and friendly. A herd of buffaloes came trampling +through the gardens and roused up our men; a feat that roaring lions +seldom achieved. + +Our course next day passed over the upper terrace and through a dense +thorn jungle. Travelling is always difficult where there is no path, but +it is even more perplexing where the forest is cut up by many +game-tracks. Here we got separated from one another, and a rhinoceros +with angry snort dashed at Dr. Livingstone as he stooped to pick up a +specimen of the wild fruit morula; but she strangely stopped stock-still +when less than her own length distant, and gave him time to escape; a +branch pulled out his watch as he ran, and turning half round to grasp +it, he got a distant glance of her and her calf still standing on the +selfsame spot, as if arrested in the middle of her charge by an unseen +hand. When about fifty yards off, thinking his companions close behind, +he shouted "Look out there!" when off she rushed, snorting loudly, in +another direction. The Doctor usually went unarmed before this, but +never afterwards. + +A fine eland was shot by Dr. Kirk this afternoon, the first we have +killed. It was in first-rate condition, and remarkably fat; but the +meat, though so tempting in appearance, severely deranged all who partook +of it heartily, especially those who ate of the fat. Natives who live in +game countries, and are acquainted with the different kinds of wild +animals, have a prejudice against the fat of the eland, the pallah, the +zebra, hippopotamus, and pig; they never reject it, however, the climate +making the desire for all animal food very strong; but they consider that +it causes ulcers and leprosy, while the fat of sheep and of oxen never +produces any bad effects, unless the animal is diseased. + +On the morning of the 9th, after passing four villages, we breakfasted at +an old friend's, Tombanyama, who lives now on the mainland, having +resigned the reedy island, where he was first seen, to the buffaloes, +which used to take his crops and show fight to his men. He keeps a large +flock of tame pigeons, and some fine fat capons, one of which he gave us, +with a basket of meal. They have plenty of salt in this part of the +country, obtaining it from the plains in the usual way. + +The half-caste partner of Sequasha and a number of his men were staying +near. The fellow was very munch frightened when he saw us, and trembled +so much when he spoke, that the Makololo and other natives noticed and +remarked on it. His fears arose from a sense of guilt, as we said +nothing to frighten him, and did not allude to the murder till a few +minutes before starting; when it was remarked that Dr. Livingstone having +been accredited to the murdered chief, it would be his duty to report on +it; and that not even the Portuguese Government would approve of the +deed. He defended it by saying that they had put in the right man, the +other was a usurper. He was evidently greatly relieved when we departed. +In the afternoon we came to an outlying hamlet of Kambadzo, whose own +village is on an island, Nyampungo, or Nyangalule, at the confluence of +the Kafue. The chief was on a visit here, and they had been enjoying a +regular jollification. There had been much mirth, music, drinking, and +dancing. The men, and women too, had taken "a wee drap too much," but +had not passed the complimentary stage. The wife of the headman, after +looking at us a few moments, called out to the others, "Black traders +have come before, calling themselves Bazungu, or white men, but now, for +the first time, have we seen the real Bazungu." Kambadzo also soon +appeared; he was sorry that we had not come before the beer was all done, +but he was going back to see if it was all really and entirely finished, +and not one little potful left somewhere. + +This was, of course, mere characteristic politeness, as he was perfectly +aware that every drop had been swallowed; so we proceeded on to the +Kafue, or Kafuje, accompanied by the most intelligent of his headmen. A +high ridge, just before we reached the confluence, commands a splendid +view of the two great rivers, and the rich country beyond. Behind, on +the north and east, is the high mountain-range, along whose base we have +been travelling; the whole range is covered with trees, which appear even +on the prominent peaks, Chiarapela, Morindi, and Chiava; at this last the +chain bends away to the N.W., and we could see the distant mountains +where the chief, Semalembue, gained all our hearts in 1856. + +On the 9th of July we tried to send Semalembue a present, but the people +here refused to incur the responsibility of carrying it. We, who have +the art of writing, cannot realize the danger one incurs of being accused +of purloining a portion of goods sent from one person to another, when +the carrier cannot prove that he delivered all committed to his charge. +Rumours of a foray having been made, either by Makololo or Batoka, as far +as the fork of the Kafue, were received here by our men with great +indignation, as it looked as if the marauders were shutting up the +country, which they had been trying so much to open. Below the junction +of the rivers, on a shallow sandbank, lay a large herd of hippopotami, +their bodies out of the water, like masses of black rock. Kambadzo's +island, called Nyangalule, a name which occurs again at the mouth of the +Zambesi, has many choice Motsikiri (_Trachelia_) trees on it; and four +very conspicuous stately palms growing out of a single stem. The Kafue +reminds us a little of the Shire, flowing between steep banks, with +fertile land on both sides. It is a smaller river, and has less current. +Here it seems to come from the west. The headman of the village, near +which we encamped, brought a present of meal, fowls, and sweet potatoes. +They have both the red and white varieties of this potato. We have, on +several occasions during this journey, felt the want of vegetables, in a +disagreeable craving which our diet of meat and native meal could not +satisfy. It became worse and worse till we got a meal of potatoes, which +allayed it at once. A great scarcity of vegetables prevails in these +parts of Africa. The natives collect several kinds of wild plants in the +woods, which they use no doubt for the purpose of driving off cravings +similar to those we experienced. + +Owing to the strength of the wind, and the cranky state of the canoes, it +was late in the afternoon of the 11th before our party was ferried over +the Kafue. After crossing, we were in the Bawe country. Fishhooks here, +of native workmanship, were observed to have barbs like the European +hooks: elsewhere the point of the hook is merely bent in towards the +shank, to have the same effect in keeping on the fish as the barb. We +slept near a village a short distance above the ford. The people here +are of Batoka origin, the same as many of our men, and call themselves +Batonga (independents), or Balengi, and their language only differs +slightly from that of the Bakoa, who live between the two rivers Kafue +and Loangwa. The paramount chief of the district lives to the west of +this place, and is called Nchomokela--an hereditary title: the family +burying-place is on a small hill near this village. The women salute us +by clapping their hands and lullilooing as we enter and leave a village, +and the men, as they think, respectfully clap their hands on their hips. +Immense crops of mapira (_holcus sorghum_) are raised; one species of it +forms a natural bend on the seed-stalk, so that the massive ear hangs +down. The grain was heaped up on wooden stages, and so was a variety of +other products. The men are skilful hunters, and kill elephants and +buffaloes with long heavy spears. We halted a few minutes on the morning +of the 12th July, opposite the narrow island of Sikakoa, which has a +village on its lower end. We were here told that Moselekatse's chief +town is a month's distance from this place. They had heard, moreover, +that the English had come to Moselekatse, and told him it was wrong to +kill men; and he had replied that he was born to kill people, but would +drop the habit; and, since the English came, he had sent out his men, not +to kill as of yore, but to collect tribute of cloth and ivory. This +report referred to the arrival of the Rev. R. Moffat, of Kuruman, who, we +afterwards found, had established a mission. The statement is +interesting as showing that, though imperfectly expressed, the purport of +the missionaries' teaching had travelled, in a short time, over 300 +miles, and we know not how far the knowledge of the English operations on +the coast spread inland. + +When abreast of the high wooded island Kalabi we came in contact with one +of the game-laws of the country, which has come down from the most +ancient times. An old buffalo crossed the path a few yards in front of +us; our guide threw his small spear at its hip, and it was going off +scarcely hurt, when three rifle balls knocked it over. "It is mine," +said the guide. He had wounded it first, and the established native game- +law is that the animal belongs to the man who first draws blood; the two +legs on one side, by the same law, belonged to us for killing it. This +beast was very old, blind of one eye, and scabby; the horns, mere stumps, +not a foot long, must have atrophied, when by age he lost the strength +distinctive of his sex; some eighteen or twenty inches of horn could not +well be worn down by mere rubbing against the trees. We saw many +buffaloes next day, standing quietly amidst a thick thorn-jungle, through +which we were passing. They often stood until we were within fifty or a +hundred yards of them. + +On the 14th July we left the river at the mountain-range, which, lying +north-east and south-west across the river, forms the Kariba gorge. Near +the upper end of the Kariba rapids, the stream Sanyati enters from the +south, and is reported to have Moselekatse's principal cattle-posts at +its sources; our route went round the end of the mountains, and we +encamped beside the village of the generous chief Moloi, who brought us +three immense baskets of fine mapira meal, ten fowls, and two pots of +beer. On receiving a present in return, he rose, and, with a few dancing +gestures, said or sang, "Motota, Motota, Motota," which our men +translated into "thanks." He had visited Moselekatse a few months before +our arrival, and saw the English missionaries, living in their wagons. +"They told Moselekatse," said he, "they were of his family, or friends, +and would plough the land and live at their own expense;" and he had +replied, "The land is before you, and I shall come and see you plough." +This again was substantially what took place, when Mr. Moffat introduced +the missionaries to his old friend, and shows still further that the +notion of losing their country by admitting foreigners does not come as +the first idea to the native mind. One might imagine that, as mechanical +powers are unknown to the heathen, the almost magic operations of +machinery, the discoveries of modern science and art, or the presence of +the prodigious force which, for instance, is associated with the sight of +a man-of-war, would have the effect which miracles once had of arresting +the attention and inspiring awe. But, though we have heard the natives +exclaim in admiration at the sight of even small illustrations of what +science enables us to do--"Ye are gods, and not men"--the heart is +unaffected. In attempting their moral elevation, it is always more +conducive to the end desired, that the teacher should come unaccompanied +by any power to cause either jealousy or fear. The heathen, who have not +become aware of the greed and hate which too often characterize the +advancing tide of emigration, listen with most attention to the message +of Divine love when delivered by men who evidently possess the same human +sympathies with themselves. A chief is rather envied his good fortune in +first securing foreigners in his town. Jealousy of strangers belongs +more to the Arab than to the African character; and if the women are let +alone by the traveller, no danger need be apprehended from any save the +slave-trading tribes, and not often even from them. + +We passed through a fertile country, covered with open forest, +accompanied by the friendly Bawe. They are very hospitable; many of them +were named, among themselves, "the Baenda pezi," or "Go-nakeds," their +only clothing being a coat of red ochre. Occasionally stopping at their +villages we were duly lullilooed, and regaled with sweet new-made beer, +which, being yet unfermented, was not intoxicating. It is in this state +called Liting or Makonde. Some of the men carry large shields of buffalo- +hide, and all are well supplied with heavy spears. The vicinity of the +villages is usually cleared and cultivated in large patches; but nowhere +can the country be said to be stocked with people. At every village +stands were erected, and piles of the native corn, still unthrashed, +placed upon them; some had been beaten out, put into oblong parcels made +of grass, and stacked in wooden frames. + +We crossed several rivulets in our course, as the Mandora, the Lofia, the +Manzaia (with brackish water), the Rimbe, the Chibue, the Chezia, the +Chilola (containing fragments of coal), which did little more than mark +our progress. The island and rapid of Nakansalo, of which we had +formerly heard, were of no importance, the rapid being but half a mile +long, and only on one side of the island. The island Kaluzi marks one of +the numerous places where astronomical observations were made; Mozia, a +station where a volunteer poet left us; the island Mochenya, and Mpande +island, at the mouth of the Zungwe rivulet, where we left the Zambesi. + +When favoured with the hospitality and company of the "Go-nakeds," we +tried to discover if nudity were the badge of a particular order among +the Bawe, but they could only refer to custom. Some among them had +always liked it for no reason in particular: shame seemed to lie dormant, +and the sense could not be aroused by our laughing and joking them on +their appearance. They evidently felt no less decent than we did with +our clothes on; but, whatever may be said in favour of nude statues, it +struck us that man, in a state of nature, is a most ungainly animal. +Could we see a number of the degraded of our own lower classes in like +guise, it is probable that, without the black colour which acts somehow +as a dress, they would look worse still. + +In domestic contentions the Bawe are careful not to kill each other; but, +when one village goes to war with another, they are not so particular. +The victorious party are said to quarter one of the bodies of the enemies +they may have killed, and to perform certain ceremonies over the +fragments. The vanquished call upon their conquerors to give them a +portion also; and, when this request is complied with, they too perform +the same ceremonies, and lament over their dead comrade, after which the +late combatants may visit each other in peace. Sometimes the head of the +slain is taken and buried in an ant-hill, till all the flesh is gone; and +the lower jaw is then worn as a trophy by the slayer; but this we never +saw, and the foregoing information was obtained only through an +interpreter. + +We left the Zambesi at the mouth of the Zungwe or Mozama or Dela rivulet, +up which we proceeded, first in a westerly and then in a north-westerly +direction. The Zungwe at this time had no water in its sandy channel for +the first eight or ten miles. Willows, however, grow on the banks, and +water soon began to appear in the hollows; and a few miles further up it +was a fine flowing stream deliciously cold. As in many other streams +from Chicova to near Sinamane shale and coal crop out in the bank; and +here the large roots of stigmaria or its allied plants were found. We +followed the course of the Zungwe to the foot of the Batoka highlands, up +whose steep and rugged sides of red and white quartz we climbed till we +attained an altitude of upwards of 3000 feet. Here, on the cool and +bracing heights, the exhilaration of mind and body was delightful, as we +looked back at the hollow beneath covered with a hot sultry glare, not +unpleasant now that we were in the mild radiance above. We had a noble +view of the great valley in which the Zambesi flows. The cultivated +portions are so small in comparison to the rest of the landscape that the +valley appears nearly all forest, with a few grassy glades. We spent the +night of the 28th July high above the level of the sea, by the rivulet +Tyotyo, near Tabacheu or Chirebuechina, names both signifying white +mountain; in the morning hoar frost covered the ground, and thin ice was +on the pools. Skirting the southern flank of Tabacheu, we soon passed +from the hills on to the portion of the vast table-land called Mataba, +and looking back saw all the way across the Zambesi valley to the lofty +ridge some thirty miles off, which, coming from the Mashona, a country in +the S.E., runs to the N.W. to join the ridge at the angle of which are +the Victoria Falls, and then bends far to the N.E. from the same point. +Only a few years since these extensive highlands were peopled by the +Batoka; numerous herds of cattle furnished abundance of milk, and the +rich soil amply repaid the labour of the husbandman; now large herds of +buffaloes, zebras, and antelopes fatten on the excellent pasture; and on +that land, which formerly supported multitudes, not a man is to been +seen. In travelling from Monday morning till late on Saturday afternoon, +all the way from Tabacheu to Moachemba, which is only twenty-one miles of +latitude from the Victoria Falls, and constantly passing the ruined sites +of utterly deserted Botoka villages, we did not fall in with a single +person. The Batoka were driven out of their noble country by the +invasions of Moselekatse and Sebetuane. Several tribes of Bechuana and +Basutu, fleeing from the Zulu or Matebele chief Moselekatse reached the +Zambesi above the Falls. Coming from a land without rivers, none of them +knew how to swim; and one tribe, called the Bamangwato, wishing to cross +the Zambesi, was ferried over, men and women separately, to different +islands, by one of the Batoka chiefs; the men were then left to starve +and the women appropriated by the ferryman and his people. Sekomi, the +present chief of the Bamangwato, then an infant in his mother's arms, was +enabled, through the kindness of a private Batoka, to escape. This act +seems to have made an indelible impression on Sekomi's heart, for though +otherwise callous, he still never fails to inquire after the welfare of +his benefactor. + +Sebetuane, with his wonted ability, outwitted the treacherous Batoka, by +insisting in the politest manner on their chief remaining at his own side +until the people and cattle were all carried safe across; the chief was +then handsomely rewarded, both with cattle and brass rings off +Sebetuane's own wives. No sooner were the Makololo, then called Basuto, +safely over, than they were confronted by the whole Batoka nation; and to +this day the Makololo point with pride to the spot on the Lekone, near to +which they were encamped, where Sebetuane, with a mere handful of +warriors in comparison to the vast horde that surrounded him, stood +waiting the onslaught, the warriors in one small body, the women and +children guarding the cattle behind them. The Batoka, of course, melted +away before those who had been made veterans by years of continual +fighting, and Sebetuane always justified his subsequent conquests in that +country by alleging that the Batoka had come out to fight with a man +fleeing for his life, who had never done them any wrong. They seem never +to have been a warlike race; passing through their country, we once +observed a large stone cairn, and our guide favoured us with the +following account of it:--"Once upon a time, our forefathers were going +to fight another tribe, and here they halted and sat down. After a long +consultation, they came to the unanimous conclusion that, instead of +proceeding to fight and kill their neighbours, and perhaps be killed +themselves, it would be more like men to raise this heap of stones, as +their protest against the wrong the other tribe had done them, which, +having accomplished, they returned quietly home." Such men of peace +could not stand before the Makololo, nor, of course, the more warlike +Matebele, who coming afterwards, drove even their conquerors, the +Makololo, out of the country. Sebetuane, however, profiting by the +tactics which he had learned of the Batoka, inveigled a large body of +this new enemy on to another island, and after due starvation there +overcame the whole. A much greater army of "Moselekatse's own" followed +with canoes, but were now baffled by Sebetuane's placing all his people +and cattle on an island and so guarding it that none could approach. +Dispirited, famished, borne down by fever, they returned to the Falls, +and all except five were cut off. + +But though the Batoka appear never to have had much inclination to fight +with men, they are decidedly brave hunters of buffaloes and elephants. +They go fearlessly close up to these formidable animals, and kill them +with large spears. The Banyai, who have long bullied all Portuguese +traders, were amazed at the daring and bravery of the Batoka in coming at +once to close quarters with the elephant; and Chisaka, a Portuguese +rebel, having formerly induced a body of this tribe to settle with him, +ravaged all the Portuguese villas around Tette. They bear the name of +Basimilongwe, and some of our men found relations among them. Sininyane +and Matenga also, two of our party, were once inveigled into a Portuguese +expedition against Mariano, by the assertion that the Doctor had arrived +and had sent for them to come down to Senna. On finding that they were +entrapped to fight, they left, after seeing an officer with a large +number of Tette slaves killed. + +The Batoka had attained somewhat civilized ideas, in planting and +protecting various fruit and oil-seed yielding trees of the country. No +other tribe either plants or abstains from cutting down fruit trees, but +here we saw some which had been planted in regular rows, and the trunks +of which were quite two feet in diameter. The grand old Mosibe, a tree +yielding a bean with a thin red pellicle, said to be very fattening, had +probably seen two hundred summers. Dr. Kirk found that the Mosibe is +peculiar, in being allied to a species met with only in the West Indies. +The Motsikiri, sometimes called Mafuta, yields a hard fat, and an oil +which is exported from Inhambane. It is said that two ancient Batoka +travellers went down as far as the Loangwa, and finding the Macaa tree +(_jujube_ or _zisyphus_) in fruit, carried the seed all the way back to +the great Falls, in order to plant them. Two of these trees are still to +be seen there, the only specimens of the kind in that region. + +The Batoka had made a near approach to the custom of more refined nations +and had permanent graveyards, either on the sides of hills, thus rendered +sacred, or under large old shady trees; they reverence the tombs of their +ancestors, and plant the largest elephants' tusks, as monuments at the +head of the grave, or entirely enclose it with the choicest ivory. Some +of the other tribes throw the dead body into the river to be devoured by +crocodiles, or, sewing it up in a mat, place it on the branch of a +baobab, or cast it in some lonely gloomy spot, surrounded by dense +tropical vegetation, where it affords a meal to the foul hyenas; but the +Batoka reverently bury their dead, and regard the spot henceforth as +sacred. The ordeal by the poison of the muave is resorted to by the +Batoka, as well as by the other tribes; but a cock is often made to stand +proxy for the supposed witch. Near the confluence of the Kafue the +Mambo, or chief, with some of his headmen, came to our sleeping-place +with a present; their foreheads were smeared with white flour, and an +unusual seriousness marked their demeanour. Shortly before our arrival +they had been accused of witchcraft; conscious of innocence, they +accepted the ordeal, and undertook to drink the poisoned muave. For this +purpose they made a journey to the sacred hill of Nchomokela, on which +repose the bodies of their ancestors; and, after a solemn appeal to the +unseen spirits to attest the innocence of their children, they swallowed +the muave, vomited, and were therefore declared not guilty. It is +evident that they believe that the soul has a continued existence; and +that the spirits of the departed know what those they have left behind +them are doing, and are pleased or not according as their deeds are good +or evil; this belief is universal. The owner of a large canoe refused to +sell it, because it belonged to the spirit of his father, who helped him +when he killed the hippopotamus. Another, when the bargain for his canoe +was nearly completed, seeing a large serpent on a branch of the tree +overhead, refused to complete the sale, alleging that this was the spirit +of his father come to protest against it. + +Some of the Batoka chiefs must have been men of considerable enterprise; +the land of one, in the western part of this country, was protected by +the Zambesi on the S., and on the N. and E. lay an impassable reedy +marsh, filled with water all the year round, leaving only his western +border open to invasion: he conceived the idea of digging a broad and +deep canal nearly a mile in length, from the reedy marsh to the Zambesi, +and, having actually carried the scheme into execution, he formed a large +island, on which his cattle grazed in safety, and his corn ripened from +year to year secure from all marauders. + +Another chief, who died a number of years ago, believed that he had +discovered a remedy for tsetse-bitten cattle; his son Moyara showed us a +plant, which was new to our botanist, and likewise told us how the +medicine was prepared; the bark of the root, and, what might please our +homoeopathic friends, a dozen of the tsetse are dried, and ground +together into a fine powder. This mixture is administered internally; +and the cattle are fumigated by burning under them the rest of the plant +collected. The treatment must be continued for weeks, whenever the +symptoms of poison appear. This medicine, he frankly admitted, would not +cure all the bitten cattle. "For," said he, "cattle, and men too, die in +spite of medicine; but should a herd by accident stray into a tsetse +district and be bitten, by this medicine of my father, Kampa-kampa, some +of them could be saved, while, without it, all would inevitably die." He +stipulated that we were not to show the medicine to other people, and if +ever we needed it in this region we must employ him; but if we were far +off we might make it ourselves; and when we saw it cure the cattle think +of him, and send him a present. + +Our men made it known everywhere that we wished the tribes to live in +peace, and would use our influence to induce Sekeletu to prevent the +Batoka of Moshobotwane and the Makololo under-chiefs making forays into +their country: they had already suffered severely, and their +remonstrances with their countryman, Moshobotwane, evoked only the +answer, "The Makololo have given me a spear; why should I not use it?" +He, indeed, it was who, being remarkably swift of foot, first guided the +Makololo in their conquest of the country. In the character of +peacemakers, therefore, we experienced abundant hospitality; and, from +the Kafue to the Falls, none of our party was allowed to suffer hunger. +The natives sent to our sleeping-places generous presents of the finest +white meal, and fat capons to give it a relish, great pots of beer to +comfort our hearts, together with pumpkins, beans, and tobacco, so that +we "should sleep neither hungry nor thirsty." + +In travelling from the Kafue to the Zungwe we frequently passed several +villages in the course of a day's march. In the evening came deputies +from the villages, at which we could not stay to sleep, with liberal +presents of food. It would have pained them to have allowed strangers to +pass without partaking of their hospitality; repeatedly were we hailed +from huts, and asked to wait a moment and drink a little of the beer, +which was brought with alacrity. Our march resembled a triumphant +procession. We entered and left every village amidst the cheers of its +inhabitants; the men clapping their hands, and the women lullilooing, +with the shrill call, "Let us sleep," or "Peace." Passing through a +hamlet one day, our guide called to the people, "Why do you not clap your +hands and salute when you see men who are wishing to bring peace to the +land?" When we halted for the night it was no uncommon thing for the +people to prepare our camp entirely of their own accord; some with hoes +quickly smoothed the ground for our beds, others brought dried grass and +spread it carefully over the spot; some with their small axes speedily +made a bush fence to shield us from the wind; and if, as occasionally +happened, the water was a little distance off, others hastened and +brought it with firewood to cook our food with. They are an industrious +people, and very fond of agriculture. For hours together we marched +through unbroken fields of mapira, or native corn, of a great width; but +one can give no idea of the extent of land under the hoe as compared with +any European country. The extent of surface is so great that the largest +fields under culture, when viewed on a wide landscape, dwindle to mere +spots. When taken in connection with the wants of the people, the +cultivation on the whole is most creditable to their industry. They +erect numerous granaries which give their villages the appearance of +being large; and, when the water of the Zambesi has subsided, they place +large quantities of grain, tied up in bundles of grass, and well +plastered over with clay, on low sand islands for protection from the +attacks of marauding mice and men. Owing to the ravages of the weevil, +the native corn can hardly be preserved until the following crop comes +in. However largely they may cultivate, and however abundant the +harvest, it must all be consumed in a year. This may account for their +making so much of it into beer. The beer these Batoka or Bawe brew is +not the sour and intoxicating boala or pombe found among some other +tribes, but sweet, and highly nutritive, with only a slight degree of +acidity, sufficient to render it a pleasant drink. The people were all +plump, and in good condition; and we never saw a single case of +intoxication among them, though all drank abundance of this liting, or +sweet beer. Both men and boys were eager to work for very small pay. Our +men could hire any number of them to carry their burdens for a few beads +a day. Our miserly and dirty ex-cook had an old pair of trousers that +some one had given to him; after he had long worn them himself, with one +of the sorely decayed legs he hired a man to carry his heavy load a whole +day; a second man carried it the next day for the other leg, and what +remained of the old garment, without the buttons, procured the labour of +another man for the third day. + +Men of remarkable ability have risen up among the Africans from time to +time, as amongst other portions of the human family. Some have attracted +the attention, and excited the admiration of large districts by their +wisdom. Others, apparently by the powers of ventriloquism, or by +peculiar dexterity in throwing the spear, or shooting with the bow, have +been the wonder of their generation; but the total absence of literature +leads to the loss of all former experience, and the wisdom of the wise +has not been handed down. They have had their minstrels too, but mere +tradition preserves not their effusions. One of these, and apparently a +genuine poet, attached himself to our party for several days, and +whenever we halted, sang our praises to the villagers, in smooth and +harmonious numbers. It was a sort of blank verse, and each line +consisted of five syllables. The song was short when it first began, but +each day he picked up more information about us, and added to the poem +until our praises became an ode of respectable length. When distance +from home compelled his return he expressed his regret at leaving us, and +was, of course, paid for his useful and pleasant flatteries. Another, +though a less gifted son of song, belonged to the Batoka of our own +party. Every evening, while the others were cooking, talking, or +sleeping, he rehearsed his songs, containing a history of everything he +had seen in the land of the white men, and on the way back. In +composing, extempore, any new piece, he was never at a loss; for if the +right word did not come he halted not, but eked out the measure with a +peculiar musical sound meaning nothing at all. He accompanied his +recitations on the _sansa_, an instrument figured in the woodcut, the +nine iron keys of which are played with the thumbs, while the fingers +pass behind to hold it. The hollow end and ornaments face the breast of +the player. Persons of a musical turn, if too poor to buy a sansa, may +be seen playing vigorously on an instrument made with a number of thick +corn-stalks sewn together, as a sansa frame, and keys of split bamboo, +which, though making but little sound, seems to soothe the player +himself. When the instrument is played with a calabash as a sounding +board, it emits a greater volume of sound. Pieces of shells and tin are +added to make a jingling accompaniment, and the calabash is also +ornamented. + +After we had passed up, a party of slaves, belonging to the two native +Portuguese who assassinated the chief, Mpangwe, and took possession of +his lands at Zumbo, followed on our footsteps, and representing +themselves to be our "children," bought great quantities of ivory from +the Bawe, for a few coarse beads a tusk. They also purchased ten large +new canoes to carry it, at the rate of six strings of red or white beads, +or two fathoms of grey calico, for each canoe, and, at the same cheap +rate, a number of good-looking girls. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +The Victoria Falls of the Zambesi--Marvellous grandeur of the +Cataracts--The Makololo's town--The Chief Sekeletu. + +During the time we remained at Motunta a splendid meteor was observed to +lighten the whole heavens. The observer's back was turned to it, but on +looking round the streak of light was seen to remain on its path some +seconds. This streak is usually explained to be only the continuance of +the impression made by the shining body on the retina. This cannot be, +as in this case the meteor was not actually seen and yet the streak was +clearly perceived. The rays of planets and stars also require another +explanation than that usually given. + +Fruit-trees and gigantic wild fig-trees, and circles of stones on which +corn safes were placed, with worn grindstones, point out where the +villages once stood. The only reason now assigned for this fine country +remaining desolate is the fear of fresh visitations by the Matebele. The +country now slopes gradually to the west into the Makololo Valley. Two +days' march from the Batoka village nearest the highlands, we met with +some hunters who were burning the dry grass, in order to attract the game +by the fresh vegetation which speedily springs up afterwards. The grass, +as already remarked, is excellent for cattle. One species, with leaves +having finely serrated edges, and of a reddish-brown colour, we noticed +our men eating: it tastes exactly like liquorice-root, and is named kezu- +kezu. The tsetse, known to the Batoka by the name "ndoka," does not +exist here, though buffaloes and elephants abound. + +A small trap in the path, baited with a mouse, to catch spotted cats (_F. +Genetta_), is usually the first indication that we are drawing near to a +village; but when we get within the sounds of pounding corn, cockcrowing, +or the merry shouts of children at play, we know that the huts are but a +few yards off, though the trees conceal them from view. We reached, on +the 4th of August, Moachemba, the first of the Batoka villages which now +owe allegiance to Sekeletu, and could see distinctly with the naked eye, +in the great valley spread out before us, the columns of vapour rising +from the Victoria Falls, though upwards of 20 miles distant. We were +informed that, the rains having failed this year, the corn crops had been +lost, and great scarcity and much hunger prevailed from Sesheke to +Linyanti. Some of the reports which the men had heard from the Batoka of +the hills concerning their families, were here confirmed. Takelang's +wife had been killed by Mashotlane, the headman at the Falls, on a +charge, as usual, of witchcraft. Inchikola's two wives, believing him to +be dead, had married again; and Masakasa was intensely disgusted to hear +that two years ago his friends, upon a report of his death, threw his +shield over the Falls, slaughtered all his oxen, and held a species of +wild Irish wake, in honour of his memory: he said he meant to disown +them, and to say, when they come to salute him, "I am dead. I am not +here. I belong to another world, and should stink if I came among you." + +All the sad news we had previously heard, of the disastrous results which +followed the attempt of a party of missionaries, under the Rev. H. +Helmore, to plant the gospel at Linyanti, were here fully confirmed. +Several of the missionaries and their native attendants, from Kuruman, +had succumbed to the fever, and the survivors had retired some weeks +before our arrival. We remained the whole of the 7th beside the village +of the old Batoka chief, Moshobotwane, the stoutest man we have seen in +Africa. The cause of our delay here was a severe attack of fever in +Charles Livingstone. He took a dose of our fever pills; was better on +the 8th, and marched three hours; then on the 9th marched eight miles to +the Great Falls, and spent the rest of the day in the fatiguing exercise +of sight-seeing. We were in the very same valley as Linyanti, and this +was the same fever which treated, or rather maltreated, with only a +little Dover's powder, proved so fatal to poor Helmore; the symptoms, +too, were identical with those afterwards described by non-medical +persons as those of poison. + +We gave Moshobotwane a present, and a pretty plain exposition of what we +thought of his bloody forays among his Batoka brethren. A scolding does +most good to the recipient, when put alongside some obliging act. He +certainly did not take it ill, as was evident from what he gave us in +return; which consisted of a liberal supply of meal, milk, and an ox. He +has a large herd of cattle, and a tract of fine pasture-land on the +beautiful stream Lekone. A home-feeling comes over one, even in the +interior of Africa, at seeing once more cattle grazing peacefully in the +meadows. The tsetse inhabits the trees which bound the pasture-land on +the west; so, should the herdsman forget his duty, the cattle straying +might be entirely lost. The women of this village were more numerous +than the men, the result of the chief's marauding. The Batoko wife of +Sima came up from the Falls, to welcome her husband back, bringing a +present of the best fruits of the country. Her husband was the only one +of the party who had brought a wife from Tette, namely, the girl whom he +obtained from Chisaka for his feats of dancing. According to our ideas, +his first wife could hardly have been pleased at seeing the second and +younger one; but she took her away home with her, while the husband +remained with us. In going down to the Fall village we met several of +the real Makololo. They are lighter in colour than the other tribes, +being of a rich warm brown; and they speak in a slow deliberate manner, +distinctly pronouncing every word. On reaching the village opposite +Kalai, we had an interview with the Makololo headman, Mashotlane: he came +to the shed in which we were seated, a little boy carrying his low three- +legged stool before him: on this he sat down with becoming dignity, +looked round him for a few seconds, then at us, and, saluting us with +"Rumela" (good morning, or hail), he gave us some boiled hippopotamus +meat, took a piece himself, and then handed the rest to his attendants, +who soon ate it up. He defended his forays on the ground that, when he +went to collect tribute, the Batoka attacked him, and killed some of his +attendants. The excuses made for their little wars are often the very +same as those made by Caesar in his "Commentaries." Few admit, like old +Moshobotwane, that they fought because they had the power, and a fair +prospect of conquering. We found here Pitsane, who had accompanied the +Doctor to St. Paul de Loanda. He had been sent by Sekeletu to purchase +three horses from a trading party of Griquas from Kuruman, who charged +nine large tusks apiece for very wretched animals. + +In the evening, when all was still, one of our men, Takelang, fired his +musket, and cried out, "I am weeping for my wife: my court is desolate: I +have no home;" and then uttered a loud wail of anguish. + +We proceeded next morning, 9th August, 1860, to see the Victoria Falls. +Mosi-oa-tunya is the Makololo name and means smoke sounding; Seongo or +Chongwe, meaning the Rainbow, or the place of the Rainbow, was the more +ancient term they bore. We embarked in canoes, belonging to Tuba Mokoro, +"smasher of canoes," an ominous name; but he alone, it seems, knew the +medicine which insures one against shipwreck in the rapids above the +Falls. For some miles the river was smooth and tranquil, and we glided +pleasantly over water clear as crystal, and past lovely islands densely +covered with a tropical vegetation. Noticeable among the many trees were +the lofty Hyphaene and Borassus palms; the graceful wild date-palm, with +its fruit in golden clusters, and the umbrageous mokononga, of cypress +form, with its dark-green leaves and scarlet fruit. Many flowers peeped +out near the water's edge, some entirely new to us, and others, as the +convolvulus, old acquaintances. + +But our attention was quickly called from the charming islands to the +dangerous rapids, down which Tuba might unintentionally shoot us. To +confess the truth, the very ugly aspect of these roaring rapids could +scarcely fail to cause some uneasiness in the minds of new-comers. It is +only when the river is very low, as it was now, that any one durst +venture to the island to which we were bound. If one went during the +period of flood, and fortunately hit the island, he would be obliged to +remain there till the water subsided again, if he lived so long. Both +hippopotami and elephants have been known to be swept over the Falls, and +of course smashed to pulp. + +Before entering the race of waters, we were requested not to speak, as +our talking might diminish the virtue of the medicine; and no one with +such boiling eddying rapids before his eyes, would think of disobeying +the orders of a "canoe-smasher." It soon became evident that there was +sound sense in this request of Tuba's, although the reason assigned was +not unlike that of the canoe-man from Sesheke, who begged one of our +party not to whistle, because whistling made the wind come. It was the +duty of the man at the bow to look out ahead for the proper course, and +when he saw a rock or snag, to call out to the steersman. Tuba doubtless +thought that talking on board might divert the attention of his +steersman, at a time when the neglect of an order, or a slight mistake, +would be sure to spill us all into the chafing river. There were places +where the utmost exertions of both men had to be put forth in order to +force the canoe to the only safe part of the rapid, and to prevent it +from sweeping down broadside on, where in a twinkling we should have +found ourselves floundering among the plotuses and cormorants, which were +engaged in diving for their breakfast of small fish. At times it seemed +as if nothing could save us from dashing in our headlong race against the +rocks which, now that the river was low, jutted out of the water; but +just at the very nick of time, Tuba passed the word to the steersman, and +then with ready pole turned the canoe a little aside, and we glided +swiftly past the threatened danger. Never was canoe more admirably +managed: once only did the medicine seem to have lost something of its +efficacy. We were driving swiftly down, a black rock over which the +white foam flew, lay directly in our path, the pole was planted against +it as readily as ever, but it slipped, just as Tuba put forth his +strength to turn the bow off. We struck hard, and were half-full of +water in a moment; Tuba recovered himself as speedily, shoved off the +bow, and shot the canoe into a still shallow place, to bale out the +water. Here we were given to understand that it was not the medicine +which was at fault; that had lost none of its virtue; the accident was +owing entirely to Tuba having started without his breakfast. Need it be +said we never let Tuba go without that meal again? + +We landed at the head of Garden Island, which is situated near the middle +of the river and on the lip of the Falls. On reaching that lip, and +peering over the giddy height, the wondrous and unique character of the +magnificent cascade at once burst upon us. + +It is rather a hopeless task to endeavour to convey an idea of it in +words, since, as was remarked on the spot, an accomplished painter, even +by a number of views, could but impart a faint impression of the glorious +scene. The probable mode of its formation may perhaps help to the +conception of its peculiar shape. Niagara has been formed by a wearing +back of the rock over which the river falls; and during a long course of +ages, it has gradually receded, and left a broad, deep, and pretty +straight trough in front. It goes on wearing back daily, and may yet +discharge the lakes from which its river--the St. Lawrence--flows. But +the Victoria Falls have been formed by a crack right across the river, in +the hard, black, basaltic rock which there formed the bed of the Zambesi. +The lips of the crack are still quite sharp, save about three feet of the +edge over which the river rolls. The walls go sheer down from the lips +without any projecting crag, or symptoms of stratification or +dislocation. When the mighty rift occurred, no change of level took +place in the two parts of the bed of the river thus rent asunder, +consequently, in coming down the river to Garden Island, the water +suddenly disappears, and we see the opposite side of the cleft, with +grass and trees growing where once the river ran, on the same level as +that part of its bed on which we sail. The first crack is, in length, a +few yards more than the breadth of the Zambesi, which by measurement we +found to be a little over 1860 yards, but this number we resolved to +retain as indicating the year in which the Fall was for the first time +carefully examined. The main stream here runs nearly north and south, +and the cleft across it is nearly east and west. The depth of the rift +was measured by lowering a line, to the end of which a few bullets and a +foot of white cotton cloth were tied. One of us lay with his head over a +projecting crag, and watched the descending calico, till, after his +companions had paid out 310 feet, the weight rested on a sloping +projection, probably 50 feet from the water below, the actual bottom +being still further down. The white cloth now appeared the size of a +crown-piece. On measuring the width of this deep cleft by sextant, it +was found at Garden Island, its narrowest part, to be eighty yards, and +at its broadest somewhat more. Into this chasm, of twice the depth of +Niagara-fall, the river, a full mile wide, rolls with a deafening roar; +and this is Mosi-oa-tunya, or the Victoria Falls. + +Looking from Garden Island, down to the bottom of the abyss, nearly half +a mile of water, which has fallen over that portion of the Falls to our +right, or west of our point of view, is seen collected in a narrow +channel twenty or thirty yards wide, and flowing at exactly right angles +to its previous course, to our left; while the other half, or that which +fell over the eastern portion of the Falls, is seen in the left of the +narrow channel below, coming towards our right. Both waters unite +midway, in a fearful boiling whirlpool, and find an outlet by a crack +situated at right angles to the fissure of the Falls. This outlet is +about 1170 yards from the western end of the chasm, and some 600 from its +eastern end; the whirlpool is at its commencement. The Zambesi, now +apparently not more than twenty or thirty yards wide, rushes and surges +south, through the narrow escape-channel for 130 yards; then enters a +second chasm somewhat deeper, and nearly parallel with the first. +Abandoning the bottom of the eastern half of this second chasm to the +growth of large trees, it turns sharply off to the west, and forms a +promontory, with the escape-channel at its point, of 1170 yards long, and +416 yards broad at the base. After reaching this base, the river runs +abruptly round the head of another promontory, and flows away to the +east, in a third chasm; then glides round a third promontory, much +narrower than the rest, and away back to the west, in a fourth chasm; and +we could see in the distance that it appeared to round still another +promontory, and bend once more in another chasm towards the east. In +this gigantic, zigzag, yet narrow trough, the rocks are all so sharply +cut and angular, that the idea at once arises that the hard basaltic trap +must have been riven into its present shape by a force acting from +beneath, and that this probably took place when the ancient inland seas +were let off by similar fissures nearer the ocean. + +The land beyond, or on the south of the Falls, retains, as already +remarked, the same level as before the rent was made. It is as if the +trough below Niagara were bent right and left, several times before it +reached the railway bridge. The land in the supposed bends being of the +same height as that above the Fall, would give standing-places, or points +of view, of the same nature as that from the railway-bridge, but the +nearest would be only eighty yards, instead of two miles (the distance to +the bridge) from the face of the cascade. The tops of the promontories +are in general flat, smooth, and studded with trees. The first, with its +base on the east, is at one place so narrow, that it would be dangerous +to walk to its extremity. On the second, however, we found a broad +rhinoceros path and a hut; but, unless the builder were a hermit, with a +pet rhinoceros, we cannot conceive what beast or man ever went there for. +On reaching the apex of this second eastern promontory we saw the great +river, of a deep sea-green colour, now sorely compressed, gliding away, +at least 400 feet below us. + +Garden Island, when the river is low, commands the best view of the Great +Fall chasm, as also of the promontory opposite, with its grove of large +evergreen trees, and brilliant rainbows of three-quarters of a circle, +two, three, and sometimes even four in number, resting on the face of the +vast perpendicular rock, down which tiny streams are always running to be +swept again back by the upward rushing vapour. But as, at Niagara, one +has to go over to the Canadian shore to see the chief wonder--the Great +Horse-shoe Fall--so here we have to cross over to Moselekatse's side to +the promontory of evergreens, for the best view of the principal Falls of +Mosi-oa-tunya. Beginning, therefore, at the base of this promontory, and +facing the Cataract, at the west end of the chasm, there is, first, a +fall of thirty-six yards in breadth, and of course, as they all are, +upwards of 310 feet in depth. Then Boaruka, a small island, intervenes, +and next comes a great fall, with a breadth of 573 yards; a projecting +rock separates this from a second grand fall of 325 yards broad; in all, +upwards of 900 yards of perennial Falls. Further east stands Garden +Island; then, as the river was at its lowest, came a good deal of the +bare rock of its bed, with a score of narrow falls, which, at the time of +flood, constitute one enormous cascade of nearly another half-mile. Near +the east end of the chasm are two larger falls, but they are nothing at +low water compared to those between the islands. + +The whole body of water rolls clear over, quite unbroken; but, after a +descent of ten or more feet, the entire mass suddenly becomes like a huge +sheet of driven snow. Pieces of water leap off it in the form of comets +with tails streaming behind, till the whole snowy sheet becomes myriads +of rushing, leaping, aqueous comets. This peculiarity was not observed +by Charles Livingstone at Niagara, and here it happens, possibly from the +dryness of the atmosphere, or whatever the cause may be which makes every +drop of Zambesi water appear to possess a sort of individuality. It runs +off the ends of the paddles, and glides in beads along the smooth +surface, like drops of quicksilver on a table. Here we see them in a +conglomeration, each with a train of pure white vapour, racing down till +lost in clouds of spray. A stone dropped in became less and less to the +eye, and at last disappeared in the dense mist below. + +Charles Livingstone had seen Niagara, and gave Mosi-oa-tunya the palm, +though now at the end of a drought, and the river at its very lowest. +Many feel a disappointment on first seeing the great American Falls, but +Mosi-oa-tunya is so strange, it must ever cause wonder. In the amount of +water, Niagara probably excels, though not during the months when the +Zambesi is in flood. The vast body of water, separating in the comet- +like forms described, necessarily encloses in its descent a large volume +of air, which, forced into the cleft, to an unknown depth, rebounds, and +rushes up loaded with vapour to form the three or even six columns, as if +of steam, visible at the Batoka village Moachemba, twenty-one miles +distant. On attaining a height of 200, or at most 300 feet from the +level of the river above the cascade, this vapour becomes condensed into +a perpetual shower of fine rain. Much of the spray, rising to the west +of Garden Island, falls on the grove of evergreen trees opposite; and +from their leaves, heavy drops are for ever falling, to form sundry +little rills, which, in running down the steep face of rock, are blown +off and turned back, or licked off their perpendicular bed, up into the +column from which they have just descended. + +The morning sun gilds these columns of watery smoke with all the glowing +colours of double or treble rainbows. The evening sun, from a hot yellow +sky, imparts a sulphureous hue, and gives one the impression that the +yawning gulf might resemble the mouth of the bottomless pit. No bird +sits and sings on the branches of the grove of perpetual showers, or ever +builds its nest there. We saw hornbills and flocks of little black +weavers flying across from the mainland to the islands, and from the +islands to the points of the promontories and back again, but they +uniformly shunned the region of perpetual rain, occupied by the evergreen +grove. The sunshine, elsewhere in this land so overpowering, never +penetrates the deep gloom of that shade. In the presence of the strange +Mosi-oa-tunya, we can sympathize with those who, when the world was +young, peopled earth, air, and river, with beings not of mortal form. +Sacred to what deity would be this awful chasm and that dark grove, over +which hovers an ever-abiding "pillar of cloud"? + +The ancient Batoka chieftains used Kazeruka, now Garden Island, and +Boaruka, the island further west, also on the lip of the Falls, as sacred +spots for worshipping the Deity. It is no wonder that under the cloudy +columns, and near the brilliant rainbows, with the ceaseless roar of the +cataract, with the perpetual flow, as if pouring forth from the hand of +the Almighty, their souls should be filled with reverential awe. It +inspired wonder in the native mind throughout the interior. Among the +first questions asked by Sebituane of Mr. Oswell and Dr. Livingstone, in +1851, was, "Have you any smoke soundings in your country," and "what +causes the smoke to rise for ever so high out of water?" In that year +its fame was heard 200 miles off, and it was approached within two days; +but it was seen by no European till 1855, when Dr. Livingstone visited it +on his way to the East Coast. Being then accompanied as far as this Fall +by Sekeletu and 200 followers, his stay was necessarily short; and the +two days there were employed in observations for fixing the geographical +position of the place, and turning the showers, that at times sweep from +the columns of vapour across the island, to account, in teaching the +Makololo arboriculture, and making that garden from which the natives +named the island; so that he did not visit the opposite sides of the +cleft, nor see the wonderful course of the river beyond the Falls. The +hippopotami had destroyed the trees which were then planted; and, though +a strong stockaded hedge was made again, and living orange-trees, cashew- +nuts, and coffee seeds put in afresh, we fear that the perseverance of +the hippopotami will overcome the obstacle of the hedge. It would +require a resident missionary to rear European fruit-trees. The period +at which the peach and apricot come into blossom is about the end of the +dry season, and artificial irrigation is necessary. The Batoka, the only +arboriculturists in the country, rear native fruit-trees alone--the +mosibe, the motsikiri, the boma, and others. When a tribe takes an +interest in trees, it becomes more attached to the spot on which they are +planted, and they prove one of the civilizing influences. + +Where one Englishman goes, others are sure to follow. Mr. Baldwin, a +gentleman from Natal, succeeded in reaching the Falls guided by his +pocket-compass alone. On meeting the second subject of Her Majesty, who +had ever beheld the greatest of African wonders, we found him a sort of +prisoner at large. He had called on Mashotlane to ferry him over to the +north side of the river, and, when nearly over, he took a bath, by +jumping in and swimming ashore. "If," said Mashotlane, "he had been +devoured by one of the crocodiles which abound there, the English would +have blamed us for his death. He nearly inflicted a great injury upon +us, therefore, we said, he must pay a fine." As Mr. Baldwin had nothing +with him wherewith to pay, they were taking care of him till he should +receive beads from his wagon, two days distant. + +Mashotlane's education had been received in the camp of Sebituane, where +but little regard was paid to human life. He was not yet in his prime, +and his fine open countenance presented to us no indication of the evil +influences which unhappily, from infancy, had been at work on his mind. +The native eye was more penetrating than ours; for the expression of our +men was, "He has drunk the blood of men--you may see it in his eyes." He +made no further difficulty about Mr. Baldwin; but the week after we left +he inflicted a severe wound on the head of one of his wives with his +rhinoceros-horn club. She, being of a good family, left him, and we +subsequently met her and another of his wives proceeding up the country. + +The ground is strewn with agates for a number of miles above the Falls; +but the fires, which burn off the grass yearly, have injured most of +those on the surface. Our men were delighted to hear that they do as +well as flints for muskets; and this with the new ideas of the value of +gold (_dalama_) and malachite, that they had acquired at Tette, made them +conceive that we were not altogether silly in picking up and looking at +stones. + +Marching up the river, we crossed the Lekone at its confluence, about +eight miles above the island Kalai, and went on to a village opposite the +Island Chundu. Nambowe, the headman, is one of the Matebele or Zulus, +who have had to flee from the anger of Moselekatse, to take refuge with +the Makololo. + +We spent Sunday, the 12th, at the village of Molele, a tall old Batoka, +who was proud of having formerly been a great favourite with Sebituane. +In coming hither we passed through patches of forest abounding in all +sorts of game. The elephants' tusks, placed over graves, are now allowed +to decay, and the skulls, which the former Batoka stuck on poles to +ornament their villages, not being renewed, now crumble into dust. Here +the famine, of which we had heard, became apparent, Molele's people being +employed in digging up the _tsitla_ root out of the marshes, and cutting +out the soft core of the young palm-trees, for food. + +The village, situated on the side of a wooded ridge, commands an +extensive view of a great expanse of meadow and marsh lying along the +bank of the river. On these holmes herds of buffaloes and waterbucks +daily graze in security, as they have in the reedy marshes a refuge into +which they can run on the approach of danger. The pretty little tianyane +or ourebi is abundant further on, and herds of blue weldebeests or +brindled gnus (_Katoblepas Gorgon_) amused us by their fantastic capers. +They present a much more ferocious aspect than the lion himself, but are +quite timid. We never could, by waving a red handkerchief, according to +the prescription, induce them to venture near to us. It may therefore be +that the red colour excites their fury only when wounded or hotly +pursued. Herds of lechee or lechwe now enliven the meadows; and they and +their younger brother, the graceful poku, smaller, and of a rounder +contour, race together towards the grassy fens. We venture to call the +poku after the late Major Vardon, a noble-hearted African traveller; but +fully anticipate that some aspiring Nimrod will prefer that his own name +should go down to posterity on the back of this buck. + +Midway between Tabacheu and the Great Falls the streams begin to flow +westward. On the other side they begin to flow east. Large round masses +of granite, somewhat like old castles, tower aloft about the Kalomo. The +country is an elevated plateau, and our men knew and named the different +plains as we passed them by. + +On the 13th we met a party from Sekeletu, who was now at Sesheke. Our +approach had been reported, and they had been sent to ask the Doctor what +the price of a horse ought to be; and what he said, that they were to +give and no more. In reply they were told that by their having given +nine large tusks for one horse before the Doctor came, the Griquas would +naturally imagine that the price was already settled. It was exceedingly +amusing to witness the exact imitation they gave of the swagger of a +certain white with whom they had been dealing, and who had, as they had +perceived, evidently wished to assume an air of indifference. Holding up +the head and scratching the beard it was hinted might indicate not +indifference, but vermin. It is well that we do not always know what +they say about us. The remarks are often not quite complimentary, and +resemble closely what certain white travellers say about the blacks. + +We made our camp in the afternoon abreast of the large island called +Mparira, opposite the mouth of the Chobe. Francolins, quails, and guinea- +fowls, as well as larger game, were abundant. The Makololo headman, +Mokompa, brought us a liberal present; and in the usual way, which is +considered politeness, regretted he had no milk, as his cows were all +dry. We got some honey here from the very small stingless bee, called, +by the Batoka, moandi, and by others, the kokomatsane. This honey is +slightly acid, and has an aromatic flavour. The bees are easily known +from their habit of buzzing about the eyes, and tickling the skin by +sucking it as common flies do. The hive has a tube of wax like a quill, +for its entrance, and is usually in the hollows of trees. + +Mokompa feared that the tribe was breaking up, and lamented the condition +into which they had fallen in consequence of Sekeletu's leprosy; he did +not know what was to become of them. He sent two canoes to take us up to +Sesheke; his best canoe had taken ivory up to the chief, to purchase +goods of some native traders from Benguela. Above the Falls the paddlers +always stand in the canoes, using long paddles, ten feet in length, and +changing from side to side without losing the stroke. + +Mochokotsa, a messenger from Sekeletu, met us on the 17th, with another +request for the Doctor to take ivory and purchase a horse. He again +declined to interfere. None were to come up to Sekeletu but the Doctor; +and all the men who had had smallpox at Tette, three years ago, were to +go back to Moshobotwane, and he would sprinkle medicine over them, to +drive away the infection, and prevent it spreading in the tribe. +Mochokotsa was told to say to Sekeletu that the disease was known of old +to white men, and we even knew the medicine to prevent it; and, were +there any danger now, we should be the first to warn him of it. Why did +not he go himself to have Moshobotwane sprinkle medicine to drive away +his leprosy. We were not afraid of his disease, nor of the fever that +had killed the teachers and many Makololo at Linyanti. As this attempt +at quarantine was evidently the suggestion of native doctors to increase +their own importance, we added that we had no food, and would hunt next +day for game, and the day after; and, should we be still ordered +purification by their medicine, we should then return to our own country. + +The message was not all of our dictation, our companions interlarded it +with their own indignant protests, and said some strong things in the +Tette dialect about these "doctor things" keeping them back from seeing +their father; when to their surprise Mochokotsa told them he knew every +word they were saying, as he was of the tribe Bazizulu, and defied them +to deceive him by any dialect, either of the Mashona on the east, or of +the Mambari on the west. Mochokotsa then repeated our message twice, to +be sure that he had it every word, and went back again. These chiefs' +messengers have most retentive memories; they carry messages of +considerable length great distances, and deliver them almost word for +word. Two or three usually go together, and when on the way the message +is rehearsed every night, in order that the exact words may be kept to. +One of the native objections to learning to write is, that these men +answer the purpose of transmitting intelligence to a distance as well as +a letter would; and, if a person wishes to communicate with any one in +the town, the best way to do so is either to go to or send for him. And +as for corresponding with friends very far off, that is all very well for +white people, but the blacks have no friends to whom to write. The only +effective argument for the learning to read is, that it is their duty to +know the revelation from their Father in Heaven, as it stands in the +Book. + +Our messenger returned on the evening of the following day with "You +speak truly," says Sekeletu, "the disease is old, come on at once, do not +sleep in the path; for I am greatly desirous (_tlologelecoe_) to see the +Doctor." + +After Mochokotsa left us, we met some of Mokompa's men bringing back the +ivory, as horses were preferred to the West-Coast goods. They were the +bearers of instructions to Mokompa, and as these instructions illustrate +the government of people who have learned scarcely anything from +Europeans, they are inserted, though otherwise of no importance. +Mashotlane had not behaved so civilly to Mr. Baldwin as Sekeletu had +ordered him to do to all Englishmen. He had been very uncivil to the +messengers sent by Moselekatse with letters from Mr. Moffat, treated them +as spies, and would not land to take the bag until they moved off. On +our speaking to him about this, he justified his conduct on the plea that +he was set at the Falls for the very purpose of watching these, their +natural enemies; and how was he to know that they had been sent by Mr. +Moffat? Our men thereupon reported at head-quarters that Mashotlane had +cursed the Doctor. The instructions to Mokompa, from Sekeletu, were to +"go and tell Mashotlane that he had offended greatly. He had not cursed +Monare (Dr. Livingstone) but Sebituane, as Monare was now in the place of +Sebituane, and he reverenced him as he had done his father. Any fine +taken from Mr. Baldwin was to be returned at once, as he was not a Boer +but an Englishman. Sekeletu was very angry, and Mokompa must not conceal +the message." + +On finding afterwards that Mashotlane's conduct had been most outrageous +to the Batoka, Sekeletu sent for him to come to Sesheke, in order that he +might have him more under his own eye; but Mashotlane, fearing that this +meant the punishment of death, sent a polite answer, alleging that he was +ill and unable to travel. Sekeletu tried again to remove Mashotlane from +the Falls, but without success. In theory the chief is absolute and +quite despotic; in practice his authority is limited, and he cannot, +without occasionally putting refractory headmen to death, force his +subordinates to do his will. + +Except the small rapids by Mparira island, near the mouth of the Chobe, +the rest of the way to Sesheke by water is smooth. Herds of cattle of +two or three varieties graze on the islands in the river: the Batoka +possessed a very small breed of beautiful shape, and remarkably tame, and +many may still be seen; a larger kind, many of which have horns pendent, +and loose at the roots; and a still larger sort, with horns of +extraordinary dimensions,--apparently a burden for the beast to carry. +This breed was found in abundance at Lake Ngami. We stopped at noon at +one of the cattle-posts of Mokompa, and had a refreshing drink of milk. +Men of his standing have usually several herds placed at different spots, +and the owner visits each in turn, while his head-quarters are at his +village. His son, a boy of ten, had charge of the establishment during +his father's absence. According to Makololo ideas, the cattle-post is +the proper school in which sons should be brought up. Here they receive +the right sort of education--the knowledge of pasture and how to manage +cattle. + +Strong easterly winds blow daily from noon till midnight, and continue +till the October or November rains set in. Whirlwinds, raising huge +pillars of smoke from burning grass and weeds, are common in the +forenoon. We were nearly caught in an immense one. It crossed about +twenty yards in front of us, the wind apparently rushing into it from all +points of the compass. Whirling round and round in great eddies, it +swept up hundreds of feet into the air a continuous dense dark cloud of +the black pulverized soil, mixed with dried grass, off the plain. Herds +of the new antelopes, lechwe, and poku, with the kokong, or gnus, and +zebras stood gazing at us as we passed. The mirage lifted them at times +halfway to the clouds, and twisted them and the clumps of palms into +strange unearthly forms. The extensive and rich level plains by the +banks, along the sides of which we paddled, would support a vast +population, and might be easily irrigated from the Zambesi. If watered, +they would yield crops all the year round, and never suffer loss by +drought. The hippopotamus is killed here with long lance-like spears. We +saw two men, in a light canoe, stealing noiselessly down on one of these +animals thought to be asleep; but it was on the alert, and they had +quickly to retreat. Comparatively few of these animals now remain +between Sesheke and the Falls, and they are uncommonly wary, as it is +certain death for one to be caught napping in the daytime. + +On the 18th we entered Sesheke. The old town, now in ruins, stands on +the left bank of the river. The people have built another on the same +side, a quarter of a mile higher up, since their headman Moriantsiane was +put to death for bewitching the chief with leprosy. Sekeletu was on the +right bank, near a number of temporary huts. A man hailed us from the +chiefs quarters, and requested us to rest under the old Kotla, or public +meeting-place tree. A young Makololo, with the large thighs which Zulus +and most of this tribe have, crossed over to receive orders from the +chief, who had not shown himself to the people since he was affected with +leprosy. On returning he ran for Mokele, the headman of the new town, +who, after going over to Sekeletu, came back and conducted us to a small +but good hut, and afterwards brought us a fine fat ox, as a present from +the chief. "This is a time of hunger," he said, "and we have no meat, +but we expect some soon from the Barotse Valley." We were entirely out +of food when we reached Sesheke. Never was better meat than that of the +ox Sekeletu sent, and infinitely above the flesh of all kinds of game is +beef! + +A constant stream of visitors rolled in on us the day after our arrival. +Several of them, who had suffered affliction during the Doctor's absence, +seemed to be much affected on seeing him again. All were in low spirits. +A severe drought had cut off the crops, and destroyed the pasture of +Linyanti, and the people were scattered over the country in search of +wild fruits, and the hospitality of those whose ground-nuts (_Arachis +hypogoea_) had not failed. Sekeletu's leprosy brought troops of evils in +its train. Believing himself bewitched, he had suspected a number of his +chief men, and had put some, with their families, to death; others had +fled to distant tribes, and were living in exile. The chief had shut +himself up, and allowed no one to come into his presence but his uncle +Mamire. Ponwane, who had been as "head and eyes" to him, had just died; +evidence, he thought, of the potent spells of those who hated all who +loved the chief. The country was suffering grievously, and Sebituane's +grand empire was crumbling to pieces. A large body of young Barotse had +revolted and fled to the north; killing a man by the way, in order to put +a blood-feud between Masiko, the chief to whom they were going, and +Sekeletu. The Batoka under Sinamane, and Muemba, were independent, and +Mashotlane at the Falls was setting Sekeletu's authority virtually at +defiance. Sebituane's wise policy in treating the conquered tribes on +equal terms with his own Makololo, as all children of the chief, and +equally eligible to the highest honours, had been abandoned by his son, +who married none but Makololo women, and appointed to office none but +Makololo men. He had become unpopular among the black tribes, conquered +by the spear but more effectually won by the subsequent wise and just +government of his father. + +Strange rumours were afloat respecting the unseen Sekeletu; his fingers +were said to have grown like eagle's claws, and his face so frightfully +distorted that no one could recognize him. Some had begun to hint that +he might not really be the son of the great Sebituane, the founder of the +nation, strong in battle, and wise in the affairs of state. "In the days +of the Great Lion" (Sebituane), said his only sister, Moriantsiane's +widow, whose husband Sekeletu had killed, "we had chiefs and little +chiefs and elders to carry on the government, and the great chief, +Sebituane, knew them all, and everything they did, and the whole country +was wisely ruled; but now Sekeletu knows nothing of what his underlings +do, and they care not for him, and the Makololo power is fast passing +away." {3} + +The native doctors had given the case of Sekeletu up. They could not +cure him, and pronounced the disease incurable. An old doctress from the +Manyeti tribe had come to see what she could do for him, and on her skill +he now hung his last hopes. She allowed no one to see him, except his +mother and uncle, making entire seclusion from society an essential +condition of the much longed-for cure. He sent, notwithstanding, for the +Doctor; and on the following day we all three were permitted to see him. +He was sitting in a covered wagon, which was enclosed by a high wall of +close-set reeds; his face was only slightly disfigured by the thickening +of the skin in parts, where the leprosy had passed over it; and the only +peculiarity about his hands was the extreme length of his finger-nails, +which, however, was nothing very much out of the way, as all the Makololo +gentlemen wear them uncommonly long. He has the quiet, unassuming +manners of his father, Sebituane, speaks distinctly, in a low pleasant +voice, and appears to be a sensible man, except perhaps on the subject of +his having been bewitched; and in this, when alluded to, he exhibits as +firm a belief as if it were his monomania. "Moriantsiane, my aunt's +husband, tried the bewitching medicine first on his wife, and she is +leprous, and so is her head-servant; then, seeing that it succeeded, he +gave me a stronger dose in the cooked flesh of a goat, and I have had the +disease ever since. They have lately killed Ponwane, and, as you see, +are now killing me." Ponwane had died of fever a short time previously. +Sekeletu asked us for medicine and medical attendance, but we did not +like to take the case out of the hands of the female physician already +employed, it being bad policy to appear to undervalue any of the +profession; and she, being anxious to go on with her remedies, said "she +had not given him up yet, but would try for another month; if he was not +cured by that time, then she would hand him over to the white doctors." +But we intended to leave the country before a month was up; so Mamire, +with others, induced the old lady to suspend her treatment for a little. +She remained, as the doctors stipulated, in the chief's establishment, +and on full pay. + +Sekeletu was told plainly that the disease was unknown in our country, +and was thought exceedingly obstinate of cure; that we did not believe in +his being bewitched, and we were willing to do all we could to help him. +This was a case for disinterested benevolence; no pay was expected, but +considerable risk incurred; yet we could not decline it, as we had the +trading in horses. Having, however, none of the medicines usually +employed in skin diseases with us, we tried the local application of +lunar caustic, and hydriodate of potash internally; and with such +gratifying results, that Mamire wished the patient to be smeared all over +with a solution of lunar caustic, which he believed to be of the same +nature as the blistering fluid formerly applied to his own knee by Mr. +Oswell. _Its_ power he considered irresistible, and he would fain have +had anything like it tried on Sekeletu. + +It was a time of great scarcity and hunger, but Sekeletu treated us +hospitably, preparing tea for us at every visit we paid him. With the +tea we had excellent American biscuit and preserved fruits, which had +been brought to him all the way from Benguela. The fruits he most +relished were those preserved in their own juices; plums, apples, pears, +strawberries, and peaches, which we have seen only among Portuguese and +Spaniards. It made us anxious to plant the fruit-tree seeds we had +brought, and all were pleased with the idea of having these same fruits +in their own country. + +Mokele, the headman of Sesheke, and Sebituane's sister, Manchunyane, were +ordered to provide us with food, as Sekeletu's wives, to whom this duty +properly belonged, were at Linyanti. We found a black trader from the +West Coast, and some Griqua traders from the South, both in search of +ivory. Ivory is dear at Sesheke; but cheaper in the Batoka country, from +Sinamane's to the Kafue, than anywhere else. The trader from Benguela +took orders for goods for his next year's trip, and offered to bring tea, +coffee, and sugar at cent. per cent. prices. As, in consequence of a +hint formerly given, the Makololo had secured all the ivory in the Batoga +country to the east, by purchasing it with hoes, the Benguela traders +found it unprofitable to go thither for slaves. They assured us that +without ivory the trade in slaves did not pay. In this way, and by the +orders of Sekeletu, an extensive slave-mart was closed. These orders +were never infringed except secretly. We discovered only two or three +cases of their infraction. + +Sekeletu was well pleased with the various articles we brought for him, +and inquired if a ship could not bring his sugar-mill and the other goods +we had been obliged to leave behind at Tette. On hearing that there was +a possibility of a powerful steamer ascending as far as Sinamane's, but +never above the Grand Victoria Falls, he asked, with charming simplicity, +if a cannon could not blow away the Falls, so as to allow the vessel to +come up to Sesheke. + +To save the tribe from breaking up, by the continual loss of real +Makololo, it ought at once to remove to the healthy Batoka highlands, +near the Kafue. Fully aware of this, Sekeletu remarked that all his +people, save two, were convinced that, if they remained in the lowlands, +a few years would suffice to cut off all the real Makololo; they came +originally from the healthy South, near the confluence of the Likwa and +Namagari, where fever is almost unknown, and its ravages had been as +frightful among them here, as amongst Europeans on the Coast. Sebituane's +sister described its first appearance among the tribe, after their +settling in the Barotse Valley on the Zambesi. Many of them were seized +with a shivering sickness, as if from excessive cold; they had never seen +the like before. They made great fires, and laid the shivering wretches +down before them; but, pile on wood as they might, they could not raise +heat enough to drive the cold out of the bodies of the sufferers, and +they shivered on till they died. But, though all preferred the +highlands, they were afraid to go there, lest the Matebele should come +and rob them of their much-loved cattle. Sebituane, with all his +veterans, could not withstand that enemy; and how could they be resisted, +now that most of the brave warriors were dead? The young men would +break, and run away the moment they saw the terrible Matebele, being as +much afraid of them as the black conquered tribes are of the Makololo. +"But if the Doctor and his wife," said the chiefs and counsellors, "would +come and live with us, we would remove to the highlands at once, as +Moselekatse would not attack a place where the daughter of his friend, +Moffat, was living." + +The Makololo are by far the most intelligent and enterprising of the +tribes we have met. None but brave and daring men remained long with +Sebituane, his stern discipline soon eradicated cowardice from his army. +Death was the inevitable doom of the coward. If the chief saw a man +running away from the fight, he rushed after him with amazing speed, and +cut him down; or waited till he returned to the town, and then summoned +the deserter into his presence. "You did not wish to die on the field, +you wished to die at home, did you? you shall have your wish!" and he was +instantly led off and executed. The present race of young men are +inferior in most respects to their fathers. The old Makololo had many +manly virtues; they were truthful, and never stole, excepting in what +they considered the honourable way of lifting cattle in fair fight. But +this can hardly be said of their sons; who, having been brought up among +the subjected tribes, have acquired some of the vices peculiar to a +menial and degraded race. A few of the old Makololo cautioned us not to +leave any of our property exposed, as the blacks were great thieves; and +some of our own men advised us to be on our guard, as the Makololo also +would steal. A very few trifling articles were stolen by a young +Makololo; and he, on being spoken to on the subject, showed great +ingenuity in excusing himself, by a plausible and untruthful story. The +Makololo of old were hard workers, and did not consider labour as beneath +them; but their sons never work, regarding it as fit only for the Mashona +and Makalaka servants. Sebituane, seeing that the rival tribes had the +advantage over his, in knowing how to manage canoes, had his warriors +taught to navigate; and his own son, with his companions, paddled the +chief's canoe. All the dishes, baskets, stools, and canoes are made by +the black tribes called Manyeti and Matlotlora. The houses are built by +the women and servants. The Makololo women are vastly superior to any we +have yet seen. They are of a light warm brown complexion, have pleasant +countenances, and are remarkably quick of apprehension. They dress +neatly, wearing a kilt and mantle, and have many ornaments. Sebituane's +sister, the head lady of Sesheke, wore eighteen solid brass rings, as +thick as one's finger, on each leg, and three of copper under each knee; +nineteen brass rings on her left arm, and eight of brass and copper on +her right, also a large ivory ring above each elbow. She had a pretty +bead necklace, and a bead sash encircled her waist. The weight of the +bright brass rings round her legs impeded her walking, and chafed her +ankles; but, as it was the fashion, she did not mind the inconvenience, +and guarded against the pain by putting soft rag round the lower rings. + +Justice appears upon the whole to be pretty fairly administered among the +Makololo. A headman took some beads and a blanket from one of his men +who had been with us; the matter was brought before the chief, and he +immediately ordered the goods to be restored, and decreed, moreover, that +no headman should take the property of the men who had returned. In +theory, all the goods brought back belonged to the chief; the men laid +them at his feet, and made a formal offer of them all; he looked at the +articles, and told the men to keep them. This is almost invariably the +case. Tuba Mokoro, however, fearing lest Sekeletu might take a fancy to +some of his best goods, exhibited only a few of his old and least +valuable acquisitions. Masakasa had little to show; he had committed +some breach of native law in one of the villages on the way, and paid a +heavy fine rather than have the matter brought to the Doctor's ears. Each +carrier is entitled to a portion of the goods in his bundle, though +purchased by the chief's ivory, and they never hesitate to claim their +rights; but no wages can be demanded from the chief, if he fails to +respond to the first application. + +Our men, accustomed to our ways, thought that the English system of +paying a man for his labour was the only correct one, and some even said +it would be better to live under a government where life and labour were +more secure and valuable than here. While with us, they always conducted +themselves with propriety during Divine service, and not only maintained +decorum themselves, but insisted on other natives who might be present +doing the same. When Moshobotwane, the Batoka chief, came on one +occasion with a number of his men, they listened in silence to the +reading of the Bible in the Makololo tongue; but, as soon as we all knelt +down to pray, they commenced a vigorous clapping of hands, their mode of +asking a favour. Our indignant Makololo soon silenced their noisy +accompaniment, and looked with great contempt on this display of +ignorance. Nearly all our men had learned to repeat the Lord's Prayer +and the Apostles' Creed in their own language, and felt rather proud of +being able to do so; and when they reached home, they liked to recite +them to groups of admiring friends. Their ideas of right and wrong +differ in no respect from our own, except in their professed inability to +see how it can be improper for a man to have more than one wife. A year +or two ago several of the wives of those who had been absent with us +petitioned the chief for leave to marry again. They thought that it was +of no use waiting any longer, their husbands must be dead; but Sekeletu +refused permission; he himself had bet a number of oxen that the Doctor +would return with their husbands, and he had promised the absent men that +their wives should be kept for them. The impatient spouses had therefore +to wait a little longer. Some of them, however, eloped with other men; +the wife of Mantlanyane, for instance, ran off and left his little boy +among strangers. Mantlanyane was very angry when he heard of it, not +that he cared much about her deserting him, for he had two other wives at +Tette, but he was indignant at her abandoning his boy. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +Life amongst the Makololo--Return journey--Native hospitality--A canoe +voyage on the Zambesi. + +While we were at Sesheke, an ox was killed by a crocodile; a man found +the carcass floating in the river, and appropriated the meat. When the +owner heard of this, he requested him to come before the chief, as he +meant to complain of him; rather than go, the delinquent settled the +matter by giving one of his own oxen in lieu of the lost one. A headman +from near Linyanti came with a complaint that all his people had run off, +owing to the "hunger." Sekeletu said, "You must not be left to grow lean +alone, some of them must come back to you." He had thus an order to +compel their return, if he chose to put it in force. Families frequently +leave their own headman and flee to another village, and sometimes a +whole village decamps by night, leaving the headman by himself. Sekeletu +rarely interfered with the liberty of the subject to choose his own +headman, and, as it is often the fault of the latter which causes the +people to depart, it is punishment enough for him to be left alone. +Flagrant disobedience to the chief's orders is punished with death. A +Moshubia man was ordered to cut some reeds for Sekeletu: he went off, and +hid himself for two days instead. For this he was doomed to die, and was +carried in a canoe to the middle of the river, choked, and tossed into +the stream. The spectators hooted the executioners, calling out to them +that they too would soon be carried out and strangled. Occasionally when +a man is sent to beat an offender, he tells him his object, returns, and +assures the chief he has nearly killed him. The transgressor then keeps +for a while out of sight, and the matter is forgotten. The river here +teems with monstrous crocodiles, and women are frequently, while drawing +water, carried off by these reptiles. + +We met a venerable warrior, sole survivor, probably, of the Mantatee host +which threatened to invade the colony in 1824. He retained a vivid +recollection of their encounter with the Griquas: "As we looked at the +men and horses, puffs of smoke arose, and some of us dropped down dead!" +"Never saw anything like it in my life, a man's brains lying in one place +and his body in another!" They could not understand what was killing +them; a ball struck a man's shield at an angle; knocked his arm out of +joint at the shoulder; and leaving a mark, or burn, as he said, on the +shield, killed another man close by. We saw the man with his shoulder +still dislocated. Sebetuane was present at the fight, and had an exalted +opinion of the power of white people ever afterwards. + +The ancient costume of the Makololo consisted of the skin of a lamb, kid, +jackal, ocelot, or other small animal, worn round and below the loins: +and in cold weather a kaross, or skin mantle, was thrown over the +shoulders. The kaross is now laid aside, and the young men of fashion +wear a monkey-jacket and a skin round the hips; but no trousers, +waistcoat, or shirt. The river and lake tribes are in general very +cleanly, bathing several times a day. The Makololo women use water +rather sparingly, rubbing themselves with melted butter instead: this +keeps off parasites, but gives their clothes a rancid odour. One stage +of civilization often leads of necessity to another--the possession of +clothes creates a demand for soap; give a man a needle, and he is soon +back to you for thread. + +This being a time of mourning, on account of the illness of the chief, +the men were negligent of their persons, they did not cut their hair, or +have merry dances, or carry spear and shield when they walked abroad. The +wife of Pitsane was busy making a large hut, while we were in the town: +she informed us that the men left house-building entirely to the women +and servants. A round tower of stakes and reeds, nine or ten feet high, +is raised and plastered; a floor is next made of soft tufa, or ant-hill +material and cowdung. This plaster prevents the poisonous insects, +called tumpans, whose bite causes fever in some, and painful sores in +all, from harbouring in the cracks or soil. The roof, which is much +larger in diameter than the tower, is made on the ground, and then, many +persons assisting, lifted up and placed on the tower, and thatched. A +plastered reed fence is next built up to meet the outer part of the roof, +which still projects a little over this fence, and a space of three feet +remains between it and the tower. We slept in this space, instead of in +the tower, as the inner door of the hut we occupied was uncomfortably +small, being only nineteen inches high, and twenty-two inches wide at the +floor. A foot from the bottom it measured seventeen inches in breadth, +and close to the top only twelve inches, so it was a difficult matter to +get through it. The tower has no light or ventilation, except through +this small door. The reason a lady assigned for having the doors so very +small was to keep out the mice! + +The children have merry times, especially in the cool of the evening. One +of their games consists of a little girl being carried on the shoulders +of two others. She sits with outstretched arms, as they walk about with +her, and all the rest clap their hands, and stopping before each hut sing +pretty airs, some beating time on their little kilts of cowskin, others +making a curious humming sound between the songs. Excepting this and the +skipping-rope, the play of the girls consists in imitation of the serious +work of their mothers, building little huts, making small pots, and +cooking, pounding corn in miniature mortars, or hoeing tiny gardens. The +boys play with spears of reeds pointed with wood, and small shields, or +bows and arrows; or amuse themselves in making little cattle-pens, or in +moulding cattle in clay; they show great ingenuity in the imitation of +various-shaped horns. Some too are said to use slings, but as soon as +they can watch the goats, or calves, they are sent to the field. We saw +many boys riding on the calves they had in charge, but this is an +innovation since the arrival of the English with their horses. Tselane, +one of the ladies, on observing Dr. Livingstone noting observations on +the wet and dry bulb thermometers, thought that he too was engaged in +play; for on receiving no reply to her question, which was rather +difficult to answer, as the native tongue has no scientific terms, she +said with roguish glee, "Poor thing, playing like a little child!" + +Like other Africans, the Makololo have great faith in the power of +medicine; they believe that there is an especial medicine for every ill +that flesh is heir to. Mamire is anxious to have children; he has six +wives, and only one boy, and he begs earnestly for "child medicine." The +mother of Sekeletu came from the Barotse Valley to see her son. Thinks +she has lost flesh since Dr. Livingstone was here before, and asks for +"the medicine of fatness." The Makololo consider plumpness an essential +part of beauty in women, but the extreme stoutness, mentioned by Captain +Speke, in the north, would be considered hideous here, for the men have +been overheard speaking of a lady whom we call "inclined to +_embonpoint_," as "fat unto ugliness." + +Two packages from the Kuruman, containing letters and newspapers, reached +Linyanti previous to our arrival, and Sekeletu, not knowing when we were +coming, left them there; but now at once sent a messenger for them. This +man returned on the seventh day, having travelled 240 geographical miles. +One of the packages was too heavy for him, and he left it behind. As the +Doctor wished to get some more medicine and papers out of the wagon left +at Linyanti in 1853, he decided upon going thither himself. The chief +gave him his own horse, now about twelve years old, and some men. He +found everything in his wagon as safe as when he left it seven years +before. The headmen, Mosale and Pekonyane, received him cordially, and +lamented that they had so little to offer him. Oh! had he only arrived +the year previous, when there was abundance of milk and corn and beer. + +Very early the next morning the old town-crier, Ma-Pulenyane, of his own +accord made a public proclamation, which, in the perfect stillness of the +town long before dawn, was striking: "I have dreamed! I have dreamed! I +have dreamed! Thou Mosale and thou Pekonyane, my lords, be not faint- +hearted, nor let your hearts be sore, but believe all the words of Monare +(the Doctor) for his heart is white as milk towards the Makololo. I +dreamed that he was coming, and that the tribe would live, if you prayed +to God and give heed to the word of Monare." Ma-Pulenyane showed Dr. +Livingstone the burying-place where poor Helmore and seven others were +laid, distinguishing those whom he had put to rest, and those for whom +Mafale had performed that last office. Nothing whatever marked the spot, +and with the native idea of _hiding_ the dead, it was said, "it will soon +be all overgrown with bushes, for no one will cultivate there." None but +Ma-Pulenyane approached the place, the others stood at a respectful +distance; they invariably avoid everything connected with the dead, and +no such thing as taking portions of human bodies to make charms of, as is +the custom further north, has ever been known among the Makololo. + +Sekeletu's health improved greatly during our visit, the melancholy +foreboding left his spirits, and he became cheerful, but resolutely +refused to leave his den, and appear in public till he was perfectly +cured, and had regained what he considered his good looks. He also +feared lest some of those who had bewitched him originally might still be +among the people, and neutralize our remedies. {4} + +As we expected another steamer to be at Kongone in November, it was +impossible for us to remain in Sesheke more than one month. Before our +departure, the chief and his principal men expressed in a formal manner +their great desire to have English people settled on the Batoka +highlands. At one time he proposed to go as far as Phori, in order to +select a place of residence; but as he afterwards saw reasons for +remaining where he was, till his cure was completed, he gave orders to +those sent with us, in the event of our getting, on our return, past the +rapids near Tette, not to bring us to Sesheke, but to send forward a +messenger, and he with the whole tribe would come to us. Dr. Kirk being +of the same age, Sekeletu was particularly anxious that he should come +and live with him. He said that he would cut off a section of the +country for the special use of the English; and on being told that in all +probability their descendants would cause disturbance in his country, he +replied, "These would be only domestic feuds, and of no importance." The +great extent of uncultivated land on the cool and now unpeopled highlands +has but to be seen to convince the spectator how much room there is, and +to spare, for a vastly greater population than ever, in our day, can be +congregated there. + +On the last occasion of our holding Divine service at Sesheke, the men +were invited to converse on the subject on which they had been addressed. +So many of them had died since we were here before, that not much +probability existed of our all meeting again, and this had naturally led +to the subject of a future state. They replied that they did not wish to +offend the speaker, but they could not believe that all the dead would +rise again: "Can those who have been killed in the field and devoured by +the vultures; or those who have been eaten by the hyenas or lions; or +those who have been tossed into the river, and eaten by more than one +crocodile,--can they all be raised again to life?" They were told that +men could take a leaden bullet, change it into a salt (acetate of lead), +which could be dissolved as completely in water as our bodies in the +stomachs of animals, and then reconvert it into lead; or that the bullet +could be transformed into the red and white paint of our wagons, and +again be reconverted into the original lead; and that if men exactly like +themselves could do so much, how much more could He do who has made the +eye to see, and the ear to hear! We added, however, that we believed in +a resurrection, not because we understood how it would be brought about, +but because our Heavenly Father assured us of it in His Book. The +reference to the truth of the Book and its Author seems always to have +more influence on the native mind than the cleverness of the +illustration. The knowledge of the people is scanty, but their reasoning +is generally clear as far as their information goes. + +We left Sesheke on the 17th September, 1860, convoyed by Pitsane and +Leshore with their men. Pitsane was ordered by Sekeletu to make a hedge +round the garden at the Falls, to protect the seeds we had brought; and +also to collect some of the tobacco tribute below the Falls. Leshore, +besides acting as a sort of guard of honour to us, was sent on a +diplomatic mission to Sinamane. No tribute was exacted by Sekeletu from +Sinamane; but, as he had sent in his adhesion, he was expected to act as +a guard in case of the Matebele wishing to cross and attack the Makololo. +As we intended to purchase canoes of Sinamane in which to descend the +river, Leshore was to commend us to whatever help this Batoka chief could +render. It must be confessed that Leshore's men, who were all of the +black subject tribes, really needed to be viewed by us in the most +charitable light; for Leshore, on entering any village, called out to the +inhabitants, "Look out for your property, and see that my thieves don't +steal it." + +Two young Makololo with their Batoka servants accompanied us to see if +Kebrabasa could be surmounted, and to bring a supply of medicine for +Sekeletu's leprosy; and half a dozen able canoe-men, under Mobito, who +had previously gone with Dr. Livingstone to Loanda, were sent to help us +in our river navigation. Some men on foot drove six oxen which Sekeletu +had given us as provisions for the journey. It was, as before remarked, +a time of scarcity; and, considering the dearth of food, our treatment +had been liberal. + +By day the canoe-men are accustomed to keep close under the river's bank +from fear of the hippopotami; by night, however, they keep in the middle +of the stream, as then those animals are usually close to the bank on +their way to their grazing grounds. Our progress was considerably +impeded by the high winds, which at this season of the year begin about +eight in the morning, and blow strongly up the river all day. The canoes +were poor leaky affairs, and so low in parts of the gunwale, that the +paddlers were afraid to follow the channel when it crossed the river, +lest the waves might swamp us. A rough sea is dreaded by all these +inland canoe-men; but though timid, they are by no means unskilful at +their work. The ocean rather astonished them afterwards; and also the +admirable way that the Nyassa men managed their canoes on a rough lake, +and even amongst the breakers, where no small boat could possibly live. + +On the night of the 17th we slept on the left bank of the Majeele, after +having had all the men ferried across. An ox was slaughtered, and not an +ounce of it was left next morning. Our two young Makololo companions, +Maloka and Ramakukane, having never travelled before, naturally clung to +some of the luxuries they had been accustomed to at home. When they lay +down to sleep, their servants were called to spread their blankets over +their august persons, not forgetting their feet. This seems to be the +duty of the Makololo wife to her husband, and strangers sometimes receive +the honour. One of our party, having wandered, slept at the village of +Nambowe. When he laid down, to his surprise two of Nambowe's wives came +at once, and carefully and kindly spread his kaross over him. + +A beautiful silvery fish with reddish fins, called Ngwesi, is very +abundant in the river; large ones weigh fifteen or twenty pounds each. +Its teeth are exposed, and so arranged that, when they meet, the edges +cut a hook like nippers. The Ngwesi seems to be a very ravenous fish. It +often gulps down the Konokono, a fish armed with serrated bones more than +an inch in length in the pectoral and dorsal fins, which, fitting into a +notch at the roots, can be put by the fish on full cock or straight +out,--they cannot be folded down, without its will, and even break in +resisting. The name "Konokono," elbow-elbow, is given it from a +resemblance its extended fins are supposed to bear to a man's elbows +stuck out from his body. It often performs the little trick of cocking +its fins in the stomach of the Ngwesi, and, the elbows piercing its +enemy's sides, he is frequently found floating dead. The fin bones seem +to have an acrid secretion on them, for the wound they make is +excessively painful. The Konokono barks distinctly when landed with the +hook. Our canoe-men invariably picked up every dead fish they saw on the +surface of the water, however far gone. An unfragrant odour was no +objection; the fish was boiled and eaten, and the water drunk as soup. It +is a curious fact that many of the Africans keep fish as we do woodcocks, +until they are extremely offensive, before they consider them fit to eat. +Our paddlers informed us on our way down that iguanas lay their eggs in +July and August, and crocodiles in September. The eggs remain a month or +two under the sand where they are laid, and the young come out when the +rains have fairly commenced. The canoe-men were quite positive that +crocodiles frequently stun men by striking them with their tails, and +then squat on them till they are drowned. We once caught a young +crocodile, which certainly did use its tail to inflict sharp blows, and +led us to conclude that the native opinion is correct. They believed +also that, if a person shuts the beast's eyes, it lets go its hold. +Crocodiles have been known to unite and kill a large one of their own +species and eat it. Some fishermen throw the bones of the fish into the +river but in most of the fishing villages there are heaps of them in +various places. The villagers can walk over them without getting them +into their feet; but the Makololo, from having softer soles, are unable +to do so. The explanation offered was, that the fishermen have a +medicine against fish-bones, but that they will not reveal it to the +Makololo. + +We spent a night on Mparira island, which is four miles long and about +one mile broad. Mokompa, the headman, was away hunting elephants. His +wife sent for him on our arrival, and he returned next morning before we +left. Taking advantage of the long-continued drought, he had set fire to +the reeds between the Chobe and Zambesi, in such a manner as to drive the +game out at one corner, where his men laid in wait with their spears. He +had killed five elephants and three buffaloes, wounding several others +which escaped. + +On our land party coming up, we were told that the oxen were bitten by +the tsetse: they could see a great difference in their looks. One was +already eaten, and they now wished to slaughter another. A third fell +into a buffalo-pit next day, so our stock was soon reduced. + +The Batoka chief, Moshobotwane, again treated us with his usual +hospitality, giving us an ox, some meal, and milk. We took another view +of the grand Mosi-oa-tunya, and planted a quantity of seeds in the garden +on the island; but, as no one will renew the hedge, the hippopotami will, +doubtless, soon destroy what we planted. Mashotlane assisted us. So +much power was allowed to this under-chief, that he appeared as if he had +cast off the authority of Sekeletu altogether. He did not show much +courtesy to his messengers; instead of giving them food, as is customary, +he took the meat out of a pot in their presence, and handed it to his own +followers. This may have been because Sekeletu's men bore an order to +him to remove to Linyanti. He had not only insulted Baldwin, but had +also driven away the Griqua traders; but this may all end in nothing. +Some of the natives here, and at Sesheke, know a few of the low tricks of +more civilized traders. A pot of milk was brought to us one evening, +which was more indebted to the Zambesi than to any cow. Baskets of fine- +looking white meal, elsewhere, had occasionally the lower half filled +with bran. Eggs are always a perilous investment. The native idea of a +good egg differs as widely from our own as is possible on such a trifling +subject. An egg is eaten here with apparent relish, though an embryo +chick be inside. + +We left Mosi-oa-tunya on the 27th, and slept close to the village of +Bakwini. It is built on a ridge of loose red soil, which produces great +crops of mapira and ground-nuts; many magnificent mosibe-trees stand near +the village. Machimisi, the headman of the village, possesses a herd of +cattle and a large heart; he kept us company for a couple of days to +guide us on our way. + +We had heard a good deal of a stronghold some miles below the Falls, +called Kalunda. Our return path was much nearer the Zambesi than that of +our ascent,--in fact, as near as the rough country would allow,--but we +left it twice before we reached Sinamane's, in order to see Kalunda and a +Fall called Moomba, or Moamba. The Makololo had once dispossessed the +Batoka of Kalunda, but we could not see the fissure, or whatever it is, +that rendered it a place of security, as it was on the southern bank. The +crack of the Great Falls was here continued: the rocks are the same as +further up, but perhaps less weather-worn--and now partially stratified +in great thick masses. The country through which we were travelling was +covered with a cindery-looking volcanic tufa, and might be called +"Katakaumena." + +The description we received of the Moamba Falls seemed to promise +something grand. They were said to send up "smoke" in the wet season, +like Mosi-oa-tunya; but when we looked down into the cleft, in which the +dark-green narrow river still rolls, we saw, about 800 or 1000 feet below +us, what, after Mosi-oa-tunya, seemed two insignificant cataracts. It +was evident that Pitsane, observing our delight at the Victoria Falls, +wished to increase our pleasure by a second wonder. One Mosi-oa-tunya, +however, is quite enough for a continent. + +We had now an opportunity of seeing more of the Batoka, than we had on +the highland route to our north. They did not wait till the evening +before offering food to the strangers. The aged wife of the headman of a +hamlet, where we rested at midday, at once kindled a fire, and put on the +cooking-pot to make porridge. Both men and women are to be distinguished +by greater roundness of feature than the other natives, and the custom of +knocking out the upper front teeth gives at once a distinctive character +to the face. Their colour attests the greater altitude of the country in +which many of them formerly lived. Some, however, are as dark as the +Bashubia and Barotse of the great valley to their west, in which stands +Sesheke, formerly the capital of the Balui, or Bashubia. + +The assertion may seem strange, yet it is none the less true, that in all +the tribes we have visited we never saw a really black person. Different +shades of brown prevail, and often with a bright bronze tint, which no +painter, except Mr. Angus, seems able to catch. Those who inhabit +elevated, dry situations, and who are not obliged to work much in the +sun, are frequently of a light warm brown, "dark but comely." Darkness +of colour is probably partly caused by the sun, and partly by something +in the climate or soil which we do not yet know. We see something of the +same sort in trout and other fish which take their colour from the ponds +or streams in which they live. The members of our party were much less +embrowned by free exposure to the sun for years than Dr. Livingstone and +his family were by passing once from Kuruman to Cape Town, a journey +which occupied only a couple of months. + +We encamped on the Kalomo, on the 1st of October, and found the weather +very much warmer than when we crossed this stream in August. At 3 p.m. +the thermometer, four feet from the ground, was 101 degrees in the shade; +the wet bulb only 61 degrees: a difference of 40 degrees. Yet, +notwithstanding this extreme dryness of the atmosphere, without a drop of +rain having fallen for months, and scarcely any dew, many of the shrubs +and trees were putting forth fresh leaves of various hues, while others +made a profuse display of lovely blossoms. + +Two old and very savage buffaloes were shot for our companions on the 3rd +October. Our Volunteers may feel an interest in knowing that balls +sometimes have but little effect: one buffalo fell, on receiving a +Jacob's shell; it was hit again twice, and lost a large amount of blood; +and yet it sprang up, and charged a native, who, by great agility, had +just time to climb a tree, before the maddened beast struck it, battering- +ram fashion, hard enough almost to have split both head and tree. It +paused a few seconds--drew back several paces--glared up at the man--and +then dashed at the tree again and again, as if determined to shake him +out of it. It took two more Jacob's shells, and five other large solid +rifle-balls to finish the beast at last. These old surly buffaloes had +been wandering about in a sort of miserable fellowship; their skins were +diseased and scabby, as if leprous, and their horns atrophied or worn +down to stumps--the first was killed outright, by one Jacob's shell, the +second died hard. There is so much difference in the tenacity of life in +wounded animals of the same species, that the inquiry is suggested where +the seat of life can be?--We have seen a buffalo live long enough, after +a large bullet had passed right through the heart, to allow firm adherent +clots to be formed in the two holes. + +One day's journey above Sinamane's, a mass of mountain called Gorongue, +or Golongwe, is said to cross the river, and the rent through which the +river passes is, by native report, quite fearful to behold. The country +round it is so rocky, that our companions dreaded the fatigue, and were +not much to blame, if, as is probably the case, the way be worse than +that over which we travelled. As we trudged along over the black slag- +like rocks, the almost leafless trees affording no shade, the heat was +quite as great as Europeans could bear. It was 102 degrees in the shade, +and a thermometer placed under the tongue or armpit showed that our blood +was 99.5 degrees, or 1.5 degrees hotter than that of the natives, which +stood at 98 degrees. Our shoes, however, enable us to pass over the hot +burning soil better than they can. Many of those who wear sandals have +corns on the sides of the feet, and on the heels, where the straps pass. +We have seen instances, too, where neither sandals nor shoes were worn, +of corns on the soles of the feet. It is, moreover, not at all uncommon +to see toes cocked up, as if pressed out of their proper places; at home, +we should have unhesitatingly ascribed this to the vicious fashions +perversely followed by our shoemakers. + +On the 5th, after crossing some hills, we rested at the village of +Simariango. The bellows of the blacksmith here were somewhat different +from the common goatskin bags, and more like those seen in Madagascar. +They consisted of two wooden vessels, like a lady's bandbox of small +dimensions, the upper ends of which were covered with leather, and looked +something like the heads of drums, except that the leather bagged in the +centre. They were fitted with long nozzles, through which the air was +driven by working the loose covering of the tops up and down by means of +a small piece of wood attached to their centres. The blacksmith said +that tin was obtained from a people in the north, called Marendi, and +that he had made it into bracelets; we had never heard before of tin +being found in the country. + +Our course then lay down the bed of a rivulet, called Mapatizia, in which +there was much calc spar, with calcareous schist, and then the Tette grey +sandstone, which usually overlies coal. On the 6th we arrived at the +islet Chilombe, belonging to Sinamane, where the Zambesi runs broad and +smooth again, and were well received by Sinamane himself. Never was +Sunday more welcome to the weary than this, the last we were to spend +with our convoy. + +We now saw many good-looking young men and women. The dresses of the +ladies are identical with those of Nubian women in Upper Egypt. To a +belt on the waist a great number of strings are attached to hang all +round the person. These fringes are about six or eight inches long. The +matrons wear in addition a skin cut like the tails of the coatee formerly +worn by our dragoons. The younger girls wear the waist-belt exhibited in +the woodcut, ornamented with shells, and have the fringes only in front. +Marauding parties of Batoka, calling themselves Makololo, have for some +time had a wholesome dread of Sinamane's "long spears." Before going to +Tette our Batoka friend, Masakasa, was one of a party that came to steal +some of the young women; but Sinamane, to their utter astonishment, +attacked them so furiously that the survivors barely escaped with their +lives. Masakasa had to flee so fast that he threw away his shield, his +spear, and his clothes, and returned home a wiser and a sadder man. + +Sinamane's people cultivate large quantities of tobacco, which they +manufacture into balls for the Makololo market. Twenty balls, weighing +about three-quarters of a pound each, are sold for a hoe. The tobacco is +planted on low moist spots on the banks of the Zambesi; and was in flower +at the time we were there, in October. Sinamane's people appear to have +abundance of food, and are all in good condition. He could sell us only +two of his canoes; but lent us three more to carry us as far as Moemba's, +where he thought others might be purchased. They were manned by his own +canoe-men, who were to bring them back. The river is about 250 yards +wide, and flows serenely between high banks towards the North-east. Below +Sinamane's the banks are often worn down fifty feet, and composed of +shingle and gravel of igneous rocks, sometimes set in a ferruginous +matrix. The bottom is all gravel and shingle, how formed we cannot +imagine, unless in pot-holes in the deep fissure above. The bottom above +the Falls, save a few rocks close by them, is generally sandy or of soft +tufa. Every damp spot is covered with maize, pumpkins, water-melons, +tobacco, and hemp. There is a pretty numerous Batoka population on both +sides of the river. As we sailed slowly down, the people saluted us from +the banks, by clapping their hands. A headman even hailed us, and +brought a generous present of corn and pumpkins. + +Moemba owns a rich island, called Mosanga, a mile in length, on which his +village stands. He has the reputation of being a brave warrior, and is +certainly a great talker; but he gave us strangers something better than +a stream of words. We received a handsome present of corn, and the +fattest goat we had ever seen; it resembled mutton. His people were as +liberal as their chief. They brought two large baskets of corn, and a +lot of tobacco, as a sort of general contribution to the travellers. One +of Sinamane's canoe-men, after trying to get his pay, deserted here, and +went back before the stipulated time, with the story, that the Englishman +had stolen the canoes. Shortly after sunrise next morning, Sinamane came +into the village with fifty of his "long spears," evidently determined to +retake his property by force; he saw at a glance that his man had +deceived him. Moemba rallied him for coming on a wildgoose chase. "Here +are your canoes left with me, your men have all been paid, and the +Englishmen are now asking me to sell my canoes." Sinamane said little to +us; only observing that he had been deceived by his follower. A single +remark of his chief's caused the foolish fellow to leave suddenly, +evidently much frightened and crestfallen. Sinamane had been very kind +to us, and, as he was looking on when we gave our present to Moemba, we +made him also an additional offering of some beads, and parted good +friends. Moemba, having heard that we had called the people of Sinamane +together to tell them about our Saviour's mission to man, and to pray +with them, associated the idea of Sunday with the meeting, and, before +anything of the sort was proposed, came and asked that he and his people +might be "sundayed" as well as his neighbours; and be given a little seed +wheat, and fruit-tree seeds; with which request of course we very +willingly complied. The idea of praying direct to the Supreme Being, +though not quite new to all, seems to strike their minds so forcibly that +it will not be forgotten. Sinamane said that he prayed to God, Morungo, +and made drink-offerings to him. Though he had heard of us, he had never +seen white men before. + +Beautiful crowned cranes, named from their note "ma-wang," were seen +daily, and were beginning to pair. Large flocks of spur-winged geese, or +machikwe, were common. This goose is said to lay her eggs in March. We +saw also pairs of Egyptian geese, as well as a few of the knob-nosed, or, +as they are called in India, combed geese. When the Egyptian geese, as +at the present time, have young, the goslings keep so steadily in the +wake of their mother, that they look as if they were a part of her tail; +and both parents, when on land, simulate lameness quite as well as our +plovers, to draw off pursuers. The ostrich also adopts the lapwing +fashion, but no quadrupeds do: they show fight to defend their young +instead. In some places the steep banks were dotted with the holes which +lead into the nests of bee-eaters. These birds came out in hundreds as +we passed. When the red-breasted species settle on the trees, they give +them the appearance of being covered with red foliage. + +On the morning of the 12th October we passed through a wild, hilly +country, with fine wooded scenery on both sides, but thinly inhabited. +The largest trees were usually thorny acacias, of great size and +beautiful forms. As we sailed by several villages without touching, the +people became alarmed, and ran along the banks, spears in hand. We +employed one to go forward and tell Mpande of our coming. This allayed +their fears, and we went ashore, and took breakfast near the large island +with two villages on it, opposite the mouth of the Zungwe, where we had +left the Zambesi on our way up. Mpande was sorry that he had no canoes +of his own to sell, but he would lend us two. He gave us cooked pumpkins +and a water-melon. His servant had lateral curvature of the spine. We +have often seen cases of humpback, but this was the only case of this +kind of curvature we had met with. Mpande accompanied us himself in his +own vessel, till we had an opportunity of purchasing a fine large canoe +elsewhere. We paid what was considered a large price for it: twelve +strings of blue cut glass neck beads, an equal number of large blue ones +of the size of marbles, and two yards of grey calico. Had the beads been +coarser, they would have been more valued, because such were in fashion. +Before concluding the bargain the owner said "his bowels yearned for his +canoe, and we must give a little more to stop their yearning." This was +irresistible. The trading party of Sequasha, which we now met, had +purchased ten large new canoes for six strings of cheap coarse white +beads each, or their equivalent, four yards of calico, and had bought for +the merest trifle ivory enough to load them all. They were driving a +trade in slaves also, which was something new in this part of Africa, and +likely soon to change the character of the inhabitants. These men had +been living in clover, and were uncommonly fat and plump. When sent to +trade, slaves wisely never stint themselves of beer or anything else, +which their master's goods can buy. + +The temperature of the Zambesi had increased 10 degrees since August, +being now 80 degrees. The air was as high as 96 degrees after sunset; +and, the vicinity of the water being the coolest part, we usually made +our beds close by the river's brink, though there in danger of +crocodiles. Africa differs from India in the air always becoming cool +and refreshing long before the sun returns, and there can be no doubt +that we can in this country bear exposure to the sun, which would be +fatal in India. It is probably owing to the greater dryness of the +African atmosphere that sunstroke is so rarely met with. In twenty-two +years Dr. Livingstone never met or heard of a single case, though the +protective head-dresses of India are rarely seen. + +When the water is nearly at its lowest, we occasionally meet with small +rapids which are probably not in existence during the rest of the year. +Having slept opposite the rivulet Bume, which comes from the south, we +passed the island of Nakansalo, and went down the rapids of the same name +on the 17th, and came on the morning of the 19th to the more serious ones +of Nakabele, at the entrance to Kariba. The Makololo guided the canoes +admirably through the opening in the dyke. When we entered the gorge we +came on upwards of thirty hippopotami: a bank near the entrance stretches +two-thirds across the narrowed river, and in the still place behind it +they were swimming about. Several were in the channel, and our canoe-men +were afraid to venture down among them, because, as they affirm, there is +commonly an ill-natured one in a herd, which takes a malignant pleasure +in upsetting canoes. Two or three boys on the rocks opposite amused +themselves by throwing stones at the frightened animals, and hit several +on the head. It would have been no difficult matter to have shot the +whole herd. We fired a few shots to drive them off; the balls often +glance off the skull, and no more harm is done than when a schoolboy gets +a bloody nose; we killed one, which floated away down the rapid current, +followed by a number of men on the bank. A native called to us from the +left bank, and said that a man on his side knew how to pray to the Kariba +gods, and advised us to hire him to pray for our safety, while we were +going down the rapids, or we should certainly all be drowned. No one +ever risked his life in Kariba without first paying the river-doctor, or +priest, for his prayers. Our men asked if there was a cataract in front, +but he declined giving any information; they were not on his side of the +river; if they would come over, then he might be able to tell them. We +crossed, but he went off to the village. We then landed and walked over +the hills to have a look at Karaba before trusting our canoes in it. The +current was strong, and there was broken water in some places, but the +channel was nearly straight, and had no cataract, so we determined to +risk it. Our men visited the village while we were gone, and were +treated to beer and tobacco. The priest who knows how to pray to the god +that rules the rapids followed us with several of his friends, and they +were rather surprised to see us pass down in safety, without the aid of +his intercession. The natives who followed the dead hippopotamus caught +it a couple of miles below, and, having made it fast to a rock, were +sitting waiting for us on the bank beside the dead animal. As there was +a considerable current there, and the rocky banks were unfit for our +beds, we took the hippopotamus in tow, telling the villagers to follow, +and we would give them most of the meat. The crocodiles tugged so hard +at the carcass, that we were soon obliged to cast it adrift, to float +down in the current, to avoid upsetting the canoe. We had to go on so +far before finding a suitable spot to spend the night in, that the +natives concluded we did not intend to share the meat with them, and +returned to the village. We slept two nights at the place where the +hippopotamus was cut up. The crocodiles had a busy time of it in the +dark, tearing away at what was left in the river, and thrashing the water +furiously with their powerful tails. The hills on both sides of Kariba +are much like those of Kebrabasa, the strata tilted and twisted in every +direction, with no level ground. + +Although the hills confine the Zambesi within a narrow channel for a +number of miles, there are no rapids beyond those near the entrance. The +river is smooth and apparently very deep. Only one single human being +was seen in the gorge, the country being too rough for culture. Some +rocks in the water, near the outlet of Kariba, at a distance look like a +fort; and such large masses dislocated, bent, and even twisted to a +remarkable degree, at once attest some tremendous upheaving and +convulsive action of nature, which probably caused Kebrabasa, Kariba, and +the Victoria Falls to assume their present forms; it took place after the +formation of the coal, that mineral having then been tilted up. We have +probably nothing equal to it in the present quiet operations of nature. + +On emerging we pitched our camp by a small stream, the Pendele, a few +miles below the gorge. The Palabi mountain stands on the western side of +the lower end of the Kariba strait; the range to which it belongs crosses +the river, and runs to the south-east. Chikumbula, a hospitable old +headman, under Nchomokela, the paramount chief of a large district, whom +we did not see, brought us next morning a great basket of meal, and four +fowls, with some beer, and a cake of salt, "to make it taste good." +Chikumbula said that the elephants plagued them, by eating up the cotton- +plants; but his people seem to be well off. + +A few days before we came, they caught three buffaloes in pitfalls in one +night, and, unable to eat them all, left one to rot. During the night +the wind changed and blew from the dead buffalo to our sleeping-place; +and a hungry lion, not at all dainty in his food, stirred up the putrid +mass, and growled and gloated over his feast, to the disturbance of our +slumbers. Game of all kinds is in most extraordinary abundance, +especially from this point to below the Kafue, and so it is on +Moselekatso's side, where there are no inhabitants. The drought drives +all the game to the river to drink. An hour's walk on the right bank, +morning or evening, reveals a country swarming with wild animals: vast +herds of pallahs, many waterbucks, koodoos, buffaloes, wild pigs, elands, +zebras, and monkeys appear; francolins, guinea-fowls, and myriads of +turtledoves attract the eye in the covers, with the fresh spoor of +elephants and rhinoceroses, which had been at the river during the night. +Every few miles we came upon a school of hippopotami, asleep on some +shallow sandbank; their bodies, nearly all out of the water, appeared +like masses of black rock in the river. When these animals are hunted +much, they become proportionably wary, but here no hunter ever troubles +them, and they repose in security, always however taking the precaution +of sleeping just above the deep channel, into which they can plunge when +alarmed. When a shot is fired into a sleeping herd, all start up on +their feet, and stare with peculiar stolid looks of hippopotamic +surprise, and wait for another shot before dashing into deep water. A +few miles below Chikumbula's we saw a white hippopotamus in a herd. Our +men had never seen one like it before. It was of a pinkish white, +exactly like the colour of the Albino. It seemed to be the father of a +number of others, for there were many marked with large light patches. +The so-called _white_ elephant is just such a pinkish Albino as this +hippopotamus. A few miles above Kariba we observed that, in two small +hamlets, many of the inhabitants had a similar affection of the skin. The +same influence appeared to have affected man and beast. A dark coloured +hippopotamus stood alone, as if expelled from the herd, and bit the +water, shaking his head from side to side in a most frantic manner. When +the female has twins, she is said to kill one of them. + +We touched at the beautiful tree-covered island of Kalabi, opposite where +Tuba-mokoro lectured the lion in our way up. The ancestors of the people +who now inhabit this island possessed cattle. The tsetse has taken +possession of the country since "the beeves were lifted." No one knows +where these insects breed; at a certain season all disappear, and as +suddenly come back, no one knows whence. The natives are such close +observers of nature, that their ignorance in this case surprised us. A +solitary hippopotamus had selected the little bay in which we landed, and +where the women drew water, for his dwelling-place. Pretty little +lizards, with light blue and red tails, run among the rocks, catching +flies and other insects. These harmless--though to new-comers +repulsive--creatures sometimes perform good service to man, by eating +great numbers of the destructive white ants. + +At noon on the 24th October, we found Sequasha in a village below the +Kafue, with the main body of his people. He said that 210 elephants had +been killed during his trip; many of his men being excellent hunters. The +numbers of animals we saw renders this possible. He reported that, after +reaching the Kafue, he went northwards into the country of the Zulus, +whose ancestors formerly migrated from the south and set up a sort of +Republican form of government. Sequasha is the greatest Portuguese +traveller we ever became acquainted with, and he boasts that he is able +to speak a dozen different dialects; yet, unfortunately, he can give but +a very meagre account of the countries and people he has seen, and his +statements are not very much to be relied on. But considering the +influence among which he has been reared, and the want of the means of +education at Tette, it is a wonder that he possesses the good traits that +he sometimes exhibits. Among his wares were several cheap American +clocks; a useless investment rather, for a part of Africa where no one +cares for the artificial measurement of time. These clocks got him into +trouble among the Banyai: he set them all agoing in the presence of a +chief, who became frightened at the strange sounds they made, and looked +upon them as so many witchcraft agencies at work to bring all manner of +evils upon himself and his people. Sequasha, it was decided, had been +guilty of a milando, or crime, and he had to pay a heavy fine of cloth +and beads for his exhibition. He alluded to our having heard that he had +killed Mpangwe, and he denied having actually done so; but in his absence +his name had got mixed up in the affair, in consequence of his slaves, +while drinking beer one night with Namakusuru, the man who succeeded +Mpangwe, saying that they would kill the chief for him. His partner had +not thought of this when we saw him on the way up, for he tried to excuse +the murder, by saying that now they had put the right man into the +chieftainship. + +After three hours' sail, on the morning of the 29th, the river was +narrowed again by the mountains of Mburuma, called Karivua, into one +channel, and another rapid dimly appeared. It was formed by two currents +guided by rocks to the centre. In going down it, the men sent by +Sekeletu behaved very nobly. The canoes entered without previous survey, +and the huge jobbling waves of mid-current began at once to fill them. +With great presence of mind, and without a moment's hesitation, two men +lightened each by jumping overboard; they then ordered a Botoka man to do +the same, as "the white men must be saved." "I cannot swim," said the +Batoka. "Jump out, then, and hold on to the canoe;" which he instantly +did. Swimming alongside, they guided the swamping canoes down the swift +current to the foot of the rapid, and then ran them ashore to bale them +out. A boat could have passed down safely, but our canoes were not a +foot above the water at the gunwales. + +Thanks to the bravery of these poor fellows, nothing was lost, although +everything was well soaked. This rapid is nearly opposite the west end +of the Mburuma mountains or Karivua. Another soon begins below it. They +are said to be all smoothed over when the river rises. The canoes had to +be unloaded at this the worst rapid, and the goods carried about a +hundred yards. By taking the time in which a piece of stick floated past +100 feet, we found the current to be running six knots, by far the +greatest velocity noted in the river. As the men were bringing the last +canoe down close to the shore, the stern swung round into the current, +and all except one man let go, rather than be dragged off. He clung to +the bow, and was swept out into the middle of the stream. Having held on +when he ought to have let go, he next put his life in jeopardy by letting +go when he ought to have held on; and was in a few seconds swallowed up +by a fearful whirlpool. His comrades launched out a canoe below, and +caught him as he rose the third time to the surface, and saved him, +though much exhausted and very cold. + +The scenery of this pass reminded us of Kebrabasa, although it is much +inferior. A band of the same black shining glaze runs along the rocks +about two feet from the water's edge. There was not a blade of grass on +some of the hills, it being the end of the usual dry season succeeding a +previous severe drought; yet the hill-sides were dotted over with +beautiful green trees. A few antelopes were seen on the rugged slopes, +where some people too appeared lying down, taking a cup of beer. The +Karivua narrows are about thirty miles in length. They end at the +mountain Roganora. Two rocks, twelve or fifteen feet above the water at +the time we were there, may in flood be covered and dangerous. Our chief +danger was the wind, a very slight ripple being sufficient to swamp +canoes. + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +The waterbuck--Disaster in Kebrabasa rapids--The "Ma Robert" +founders--Arrival of the "Pioneer" and Bishop Mackenzie's +party--Portuguese slave-trade--Interference and liberation. + +We arrived at Zumbo, at the mouth of the Loangwa, on the 1st of November. +The water being scarcely up to the knee, our land party waded this river +with ease. A buffalo was shot on an island opposite Pangola's, the ball +lodging in the spleen. It was found to have been wounded in the same +organ previously, for an iron bullet was imbedded in it, and the wound +entirely healed. A great deal of the plant _Pistia stratiotes_ was seen +floating in the river. Many people inhabit the right bank about this +part, yet the game is very abundant. + +As we were taking our breakfast on the morning of the 2nd, the Mambo +Kazai, of whom we knew nothing, and his men came with their muskets and +large powder-horns to levy a fine, and obtain payment for the wood we +used in cooking. But on our replying to his demand that we were English, +"Oh! are you?" he said; "I thought you were Bazungu (Portuguese). They +are the people I take payments from:" and he apologized for his mistake. +Bazungu, or Azungu, is a term applied to all foreigners of a light +colour, and to Arabs; even to trading slaves if clothed; it probably +means foreigners, or visitors,--from _zunga_, to visit or wander,--and +the Portuguese were the only foreigners these men had ever seen. As we +had no desire to pass for people of that nation--quite the contrary--we +usually made a broad line of demarcation by saying that we were English, +and the English neither bought, sold, nor held black people as slaves, +but wished to put a stop to the slave-trade altogether. + +We called upon our friend, Mpende, in passing. He provided a hut for us, +with new mats spread on the floor. Having told him that we were hurrying +on because the rains were near, "Are they near?" eagerly inquired an old +counsellor, "and are we to have plenty of rain this year?" We could only +say that it was about the usual time for the rains to commence; and that +there were the usual indications in great abundance of clouds floating +westwards, but that we knew nothing more than they did themselves. + +The hippopotami are more wary here than higher up, as the natives hunt +them with guns. Having shot one on a shallow sandbank, our men undertook +to bring it over to the left bank, in order to cut it up with greater +ease. It was a fine fat one, and all rejoiced in the hope of eating the +fat for butter, with our hard dry cakes of native meal. Our cook was +sent over to cut a choice piece for dinner, but returned with the +astonishing intelligence that the carcass was gone. They had been +hoodwinked, and were very much ashamed of themselves. A number of Banyai +came to assist in rolling it ashore, and asserted that it was all shallow +water. They rolled it over and over towards the land, and, finding the +rope we had made fast to it, as they said, an encumbrance, it was +unloosed. All were shouting and talking as loud as they could bawl, when +suddenly our expected feast plumped into a deep hole, as the Banyai +intended it should do. When sinking, all the Makololo jumped in after +it. One caught frantically at the tail; another grasped a foot; a third +seized the hip; "but, by Sebituane, it would go down in spite of all that +we could do." Instead of a fat hippopotamus we had only a lean fowl for +dinner, and were glad enough to get even that. The hippopotamus, +however, floated during the night, and was found about a mile below. The +Banyai then assembled on the bank, and disputed our right to the beast: +"It might have been shot by somebody else." Our men took a little of it +and then left it, rather than come into collision with them. + +A fine waterbuck was shot in the Kakolole narrows, at Mount Manyerere; it +dropped beside the creek where it was feeding; an enormous crocodile, +that had been watching it at the moment, seized and dragged it into the +water, which was not very deep. The mortally wounded animal made a +desperate plunge, and hauling the crocodile several yards tore itself out +of the hideous jaws. To escape the hunter, the waterbuck jumped into the +river, and was swimming across, when another crocodile gave chase, but a +ball soon sent it to the bottom. The waterbuck swam a little longer, the +fine head dropped, the body turned over, and one of the canoes dragged it +ashore. Below Kakolole, and still at the base of Manyerere mountain, +several coal-seams, not noticed on our ascent, were now seen to crop out +on the right bank of the Zambesi. + +Chitora, of Chicova, treated us with his former hospitality. Our men +were all much pleased with his kindness, and certainly did not look upon +it as a proof of weakness. They meant to return his friendliness when +they came this way on a marauding expedition to eat the sheep of the +Banyai, for insulting them in the affair of the hippopotamus; they would +then send word to Chitora not to run away, for they, being his friends, +would do such a good-hearted man no harm. + +We entered Kebrabasa rapids, at the east end of Chicova, in the canoes, +and went down a number of miles, until the river narrowed into a groove +of fifty or sixty yards wide, of which we have already spoken in +describing the flood-bed and channel of low water. The navigation then +became difficult and dangerous. A fifteen feet fall of the water in our +absence had developed many cataracts. Two of our canoes passed safely +down a narrow channel, which, bifurcating, had an ugly whirlpool at the +rocky partition between the two branches, the deep hole in the whirls at +times opening and then shutting. The Doctor's canoe came next, and +seemed to be drifting broadside into the open vortex, in spite of the +utmost exertions of the paddlers. The rest were expecting to have to +pull to the rescue; the men saying, "Look where these people are +going!--look, look!"--when a loud crash burst on our ears. Dr. Kirk's +canoe was dashed on a projection of the perpendicular rocks, by a sudden +and mysterious boiling up of the river, which occurs at irregular +intervals. Dr. Kirk was seen resisting the sucking-down action of the +water, which must have been fifteen fathoms deep, and raising himself by +his arms on to the ledge, while his steersman, holding on to the same +rocks, saved the canoe; but nearly all its contents were swept away down +the stream. Dr. Livingstone's canoe, meanwhile, which had distracted the +men's attention, was saved by the cavity in the whirlpool filling up as +the frightful eddy was reached. A few of the things in Dr. Kirk's canoe +were left; but all that was valuable, including a chronometer, a +barometer, and, to our great sorrow, his notes of the journey and +botanical drawings of the fruit-trees of the interior, perished. + +We now left the river, and proceeded on foot, sorry that we had not done +so the day before. The men were thoroughly frightened, they had never +seen such perilous navigation. They would carry all the loads, rather +than risk Kebrabasa any longer; but the fatigue of a day's march over the +hot rocks and burning sand changed their tune before night; and then they +regretted having left the canoes; they thought they should have dragged +them past the dangerous places, and then launched them again. One of the +two donkeys died from exhaustion near the Luia. Though the men eat +zebras and quaggas, blood relations of the donkey, they were shocked at +the idea of eating the ass; "it would be like eating man himself, because +the donkey lives with man, and is his bosom companion." We met two large +trading parties of Tette slaves on their way to Zumbo, leading, to be +sold for ivory, a number of Manganja women, with ropes round their necks, +and all made fast to one long rope. + +Panzo, the headman of the village east of Kebrabasa, received us with +great kindness. After the usual salutation he went up the hill, and, in +a loud voice, called across the valley to the women of several hamlets to +cook supper for us. About eight in the evening he returned, followed by +a procession of women, bringing the food. There were eight dishes of +nsima, or porridge, six of different sorts of very good wild vegetables, +with dishes of beans and fowls; all deliciously well cooked, and +scrupulously clean. The wooden dishes were nearly as white as the meal +itself: food also was brought for our men. Ripe mangoes, which usually +indicate the vicinity of the Portuguese, were found on the 21st November; +and we reached Tette early on the 23rd, having been absent a little over +six months. + +The two English sailors, left in charge of the steamer, were well, had +behaved well, and had enjoyed excellent health all the time we were away. +Their farm had been a failure. We left a few sheep, to be slaughtered +when they wished for fresh meat, and two dozen fowls. Purchasing more, +they soon had double the number of the latter, and anticipated a good +supply of eggs; but they also bought two monkeys, and _they_ ate all the +eggs. A hippopotamus came up one night, and laid waste their vegetable +garden; the sheep broke into their cotton patch, when it was in flower, +and ate it all, except the stems; then the crocodiles carried off the +sheep, and the natives stole the fowls. Nor were they more successful as +gun-smiths: a Portuguese trader, having an exalted opinion of the +ingenuity of English sailors, showed them a double-barrelled rifle, and +inquired if they could put on the _browning_, which had rusted off. "I +think I knows how," said one, whose father was a blacksmith, "it's very +easy; you have only to put the barrels in the fire." A great fire of +wood was made on shore, and the unlucky barrels put over it, to secure +the handsome rifle colour. To Jack's utter amazement the barrels came +asunder. To get out of the scrape, his companion and he stuck the pieces +together with resin, and sent it to the owner, with the message, "It was +all they could do for it, and they would not charge him anything for the +job!" They had also invented an original mode of settling a bargain; +having ascertained the market price of provisions, they paid that, but no +more. If the traders refused to leave the ship till the price was +increased, a chameleon, of which the natives have a mortal dread, was +brought out of the cabin; and the moment the natives saw the creature, +they at once sprang overboard. The chameleon settled every dispute in a +twinkling. + +But besides their good-humoured intercourse, they showed humanity worthy +of English sailors. A terrible scream roused them up one night, and they +pushed off in a boat to the rescue. A crocodile had caught a woman, and +was dragging her across a shallow sandbank. Just as they came up to her, +she gave a fearful shriek: the horrid reptile had snapped off her leg at +the knee. They took her on board, bandaged the limb as well as they +could, and, not thinking of any better way of showing their sympathy, +gave her a glass of rum, and carried her to a hut in the village. Next +morning they found the bandages torn off, and the unfortunate creature +left to die. "I believe," remarked Rowe, one of the sailors, "her master +was angry with us for saving her life, seeing as how she had lost her +leg." + +The Zambesi being unusually low, we remained at Tette till it rose a +little, and then left on the 3rd of December for the Kongone. It was +hard work to keep the vessel afloat; indeed, we never expected her to +remain above water. New leaks broke out every day; the engine pump gave +way; the bridge broke down; three compartments filled at night; except +the cabin and front compartment all was flooded; and in a few days we +were assured by Rowe that "she can't be worse than she is, sir." He and +Hutchins had spent much of their time, while we were away, in patching +her bottom, puddling it with clay, and shoring it, and it was chiefly to +please them that we again attempted to make use of her. We had long been +fully convinced that the steel plates were thoroughly unsuitable. On the +morning of the 21st the uncomfortable "Asthmatic" grounded on a sandbank +and filled. She could neither be emptied nor got off. The river rose +during the night, and all that was visible of the worn-out craft next day +was about six feet of her two masts. Most of the property we had on +board was saved; and we spent the Christmas of 1860 encamped on the +island of Chimba. Canoes were sent for from Senna; and we reached it on +the 27th, to be again hospitably entertained by our friend, Senhor +Ferrao. + +We reached the Kongone on the 4th of January, 1861. A flagstaff and a +Custom-house had been erected during our absence; a hut, also, for a +black lance-corporal and three privates. By the kind permission of the +lance-corporal, who came to see us as soon as he had got into his +trousers and shirt, we took up our quarters in the Custom-house, which, +like the other buildings, is a small square floorless hut of mangrove +stakes overlaid with reeds. The soldiers complained of hunger, they had +nothing to eat but a little mapira, and were making palm wine to deaden +their cravings. While waiting for a ship, we had leisure to read the +newspapers and periodicals we found in the mail which was waiting our +arrival at Tette. Several were a year and a half old. + +Our provisions began to run short; and towards the end of the month there +was nothing left but a little bad biscuit and a few ounces of sugar. +Coffee and tea were expended, but scarcely missed, as our sailors +discovered a pretty good substitute in roasted mapira. Fresh meat was +obtained in abundance from our antelope preserves on the large island +made by a creek between the Kongone and East Luabo. + +In this focus of decaying vegetation, nothing is so much to be dreaded as +inactivity. We had, therefore, to find what exercise and amusement we +could, when hunting was not required, in peering about in the fetid +swamps; to have gone mooning about, in listless idleness, would have +ensured fever in its worst form, and probably with fatal results. + +A curious little blenny-fish swarms in the numerous creeks which +intersect the mangrove topes. When alarmed, it hurries across the +surface of the water in a series of leaps. It may be considered +amphibious, as it lives as much out of the water as in it, and its most +busy time is during low water. Then it appears on the sand or mud, near +the little pools left by the retiring tide; it raises itself on its +pectoral fins into something of a standing attitude, and with its large +projecting eyes keeps a sharp look-out for the light-coloured fly, on +which it feeds. Should the fly alight at too great a distance for even a +second leap, the blenny moves slowly towards it like a cat to its prey, +or like a jumping spider; and, as soon as it gets within two or three +inches of the insect, by a sudden spring contrives to pop its underset +mouth directly over the unlucky victim. He is, moreover, a pugnacious +little fellow; and rather prolonged fights may be observed between him +and his brethren. One, in fleeing from an apparent danger, jumped into a +pool a foot square, which the other evidently regarded as his by right of +prior discovery; in a twinkling the owner, with eyes flashing fury, and +with dorsal fin bristling up in rage, dashed at the intruding foe. The +fight waxed furious, no tempest in a teapot ever equalled the storm of +that miniature sea. The warriors were now in the water, and anon out of +it, for the battle raged on sea and shore. They struck hard, they bit +each other; until, becoming exhausted, they seized each other by the jaws +like two bull-dogs, then paused for breath, and at it again as fiercely +as before, until the combat ended by the precipitate retreat of the +invader. + +The muddy ground under the mangrove-trees is covered with soldier-crabs, +which quickly slink into their holes on any symptom of danger. When the +ebbing tide retires, myriads of minute crabs emerge from their +underground quarters, and begin to work like so many busy bees. Soon +many miles of the smooth sand become rough with the results of their +labour. They are toiling for their daily bread: a round bit of moist +sand appears at the little labourer's mouth, and is quickly brushed off +by one of the claws; a second bit follows the first; and another, and +still another come as fast as they can be laid aside. As these pellets +accumulate, the crab moves sideways, and the work continues. The first +impression one receives is, that the little creature has swallowed a +great deal of sand, and is getting rid of it as speedily as possible: a +habit he indulges in of darting into his hole at intervals, as if for +fresh supplies, tends to strengthen this idea; but the size of the heaps +formed in a few seconds shows that this cannot be the case, and leads to +the impression that, although not readily seen, at the distance at which +he chooses to keep the observer, yet that possibly he raises the sand to +his mouth, where whatever animalcule it may contain is sifted out of it, +and the remainder rejected in the manner described. At times the larger +species of crabs perform a sort of concert; and from each subterranean +abode strange sounds arise, as if, in imitation of the songsters of the +groves, for very joy they sang! + +We found some natives pounding the woody stems of a poisonous climbing- +plant (_Dirca palustris_) called Busungu, or poison, which grows +abundantly in the swamps. When a good quantity was bruised, it was tied +up in bundles. The stream above and below was obstructed with bushes, +and with a sort of rinsing motion the poison was diffused through the +water. Many fish were soon affected, swain in shore, and died, others +were only stupefied. The plant has pink, pea-shaped blossoms, and +smooth, pointed, glossy leaves, and the brown bark is covered with minute +white points. The knowledge of it might prove of use to a shipwrecked +party by enabling them to catch the fish. + +The poison is said to be deleterious to man if the water is drunk; but +not when the fish is cooked. The Busungu is repulsive to some insects, +and is smeared round the shoots of the palm-trees to prevent the ants +from getting into the palm wine while it is dropping from the tops of the +palm-trees into the little pots suspended to collect it. + +We were in the habit of walking from our beds into the salt water at +sunrise, for a bath, till a large crocodile appeared at the +bathing-place, and from that time forth we took our dip in the sea, away +from the harbour, about midday. This is said to be unwholesome, but we +did not find it so. It is certainly better not to bathe in the mornings, +when the air is colder than the water--for then, on returning to the +cooler air, one is apt to get a chill and fever. In the mouth of the +river, many saw-fish are found. Rowe saw one while bathing--caught it by +the tail, and shoved it, "snout on," ashore. The saw is from a foot to +eighteen inches long. We never heard of any one being wounded by this +fish; nor, though it goes hundreds of miles up the river in fresh water, +could we learn that it was eaten by the people. The hippopotami +delighted to spend the day among the breakers, and seemed to enjoy the +fun as much as we did. + +Severe gales occurred during our stay on the Coast, and many small sea- +birds (_Prion Banksii_, Smith) perished: the beach was strewn with their +dead bodies, and some were found hundreds of yards inland; many were so +emaciated as to dry up without putrefying. We were plagued with myriads +of mosquitoes, and had some touches of fever; the men we brought from +malarious regions of the interior suffered almost as much from it here as +we did ourselves. This gives strength to the idea that the civilized +withstand the evil influences of strange climates better than the +uncivilized. When negroes return to their own country from healthy +lands, they suffer as severely as foreigners ever do. + +On the 31st of January, 1861, our new ship, the "Pioneer," arrived from +England, and anchored outside the bar; but the weather was stormy, and +she did not venture in till the 4th of February. + +Two of H.M. cruisers came at the same time, bringing Bishop Mackenzie, +and the Oxford and Cambridge Mission to the tribes of the Shire and Lake +Nyassa. The Mission consisted of six Englishmen, and five coloured men +from the Cape. It was a puzzle to know what to do with so many men. The +estimable Bishop, anxious to commence his work without delay, wished the +"Pioneer" to carry the Mission up the Shire, as far as Chibisa's, and +there leave them. But there were grave objections to this. The +"Pioneer" was under orders to explore the Rovuma, as the Portuguese +Government had refused to open the Zambesi to the ships of other nations, +and their officials were very effectually pursuing a system, which, by +abstracting the labour, was rendering the country of no value either to +foreigners or to themselves. She was already two months behind her time, +and the rainy season was half over. Then, if the party were taken to +Chibisa's, the Mission would he left without a medical attendant, in an +unhealthy region, at the beginning of the most sickly season of the year, +and without means of reaching the healthy highlands, or of returning to +the sea. We dreaded that, in the absence of medical aid and all +knowledge of the treatment of fever, there might be a repetition of the +sorrowful fate which befell the similar non-medical Mission at Linyanti. + +On the 25th of February the "Pioneer" anchored in the mouth of the +Rovuma, which, unlike most African rivers, has a magnificent bay and no +bar. We wooded, and then waited for the Bishop till the 9th of March, +when he came in the "Lyra." On the 11th we proceeded up the river, and +saw that it had fallen four or five feet during our detention. The +scenery on the lower part of the Rovuma is superior to that on the +Zambesi, for we can see the highlands from the sea. Eight miles from the +mouth the mangroves are left behind, and a beautiful range of well-wooded +hills on each bank begins. On these ridges the tree resembling African +blackwood, of finer grain than ebony, grows abundantly, and attains a +large size. Few people were seen, and those were of Arab breed, and did +not appear to be very well off. The current of the Rovuma was now as +strong as that of the Zambesi, but the volume of water is very much less. +Several of the crossings had barely water enough for our ship, drawing +five feet, to pass. When we were thirty miles up the river, the water +fell suddenly seven inches in twenty-four hours. As the March flood is +the last of the season, and it appeared to be expended, it was thought +prudent to avoid the chance of a year's detention, by getting the ship +back to the sea without delay. Had the Expedition been alone, we would +have pushed up in boats, or afoot, and done what we could towards the +exploration of the river and upper end of the lake; but, though the +Mission was a private one, and entirely distinct from our own, a public +one, the objects of both being similar, we felt anxious to aid our +countrymen in their noble enterprise; and, rather than follow our own +inclination, decided to return to the Shire, see the Mission party +settled safely, and afterwards explore Lake Nyassa and the Rovuma, from +the Lake downwards. Fever broke out on board the "Pioneer," at the mouth +of the Rovuma, as we thought from our having anchored close to a creek +coming out of the mangroves; and it remained in her until we completely +isolated the engine-room from the rest of the ship. The coal-dust +rotting sent out strong effluvia, and kept up the disease for more than a +twelvemonth. + +Soon after we started the fever put the "Pioneer" almost entirely into +the hands of the original Zambesi Expedition, and not long afterwards the +leader had to navigate the ocean as well as the river. The habit of +finding the geographical positions on land renders it an easy task to +steer a steamer with only three or four sails at sea; where, if one does +not run ashore, no one follows to find out an error, and where a current +affords a ready excuse for every blunder. + +Touching at Mohilla, one of the Comoro Islands, on our return, we found a +mixed race of Arabs, Africans, and their conquerors, the natives of +Madagascar. Being Mahometans, they have mosques and schools, in which we +were pleased to see girls as well as boys taught to read the Koran. The +teacher said he was paid by the job, and received ten dollars for +teaching each child to read. The clever ones learn in six months; but +the dull ones take a couple of years. We next went over to Johanna for +our friends; and, after a sojourn of a few days at the beautiful Comoro +Islands, we sailed for the Kongone mouth of the Zambesi with Bishop +Mackenzie and his party. We reached the coast in seven days, and passed +up the Zambesi to the Shire. + +The "Pioneer," constructed under the skilful supervision of Admiral Sir +Baldwin Walker and the late Admiral Washington, warm-hearted and highly +esteemed friends of the Expedition, was a very superior vessel, and well +suited for our work in every respect, except in her draught of water. +Five feet were found to be too much for the navigation of the upper part +of the Shire. Designed to draw three feet only, the weight necessary to +impart extra strength, and fit her for the ocean, brought her down two +feet more, and caused us a great deal of hard and vexatious work, in +laying out anchors, and toiling at the capstan to get her off sandbanks. +We should not have minded this much, but for the heavy loss of time which +might have been more profitably, and infinitely more pleasantly, spent in +intercourse with the people, exploring new regions, and otherwise +carrying out the objects of the Expedition. Once we were a fortnight on +a bank of soft yielding sand, having only two or three inches less water +than the ship drew; this delay was occasioned by the anchors coming home, +and the current swinging the ship broadside on the bank, which, +immediately on our touching, always formed behind us. We did not like to +leave the ship short of Chibisa's, lest the crew should suffer from the +malaria of the lowland around; and it would have been difficult to have +got the Mission goods carried up. We were daily visited by crowds of +natives, who brought us abundance of provisions far beyond our ability to +consume. In hauling the "Pioneer" over the shallow places, the Bishop, +with Horace Waller and Mr. Scudamore, were ever ready and anxious to lend +a hand, and worked as hard as any on board. Had our fine little ship +drawn but three feet, she could have run up and down the river at any +time of the year with the greatest ease, but as it was, having once +passed up over a few shallow banks, it was impossible to take her down +again until the river rose in December. She could go up over a bank, but +not come down over it, as a heap of sand always formed instantly astern, +while the current washed it away from under her bows. + +On at last reaching Chibisa's, we heard that there was war in the +Manganja country, and the slave-trade was going on briskly. A deputation +from a chief near Mount Zomba had just passed on its way to Chibisa, who +was in a distant village, to implore him to come himself, or send +medicine, to drive off the Waiao, Waiau, or Ajawa, whose marauding +parties were desolating the land. A large gang of recently enslaved +Manganja crossed the river, on their way to Tette, a few days before we +got the ship up. Chibisa's deputy was civil, and readily gave us +permission to hire as many men to carry the Bishop's goods up to the +hills as were willing to go. With a sufficient number, therefore, we +started for the highlands on the 15th of July, to show the Bishop the +country, which, from its altitude and coolness, was most suitable for a +station. Our first day's march was a long and fatiguing one. The few +hamlets we passed were poor, and had no food for our men, and we were +obliged to go on till 4 p.m., when we entered the small village of +Chipindu. The inhabitants complained of hunger, and said they had no +food to sell, and no hut for us to sleep in; but, if we would only go on +a little further, we should come to a village where they had plenty to +eat; but we had travelled far enough, and determined to remain where we +were. Before sunset as much food was brought as we cared to purchase, +and, as it threatened to rain, huts were provided for the whole party. + +Next forenoon we halted at the village of our old friend Mbame, to obtain +new carriers, because Chibisa's men, never before having been hired, and +not having yet learned to trust us, did not choose to go further. After +resting a little, Mbame told us that a slave party on its way to Tette +would presently pass through his village. "Shall we interfere?" we +inquired of each other. We remembered that all our valuable private +baggage was in Tette, which, if we freed the slaves, might, together with +some Government property, be destroyed in retaliation; but this system of +slave-hunters dogging us where previously they durst not venture, and, on +pretence of being "our children," setting one tribe against another, to +furnish themselves with slaves, would so inevitably thwart all the +efforts, for which we had the sanction of the Portuguese Government, that +we resolved to run all risks, and put a stop, if possible, to the slave- +trade, which had now followed on the footsteps of our discoveries. A few +minutes after Mbame had spoken to us, the slave party, a long line of +manacled men, women, and children, came wending their way round the hill +and into the valley, on the side of which the village stood. The black +drivers, armed with muskets, and bedecked with various articles of +finery, marched jauntily in the front, middle, and rear of the line; some +of them blowing exultant notes out of long tin horns. They seemed to +feel that they were doing a very noble thing, and might proudly march +with an air of triumph. But the instant the fellows caught a glimpse of +the English, they darted off like mad into the forest; so fast, indeed, +that we caught but a glimpse of their red caps and the soles of their +feet. The chief of the party alone remained; and he, from being in +front, had his hand tightly grasped by a Makololo! He proved to be a +well-known slave of the late Commandant at Tette, and for some time our +own attendant while there. On asking him how he obtained these captives, +he replied he had bought them; but on our inquiring of the people +themselves, all, save four, said they had been captured in war. While +this inquiry was going on, he bolted too. The captives knelt down, and, +in their way of expressing thanks, clapped their hands with great energy. +They were thus left entirely on our hands, and knives were soon busy at +work cutting the women and children loose. It was more difficult to cut +the men adrift, as each had his neck in the fork of a stout stick, six or +seven feet long, and was kept in by an iron rod which was riveted at both +ends across the throat. With a saw, luckily in the Bishop's baggage, one +by one the men were sawn out into freedom. The women, on being told to +take the meal they were carrying and cook breakfast for themselves and +the children, seemed to consider the news too good to be true; but after +a little coaxing went at it with alacrity, and made a capital fire by +which to boil their pots with the slave sticks and bonds, their old +acquaintances through many a sad night and weary day. Many were mere +children about five years of age and under. One little boy, with the +simplicity of childhood, said to our men, "The others tied and starved +us, you cut the ropes and tell us to eat; what sort of people are +you?--Where did you come from?" Two of the women had been shot the day +before for attempting to untie the thongs. This, the rest were told, was +to prevent them from attempting to escape. One woman had her infant's +brains knocked out, because she could not carry her load and it. And a +man was dispatched with an axe, because he had broken down with fatigue. +Self-interest would have set a watch over the whole rather than commit +murder; but in this traffic we invariably find self-interest overcome by +contempt of human life and by bloodthirstiness. + +The Bishop was not present at this scene, having gone to bathe in a +little stream below the village; but on his return he warmly approved of +what had been done; he at first had doubts, but now felt that, had he +been present, he would have joined us in the good work. Logic is out of +place when the question with a true-hearted man is, whether his brother +man is to be saved or not. Eighty-four, chiefly women and children, were +liberated; and on being told that they were now free, and might go where +they pleased, or remain with us, they all chose to stay; and the Bishop +wisely attached them to his Mission, to be educated as members of a +Christian family. In this way a great difficulty in the commencement of +a Mission was overcome. Years are usually required before confidence is +so far instilled into the natives' mind as to induce them, young or old, +to submit to the guidance of strangers professing to be actuated by +motives the reverse of worldly wisdom, and inculcating customs strange +and unknown to them and their fathers. + +We proceeded next morning to Soche's with our liberated party, the men +cheerfully carrying the Bishop's goods. As we had begun, it was of no +use to do things by halves, so eight others were freed in a hamlet on our +path; but a party of traders, with nearly a hundred slaves, fled from +Soche's on hearing of our proceedings. Dr. Kirk and four Makololo +followed them with great energy, but they made clear off to Tette. Six +more captives were liberated at Mongazi's, and two slave-traders detained +for the night, to prevent them from carrying information to a large party +still in front. Of their own accord they volunteered the information +that the Governor's servants had charge of the next party; but we did not +choose to be led by them, though they offered to guide us to his +Excellency's own agents. Two of the Bishop's black men from the Cape, +having once been slaves, were now zealous emancipators, and volunteered +to guard the prisoners during the night. So anxious were our heroes to +keep them safe, that instead of relieving each other, by keeping watch +and watch, both kept watch together, till towards four o'clock in the +morning, when sleep stole gently over them both; and the wakeful +prisoners, seizing the opportunity, escaped: one of the guards, +perceiving the loss, rushed out of the hut, shouting, "They are gone, the +prisoners are off, and they have taken my rifle with them, and the women +too! Fire! everybody fire!" The rifle and the women, however, were all +safe enough, the slave-traders being only too glad to escape alone. Fifty +more slaves were freed next day in another village; and, the whole party +being stark-naked, cloth enough was left to clothe them, better probably +than they had ever been clothed before. The head of this gang, whom we +knew as the agent of one of the principal merchants of Tette, said that +they had the license of the Governor for all they did. This we were +fully aware of without his stating it. It is quite impossible for any +enterprise to be undertaken there without the Governor's knowledge and +connivance. + +The portion of the highlands which the Bishop wished to look at before +deciding on a settlement belonged to Chiwawa, or Chibaba, the most manly +and generous Manganja chief we had met with on our previous journey. On +reaching Nsambo's, near Mount Chiradzuru, we heard that Chibaba was dead, +and that Chigunda was chief instead. Chigunda, apparently of his own +accord, though possibly he may have learnt that the Bishop intended to +settle somewhere in the country, asked him to come and live with him at +Magomero, adding that there was room enough for both. This hearty and +spontaneous invitation had considerable influence on the Bishop's mind, +and seemed to decide the question. A place nearer the Shire would have +been chosen had he expected his supplies to come up that river; but the +Portuguese, claiming the river Shire, though never occupying even its +mouth, had closed it, as well as the Zambesi. + +Our hopes were turned to the Rovuma, as a free highway into Lake Nyassa +and the vast interior. A steamer was already ordered for the Lake, and +the Bishop, seeing the advantageous nature of the highlands which stretch +an immense way to the north, was more anxious to be near the Lake and the +Rovuma, than the Shire. When he decided to settle at Magomero, it was +thought desirable, to prevent the country from being depopulated, to +visit the Ajawa chief, and to try and persuade him to give up his slaving +and kidnapping courses, and turn the energies of his people to peaceful +pursuits. + +On the morning of the 22nd we were informed that the Ajawa were near, and +were burning a village a few miles off. Leaving the rescued slaves, we +moved off to seek an interview with these scourges of the country. On +our way we met crowds of Manganja fleeing from the war in front. These +poor fugitives from the slave hunt had, as usual, to leave all the food +they possessed, except the little they could carry on their heads. We +passed field after field of Indian corn or beans, standing ripe for +harvesting, but the owners were away. The villages were all deserted: +one where we breakfasted two years before, and saw a number of men +peacefully weaving cloth, and, among ourselves, called it the "Paisley of +the hills," was burnt; the stores of corn were poured out in cartloads, +and scattered all over the plain, and all along the paths, neither +conquerors nor conquered having been able to convey it away. About two +o'clock we saw the smoke of burning villages, and heard triumphant +shouts, mingled with the wail of the Manganja women, lamenting over their +slain. The Bishop then engaged us in fervent prayer; and, on rising from +our knees, we saw a long line of Ajawa warriors, with their captives, +coming round the hill-side. The first of the returning conquerors were +entering their own village below, and we heard women welcoming them back +with "lillilooings." The Ajawa headman left the path on seeing us, and +stood on an anthill to obtain a complete view of our party. We called +out that we had come to have an interview with them, but some of the +Manganja who followed us shouted "Our Chibisa is come:" Chibisa being +well known as a great conjurer and general. The Ajawa ran off yelling +and screaming, "Nkondo! Nkondo!" (War! War!) We heard the words of the +Manganja, but they did not strike us at the moment as neutralizing all +our assertions of peace. The captives threw down their loads on the +path, and fled to the hills: and a large body of armed men came running +up from the village, and in a few seconds they were all around us, though +mostly concealed by the projecting rocks and long grass. In vain we +protested that we had not come to fight, but to talk with them. They +would not listen, having, as we remembered afterwards, good reason, in +the cry of "Our Chibisa." Flushed with recent victory over three +villages, and confident of an easy triumph over a mere handful of men, +they began to shoot their poisoned arrows, sending them with great force +upwards of a hundred yards, and wounding one of our followers through the +arm. Our retiring slowly up the ascent from the village only made them +more eager to prevent our escape; and, in the belief that this retreat +was evidence of fear, they closed upon us in bloodthirsty fury. Some +came within fifty yards, dancing hideously; others having quite +surrounded us, and availing themselves of the rocks and long grass hard +by, were intent on cutting us off, while others made off with their women +and a large body of slaves. Four were armed with muskets, and we were +obliged in self-defence to return their fire and drive them off. When +they saw the range of rifles, they very soon desisted, and ran away; but +some shouted to us from the hills the consoling intimation, that they +would follow, and kill us where we slept. Only two of the captives +escaped to us, but probably most of those made prisoners that day fled +elsewhere in the confusion. We returned to the village which we had left +in the morning, after a hungry, fatiguing, and most unpleasant day. + +Though we could not blame ourselves for the course we had followed, we +felt sorry for what had happened. It was the first time we had ever been +attacked by the natives or come into collision with them; though we had +always taken it for granted that we might be called upon to act in self- +defence, we were on this occasion less prepared than usual, no game +having been expected here. The men had only a single round of cartridge +each; their leader had no revolver, and the rifle he usually fired with +was left at the ship to save it from the damp of the season. Had we +known better the effect of slavery and murder on the temper of these +bloodthirsty marauders, we should have tried messages and presents before +going near them. + +The old chief, Chinsunse, came on a visit to us next day, and pressed the +Bishop to come and live with him. "Chigunda," he said, "is but a child, +and the Bishop ought to live with the father rather than with the child." +But the old man's object was so evidently to have the Mission as a shield +against the Ajawa, that his invitation was declined. While begging us to +drive away the marauders, that he might live in peace, he adopted the +stratagem of causing a number of his men to rush into the village, in +breathless haste, with the news that the Ajawa were close upon us. And +having been reminded that we never fought, unless attacked, as we were +the day before, and that we had come among them for the purpose of +promoting peace, and of teaching them to worship the Supreme, to give up +selling His children, and to cultivate other objects for barter than each +other, he replied, in a huff, "Then I am dead already." + +The Bishop, feeling, as most Englishmen would, at the prospect of the +people now in his charge being swept off into slavery by hordes of men- +stealers, proposed to go at once to the rescue of the captive Manganja, +and drive the marauding Ajawa out of the country. All were warmly in +favour of this, save Dr. Livingstone, who opposed it on the ground that +it would be better for the Bishop to wait, and see the effect of the +check the slave-hunters had just experienced. The Ajawa were evidently +goaded on by Portuguese agents from Tette, and there was no bond of union +among the Manganja on which to work. It was possible that the Ajawa +might be persuaded to something better, though, from having long been in +the habit of slaving for the Quillimane market, it was not very probable. +But the Manganja could easily be overcome piecemeal by any enemy; old +feuds made them glad to see calamities befall their next neighbours. We +counselled them to unite against the common enemies of their country, and +added distinctly that we English would on no account enter into their +quarrels. On the Bishop inquiring whether, in the event of the Manganja +again asking aid against the Ajawa, it would be his duty to accede to +their request,--"No," replied Dr. Livingstone, "you will be oppressed by +their importunities, but do not interfere in native quarrels." This +advice the good man honourably mentions in his journal. We have been +rather minute in relating what occurred during the few days of our +connection with the Mission of the English Universities, on the hills, +because, the recorded advice having been discarded, blame was thrown on +Dr. Livingstone's shoulders, as if the missionaries had no individual +responsibility for their subsequent conduct. This, unquestionably, good +Bishop Mackenzie had too much manliness to have allowed. The connection +of the members of the Zambesi Expedition, with the acts of the Bishop's +Mission, now ceased, for we returned to the ship and prepared for our +journey to Lake Nyassa. We cheerfully, if necessary, will bear all +responsibility up to this point; and if the Bishop afterwards made +mistakes in certain collisions with the slavers, he had the votes of all +his party with him, and those who best knew the peculiar circumstances, +and the loving disposition of this good-hearted man, will blame him +least. In this position, and in these circumstances, we left our friends +at the Mission Station. + +As a temporary measure the Bishop decided to place his Mission Station on +a small promontory formed by the windings of the little, clear stream of +Magomero, which was so cold that the limbs were quite benumbed by washing +in it in the July mornings. The site chosen was a pleasant spot to the +eye, and completely surrounded by stately, shady trees. It was expected +to serve for a residence, till the Bishop had acquired an accurate +knowledge of the adjacent country, and of the political relations of the +people, and could select a healthy and commanding situation, as a +permanent centre of Christian civilization. Everything promised fairly. +The weather was delightful, resembling the pleasantest part of an English +summer; provisions poured in very cheap and in great abundance. The +Bishop, with characteristic ardour, commenced learning the language, Mr. +Waller began building, and Mr. Scudamore improvised a sort of infant +school for the children, than which there is no better means for +acquiring an unwritten tongue. + +On the 6th of August, 1861, a few days after returning from Magomero, +Drs. Livingstone and Kirk, and Charles Livingstone started for Nyassa +with a light four-oared gig, a white sailor, and a score of attendants. +We hired people along the path to carry the boat past the forty miles of +the Murchison Cataracts for a cubit of cotton cloth a day. This being +deemed great wages, more than twice the men required eagerly offered +their services. The chief difficulty was in limiting their numbers. +Crowds followed us; and, had we not taken down in the morning the names +of the porters engaged, in the evening claims would have been made by +those who only helped during the last ten minutes of the journey. The +men of one village carried the boat to the next, and all we had to do was +to tell the headman that we wanted fresh men in the morning. He saw us +pay the first party, and had his men ready at the time appointed, so +there was no delay in waiting for carriers. They often make a loud noise +when carrying heavy loads, but talking and bawling does not put them out +of breath. The country was rough and with little soil on it, but covered +with grass and open forest. A few small trees were cut down to clear a +path for our shouting assistants, who were good enough to consider the +boat as a certificate of peaceful intentions at least to them. Several +small streams were passed, the largest of which were the Mukuru-Madse and +Lesungwe. The inhabitants on both banks were now civil and obliging. Our +possession of a boat, and consequent power of crossing independently of +the canoes, helped to develop their good manners, which were not apparent +on our previous visit. + +There is often a surprising contrast between neighbouring villages. One +is well off and thriving, having good huts, plenty of food, and native +cloth; and its people are frank, trusty, generous, and eager to sell +provisions; while in the next the inhabitants may be ill-housed, +disobliging, suspicious, ill-fed, and scantily clad, and with nothing for +sale, though the land around is as fertile as that of their wealthier +neighbours. We followed the river for the most part to avail ourselves +of the still reaches for sailing; but a comparatively smooth country lies +further inland, over which a good road could be made. Some of the five +main cataracts are very grand, the river falling 1200 feet in the 40 +miles. After passing the last of the cataracts, we launched our boat for +good on the broad and deep waters of the Upper Shire, and were virtually +on the lake, for the gentle current shows but little difference of level. +The bed is broad and deep, but the course is rather tortuous at first, +and makes a long bend to the east till it comes within five or six miles +of the base of Mount Zomba. The natives regarded the Upper Shire as a +prolongation of Lake Nyassa; for where what we called the river +approaches Lake Shirwa, a little north of the mountains, they said that +the hippopotami, "which are great night travellers," pass from _one lake +into the other_. There the land is flat, and only a short land journey +would be necessary. Seldom does the current here exceed a knot an hour, +while that of the Lower Shire is from two to two-and-a-half knots. Our +land party of Makololo accompanied us along the right bank, and passed +thousands of Manganja fugitives living in temporary huts on that side, +who had recently been driven from their villages on the opposite hills by +the Ajawa. + +The soil was dry and hard, and covered with mopane-trees; but some of the +Manganja were busy hoeing the ground and planting the little corn they +had brought with them. The effects of hunger were already visible on +those whose food had been seized or burned by the Ajawa and Portuguese +slave-traders. The spokesman or prime minister of one of the chiefs, +named Kalonjere, was a humpbacked dwarf, a fluent speaker, who tried hard +to make us go over and drive off the Ajawa; but he could not deny that by +selling people Kalonjere had invited these slave-hunters to the country. +This is the second humpbacked dwarf we have found occupying the like +important post, the other was the prime minister of a Batonga chief on +the Zambesi. + +As we sailed along, we disturbed many white-breasted cormorants; we had +seen the same species fishing between the cataracts. Here, with many +other wild-fowls, they find subsistence on the smooth water by night, and +sit sleepily on trees and in the reeds by day. Many hippopotami were +seen in the river, and one of them stretched its wide jaws, as if to +swallow the whole stern of the boat, close to Dr. Kirk's back; the animal +was so near that, in opening its mouth, it lashed a quantity of water on +to the stern-sheets, but did no damage. To avoid large marauding parties +of Ajawa, on the left bank of the Shire, we continued on the right, or +western side, with our land party, along the shore of the small lake +Pamalombe. This lakelet is ten or twelve miles in length, and five or +six broad. It is nearly surrounded by a broad belt of papyrus, so dense +that we could scarcely find an opening to the shore. The plants, ten or +twelve feet high, grew so closely together that air was excluded, and so +much sulphuretted hydrogen gas evolved that by one night's exposure the +bottom of the boat was blackened. Myriads of mosquitoes showed, as +probably they always do, the presence of malaria. + +We hastened from this sickly spot, trying to take the attentions of the +mosquitoes as hints to seek more pleasant quarters on the healthy shores +of Lake Nyassa; and when we sailed into it, on the 2nd September, we felt +refreshed by the greater coolness of the air off this large body of +water. The depth was the first point of interest. This is indicated by +the colour of the water, which, on a belt along the shore, varying from a +quarter to half a mile in breadth, is light green, and this is met by the +deep blue or indigo tint of the Indian Ocean, which is the colour of the +great body of Nyassa. We found the Upper Shire from nine to fifteen feet +in depth; but skirting the western side of the lake about a mile from the +shore the water deepened from nine to fifteen fathoms; then, as we +rounded the grand mountainous promontory, which we named Cape Maclear, +after our excellent friend the Astronomer Royal at the Cape of Good Hope, +we could get no bottom with our lead-line of thirty-five fathoms. We +pulled along the western shore, which was a succession of bays, and found +that where the bottom was sandy near the beach, and to a mile out, the +depth varied from six to fourteen fathoms. In a rocky bay about latitude +11 degrees 40 minutes we had soundings at 100 fathoms, though outside the +same bay we found none with a fishing-line of 116 fathoms; but this cast +was unsatisfactory, as the line broke in coming up. According to our +present knowledge, a ship could anchor only near the shore. + +Looking back to the southern end of Lake Nyassa, the arm from which the +Shire flows was found to be about thirty miles long and from ten to +twelve broad. Rounding Cape Maclear, and looking to the south-west, we +have another arm, which stretches some eighteen miles southward, and is +from six to twelve miles in breadth. These arms give the southern end a +forked appearance, and with the help of a little imagination it may be +likened to the "boot-shape" of Italy. The narrowest part is about the +ankle, eighteen or twenty miles. From this it widens to the north, and +in the upper third or fourth it is fifty or sixty miles broad. The +length is over 200 miles. The direction in which it lies is as near as +possible due north and south. Nothing of the great bend to the west, +shown in all the previous maps, could be detected by either compass or +chronometer, and the watch we used was an excellent one. The season of +the year was very unfavourable. The "smokes" filled the air with an +impenetrable haze, and the equinoctial gales made it impossible for us to +cross to the eastern side. When we caught a glimpse of the sun rising +from behind the mountains to the east, we made sketches and bearings of +them at different latitudes, which enabled us to secure approximate +measurements of the width. These agreed with the times taken by the +natives at the different crossing-places--as Tsenga and Molamba. About +the beginning of the upper third the lake is crossed by taking advantage +of the island Chizumara, which name in the native tongue means the +"ending;" further north they go round the end instead, though that takes +several days. + +The lake appeared to be surrounded by mountains, but it was afterwards +found that these beautiful tree-covered heights were, on the west, only +the edges of high table-lands. Like all narrow seas encircled by +highlands, it is visited by sudden and tremendous storms. We were on it +in September and October, perhaps the stormiest season of the year, and +were repeatedly detained by gales. At times, while sailing pleasantly +over the blue water with a gentle breeze, suddenly and without any +warning was heard the sound of a coming storm, roaring on with crowds of +angry waves in its wake. We were caught one morning with the sea +breaking all around us, and, unable either to advance or recede, anchored +a mile from shore, in seven fathoms. The furious surf on the beach would +have shivered our boat to atoms, had we tried to land. The waves most +dreaded came rolling on in threes, with their crests, driven into spray, +streaming behind them. A short lull followed each triple charge. Had +one of these seas struck our boat, nothing could have saved us; for they +came on with resistless force; seaward, in shore, and on either side of +us, they broke in foam, but we escaped. For six weary hours we faced +those terrible trios. A low, dark, detached, oddly shaped cloud came +slowly from the mountains, and hung for hours directly over our heads. A +flock of night-jars (_Cometornis vexillarius_), which on no other +occasion come out by day, soared above us in the gale, like birds of evil +omen. Our black crew became sea-sick and unable to sit up or keep the +boat's head to the sea. The natives and our land party stood on the high +cliffs looking at us and exclaiming, as the waves seemed to swallow up +the boat, "They are lost! they are all dead!" When at last the gale +moderated and we got safely ashore, they saluted us warmly, as after a +long absence. From this time we trusted implicitly to the opinions of +our seaman, John Neil, who, having been a fisherman on the coast of +Ireland, understood boating on a stormy coast, and by his advice we often +sat cowering on the land for days together waiting for the surf to go +down. He had never seen such waves before. We had to beach the boat +every night to save her from being swamped at anchor; and, did we not +believe the gales to be peculiar to one season of the year, would call +Nyassa the "Lake of Storms." + +Distinct white marks on the rocks showed that, for some time during the +rainy season, the water of the lake is three feet above the point to +which it falls towards the close of the dry period of the year. The +rains begin here in November, and the permanent rise of the Shire does +not take place till January. The western side of Lake Nyassa, with the +exception of the great harbour to the west of Cape Maclear, is, as has +been said before, a succession of small bays of nearly similar form, each +having an open sandy beach and pebbly shore, and being separated from its +neighbour by a rocky headland, with detached rocks extending some +distance out to sea. The great south-western bay referred to would form +a magnificent harbour, the only really good one we saw to the west. + +The land immediately adjacent to the lake is low and fertile, though in +some places marshy and tenanted by large flocks of ducks, geese, herons, +crowned cranes, and other birds. In the southern parts we have sometimes +ten or a dozen miles of rich plains, bordered by what seem high ranges of +well-wooded hills, running nearly parallel with the lake. Northwards the +mountains become loftier and present some magnificent views, range +towering beyond range, until the dim, lofty outlines projected against +the sky bound the prospect. Still further north the plain becomes more +narrow, until, near where we turned, it disappears altogether, and the +mountains rise abruptly out of the lake, forming the north-east boundary +of what was described to us as an extensive table-land; well suited for +pasturage and agriculture, and now only partially occupied by a tribe of +Zulus, who came from the south some years ago. These people own large +herds of cattle, and are constantly increasing in numbers by annexing +other tribes. + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +The Lake tribes--The Mazitu--Quantities of elephants--Distressing +journey--Detention on the Shire. + +Never before in Africa have we seen anything like the dense population on +the shores of Lake Nyassa. In the southern part there was an almost +unbroken chain of villages. On the beach of wellnigh of every little +sandy bay, dark crowds were standing, gazing at the novel sight of a boat +under sail; and wherever we landed we were surrounded in a few seconds by +hundreds of men, women, and children, who hastened to have a stare at the +"chirombo" (wild animals). + +During a portion of the year, the northern dwellers on the lake have a +harvest which furnishes a singular sort of food. As we approached our +limit in that direction, clouds, as of smoke rising from miles of burning +grass, were observed bending in a south-easterly direction, and we +thought that the unseen land on the opposite side was closing in, and +that we were near the end of the lake. But next morning we sailed +through one of the clouds on our own side, and discovered that it was +neither smoke nor haze, but countless millions of minute midges called +"kungo" (a cloud or fog). They filled the air to an immense height, and +swarmed upon the water, too light to sink in it. Eyes and mouth had to +be kept closed while passing through this living cloud: they struck upon +the face like fine drifting snow. Thousands lay in the boat when she +emerged from the cloud of midges. The people gather these minute insects +by night, and boil them into thick cakes, to be used as a relish--millions +of midges in a cake. A kungo cake, an inch thick, and as large as the +blue bonnet of a Scotch ploughman, was offered to us; it was very dark in +colour, and tasted not unlike caviare, or salted locusts. + +Abundance of excellent fish is found in the lake, and nearly all were new +to us. The mpasa, or sanjika, found by Dr. Kirk to be a kind of carp, +was running up the rivers to spawn, like our salmon at home: the largest +we saw was over two feet in length; it is a splendid fish, and the best +we have ever eaten in Africa. They were ascending the rivers in August +and September, and furnished active and profitable employment to many +fishermen, who did not mind their being out of season. Weirs were +constructed full of sluices, in each of which was set a large +basket-trap, through whose single tortuous opening the fish once in has +but small chance of escape. A short distance below the weir, nets are +stretched across from bank to bank, so that it seemed a marvel how the +most sagacious sanjika could get up at all without being taken. Possibly +a passage up the river is found at night; but this is not the country of +Sundays or "close times" for either men or fish. The lake fish are +caught chiefly in nets, although men, and even women with babies on their +backs, are occasionally seen fishing from the rocks with hooks. + +A net with small meshes is used for catching the young fry of a silvery +kind like pickerel, when they are about two inches long; thousands are +often taken in a single haul. We had a present of a large bucketful one +day for dinner: they tasted as if they had been cooked with a little +quinine, probably from their gall-bladders being left in. In deep water, +some sorts are taken by lowering fish-baskets attached by a long cord to +a float, around which is often tied a mass of grass or weeds, as an +alluring shade for the deep-sea fish. Fleets of fine canoes are engaged +in the fisheries. The men have long paddles, and stand erect while using +them. They sometimes venture out when a considerable sea is running. Our +Makololo acknowledge that, in handling canoes, the Lake men beat them; +they were unwilling to cross the Zambesi even, when the wind blew fresh. + +Though there are many crocodiles in the lake, and some of an +extraordinary size, the fishermen say that it is a rare thing for any one +to be carried off by these reptiles. When crocodiles can easily obtain +abundance of fish--their natural food--they seldom attack men; but when +unable to see to catch their prey, from the muddiness of the water in +floods, they are very dangerous. + +Many men and boys are employed in gathering the buaze, in preparing the +fibre, and in making it into long nets. The knot of the net is different +from ours, for they invariably use what sailors call the reef knot, but +they net with a needle like that we use. From the amount of native +cotton cloth worn in many of the southern villages, it is evident that a +great number of hands and heads must be employed in the cultivation of +cotton, and in the various slow processes through which it has to pass, +before the web is finished in the native loom. In addition to this +branch of industry, an extensive manufacture of cloth, from the inner +bark of an undescribed tree, of the botanical group, _Caesalpineae_, is +ever going on, from one end of the lake to the other; and both toil and +time are required to procure the bark, and to prepare it by pounding and +steeping it to render it soft and pliable. The prodigious amount of the +bark clothing worn indicates the destruction of an immense number of +trees every year; yet the adjacent heights seem still well covered with +timber. + +The Lake people are by no means handsome: the women are _very_ plain; and +really make themselves hideous by the means they adopt to render +themselves attractive. The _pelele_, or ornament for the upper lip, is +universally worn by the ladies; the most valuable is of pure tin, +hammered into the shape of a small dish; some are made of white quartz, +and give the wearer the appearance of having an inch or more of one of +Price's patent candles thrust through the lip, and projecting beyond the +tip of the nose. + +In character, the Lake tribes are very much like other people; there are +decent men among them, while a good many are no better than they should +be. They are open-handed enough: if one of us, as was often the case, +went to see a net drawn, a fish was always offered. Sailing one day past +a number of men, who had just dragged their nets ashore, at one of the +fine fisheries at Pamalombe, we were hailed and asked to stop, and +received a liberal donation of beautiful fish. Arriving late one +afternoon at a small village on the lake, a number of the inhabitants +manned two canoes, took out their seine, dragged it, and made us a +present of the entire haul. The northern chief, Marenga, a tall handsome +man, with a fine aquiline nose, whom we found living in his stockade in a +forest about twenty miles north of the mountain Kowirwe, behaved like a +gentleman to us. His land extended from Dambo to the north of Makuza +hill. He was specially generous, and gave us bountiful presents of food +and beer. "Do they wear such things in your country?" he asked, pointing +to his iron bracelet, which was studded with copper, and highly prized. +The Doctor said he had never seen such in his country, whereupon Marenga +instantly took it off, and presented it to him, and his wife also did the +same with hers. On our return south from the mountains near the north +end of the lake, we reached Marenga's on the 7th October. When he could +not prevail upon us to forego the advantage of a fair wind for his +invitation to "spend the whole day drinking his beer, which was," he +said, "quite ready," he loaded us with provisions, all of which he sent +for before we gave him any present. In allusion to the boat's sail, his +people said that they had no Bazimo, or none worth having, seeing they +had never invented the like for them. The chief, Mankambira, likewise +treated us with kindness; but wherever the slave-trade is carried on, the +people are dishonest and uncivil; that invariably leaves a blight and a +curse in its path. The first question put to us at the lake crossing- +places, was, "Have you come to buy slaves?" On hearing that we were +English, and never purchased slaves, the questioners put on a +supercilious air, and sometimes refused to sell us food. This want of +respect to us may have been owing to the impressions conveyed to them by +the Arabs, whose dhows have sometimes been taken by English cruisers when +engaged in lawful trade. Much foreign cloth, beads, and brass-wire were +worn by these ferrymen--and some had muskets. + +By Chitanda, near one of the slave crossing-places, we were robbed for +the first time in Africa, and learned by experience that these people, +like more civilized nations, have expert thieves among them. It might be +only a coincidence; but we never suffered from impudence, loss of +property, or were endangered, unless among people familiar with slaving. +We had such a general sense of security, that never, save when we +suspected treachery, did we set a watch at night. Our native companions +had, on this occasion, been carousing on beer, and had removed to a +distance of some thirty yards, that we might not overhear their free and +easy after-dinner remarks, and two of us had a slight touch of fever; +between three and four o'clock in the morning some thieves came, while we +slept ingloriously--rifles and revolvers all ready,--and relieved us of +most of our goods. The boat's sail, under which we slept, was open all +around, so the feat was easy. + +Awaking as honest men do, at the usual hour, the loss of one was +announced by "My bag is gone--with all my clothes; and my boots too!" +"And mine!" responded a second. "And mine also!" chimed in the third, +"with the bag of beads, and the rice!" "Is the cloth taken?" was the +eager inquiry, as that would have been equivalent to all our money. It +had been used for a pillow that night, and thus saved. The rogues left +on the beach, close to our beds, the Aneroid Barometer and a pair of +boots, thinking possibly that they might be of use to us, or, at least, +that they could be of none to them. They shoved back some dried plants +and fishes into one bag, but carried off many other specimens we had +collected; some of our notes also, and nearly all our clothing. + +We could not suspect the people of the village near which we lay. We had +probably been followed for days by the thieves watching for an +opportunity. And our suspicions fell on some persons who had come from +the East Coast; but having no evidence, and expecting to hear if our +goods were exposed for sale in the vicinity, we made no fuss about it, +and began to make new clothing. That our rifles and revolvers were left +untouched was greatly to our advantage: yet we felt it was most +humiliating for armed men to have been so thoroughly fleeced by a few +black rascals. + +Some of the best fisheries appear to be private property. We found +shelter from a storm one morning in a spacious lagoon, which communicated +with the lake by a narrow passage. Across this strait stakes were driven +in, leaving only spaces for the basket fish-traps. A score of men were +busily engaged in taking out the fish. We tried to purchase some, but +they refused to sell. The fish did not belong to them, they would send +for the proprietor of the place. The proprietor arrived in a short time, +and readily sold what we wanted. + +Some of the burying-grounds are very well arranged, and well cared for; +this was noticed at Chitanda, and more particularly at a village on the +southern shore of the fine harbour at Cape Maclear. Wide and neat paths +were made in the burying-ground on its eastern and southern sides. A +grand old fig-tree stood at the north-east corner, and its wide-spreading +branches threw their kindly shade over the last resting-place of the +dead. Several other magnificent trees grew around the hallowed spot. +Mounds were raised as they are at home, but all lay north and south, the +heads apparently north. The graves of the sexes were distinguished by +the various implements which the buried dead had used in their different +employments during life; but they were all broken, as if to be employed +no more. A piece of fishing-net and a broken paddle told where a +fisherman lay. The graves of the women had the wooden mortar, and the +heavy pestle used in pounding the corn, and the basket in which the meal +is sifted, while all had numerous broken calabashes and pots arranged +around them. The idea that the future life is like the present does not +appear to prevail; yet a banana-tree had been carefully planted at the +head of several of the graves; the fruit might be considered an offering +to those who still possess human tastes. The people of the neighbouring +villages were friendly and obliging, and willingly brought us food for +sale. + +Pursuing our exploration, we found that the northern part of the lake was +the abode of lawlessness and bloodshed. The Mazite, or Mazitu, live on +the highlands, and make sudden swoops on the villages of the plains. They +are Zulus who came originally from the south, inland of Sofalla and +Inhambane; and are of the same family as those who levy annual tribute +from the Portuguese on the Zambesi. All the villages north of +Mankambira's (lat. 11 degrees 44 minutes south) had been recently +destroyed by these terrible marauders, but they were foiled in their +attacks upon that chief and Marenga. The thickets and stockades round +their villages enabled the bowmen to pick off the Mazitu in security, +while they were afraid to venture near any place where they could not use +their shields. Beyond Mankambira's we saw burned villages, and the +putrid bodies of many who had fallen by Mazitu spears only a few days +before. Our land party were afraid to go further. This reluctance to +proceed without the presence of a white man was very natural, because +bands of the enemy who had ravaged the country were supposed to be still +roaming about; and if these marauders saw none but men of their own +colour, our party might forthwith be attacked. Compliance with their +request led to an event which might have been attended by very serious +consequences. Dr. Livingstone got separated from the party in the boat +for four days. Having taken the first morning's journey along with them, +and directing the boat to call for him in a bay in sight, both parties +proceeded north. In an hour Dr. Livingstone and his party struck inland, +on approaching the foot of the mountains which rise abruptly from the +lake. Supposing that they had heard of a path behind the high range +which there forms the shore, those in the boat held on their course; but +it soon began to blow so fresh that they had to run ashore for safety. +While delayed a couple of hours, two men were sent up the hills to look +for the land party, but they could see nothing of them, and the boat +party sailed as soon as it was safe to put to sea, with the conviction +that the missing ones would regain the lake in front. + +In a short time a small island or mass of rocks was passed, on which were +a number of armed Mazitu with some young women, apparently their wives. +The headman said that he had been wounded in the foot by Mankambira, and +that they were staying there till he could walk to his chief, who lived +over the hills. They had several large canoes, and it was evident that +this was a nest of lake pirates, who sallied out by night to kill and +plunder. They reported a path behind the hills, and, the crew being +reassured, the boat sailed on. A few miles further, another and still +larger band of pirates were fallen in with, and hundreds of crows and +kites hovered over and round the rocks on which they lived. Dr. Kirk and +Charles Livingstone, though ordered in a voice of authority to come +ashore, kept on their course. A number of canoes then shot out from the +rocks and chased them. One with nine strong paddlers persevered for some +time after all the others gave up the chase. A good breeze, however, +enabled the gig to get away from them with ease. After sailing twelve or +fifteen miles, north of the point where Dr. Livingstone had left them, it +was decided that he must be behind; but no sooner had the boat's head +been turned south, than another gale compelled her to seek shelter in a +bay. Here a number of wretched fugitives from the slave-trade on the +opposite shore of the lake were found; the original inhabitants of the +place had all been swept off the year before by the Mazitu. In the +deserted gardens beautiful cotton was seen growing, much of it had the +staple an inch and a half long, and of very fine quality. Some of the +plants were uncommonly large, deserving to be ranked with trees. + +On their trying to purchase food, the natives had nothing to sell except +a little dried cassava-root, and a few fish: and they demanded two yards +of calico for the head only of a large fish. When the gale admitted of +their return, their former pursuers tried to draw them ashore by +asserting that they had quantities of ivory for sale. Owing to a +succession of gales, it was the fourth day from parting that the boat was +found by Dr. Livingstone, who was coming on in search of it with only two +of his companions. + +After proceeding a short distance up the path in which they had been lost +sight of, they learned that it would take several days to go round the +mountains, and rejoin the lake; and they therefore turned down to the +bay, expecting to find the boat, but only saw it disappearing away to the +north. They pushed on as briskly as possible after it, but the mountain +flank which forms the coast proved excessively tedious and fatiguing; +travelling all day, the distance made, in a straight line, was under five +miles. As soon as day dawned, the march was resumed; and, after hearing +at the first inhabited rock that their companions had passed it the day +before, a goat was slaughtered out of the four which they had with them, +when suddenly, to the evident consternation of the men, seven Mazitu +appeared armed with spears and shields, with their heads dressed +fantastically with feathers. To hold a parley, Dr. Livingstone and +Moloka, a Makololo man who spoke Zulu, went unarmed to meet them. On Dr. +Livingstone approaching them, they ordered him to stop, and sit down in +the sun, while they sat in the shade. "No, no!" was the reply, "if you +sit in the shade, so will we." They then rattled their shields with +their clubs, a proceeding which usually inspires terror; but Moloka +remarked, "It is not the first time we have heard shields rattled." And +all sat down together. They asked for a present, to show their chief +that they had actually met strangers--something as evidence of having +seen men who were not Arabs. And they were requested in turn to take +these strangers to the boat, or to their chief. All the goods were in +the boat, and to show that no present such as they wanted was in his +pockets, Dr. Livingstone emptied them, turning out, among other things, a +note-book: thinking it was a pistol they started up, and said, "Put that +in again." The younger men then became boisterous, and demanded a goat. +That could not be spared, as they were the sole provisions. When they +insisted, they were asked how many of the party they had killed, that +they thus began to divide the spoil; this evidently made them ashamed. +The elders were more reasonable; they dreaded treachery, and were as much +afraid of Dr. Livingstone and his party as his men were of them; for on +leaving they sped away up the hills like frightened deer. One of them, +and probably the leader, was married, as seen by portions of his hair +sewn into a ring; all were observed by their teeth to be people of the +country, who had been incorporated into the Zulu tribe. + +The way still led over a succession of steep ridges with ravines of from +500 to 1000 feet in depth; some of the sides had to be scaled on hands +and knees, and no sooner was the top reached than the descent began +again. Each ravine had a running stream; and the whole country, though +so very rugged, had all been cultivated, and densely peopled. Many +banana-trees, uncared for patches of corn, and Congo-bean bushes attested +former cultivation. The population had all been swept away; ruined +villages, broken utensils, and human skeletons, met with at every turn, +told a sad tale. So numerous were the slain, that it was thought the +inhabitants had been slaughtered in consequence of having made raids on +the Zulus for cattle. + +Continuing the journey that night as long as light served, they slept +unconsciously on the edge of a deep precipice, without fire, lest the +Mazitu should see it. Next morning most of the men were tired out, the +dread of the apparition of the day before tending probably to increase +the lameness of which they complained. When told, however, that all +might return to Mankambira's save two, Moloka and Charlie, they would +not, till assured that the act would not be considered one of cowardice. +Giving them one of the goats as provision, another was slaughtered for +the remainder of the party who, having found on the rocks a canoe which +had belonged to one of the deserted villages, determined to put to sea +again; but the craft was very small, and the remaining goat, spite of +many a threat of having its throat cut, jumped and rolled about so, as +nearly to capsize it; so Dr. Livingstone took to the shore again, and +after another night spent without fire, except just for cooking, was +delighted to see the boat coming back. + +We pulled that day to Mankambira's, a distance that on shore, with the +most heartbreaking toil, had taken three days to travel. This was the +last latitude taken, 11 degrees 44 minutes S. The boat had gone about 24 +minutes further to the north, the land party probably half that distance, +but fever prevented the instruments being used. Dr. Kirk and Charles +Livingstone were therefore furthest up the lake, and they saw about 20 +minutes beyond their turning-point, say into the tenth degree of south +latitude. From the heights of at least a thousand feet, over which the +land party toiled, the dark mountain masses on both sides of the lake +were seen closing in. At this elevation the view extended at least as +far as that from the boats, and it is believed the end of the lake lies +on the southern borders of 10 degrees, or the northern limits of 11 +degrees south latitude. + +Elephants are numerous on the borders of the lake, and surprisingly tame, +being often found close to the villages. Hippopotami swarm very much at +their ease in the creeks and lagoons, and herds are sometimes seen in the +lake itself. Their tameness arises from the fact that poisoned arrows +have no effect on either elephant or hippopotamus. Five of each were +shot for food during our journey. Two of the elephants were females, and +had only a single tusk apiece, and were each killed by the first shot. It +is always a case of famine or satiety when depending on the rifle for +food--a glut of meat or none at all. Most frequently it is scanty fare, +except when game is abundant, as it is far up the Zambesi. We had one +morning two hippopotami and an elephant, perhaps in all some eight tons +of meat, and two days after the last of a few sardines only for dinner. + +One morning when sailing past a pretty thickly-inhabited part, we were +surprised at seeing nine large bull-elephants standing near the beach +quietly flapping their gigantic ears. Glad of an opportunity of getting +some fresh meat, we landed and fired into one. They all retreated into a +marshy piece of ground between two villages. Our men gave chase, and +fired into the herd. Standing on a sand hummock, we could see the +bleeding animals throwing showers of water with their trunks over their +backs. The herd was soon driven back upon us, and a wounded one turned +to bay. Yet neither this one, nor any of the others, ever attempted to +charge. Having broken his legs with a rifle-ball, we fired into him at +forty yards as rapidly as we could load and discharge the rifles. He +simply shook his head at each shot, and received at least sixty Enfield +balls before he fell. Our excellent sailor from the north of Ireland +happened to fire the last, and, as soon as he saw the animal fall, he +turned with an air of triumph to the Doctor and exclaimed, "It was _my_ +shot that done it, sir!" + +In a few minutes upwards of a thousand natives were round the prostrate +king of beasts; and, after our men had taken all they wanted, an +invitation was given to the villagers to take the remainder. They rushed +at it like hungry hyenas, and in an incredibly short time every inch of +it was carried off. It was only by knowing that the meat would all be +used that we felt justified in the slaughter of this noble creature. The +tusks weighed 62 lbs. each. A large amount of ivory might be obtained +from the people of Nyassa, and we were frequently told of their having it +in their huts. + +While detained by a storm on the 17th October at the mouth of the Kaombe, +we were visited by several men belonging to an Arab who had been for +fourteen years in the interior at Katanga's, south of Cazembe's. They +had just brought down ivory, malachite, copper rings, and slaves to +exchange for cloth at the lake. The malachite was said to be dug out of +a large vein on the side of a hill near Katanga's. They knew Lake +Tanganyika well, but had not heard of the Zambesi. They spoke quite +positively, saying that the water of Lake Tanganyika flowed out by the +opposite end to that of Nyassa. As they had seen neither of the +overflows, we took it simply as a piece of Arab geography. We passed +their establishment of long sheds next day, and were satisfied that the +Arabs must be driving a good trade. + +The Lake slave-trade was going on at a terrible rate. Two enterprising +Arabs had built a dhow, and were running her, crowded with slaves, +regularly across the Lake. We were told she sailed the day before we +reached their head-quarters. This establishment is in the latitude of +the Portuguese slave-exporting town of Iboe, and partly supplies that +vile market; but the greater number of the slaves go to Kilwa. We did +not see much evidence of a wish to barter. Some ivory was offered for +sale; but the chief traffic was in human chattels. Would that we could +give a comprehensive account of the horrors of the slave-trade, with an +approximation to the number of lives it yearly destroys! for we feel sure +that were even half the truth told and recognized, the feelings of men +would be so thoroughly roused, that this devilish traffic in human flesh +would be put down at all risks; but neither we, nor any one else, have +the statistics necessary for a work of this kind. Let us state what we +do know of one portion of Africa, and then every reader who believes our +tale can apply the ratio of the known misery to find out the unknown. We +were informed by Colonel Rigby, late H.M. Political Agent, and Consul at +Zanzibar, that 19,000 slaves from this Nyassa country alone pass annually +through the Custom-house of that island. This is exclusive of course of +those sent to Portuguese slave-ports. Let it not be supposed for an +instant that this number, 19,000, represents all the victims. Those +taken out of the country are but a very small section of the sufferers. +We never realized the atrocious nature of the traffic, until we saw it at +the fountain-head. There truly "Satan has his seat." Besides those +actually captured, thousands are killed and die of their wounds and +famine, driven from their villages by the slave raid proper. Thousands +perish in internecine war waged for slaves with their own clansmen and +neighbours, slain by the lust of gain, which is stimulated, be it +remembered always, by the slave purchasers of Cuba and elsewhere. The +many skeletons we have seen, amongst rocks and woods, by the little +pools, and along the paths of the wilderness, attest the awful sacrifice +of human life, which must be attributed, directly or indirectly, to this +trade of hell. We would ask our countrymen to believe us when we say, as +we conscientiously can, that it is our deliberate opinion, from what we +know and have seen, that not one-fifth of the victims of the slave-trade +ever become slaves. Taking the Shire Valley as an average, we should say +not even one-tenth arrive at their destination. As the system, +therefore, involves such an awful waste of human life,--or shall we say +of human labour?--and moreover tends directly to perpetuate the barbarism +of those who remain in the country, the argument for the continuance of +this wasteful course because, forsooth, a fraction of the enslaved may +find good masters, seems of no great value. This reasoning, if not the +result of ignorance, may be of maudlin philanthropy. A small armed +steamer on Lake Nyassa could easily, by exercising a control, and +furnishing goods in exchange for ivory and other products, break the neck +of this infamous traffic in that quarter; for nearly all must cross the +Lake or the Upper Shire. + +Our exploration of the Lake extended from the 2nd September to the 27th +October, 1861; and, having expended or lost most of the goods we had +brought, it was necessary to go back to the ship. When near the southern +end, on our return, we were told that a very large slave-party had just +crossed to the eastern side. We heard the fire of three guns in the +evening, and judged by the report that they must be at least +six-pounders. They were said to belong to an Ajawa chief named Mukata. + +In descending the Shire, we found concealed in the broad belt of papyrus +round the lakelet Pamalombe, into which the river expands, a number of +Manganja families who had been driven from their homes by the Ajawa +raids. So thickly did the papyrus grow, that when beat down it supported +their small temporary huts, though when they walked from one hut to +another, it heaved and bent beneath their feet as thin ice does at home. + +A dense and impenetrable forest of the papyrus was left standing between +them and the land, and no one passing by on the same side would ever have +suspected that human beings lived there. They came to this spot from the +south by means of their canoes, which enabled them to obtain a living +from the fine fish which abound in the lakelet. They had a large +quantity of excellent salt sewed up in bark, some of which we bought, our +own having run out. We anchored for the night off their floating camp, +and were visited by myriads of mosquitoes. Some of the natives show a +love of country quite surprising. We saw fugitives on the mountains, in +the north of the lake, who were persisting in clinging to the haunts of +their boyhood and youth, in spite of starvation and the continual danger +of being put to death by the Mazitu. + +A few miles below the lakelet is the last of the great slave-crossings. +Since the Ajawa invasion the villages on the left bank had been +abandoned, and the people, as we saw in our ascent, were living on the +right or western bank. + +As we were resting for a few minutes opposite the valuable fishery at +Movunguti, a young effeminate-looking man from some sea-coast tribe came +in great state to have a look at us. He walked under a large umbrella, +and was followed by five handsome damsels gaily dressed and adorned with +a view to attract purchasers. One was carrying his pipe for smoking +bang, here called "chamba;" another his bow and arrows; a third his +battle-axe; a fourth one of his robes; while the last was ready to take +his umbrella when he felt tired. This show of his merchandise was to +excite the cupidity of any chief who had ivory, and may be called the +lawful way of carrying on the slave-trade. What proportion it bears to +the other ways in which we have seen this traffic pursued, we never found +means of forming a judgment. He sat and looked at us for a few minutes, +the young ladies kneeling behind him; and having satisfied himself that +we were not likely to be customers, he departed. + +On our first trip we met, at the landing opposite this place, a middle- +aged woman of considerable intelligence, and possessing more knowledge of +the country than any of the men. Our first definite information about +Lake Nyassa was obtained from her. Seeing us taking notes, she remarked +that she had been to the sea, and had there seen white men writing. She +had seen camels also, probably among the Arabs. She was the only +Manganja woman we ever met who was ashamed of wearing the "pelele," or +lip-ring. She retired to her hut, took it out, and kept her hand before +her mouth to hide the hideous hole in the lip while conversing with us. +All the villagers respected her, and even the headmen took a secondary +place in her presence. On inquiring for her now, we found that she was +dead. We never obtained sufficient materials to estimate the relative +mortality of the highlands and lowlands; but, from many very old white- +headed blacks having been seen on the highlands, we think it probable +that even native races are longer lived the higher their dwelling-places +are. + +We landed below at Mikena's and took observations for longitude, to +verify those taken two years before. The village was deserted, Mikena +and his people having fled to the other side of the river. A few had +come across this morning to work in their old gardens. After completing +the observations we had breakfast; and, as the last of the things were +being carried into the boat, a Manganja man came running down to his +canoe, crying out, "The Ajawa have just killed my comrade!" We shoved +off, and in two minutes the advanced guard of a large marauding party +were standing with their muskets on the spot where we had taken +breakfast. They were evidently surprised at seeing us there, and halted; +as did also the main body of perhaps a thousand men. "Kill them," cried +the Manganja; "they are going up to the hills to kill the English," +meaning the missionaries we had left at Magomero. But having no prospect +of friendly communication with them, nor confidence in Manganja's +testimony, we proceeded down the river; leaving the Ajawa sitting under a +large baobab, and the Manganja cursing them most energetically across the +river. + +On our way up, we had seen that the people of Zimika had taken refuge on +a long island in the Shire, where they had placed stores of grain to +prevent it falling into the hands of the Ajawa; supposing afterwards that +the invasion and war were past, they had removed back again to the +mainland on the east, and were living in fancied security. On +approaching the chief's village, which was built in the midst of a +beautiful grove of lofty wild-fig and palm trees, sounds of revelry fell +upon our ears. The people were having a merry time--drumming, dancing, +and drinking beer--while a powerful enemy was close at hand, bringing +death or slavery to every one in the village. One of our men called out +to several who came to the bank to look at us, that the Ajawa were coming +and were even now at Mikena's village; but they were dazed with drinking, +and took no notice of the warning. + +Crowds of carriers offered their services after we left the river. +Several sets of them placed so much confidence in us, as to decline +receiving payment at the end of the first day; they wished to work +another day, and so receive both days' wages in one piece. The young +headman of a new village himself came on with his men. The march was a +pretty long one, and one of the men proposed to lay the burdens down +beside a hut a mile or more from the next village. The headman scolded +the fellow for his meanness in wishing to get rid of our goods where we +could not procure carriers, and made him carry them on. The village, at +the foot of the cataracts, had increased very much in size and wealth +since we passed it on our way up. A number of large new huts had been +built; and the people had a good stock of cloth and beads. We could not +account for this sudden prosperity, until we saw some fine large canoes, +instead of the two old, leaky things which lay there before. This had +become a crossing-place for the slaves that the Portuguese agents were +carrying to Tette, because they were afraid to take them across nearer to +where the ship lay, about seven miles off. Nothing was more +disheartening than this conduct of the Manganja, in profiting by the +entire breaking up of their nation. + +We reached the ship on the 8th of November, 1861, in a very weak +condition, having suffered more from hunger than on any previous trip. +Heavy rains commenced on the 9th, and continued several days; the river +rose rapidly, and became highly discoloured. Bishop Mackenzie came down +to the ship on the 14th, with some of the "Pioneer's" men, who had been +at Magomero for the benefit of their health, and also for the purpose of +assisting the Mission. The Bishop appeared to be in excellent spirits, +and thought that the future promised fair for peace and usefulness. The +Ajawa having been defeated and driven off while we were on the Lake, had +sent word that they desired to live at peace with the English. Many of +the Manganja had settled round Magomero, in order to be under the +protection of the Bishop; and it was hoped that the slave-trade would +soon cease in the highlands, and the people be left in the secure +enjoyment of their industry. The Mission, it was also anticipated, might +soon become, to a considerable degree, self-supporting, and raise certain +kinds of food, like the Portuguese of Senna and Quillimane. Mr. Burrup, +an energetic young man, had arrived at Chibisa's the day before the +Bishop, having come up the Shire in a canoe. A surgeon and a lay brother +followed behind in another canoe. The "Pioneer's" draught being too much +for the upper part of the Shire, it was not deemed advisable to bring her +up, on the next trip, further than the Ruo; the Bishop, therefore, +resolved to explore the country from Magomero to the mouth of that river, +and to meet the ship with his sisters and Mrs. Burrup, in January. This +was arranged before parting, and then the good Bishop and Burrup, whom we +were never to meet again, left us; they gave and received three hearty +English cheers as they went to the shore, and we steamed off. + +The rains ceased on the 14th, and the waters of the Shire fell, even more +rapidly than they had risen. A shoal, twenty miles below Chibisa's, +checked our further progress, and we lay there five weary weeks, till the +permanent rise of the river took place. During this detention, with a +large marsh on each side, the first death occurred in the Expedition +which had now been three-and-a-half years in the country. The +carpenter's mate, a fine healthy young man, was seized with fever. The +usual remedies had no effect; he died suddenly while we were at evening +prayers, and was buried on shore. He came out in the "Pioneer," and, +with the exception of a slight touch of fever at the mouth of the Rovuma, +had enjoyed perfect health all the time he had been with us. The +Portuguese are of opinion that the European who has immunity from this +disease for any length of time after he enters the country is more likely +to be cut off by it when it does come, than the man who has it frequently +at first. + +The rains became pretty general towards the close of December, and the +Shire was in flood in the beginning of January, 1862. At our wooding- +place, a mile above the Ruo, the water was three feet higher than it was +when we were here in June; and on the night of the 6th it rose eighteen +inches more, and swept down an immense amount of brushwood and logs which +swarmed with beetles and the two kinds of shells which are common all +over the African continent. Natives in canoes were busy spearing fish in +the meadows and creeks, and appeared to be taking them in great numbers. +Spur-winged geese, and others of the knob-nosed species, took advantage +of the low gardens being flooded, and came to pilfer the beans. As we +passed the Ruo, on the 7th, and saw nothing of the Bishop, we concluded +that he had heard from his surgeon of our detention, and had deferred his +journey. He arrived there five days after, on the 12th. + +After paying our Senna men, as they wished to go home, we landed them +here. All were keen traders, and had invested largely in native iron- +hoes, axes, and ornaments. Many of the hoes and spears had been taken +from the slaving parties whose captives we liberated; for on these +occasions our Senna friends were always uncommonly zealous and active. +The remainder had been purchased with the old clothes we had given them +and their store of hippopotamus meat: they had no fear of losing them, or +of being punished for aiding us. The system, in which they had been +trained, had eradicated the idea of personal responsibility from their +minds. The Portuguese slaveholders would blame the English alone, they +said; they were our servants at the time. No white man on board could +purchase so cheaply as these men could. Many a time had their eloquence +persuaded a native trader to sell for a bit of dirty worn cloth things +for which he had, but a little before, refused twice the amount of clean +new calico. "Scissors" being troubled with a cough at night, received a +present of a quilted coverlet, which had seen a good deal of service. A +few days afterwards, a good chance of investing in hoes offering itself, +he ripped off both sides, tore them into a dozen pieces, and purchased +about a dozen hoes with them. + +We entered the Zambesi on the 11th of January, and steamed down towards +the coast, taking the side on which we had come up; but the channel had +changed to the other side during the summer, as it sometimes does, and we +soon grounded. A Portuguese gentleman, formerly a lieutenant in the +army, and now living on Sangwisa, one of the islands of the Zambesi, came +over with his slaves, to aid us in getting the ship off. He said +frankly, that his people were all great thieves, and we must be on our +guard not to leave anything about. He next made a short speech to his +men, told them he knew what thieves they were, but implored them not to +steal from us, as we would give them a present of cloth when the work was +done. "The natives of this country," he remarked to us, "think only of +three things, what they shall eat and drink, how many wives they can +have, and what they may steal from their master, if not how they may +murder him." He always slept with a loaded musket by his side. This +opinion may apply to slaves, but decidedly does not in our experience +apply to freemen. We paid his men for helping us, and believe that even +they, being paid, stole nothing from us. Our friend farms pretty +extensively the large island called Sangwisa,--lent him for nothing by +Senhor Ferrao,--and raises large quantities of mapira and beans, and also +beautiful white rice, grown from seed brought a few years ago from South +Carolina. He furnished us with some, which was very acceptable; for +though not in absolute want, we were living on beans, salt pork, and +fowls, all the biscuit and flour on board having been expended. + +We fully expected that the owners of the captives we had liberated would +show their displeasure, at least by their tongues; but they seemed +ashamed; only one ventured a remark, and he, in the course of common +conversation, said, with a smile, "You took the Governor's slaves, didn't +you?" "Yes, we did free several gangs that we met in the Manganja +country." The Portuguese of Tette, from the Governor downwards, were +extensively engaged in slaving. The trade is partly internal and partly +external: they send some of the captives, and those bought, into the +interior, up the Zambesi: some of these we actually met on their way up +the river. The young women were sold there for ivory: an +ordinary-looking one brought two arrobas, sixty-four pounds weight, and +an extra beauty brought twice that amount. The men and boys were kept as +carriers, to take the ivory down from the interior to Tette, or were +retained on farms on the Zambesi, ready for export if a slaver should +call: of this last mode of slaving we were witnesses also. The slaves +were sent down the river chained, and in large canoes. This went on +openly at Tette, and more especially so while the French "Free +Emigration" system was in full operation. This double mode of disposing +of the captives pays better than the single system of sending them down +to the coast for exportation. One merchant at Tette, with whom we were +well acquainted, sent into the interior three hundred Manganja women to +be sold for ivory, and another sent a hundred and fifty. + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +Arrival of H.M.S. "Gorgon"--Dr. Livingstone's new steamer and Mrs. +Livingstone--Death of Mrs. Livingstone--Voyage to Johanna and the +Rovuma--An attack upon the "Pioneer's" boats. + +We anchored on the Great Luabo mouth of the Zambesi, because wood was +much more easily obtained there than at the Kongone. + +On the 30th, H.M.S. "Gorgon" arrived, towing the brig which brought Mrs. +Livingstone, some ladies about to join their relatives in the +Universities' Mission, and the twenty-four sections of a new iron steamer +intended for the navigation of Lake Nyassa. The "Pioneer" steamed out, +and towed the brig into the Kongone harbour. The new steamer was called +the "Lady of the Lake," or the "Lady Nyassa," and as much as could be +carried of her in one trip was placed, by the help of the officers and +men of the "Gorgon," on board the "Pioneer," and the two large paddle-box +boats of H.M.'s ship. We steamed off for Ruo on the 10th of February, +having on board Captain Wilson, with a number of his officers and men to +help us to discharge the cargo. Our progress up was distressingly slow. +The river was in flood, and we had a three-knot current against us in +many places. These delays kept us six months in the delta, instead of, +as we anticipated, only six days; for, finding it impossible to carry the +sections up to the Ruo without great loss of time, it was thought best to +land them at Shupanga, and, putting the hull of the "Lady Nyassa" +together there, to tow her up to the foot of the Murchison Cataracts. + +A few days before the "Pioneer" reached Shupanga, Captain Wilson, seeing +the hopeless state of affairs, generously resolved to hasten with the +Mission ladies up to those who, we thought, were anxiously awaiting their +arrival, and therefore started in his gig for the Ruo, taking Miss +Mackenzie, Mrs. Burrup, and his surgeon, Dr. Ramsay. They were +accompanied by Dr. Kirk and Mr. Sewell, paymaster of the "Gorgon," in the +whale-boat of the "Lady Nyassa." As our slow-paced-launch, "Ma Robert," +had formerly gone up to the foot of the cataracts in nine days' steaming, +it was supposed that the boats might easily reach the expected meeting- +place at the Ruo in a week; but the Shire was now in flood, and in its +most rapid state; and they were longer in getting up about half the +distance, than it was hoped they would be in the whole navigable part of +the river. They could hear nothing of the Bishop from the chief of the +island, Malo, at the mouth of the Ruo. "No white man had ever come to +his village," he said. They proceeded on to Chibisa's, suffering +terribly from mosquitoes at night. Their toil in stemming the rapid +current made them estimate the distance, by the windings, as nearer 300 +than 200 miles. The Makololo who had remained at Chibisa's told them the +sad news of the death of the good Bishop and of Mr. Burrup. Other +information received there awakened fresh anxiety on behalf of the +survivors; so, leaving the ladies with Dr. Ramsay and the Makololo, +Captain Wilson and Dr. Kirk went up the hills, in hopes of being able to +render assistance, and on the way they met some of the Mission party at +Soche's. The excessive fatigue that our friends had undergone in the +voyage up to Chibisa's in no wise deterred them from this further attempt +for the benefit of their countrymen, but the fresh labour, with +diminished rations, was too much for their strength. They were reduced +to a diet of native beans and an occasional fowl. Both became very ill +of fever, Captain Wilson so dangerously that his fellow-sufferer lost all +hopes of his recovery. His strong able-bodied cockswain did good service +in cheerfully carrying his much-loved Commander, and they managed to +return to the boat, and brought the two bereaved and sorrow-stricken +ladies back to the "Pioneer." + +We learnt that the Bishop, wishing to find a shorter route down to the +Shire, had sent two men to explore the country between Magomero and the +junction of the Ruo; and in December Messrs. Proctor and Scudamore, with +a number of Manganja carriers, left Magomero for the same purpose. They +were to go close to Mount Choro, and then skirt the Elephant Marsh, with +Mount Clarendon on their left. Their guides seem to have led them away +to the east, instead of south; to the upper waters of the Ruo in the +Shirwa valley, instead of to its mouth. Entering an Anguru slave-trading +village, they soon began to suspect that the people meant mischief, and +just before sunset a woman told some of their men that if they slept +there they would all be killed. On their preparing to leave, the Anguru +followed them and shot their arrows at the retreating party. Two of the +carriers were captured, and all the goods were taken by these robbers. An +arrow-head struck deep into the stock of Proctor's gun; and the two +missionaries, barely escaping with their lives, swam a deep river at +night, and returned to Magomero famished and exhausted. + +The wives of the captive carriers came to the Bishop day after day +weeping and imploring him to rescue their husbands from slavery. The men +had been caught while in his service, no one else could be entreated; +there was no public law nor any power superior to his own, to which an +appeal could be made; for in him Church and State were, in the +disorganized state of the country, virtually united. It seemed to him to +be clearly his duty to try and rescue these kidnapped members of the +Mission family. He accordingly invited the veteran Makololo to go with +him on this somewhat hazardous errand. Nothing could have been proposed +to them which they would have liked better, and they went with alacrity +to eat the sheep of the Anguru, only regretting that the enemy did not +keep cattle as well. Had the matter been left entirely in their hands, +they would have made a clean sweep of that part of the country; but the +Bishop restrained them, and went in an open manner, thus commending the +measure to all the natives, as one of justice. This deliberation, +however, gave the delinquents a chance of escape. + +The missionaries were successful; the offending village was burned, and a +few sheep and goats were secured which could not be considered other than +a very mild punishment for the offence committed; the headman, +Muana-somba, afraid to retain the prisoners any longer, forthwith +liberated them, and they returned to their homes. This incident took +place at the time we were at the Ruo and during the rains, and proved +very trying to the health of the missionaries; they were frequently +wetted, and had hardly any food but roasted maize. Mr. Scudamore was +never well afterwards. Directly on their return to Magomero, the Bishop +and Mr. Burrup, both suffering from diarrhoea in consequence of wet, +hunger, and exposure, started for Chibisa's to go down to the Ruo by the +Shire. So fully did the Bishop expect a renewal of the soaking wet from +which he had just returned, that on leaving Magomero he walked through +the stream. The rivulets were so swollen that it took five days to do a +journey that would otherwise have occupied only two days and a half. + +None of the Manganja being willing to take them down the river during the +flood, three Makololo canoe-men agreed to go with them. After paddling +till near sunset, they decided to stop and sleep on shore; but the +mosquitoes were so numerous that they insisted on going on again; the +Bishop, being a week behind the time he had engaged to be at the Ruo, +reluctantly consented, and in the darkness the canoe was upset in one of +the strong eddies or whirlpools, which suddenly boil up in flood time +near the outgoing branches of the river; clothing, medicines, tea, +coffee, and sugar were all lost. Wet and weary, and tormented by +mosquitoes, they lay in the canoe till morning dawned, and then proceeded +to Malo, an island at the mouth of the Ruo, where the Bishop was at once +seized with fever. + +Had they been in their usual health, they would doubtless have pushed on +to Shupanga, or to the ship; but fever rapidly prostrates the energies, +and induces a drowsy stupor, from which, if not roused by medicine, the +patient gradually sinks into the sleep of death. Still mindful, however, +of his office, the Bishop consoled himself by thinking that he might gain +the friendship of the chief, which would be of essential service to him +in his future labours. That heartless man, however, probably suspicious +of all foreigners from the knowledge he had acquired of white +slave-traders, wanted to turn the dying Bishop out of the hut, as he +required it for his corn, but yielded to the expostulations of the +Makololo. Day after day for three weeks did these faithful fellows +remain beside his mat on the floor; till, without medicine or even proper +food, he died. They dug his grave on the edge of the deep dark forest +where the natives buried their dead. Mr. Burrup, himself far gone with +dysentery, staggered from the hut, and, as in the dusk of evening they +committed the Bishop's body to the grave, repeated from memory portions +of our beautiful service for the Burial of the Dead--"earth to earth, +ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the +resurrection of the dead through our Lord Jesus Christ." And in this sad +way ended the earthly career of one, of whom it can safely be said that +for unselfish goodness of heart, and earnest devotion to the noble work +he had undertaken, none of the commendations of his friends can exceed +the reality. The grave in which his body rests is about a hundred yards +from the confluence of the Ruo, on the left bank of the Shire, and +opposite the island of Malo. The Makololo then took Mr. Burrup up in the +canoe as far as they could, and, making a litter of branches, carried him +themselves, or got others to carry him, all the way back to his +countrymen at Magomero. They hurried him on lest he should die in their +hands, and blame be attached to them. Soon after his return he expired, +from the disease which was on him when he started to meet his wife. + +Captain Wilson arrived at Shupanga on the 11th of March, having been +three weeks on the Shire. On the 15th the "Pioneer" steamed down to the +Kongone. The "Gorgon" had been driven out to sea in a gale, and had gone +to Johanna for provisions, and it was the 2nd of April before she +returned. It was fortunate for us that she had obtained a supply, as our +provisions were exhausted, and we had to buy some from the master of the +brig. The "Gorgon" left for the Cape on the 4th, taking all, except one, +of the Mission party who had come in January. We take this opportunity +of expressing our heartfelt gratitude to the gallant Captain I. C. Wilson +and his officers for innumerable acts of kindness and hearty +co-operation. Our warmest thanks are also due to Captain R. B. Oldfield +and the other officers from the Admiral downwards, and we beg to assure +them that nothing could be more encouraging to us in our difficulties and +trials, than the knowledge that we possessed their friendship and +sympathy in our labours. + +The Rev. James Stewart, of the Free Church of Scotland, arrived in the +"Gorgon." He had wisely come out to inspect the country, before deciding +on the formation of a Mission in the interior. To this object he devoted +many months of earnest labour. This Mission was intended to embrace both +the industrial and the religious element; and as the route by the Zambesi +and Shire forms the only one at present known, with but a couple of days' +land journey to the highlands, which stretch to an unknown distance into +the continent, and as no jealousy was likely to be excited in the mind of +a man of Bishop Mackenzie's enlarged views--there being moreover room for +hundreds of Missions--we gladly extended the little aid in our power to +an envoy from the energetic body above mentioned, but recommended him to +examine the field with his own eyes. + +During our subsequent detention at Shupanga, he proceeded as far up the +Shire as the Upper Cataracts, and saw the mere remnants of that dense +population, which we at first had found living in peace and plenty, but +which was now scattered and destroyed by famine and slave-hunting. The +land, which both before and after we found so fair and fruitful, was +burned up by a severe drought; in fact, it was at its very worst. With +most praiseworthy energy, and in spite of occasional attacks of fever, he +then ascended the Zambesi as far as Kebrabasa; and, what may be of +interest to some, compared it, in parts, to the Danube. His estimate of +the highlands would naturally be lower than ours. The main drawbacks in +his opinion, however, were the slave-trade, and the power allowed the +effete Portuguese of shutting up the country from all except a few +convicts of their own nation. The time of his coming was inopportune; +the disasters which, from inexperience, had befallen the Mission of the +Universities, had a depressing effect on the minds of many at home, and +rendered a new attempt unadvisable; though, had the Scotch perseverance +and energy been introduced, it is highly probable that they would have +reacted, most beneficially, on the zeal of our English brethren, and +desertion would never have been heard of. After examining the country, +Mr. Stewart descended the Zambesi in the beginning of the following year, +and proceeded homewards with his report, by Mosambique and the Cape. + +On the 7th of April we had only one man fit for duty; all the rest were +down with fever, or with the vile spirit secretly sold to them by the +Portuguese officer of customs, in spite of our earnest request to him to +refrain from the pernicious traffic. + +We started on the 11th for Shupanga with another load of the "Lady +Nyassa." As we steamed up the delta, we observed many of the natives +wearing strips of palm-leaf, the signs of sickness and mourning; for they +too suffer from fever. This is the unhealthy season; the rains are over, +and the hot sun draws up malaria from the decayed vegetation; disease +seemed peculiarly severe this year. On our way up we met Mr. Waller, who +had come from Magomero for provisions; the missionaries were suffering +severely from want of food; the liberated people were starving, and dying +of diarrhoea, and loathsome sores. The Ajawa, stimulated in their slave +raids by supplies of ammunition and cloth from the Portuguese, had +destroyed the large crops of the past year; a drought had followed, and +little or no food could be bought. With his usual energy, Mr. Waller +hired canoes, loaded them with stores, and took them up the long weary +way to Chibisa's. Before he arrived he was informed that the Mission of +the Universities, now deprived of its brave leader, had retired from the +highlands down to the Low Shire Valley. This appeared to us, who knew +the danger of leading a sedentary life, the greatest mistake they could +have made, and was the result of no other counsel or responsibility than +their own. Waller would have reascended at once to the higher altitude, +but various objections stood in the way. The loss of poor Scudamore and +Dickinson, in this low-lying situation, but added to the regret that the +highlands had not received a fair trial. + +When the news of the Bishop's unfortunate collisions with the natives, +and of his untimely end, reached England, much blame was imputed to him. +The policy, which with the formal sanction of all his companions he had +adopted, being directly contrary to the advice which Dr. Livingstone +tendered, and to the assurances of the peaceable nature of the Mission +which the Doctor had given to the natives, a friendly disapproval of a +bishop's engaging in war was ventured on, when we met him at Chibisa's in +November. But when we found his conduct regarded with so much bitterness +in England, whether from a disposition to "stand by the down man," or +from having an intimate knowledge of the peculiar circumstances of the +country in which he was placed, or from the thorough confidence which +intimacy caused us to repose in his genuine piety, and devout service of +God, we came to think much more leniently of his proceedings, than his +assailants did. He never seemed to doubt but that he had done his duty; +and throughout he had always been supported by his associates. + +The question whether a Bishop, in the event of his flock being torn from +his bosom, may make war to rescue them, requires serious consideration. +It seems to narrow itself into whether a Christian man may lawfully use +the civil power or the sword at all in defensive war, as police or +otherwise. We would do almost anything to avoid a collision with +degraded natives; but in case of an invasion--our blood boils at the very +thought of our wives, daughters, or sisters being touched--we, as men +with human feelings, would unhesitatingly fight to the death, with all +the fury in our power. + +The good Bishop was as intensely averse to using arms, before he met the +slave-hunters, as any man in England. In the course he pursued he may +have made a mistake, but it is a mistake which very few Englishmen on +meeting bands of helpless captives, or members of his family in bonds, +would have failed to commit likewise. + +During unhealthy April, the fever was more severe in Shupanga and Mazaro +than usual. We had several cases on board--they were quickly cured, but, +from our being in the delta, as quickly returned. About the middle of +the month Mrs. Livingstone was prostrated by this disease; and it was +accompanied by obstinate vomiting. Nothing is yet known that can allay +this distressing symptom, which of course renders medicine of no avail, +as it is instantly rejected. She received whatever medical aid could be +rendered from Dr. Kirk, but became unconscious, and her eyes were closed +in the sleep of death as the sunset on the evening of the Christian +Sabbath, the 27th April, 1862. A coffin was made during the night, a +grave was dug next day under the branches of the great baobab-tree, and +with sympathizing hearts the little band of his countrymen assisted the +bereaved husband in burying his dead. At his request, the Rev. James +Stewart read the burial-service; and the seamen kindly volunteered to +mount guard for some nights at the spot where her body rests in hope. +Those who are not aware how this brave, good, English wife made a +delightful home at Kolobeng, a thousand miles inland from the Cape, and +as the daughter of Moffat and a Christian lady exercised most beneficial +influence over the rude tribes of the interior, may wonder that she +should have braved the dangers and toils of this down-trodden land. She +knew them all, and, in the disinterested and dutiful attempt to renew her +labours, was called to her rest instead. "_Fiat, Domine, voluntas tua_!" + +On the 5th of May Dr. Kirk and Charles Livingstone started in the boat +for Tette, in order to see the property of the Expedition brought down in +canoes. They took four Mazaro canoe-men to manage the boat, and a white +sailor to cook for them; but, unfortunately, he caught fever the very day +after leaving the ship, and was ill most of the trip; so they had to cook +for themselves, and to take care of him besides. + +We now proceeded with preparations for the launch of the "Lady Nyassa." +Ground was levelled on the bank at Shupanga, for the purpose of arranging +the compartments in order: she was placed on palm-trees which were +brought from a place lower down the river for ways, and the engineer and +his assistants were soon busily engaged; about a fortnight after they +were all brought from Kongone, the sections were screwed together. The +blacks are more addicted to stealing where slavery exists than elsewhere. +We were annoyed by thieves who carried off the iron screw-bolts, but were +gratified to find that strychnine saved us from the man-thief as well as +the hyena-thief. A hyena was killed by it, and after the natives saw the +dead animal and knew how we had destroyed it, they concluded that it was +not safe to steal from men who possessed a medicine so powerful. The +half-caste, who kept Shupanga-house, said he wished to have some to give +to the Zulus, of whom he was mortally afraid, and to whom he had to pay +an unwilling tribute. + +The "Pioneer" made several trips to the Kongone, and returned with the +last load on the 12th of June. On the 23rd the "Lady Nyassa" was safely +launched, the work of putting her together having been interrupted by +fever and dysentery, and many other causes which it would only weary the +reader to narrate in detail. Natives from all parts of the country came +to see the launch, most of them quite certain that, being made of iron, +she must go to the bottom as soon as she entered the water. Earnest +discussions had taken place among them with regard to the propriety of +using iron for ship-building. The majority affirmed that it would never +answer. They said, "If we put a hoe into the water, or the smallest bit +of iron, it sinks immediately. How then can such a mass of iron float? +it must go to the bottom." The minority answered that this might be true +with them, but white men had medicine for everything. "They could even +make a woman, all except the speaking; look at that one on the figure- +head of the vessel." The unbelievers were astonished, and could hardly +believe their eyes, when they saw the ship float lightly and gracefully +on the river, instead of going to the bottom, as they so confidently +predicted. "Truly," they said, "these men have powerful medicine." + +Birds are numerous on the Shupanga estate. Some kinds remain all the +year round, while many others are there only for a few months. Flocks of +green pigeons come in April to feed on the young fruit of the wild fig- +trees, which is also eaten by a large species of bat in the evenings. The +pretty little black weaver, with yellow shoulders, appears to enjoy life +intensely after assuming his wooing dress. A hearty breakfast is eaten +in the mornings and then come the hours for making merry. A select party +of three or four perch on the bushes which skirt a small grassy plain, +and cheer themselves with the music of their own quiet and +self-complacent song. A playful performance on the wind succeeds. +Expanding his soft velvet-like plumage, one glides with quivering pinions +to the centre of the open space, singing as he flies, then turns with a +rapid whirring sound from his wings--somewhat like a child's rattle--and +returns to his place again. One by one the others perform the same feat, +and continue the sport for hours, striving which can produce the loudest +brattle while turning. These games are only played during the season of +courting and of the gay feathers; the merriment seems never to be thought +of while the bird wears his winter suit of sober brown. + +We received two mules from the Cape to aid us in transporting the pieces +of the "Lady Nyassa" past the cataracts and landed them at Shupanga, but +they soon perished. A Portuguese gentleman kindly informed us, _after_ +both the mules were dead, that he knew they would die; for the land there +had been often tried, and nothing would live on it--not even a pig. He +said he had not told us so before, because he did not like to appear +officious! + +By the time everything had been placed on board the "Lady Nyassa," the +waters of the Zambesi and the Shire had fallen so low that it was useless +to attempt taking her up to the cataracts before the rains in December. +Draught oxen and provisions also were required, and could not be obtained +nearer than the Island of Johanna. The Portuguese, without refusing +positively to let trade enter the Zambesi, threw impediments in the way; +they only wanted a small duty! They were about to establish a river +police, and rearrange the Crown lands, which have long since become Zulu +lands; meanwhile they were making the Zambesi, by slaving, of no value to +any one. + +The Rovuma, which was reported to come from Lake Nyassa, being out of +their claims and a free river, we determined to explore it in our boats +immediately on our return from Johanna, for which place, after some delay +at the Kongone, in repairing engines, paddle-wheel, and rudder, we sailed +on the 6th of August. A store of naval provisions had been formed on a +hulk in Pomone Bay of that island for the supply of the cruisers, and was +in charge of Mr. Sunley, the Consul, from whom we always received the +kindest attentions and assistance. He now obliged us by parting with six +oxen, trained for his own use in sugar-making. Though sadly hampered in +his undertaking by being obliged to employ slave labour, he has by +indomitable energy overcome obstacles under which most persons would have +sunk. He has done all that under the circumstances could be done to +infuse a desire for freedom, by paying regular wages; and has established +a large factory, and brought 300 acres of rich soil under cultivation +with sugar-cane. We trust he will realize the fortune which he so well +deserves to earn. Had Mr. Sunley performed the same experiment on the +mainland, where people would have flocked to him for the wages he now +gives, he would certainly have inaugurated a new era on the East Coast of +Africa. On a small island where the slaveholders have complete power +over the slaves, and where there is no free soil such as is everywhere +met with in Africa, the experiment ought not to be repeated. Were Mr. +Sunley commencing again, it should neither be in Zanzibar nor Johanna, +but on African soil, where, if even a slave is ill-treated, he can easily +by flight become free. On an island under native rule a joint +manufacture by Arabs and Englishmen might only mean that the latter were +to escape the odium of flogging the slaves. + +On leaving Johanna and our oxen for a time, H.M.S. "Orestes" towed us +thence to the mouth of the Rovuma at the beginning of September. Captain +Gardner, her commander, and several of his officers, accompanied us up +the river for two days in the gig and cutter. The water was unusually +low, and it was rather dull work for a few hours in the morning; but the +scene became livelier and more animated when the breeze began to blow. +Our four boats they swept on under full sail, the men on the look out in +the gig and cutter calling, "Port, sir!" "Starboard, sir!" "As you go, +sir!" while the black men in the bows of the others shouted the practical +equivalents, "Pagombe! Pagombe!" "Enda quete!" "Berane! Berane!" +Presently the leading-boat touches on a sandbank; down comes the +fluttering sail; the men jump out to shove her off, and the other boats, +shunning the obstruction, shoot on ahead to be brought up each in its +turn by mistaking a sandbank for the channel, which had often but a very +little depth of water. + +A drowsy herd of hippopotami were suddenly startled by a score of rifle- +shots, and stared in amazement at the strange objects which had invaded +their peaceful domains, until a few more bullets compelled them to seek +refuge at the bottom of the deep pool, near which they had been quietly +reposing. On our return, one of the herd retaliated. He followed the +boat, came up under it, and twice tried to tear the bottom out of it; but +fortunately it was too flat for his jaws to get a good grip, so he merely +damaged one of the planks with his tusks, though he lifted the boat right +up, with ten men and a ton of ebony in it. + +We slept, one of the two nights Captain Gardner was with us, opposite the +lakelet Chidia, which is connected with the river in flood time, and is +nearly surrounded by hills some 500 or 600 feet high, dotted over with +trees. A few small groups of huts stood on the hill-sides, with gardens +off which the usual native produce had been reaped. The people did not +seem much alarmed by the presence of the large party which had drawn up +on the sandbanks below their dwellings. There is abundance of large +ebony in the neighbourhood. The pretty little antelope (_Cephalophus +caeruleus_), about the size of a hare, seemed to abound, as many of their +skins were offered for sale. Neat figured date-leaf mats of various +colours are woven here, the different dyes being obtained from the barks +of trees. Cattle could not live on the banks of the Rovuma on account of +the tsetse, which are found from near the mouth, up as far as we could +take the boats. The navigation did not improve as we ascended; snags, +brought down by the floods, were common, and left in the channel on the +sudden subsidence of the water. In many places, where the river divided +into two or three channels, there was not water enough in any of them for +a boat drawing three feet, so we had to drag ours over the shoals; but we +saw the river at its very lowest, and it may be years before it is so +dried up again. + +The valley of the Rovuma, bounded on each side by a range of highlands, +is from two to four miles in width, and comes in a pretty straight course +from the W.S.W.; but the channel of the river is winding, and now at its +lowest zigzagged so perversely, that frequently the boats had to pass +over three miles to make one in a straight line. With a full stream it +must of course be much easier work. Few natives were seen during the +first week. Their villages are concealed in the thick jungle on the hill- +sides, for protection from marauding slave-parties. Not much of interest +was observed on this part of the silent and shallow river. Though +feeling convinced that it was unfit for navigation, except for eight +months of the year, we pushed on, resolved to see if, further inland, the +accounts we had received from different naval officers of its great +capabilities would prove correct; or if, by communication with Lake +Nyassa, even the upper part could be turned to account. Our exploration +showed us that the greatest precaution is required in those who visit new +countries. + +The reports we received from gentlemen, who had entered the river and +were well qualified to judge, were that the Rovuma was infinitely +superior to the Zambesi, in the absence of any bar at its mouth, in its +greater volume of water, and in the beauty of the adjacent lands. We +probably came at a different season from that in which they visited it, +and our account ought to be taken with theirs to arrive at the truth. It +might be available as a highway for commerce during three quarters of +each year; but casual visitors, like ourselves and others, are all ill +able to decide. The absence of animal life was remarkable. Occasionally +we saw pairs of the stately jabirus, or adjutant-looking marabouts, +wading among the shoals, and spur-winged geese, and other water-fowl, but +there was scarcely a crocodile or a hippopotamus to be seen. + +At the end of the first week, an old man called at our camp, and said he +would send a present from his village, which was up among the hills. He +appeared next morning with a number of his people, bringing meal, cassava- +root, and yams. The language differs considerably from that on the +Zambesi, but it is of the same family. The people are Makonde, and are +on friendly terms with the Mabiha, and the Makoa, who live south of the +Rovuma. When taking a walk up the slopes of the north bank, we found a +great variety of trees we had seen nowhere else. Those usually met with +far inland seem here to approach the coast. African ebony, generally +named _mpingu_, is abundant within eight miles of the sea; it attains a +larger size, and has more of the interior black wood than usual. A good +timber tree called _mosoko_ is also found; and we saw half-caste Arabs +near the coast cutting up a large log of it into planks. Before reaching +the top of the rise we were in a forest of bamboos. On the plateau +above, large patches were cleared and cultivated. A man invited us to +take a cup of beer; on our complying with his request, the fear +previously shown by the bystanders vanished. Our Mazaro men could hardly +understand what they said. Some of them waded in the river and caught a +curious fish in holes in the claybank. Its ventral fin is peculiar, +being unusually large, and of a circular shape, like boys' playthings +called "suckers." We were told that this fish is found also in the +Zambesi, and is called Chirire. Though all its fins are large, it is +asserted that it rarely ventures out into the stream, but remains near +its hole, where it is readily caught by the hand. + +The Zambesi men thoroughly understood the characteristic marks of deep or +shallow water, and showed great skill in finding out the proper channel. +The Molimo is the steersman at the helm, the Mokadamo is the head canoe- +man, and he stands erect on the bows with a long pole in his hands, and +directs the steersman where to go, aiding the rudder, if necessary, with +his pole. The others preferred to stand and punt our boat, rather than +row with our long oars, being able to shove her ahead faster than they +could pull her. They are accustomed to short paddles. Our Mokadamo was +affected with moon-blindness, and could not see at all at night. His +comrades then led him about, and handed him his food. They thought that +it was only because his eyes rested all night, that he could see the +channel so well by day. At difficult places the Mokadamo sometimes, +however, made mistakes, and ran us aground; and the others, evidently +imbued with the spirit of resistance to constituted authority, and led by +Joao an aspirant for the office, jeered him for his stupidity. "Was he +asleep? Why did he allow the boat to come there? Could he not see the +channel was somewhere else?" At last the Mokadamo threw down the pole in +disgust, and told Joao he might be a Mokadamo himself. The office was +accepted with alacrity; but in a few minutes he too ran us into a worse +difficulty than his predecessor ever did, and was at once disrated amidst +the derision of his comrades. + +On the 16th September, we arrived at the inhabited island of Kichokomane. +The usual way of approaching an unknown people is to call out in a +cheerful tone "Malonda!" Things for sale, or do you want to sell +anything? If we can obtain a man from the last village, he is employed, +though only useful in explaining to the next that we come in a friendly +way. The people here were shy of us at first, and could not be induced +to sell any food; until a woman, more adventurous than the rest, sold us +a fowl. This opened the market, and crowds came with fowls and meal, far +beyond our wants. The women are as ugly as those on Lake Nyassa, for who +can be handsome wearing the pelele, or upper-lip ring, of large +dimensions? We were once surprised to see young men wearing the pelele, +and were told that in the tribe of the Mabiha, on the south bank, men as +well as women wore them. + +Along the left bank, above Kichokomane, is an exceedingly fertile plain, +nearly two miles broad, and studded with a number of deserted villages. +The inhabitants were living in temporary huts on low naked sandbanks; and +we found this to be the case as far as we went. They leave most of their +property and food behind, because they are not afraid of these being +stolen, but only fear being stolen themselves. The great slave-route +from Nyassa to Kilwa passes to N.E. from S.W., just beyond them; and it +is dangerous to remain in their villages at this time of year, when the +kidnappers are abroad. In one of the temporary villages, we saw, in +passing, two human heads lying on the ground. We slept a couple of miles +above this village. + +Before sunrise next morning, a large party armed with bows and arrows and +muskets came to the camp, two or three of them having a fowl each, which +we refused to purchase, having bought enough the day before. They +followed us all the morning, and after breakfast those on the left bank +swam across and joined the main party on the other side. It was +evidently their intention to attack us at a chosen spot, where we had to +pass close to a high bank, but their plan was frustrated by a stiff +breeze sweeping the boat past, before the majority could get to the +place. They disappeared then, but came out again ahead of us, on a high +wooded bank, walking rapidly to the bend, near which we were obliged to +sail. An arrow was shot at the foremost boat; and seeing the force at +the bend, we pushed out from the side, as far as the shoal water would +permit, and tried to bring them to a parley, by declaring that we had not +come to fight, but to see the river. "Why did you fire a gun, a little +while ago?" they asked. "We shot a large puff-adder, to prevent it from +killing men; you may see it lying dead on the beach." With great +courage, our Mokadamo waded to within thirty yards of the bank, and spoke +with much earnestness, assuring them that we were a peaceable party, and +had not come for war, but to see the river. We were friends, and our +countrymen bought cotton and ivory, and wished to come and trade with +them. All we wanted was to go up quietly to look at the river, and then +return to the sea. While he was talking with those on the shore, the old +rogue, who appeared to be the ringleader, stole up the bank, and with a +dozen others, waded across to the island, near which the boats lay, and +came down behind us. Wild with excitement, they rushed into the water, +and danced in our rear, with drawn bows, taking aim, and making various +savage gesticulations. Their leader urged them to get behind some snags, +and then shoot at us. The party on the bank in front had many +muskets--and those of them, who had bows, held them with arrows ready set +in the bowstrings. They had a mass of thick bush and trees behind them, +into which they could in a moment dart, after discharging their muskets +and arrows, and be completely hidden from our sight; a circumstance that +always gives people who use bows and arrows the greatest confidence. +Notwithstanding these demonstrations, we were exceedingly loath to come +to blows. We spent a full half-hour exposed at any moment to be struck +by a bullet or poisoned arrow. We explained that we were better armed +than they were, and had plenty of ammunition, the suspected want of which +often inspires them with courage, but that we did not wish to shed the +blood of the children of the same Great Father with ourselves; that if we +must fight, the guilt would be all theirs. + +This being a common mode of expostulation among themselves, we so far +succeeded, that with great persuasion the leader and others laid down +their arms, and waded over from the bank to the boats to talk the matter +over. "This was their river; they did not allow white men to use it. We +must pay toll for leave to pass." It was somewhat humiliating to do so, +but it was pay or fight; and, rather than fight, we submitted to the +humiliation of paying for their friendship, and gave them thirty yards of +cloth. They pledged themselves to be our friends ever afterwards, and +said they would have food cooked for us on our return. We then hoisted +sail, and proceeded, glad that the affair had been amicably settled. +Those on shore walked up to the bend above to look at the boat, as we +supposed; but the moment she was abreast of them, they gave us a volley +of musket-balls and poisoned arrows, without a word of warning. +Fortunately we were so near, that all the arrows passed clear over us, +but four musket-balls went through the sail just above our heads. All +our assailants bolted into the bushes and long grass the instant after +firing, save two, one of whom was about to discharge a musket and the +other an arrow, when arrested by the fire of the second boat. Not one of +them showed their faces again, till we were a thousand yards away. A few +shots were then fired over their heads, to give them an idea of the range +of our rifles, and they all fled into the woods. Those on the sandbank +rushed off too, with the utmost speed; but as they had not shot at us, we +did not molest them, and they went off safely with their cloth. They +probably expected to kill one of our number, and in the confusion rob the +boats. It is only where the people are slavers that the natives of this +part of Africa are bloodthirsty. + +These people have a bad name in the country in front, even among their +own tribe. A slave-trading Arab we met above, thinking we were then on +our way down the river, advised us not to land at the villages, but to +stay in the boats, as the inhabitants were treacherous, and attacked at +once, without any warning or provocation. Our experience of their +conduct fully confirmed the truth of what he said. There was no trade on +the river where they lived, but beyond that part there was a brisk canoe- +trade in rice and salt; those further in the interior cultivating rice, +and sending it down the river to be exchanged for salt, which is +extracted from the earth in certain places on the banks. Our assailants +hardly anticipated resistance, and told a neighbouring chief that, if +they had known who we were, they would not have attacked English, who can +"bite hard." They offered no molestations on our way down, though we +were an hour in passing their village. Our canoe-men plucked up courage +on finding that we had come off unhurt. One of them, named Chiku, +acknowledging that he had been terribly frightened, said. "His fear was +not the kind which makes a man jump overboard and run away; but that +which brings the heart up to the mouth, and renders the man powerless, +and no more able to fight than a woman." + +In the country of Chonga Michi, about 80 or 90 miles up the river, we +found decent people, though of the same tribe, who treated strangers with +civility. A body of Makoa had come from their own country in the south, +and settled here. The Makoa are known by a cicatrice in the forehead +shaped like the new moon with the horns turned downwards. The tribe +possesses all the country west of Mosambique; and they will not allow any +of the Portuguese to pass into their country more than two hours' +distance from the fort. A hill some ten or twelve miles distant, called +Pau, has been visited during the present generation only by one +Portuguese and one English officer, and this visit was accomplished only +by the influence of the private friendship of a chief for this Portuguese +gentleman. Our allies have occupied the Fort of Mosambique for three +hundred years, but in this, as in all other cases, have no power further +than they can see from a gun-carriage. + +The Makoa chief, Matingula, was hospitable and communicative, telling us +all he knew of the river and country beyond. He had been once to Iboe +and once at Mosambique with slaves. Our men understood his language +easily. A useless musket he had bought at one of the above places was +offered us for a little cloth. Having received a present of food from +him, a railway rug was handed to him: he looked at it--had never seen +cloth like that before--did not approve of it, and would rather have +cotton cloth. "But this will keep you warm at night."--"Oh, I do not +wish to be kept warm at night."--We gave him a bit of cotton cloth, not +one-third the value of the rug, but it was more highly prized. His +people refused to sell their fowls for our splendid prints and drab +cloths. They had probably been taken in with gaudy-patterned sham prints +before. They preferred a very cheap, plain, blue stuff of which they had +experience. A great quantity of excellent honey is collected all along +the river, by bark hives being placed for the bees on the high trees on +both banks. Large pots of it, very good and clear, were offered in +exchange for a very little cloth. No wax was brought for sale; there +being no market for this commodity, it is probably thrown away as +useless. + +At Michi we lose the tableland which, up to this point, bounds the view +on both sides of the river, as it were, with ranges of flat-topped hills, +600 or 800 feet high; and to this plateau a level fertile plain succeeds, +on which stand detached granite hills. That portion of the tableland on +the right bank seems to bend away to the south, still preserving the +appearance of a hill range. The height opposite extends a few miles +further west, and then branches off in a northerly direction. A few +small pieces of coal were picked up on the sandbanks, showing that this +useful mineral exists on the Rovuma, or on some of its tributaries: the +natives know that it will burn. At the lakelet Chidia, we noticed the +same sandstone rock, with fossil wood on it, which we have on the +Zambesi, and knew to be a sure evidence of coal beneath. We mentioned +this at the time to Captain Gardner, and our finding coal now seemed a +verification of what we then said; the coal-field probably extends from +the Zambesi to the Rovuma, if not beyond it. Some of the rocks lower +down have the permanent water-line three feet above the present height of +the water. + +A few miles west of the Makoa of Matingula, we came again among the +Makonde, but now of good repute. War and slavery have driven them to +seek refuge on the sand-banks. A venerable-looking old man hailed us as +we passed, and asked us if we were going by without speaking. We landed, +and he laid down his gun and came to us; he was accompanied by his +brother, who shook hands with every one in the boat, as he had seen +people do at Kilwa. "Then you have seen white men before?" we said. +"Yes," replied the polite African, "but never people of your quality." +These men were very black, and wore but little clothing. A young woman, +dressed in the highest style of Makonde fashion, punting as dexterously +as a man could, brought a canoe full of girls to see us. She wore an +ornamental head-dress of red beads tied to her hair on one side of her +head, a necklace of fine beads of various colours, two bright figured +brass bracelets on her left arm, and scarcely a farthing's worth of +cloth, though it was at its cheapest. + +As we pushed on westwards, we found that the river makes a little +southing, and some reaches were deeper than any near the sea; but when we +had ascended about 140 miles by the river's course from the sea, soft +tufa rocks began to appear; ten miles beyond, the river became more +narrow and rocky, and when, according to our measurement, we had ascended +156 miles, our further progress was arrested. We were rather less than +two degrees in a straight line from the Coast. The incidents worth +noticing were but few: seven canoes with loads of salt and rice kept +company with us for some days, and the further we went inland, the more +civil the people became. + +When we came to a stand, just below the island of Nyamatolo, Long. 38 +degrees 36 minutes E., and Lat. 11 degrees 53 minutes, the river was +narrow, and full of rocks. Near the island there is a rocky rapid with +narrow passages fit only for native canoes; the fall is small, and the +banks quite low; but these rocks were an effectual barrier to all further +progress in boats. Previous reports represented the navigable part of +this river as extending to the distance of a month's sail from its mouth; +we found that, at the ordinary heights of the water, a boat might reach +the obstructions which seem peculiar to all African rivers in six or +eight days. The Rovuma is remarkable for the high lands that flank it +for some eighty miles from the ocean. The cataracts of other rivers +occur in mountains, those of the Rovuma are found in a level part, with +hills only in the distance. Far away in the west and north we could see +high blue heights, probably of igneous origin from their forms, rising +out of a plain. + +The distance from Ngomano, a spot thirty miles further up, to the Arab +crossing-places of Lake Nyassa Tsenga or Kotakota was said to be twelve +days. The way we had discovered to Lake Nyassa by Murchison's Cataracts +had so much less land carriage, that we considered it best to take our +steamer thither, by the route in which we were well known, instead of +working where we were strangers; and accordingly we made up our minds to +return. + +The natives reported a worse place above our turning-point--the passage +being still narrower than this. An Arab, they said, once built a boat +above the rapids, and sent it down full of slaves; but it was broken to +pieces in these upper narrows. Many still maintained that the Rovuma +came from Nyassa, and that it is very narrow as it issues out of the +lake. One man declared that he had seen it with his own eyes as it left +the lake, and seemed displeased at being cross-questioned, as if we +doubted his veracity. + +More satisfactory information, as it appeared to us, was obtained from +others. Two days, or thirty miles, beyond where we turned back, the +Rovuma is joined by the Liende, which, coming from the south-west, rises +in the mountains on the east side of Nyassa. The great slave route to +Kilwa runs up the banks of this river, which is only ankle-deep at the +dry season of the year. The Rovuma itself comes from the W.N.W., and +after the traveller passes the confluence of the Liende at Ngomano or +"meeting-place," the chief of which part is named Ndonde, he finds the +river narrow, and the people Ajawa. + +Crocodiles in the Rovuma have a sorry time of it. Never before were +reptiles so persecuted and snubbed. They are hunted with spears, and +spring traps are set for them. If one of them enters an inviting pool +after fish, he soon finds a fence thrown round it, and a spring trap set +in the only path out of the enclosure. Their flesh is eaten, and +relished. The banks, on which the female lays her eggs by night, are +carefully searched by day, and all the eggs dug out and devoured. The +fish-hawk makes havoc among the few young ones that escape their other +enemies. Our men were constantly on the look-out for crocodiles' nests. +One was found containing thirty-five newly-laid eggs, and they declared +that the crocodile would lay as many more the second night in another +place. The eggs were a foot deep in the sand on the top of a bank ten +feet high. The animal digs a hole with its foot, covers the eggs, and +leaves them till the river rises over the nest in about three months +afterwards, when she comes back, and assists the young ones out. We once +saw opposite Tette young crocodiles in December, swimming beside an +island in company with an old one. The yolk of the egg is nearly as +white as the real white. In taste they resemble hen's eggs with perhaps +a smack of custard, and would be as highly relished by whites as by +blacks, were it not for their unsavoury origin in men-eaters. + +Hunting the Senze (_Aulacodus Swindernianus_), an animal the size of a +large cat, but in shape more like a pig, was the chief business of men +and boys as we passed the reedy banks and low islands. They set fire to +a mass of reeds, and, armed with sticks, spears, bows and arrows, stand +in groups guarding the outlets through which the seared Senze may run +from the approaching flames. Dark dense volumes of impenetrable smoke +now roll over on the lee side of the islet, and shroud the hunters. At +times vast sheets of lurid flames bursting forth, roaring, crackling and +exploding, leap wildly far above the tall reeds. Out rush the terrified +animals, and amid the smoke are seen the excited hunters dancing about +with frantic gesticulations, and hurling stick, spear, and arrow at their +burned out victims. Kites hover over the smoke, ready to pounce on the +mantis and locusts as they spring from the fire. Small crows and +hundreds of swallows are on eager wing, darting into the smoke and out +again, seizing fugitive flies. Scores of insects, in their haste to +escape from the fire, jump into the river, and the active fish enjoy a +rare feast. + +We returned to the "Pioneer" on the 9th of October, having been away one +month. The ship's company had used distilled water, a condenser having +been sent out from England; and there had not been a single case of +sickness on board since we left, though there were so many cases of fever +the few days she lay in the same spot last year. Our boat party drank +the water of the river, and the three white sailors, who had never been +in an African river before, had some slight attacks of fever. + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +Return to the Zambesi--Bishop Mackenzie's grave--Frightful scenes with +crocodiles--Death of Mr. Thornton--African poisons--Recall of the +Expedition. + +We put to sea on the 18th of October, and, again touching at Johanna, +obtained a crew of Johanna men and some oxen, and sailed for the Zambesi; +but our fuel failing before we reached it, and the wind being contrary, +we ran into Quillimane for wood. + +Quillimane must have been built solely for the sake of carrying on the +slave-trade, for no man in his senses would ever have dreamed of placing +a village on such a low, muddy, fever-haunted, and mosquito-swarming +site, had it not been for the facilities it afforded for slaving. The +bar may at springs and floods be easily crossed by sailing-vessels, but, +being far from the land, it is always dangerous for boats. Slaves, under +the name of "free emigrants," have gone by thousands from Quillimane, +during the last six years, to the ports a little to the south, +particularly to Massangano. Some excellent brick-houses still stand in +the place, and the owners are generous and hospitable: among them our +good friend, Colonel Nunez. His disinterested kindness to us and to all +our countrymen can never be forgotten. He is a noble example of what +energy and uprightness may accomplish even here. He came out as a cabin- +boy, and, without a single friend to help him, he has persevered in an +honourable course until he is the richest man on the East Coast. When +Dr. Livingstone came down the Zambesi in 1856, Colonel Nunez was the +chief of the only four honourable, trustworthy men in the country. But +while he has risen a whole herd has sunk, making loud lamentations, +through puffs of cigar-smoke, over negro laziness; they might add, their +own. + +All agricultural enterprise is virtually discouraged by Quillimane +Government. A man must purchase a permit from the Governor, when he +wishes to visit his country farm; and this tax, in a country where labour +is unpopular, causes the farms to be almost entirely left in the hands of +a head slave, who makes returns to his master as interest or honesty +prompts him. A passport must also be bought whenever a man wishes to go +up the river to Mazaro, Senna, or Tette, or even to reside for a month at +Quillimane. With a soil and a climate well suited for the growth of the +cane, abundance of slave labour, and water communication to any market in +the world, they have never made their own sugar. All they use is +imported from Bombay. "The people of Quillimane have no enterprise," +said a young European Portuguese, "they do nothing, and are always +wasting their time in suffering, or in recovering from fever." + +We entered the Zambesi about the end of November and found it unusually +low, so we did not get up to Shupanga till the 19th of December. The +friends of our Mazaro men, who had now become good sailors and very +attentive servants, turned out and gave them a hearty welcome back from +the perils of the sea: they had begun to fear that they would never +return. We hired them at a sixteen-yard piece of cloth a month--about +ten shillings' worth, the Portuguese market-price of the cloth being then +sevenpence halfpenny a yard,--and paid them five pieces each, for four- +and-a-half months' work. A merchant at the same time paid other Mazaro +men three pieces for seven months, and they were with him in the +interior. If the merchants do not prosper, it is not because labour is +dear, but because it is scarce, and because they are so eager on every +occasion to sell the workmen out of the country. Our men had also +received quantities of good clothes from the sailors of the "Pioneer" and +of the "Orestes," and were now regarded by their neighbours and by +themselves as men of importance. Never before had they possessed so much +wealth: they believed that they might settle in life, being now of +sufficient standing to warrant their entering the married state; and a +wife and a hut were among their first investments. Sixteen yards were +paid to the wife's parents, and a hut cost four yards. We should have +liked to have kept them in the ship, for they were well-behaved and had +learned a great deal of the work required. Though they would not +themselves go again, they engaged others for us; and brought twice as +many as we could take, of their brothers and cousins, who were eager to +join the ship and go with us up the Shire, or anywhere else. They all +agreed to take half-pay until they too had learned to work; and we found +no scarcity of labour, though all that could be exported is now out of +the country. + +There had been a drought of unusual severity during the past season in +the country between Lupata and Kebrabasa, and it had extended north-east +to the Manganja highlands. All the Tette slaves, except a very few +household ones, had been driven away by hunger, and were now far off in +the woods, and wherever wild fruit, or the prospect of obtaining anything +whatever to keep the breath of life in them, was to be found. Their +masters were said never to expect to see them again. There have been two +years of great hunger at Tette since we have been in the country, and a +famine like the present prevailed in 1854, when thousands died of +starvation. If men like the Cape farmers owned this country, their +energy and enterprise would soon render the crops independent of rain. +There being plenty of slope or fall, the land could be easily irrigated +from the Zambesi and its tributary streams. A Portuguese colony can +never prosper: it is used as a penal settlement, and everything must be +done military fashion. "What do I care for this country?" said the most +enterprising of the Tette merchants, "all I want is to make money as soon +possible, and then go to Bombay and enjoy it." All business at Tette was +now suspended. Carriers could not be found to take the goods into the +interior, and the merchants could barely obtain food for their own +families. At Mazaro more rain had fallen, and a tolerable crop followed. +The people of Shupanga were collecting and drying different wild fruits, +nearly all of which are far from palatable to a European taste. The root +of a small creeper called "bise" is dug up and eaten. In appearance it +is not unlike the small white sweet potato, and has a little of the +flavour of our potato. It would be very good, if it were only a little +larger. From another tuber, called "ulanga," very good starch can be +made. A few miles from Shupanga there is an abundance of large game, but +the people here, though fond enough of meat, are not a hunting race, and +seldom kill any. + +The Shire having risen, we steamed off on the 10th of January, 1863, with +the "Lady Nyassa" in tow. It was not long before we came upon the +ravages of the notorious Mariano. The survivors of a small hamlet, at +the foot of Morambala, were in a state of starvation, having lost their +food by one of his marauding parties. The women were in the fields +collecting insects, roots, wild fruits, and whatever could be eaten, in +order to drag on their lives, if possible, till the next crop should be +ripe. Two canoes passed us, that had been robbed by Mariano's band of +everything they had in them; the owners were gathering palm-nuts for +their subsistence. They wore palm-leaf aprons, as the robbers had +stripped them of their clothing and ornaments. Dead bodies floated past +us daily, and in the mornings the paddles had to be cleared of corpses, +caught by the floats during the night. For scores of miles the entire +population of the valley was swept away by this scourge Mariano, who is +again, as he was before, the great Portuguese slave-agent. It made the +heart ache to see the widespread desolation; the river-banks, once so +populous, all silent; the villages burned down, and an oppressive +stillness reigning where formerly crowds of eager sellers appeared with +the various products of their industry. Here and there might be seen on +the bank a small dreary deserted shed, where had sat, day after day, a +starving fisherman, until the rising waters drove the fish from their +wonted haunts, and left him to die. Tingane had been defeated; his +people had been killed, kidnapped, and forced to flee from their +villages. There were a few wretched survivors in a village above the +Ruo; but the majority of the population was dead. The sight and smell of +dead bodies was everywhere. Many skeletons lay beside the path, where in +their weakness they had fallen and expired. Ghastly living forms of boys +and girls, with dull dead eyes, were crouching beside some of the huts. A +few more miserable days of their terrible hunger, and they would be with +the dead. + +Oppressed with the shocking scenes around, we visited the Bishop's grave; +and though it matters little where a good Christian's ashes rest, yet it +was with sadness that we thought over the hopes which had clustered +around him, as he left the classic grounds of Cambridge, all now buried +in this wild place. How it would have torn his kindly heart to witness +the sights we now were forced to see! + +In giving vent to the natural feelings of regret, that a man so eminently +endowed and learned, as was Bishop Mackenzie, should have been so soon +cut off, some have expressed an opinion that it was wrong to use an +instrument so valuable _merely_ to convert the heathen. If the attempt +is to be made at all, it is "penny wise and pound foolish" to employ any +but the very best men, and those who are specially educated for the work. +An ordinary clergyman, however well suited for a parish, will not, +without special training, make a Missionary; and as to their comparative +usefulness, it is like that of the man who builds an hospital, as +compared with that of the surgeon who in after years only administers for +a time the remedies which the founder had provided in perpetuity. Had +the Bishop succeeded in introducing Christianity, his converts might have +been few, but they would have formed a continuous roll for all time to +come. + +The Shire fell two feet, before we reached the shallow crossing where we +had formerly such difficulty, and we had now two ships to take up. A +hippopotamus was shot two miles above a bank on which the ship lay a +fortnight: it floated in three hours. As the boat was towing it down, +the crocodiles were attracted by the dead beast, and several shots had to +be fired to keep them off. The bullet had not entered the brain of the +animal, but driven a splinter of bone into it. A little moisture with +some gas issued from the wound, and this was all that could tell the +crocodiles down the stream of a dead hippopotamus; and yet they came up +from miles below. Their sense of smell must be as acute as their +hearing; both are quite extraordinary. Dozens fed on the meat we left. +Our Krooman, Jumbo, used to assert that the crocodile never eats fresh +meat, but always keeps it till it is high and tender--and the stronger it +smells the better he likes it. There seems to be some truth in this. +They can swallow but small pieces at a time, and find it difficult to +tear fresh meat. In the act of swallowing, which is like that of a dog, +the head is raised out of the water. We tried to catch some, and one was +soon hooked; it required half-a-dozen hands to haul him up the river, and +the shark-hook straightened, and he got away. A large iron hook was next +made, but, as the creatures could not swallow it, their jaws soon pressed +it straight--and our crocodile-fishing was a failure. As one might +expect,--from the power even of a salmon--the tug of a crocodile was +terribly strong. + +The corpse of a boy floated past the ship; a monstrous crocodile rushed +at it with the speed of a greyhound, caught it and shook it, as a terrier +dog does a rat. Others dashed at the prey, each with his powerful tail +causing the water to churn and froth, as he furiously tore off a piece. +In a few seconds it was all gone. The sight was frightful to behold. The +Shire swarmed with crocodiles; we counted sixty-seven of these repulsive +reptiles on a single bank, but they are not as fierce as they are in some +rivers. "Crocodiles," says Captain Tuckey, "are so plentiful in the +Congo, near the rapids, and so frequently carry off the women, who at +daylight go down to the river for water, that, while they are filling +their calabashes, one of the party is usually employed in throwing large +stones into the water outside." Here, either a calabash on a long pole +is used in drawing water, or a fence is planted. The natives eat the +crocodile, but to us the idea of tasting the musky-scented, fishy-looking +flesh carried the idea of cannibalism. Humboldt remarks, that in South +America the alligators of some rivers are more dangerous than in others. +Alligators differ from crocodiles in the fourth or canine tooth going +into a hole or socket in the upper jaw, while in the crocodile it fits +into a notch. The forefoot of the crocodile has five toes not webbed, +the hindfoot has four toes which are webbed; in the alligator the web is +altogether wanting. They are so much alike that they would no doubt +breed together. + +One of the crocodiles which was shot had a piece snapped off the end of +his tail, another had lost a forefoot in fighting; we saw actual leeches +between the teeth, such as are mentioned by Herodotus, but we never +witnessed the plover picking them out. Their greater fierceness in one +part of the country than another is doubtless owing to a scarcity of +fish; in fact, Captain Tuckey says, of that part of the Congo, mentioned +above, "There are no fish here but catfish," and we found that the lake +crocodiles, living in clear water, and with plenty of fish, scarcely ever +attacked man. The Shire teems with fish of many different kinds. The +only time, as already remarked, when its crocodiles are particularly to +be dreaded, is when the river is in flood. Then the fish are driven from +their usual haunts, and no game comes down to the river to drink, water +being abundant in pools inland. Hunger now impels the crocodile to lie +in wait for the women who come to draw water, and on the Zambesi numbers +are carried off every year. The danger is not so great at other seasons; +though it is never safe to bathe, or to stoop to drink, where one cannot +see the bottom, especially in the evening. One of the Makololo ran down +in the dusk of the river; and, as he was busy tossing the water to his +mouth with his hand, in the manner peculiar to the natives, a crocodile +rose suddenly from the bottom, and caught him by the hand. The limb of a +tree was fortunately within reach, and he had presence of mind to lay +hold of it. Both tugged and pulled; the crocodile for his dinner, and +the man for dear life. For a time it appeared doubtful whether a dinner +or a life was to be sacrificed; but the man held on, and the monster let +the hand go, leaving the deep marks of his ugly teeth in it. + +During our detention, in expectation of the permanent rise of the river +in March, Dr. Kirk and Mr. C. Livingstone collected numbers of the wading- +birds of the marshes--and made pleasant additions to our salted +provisions, in geese, ducks, and hippopotamus flesh. One of the comb or +knob-nosed geese, on being strangled in order to have its skin preserved +without injury, continued to breathe audibly by the broken humerus, or +wing-bone, and other means had to be adopted to put it out of pain. This +was as if a man on the gallows were to continue to breathe by a broken +armbone, and afforded us an illustration of the fact, that in birds, the +vital air penetrates every part of the interior of their bodies. The +breath passes through and round about the lungs--bathes the surfaces of +the viscera, and enters the cavities of the bones; it even penetrates +into some spaces between the muscles of the neck--and thus not only is +the most perfect oxygenation of the blood secured, but, the temperature +of the blood being very high, the air in every part is rarefied, and the +great lightness and vigour provided for, that the habits of birds +require. Several birds were found by Dr. Kirk to have marrow in the +tibiae, though these bones are generally described as hollow. + +During the period of our detention on the shallow part of the river in +March, Mr. Thornton came up to us from Shupanga: he had, as before +narrated, left the Expedition in 1859, and joined Baron van der Decken, +in the journey to Kilimanjaro, when, by an ascent of the mountain to the +height of 8000 feet, it was first proved to be covered with perpetual +snow, and the previous information respecting it, given by the Church of +England Missionaries, Krapf and Rebman, confirmed. It is now well known +that the Baron subsequently ascended the Kilimanjaro to 14,000 feet, and +ascertained its highest peak to be at least 20,000 feet above the sea. +Mr. Thornton made the map of the first journey, at Shupanga, from +materials collected when with the Baron; and when that work was +accomplished, followed us. He was then directed to examine geologically +the Cataract district, but not to expose himself to contact with the +Ajawa until the feelings of that tribe should be ascertained. + +The members of Bishop Mackenzie's party, on the loss of their head, fell +back from Magomero on the highlands, to Chibisa's, in the low-lying Shire +Valley; and Thornton, finding them suffering from want of animal food, +kindly volunteered to go across thence to Tette, and bring a supply of +goats and sheep. We were not aware of this step, to which the generosity +of his nature prompted him, till two days after he had started. In +addition to securing supplies for the Universities' Mission, he brought +some for the Expedition, and took bearings, by which he hoped to connect +his former work at Tette with the mountains in the Shire district. The +toil of this journey was too much for his strength, as with the addition +of great scarcity of water, it had been for that of Dr. Kirk and Rae, and +he returned in a sadly haggard and exhausted condition; diarrhoea +supervened, and that ended in dysentery and fever, which terminated +fatally on the 21st of April, 1863. He received the unremitting +attentions of Dr. Kirk, and Dr. Meller, surgeon of the "Pioneer," during +the fortnight of his illness; and as he had suffered very little from +fever, or any other disease, in Africa, we had entertained strong hopes +that his youth and unimpaired constitution would have carried him +through. During the night of the 20th his mind wandered so much, that we +could not ascertain his last wishes; and on the morning of the 21st, to +our great sorrow, he died. He was buried on the 22nd, near a large tree +on the right bank of the Shire, about five hundred yards from the lowest +of the Murchison Cataracts--and close to a rivulet, at which the "Lady +Nyassa" and "Pioneer" lay. + +No words can convey an adequate idea of the scene of widespread +desolation which the once pleasant Shire Valley now presented. Instead +of smiling villages and crowds of people coming with things for sale, +scarcely a soul was to be seen; and, when by chance one lighted on a +native, his frame bore the impress of hunger, and his countenance the +look of a cringing broken-spiritedness. A drought had visited the land +after the slave-hunting panic swept over it. Had it been possible to +conceive the thorough depopulation which had ensued, we should have +avoided coming up the river. Large masses of the people had fled down to +the Shire, only anxious to get the river between them and their enemies. +Most of the food had been left behind; and famine and starvation had cut +off so many, that the remainder were too few to bury the dead. The +corpses we saw floating down the river were only a remnant of those that +had perished, whom their friends, from weakness, could not bury, nor over- +gorged crocodiles devour. It is true that famine caused a great portion +of this waste of human life: but the slave-trade must be deemed the chief +agent in the ruin, because, as we were informed, in former droughts all +the people flocked from the hills down to the marshes, which are capable +of yielding crops of maize in less than three months, at any time of the +year, and now they were afraid to do so. A few, encouraged by the +Mission in the attempt to cultivate, had their little patches robbed as +successive swarms of fugitives came from the hills. Who can blame these +outcasts from house and home for stealing to save their wretched lives, +or wonder that the owners protected the little all, on which their own +lives depended, with club and spear? We were informed by Mr. Waller of +the dreadful blight which had befallen the once smiling Shire Valley. His +words, though strong, failed to impress us with the reality. In fact, +they were received, as some may accept our own, as tinged with +exaggeration; but when our eyes beheld the last mere driblets of this cup +of woe, we for the first time felt that the enormous wrongs inflicted on +our fellow-men by slaving are beyond exaggeration. + +Wherever we took a walk, human skeletons were seen in every direction, +and it was painfully interesting to observe the different postures in +which the poor wretches had breathed their last. A whole heap had been +thrown down a slope behind a village, where the fugitives often crossed +the river from the east; and in one hut of the same village no fewer than +twenty drums had been collected, probably the ferryman's fees. Many had +ended their misery under shady trees--others under projecting crags in +the hills--while others lay in their huts, with closed doors, which when +opened disclosed the mouldering corpse with the poor rags round the +loins--the skull fallen off the pillow--the little skeleton of the child, +that had perished first, rolled up in a mat between two large skeletons. +The sight of this desert, but eighteen months ago a well peopled valley, +now literally strewn with human bones, forced the conviction upon us, +that the destruction of human life in the middle passage, however great, +constitutes but a small portion of the waste, and made us feel that +unless the slave-trade--that monster iniquity, which has so long brooded +over Africa--is put down, lawful commerce cannot be established. + +We believed that, if it were possible to get a steamer upon the Lake, we +could by her means put a check on the slavers from the East Coast; and +aid more effectually still in the suppression of the slave-trade, by +introducing, by way of the Rovuma, a lawful traffic in ivory. We +therefore unscrewed the "Lady Nyassa" at a rivulet about five hundred +yards below the first cataract, and began to make a road over the thirty- +five or forty miles of land portage, by which to carry her up piecemeal. +After mature consideration, we could not imagine a more noble work of +benevolence, than thus to introduce light and liberty into a quarter of +this fair earth, which human lust has converted into the nearest possible +resemblance of what we conceive the infernal regions to be--and we +sacrificed much of our private resources as an offering for the promotion +of so good a cause. + +The chief part of the labour of road-making consisted in cutting down +trees and removing stones. The country being covered with open forest, a +small tree had to be cut about every fifty or sixty yards. The land near +the river was so very much intersected by ravines, that search had to be +made, a mile from its banks, for more level ground. Experienced +Hottentot drivers would have taken Cape wagons without any other trouble +than that of occasionally cutting down a tree. No tsetse infested this +district, and the cattle brought from Johanna flourished on the abundant +pasture. The first half-mile of road led up, by a gradual slope, to an +altitude of two hundred feet above the ship, and a sensible difference of +climate was felt even there. For the remainder of the distance the +height increased,--till, at the uppermost cataract, we were more than +1200 feet above the sea. The country here, having recovered from the +effects of the drought, was bright with young green woodland, and +mountains of the same refreshing hue. But the absence of the crowds, +which had attended us as we carried up the boat, when the women followed +us for miles with fine meal, vegetables, and fat fowls for sale, and the +boys were ever ready for a little job--and the oppressive stillness bore +heavily on our spirits. The Portuguese of Tette had very effectually +removed our labourers. Not an ounce of fresh provisions could be +obtained, except what could be shot, and even the food for our native +crew had to be brought one hundred and fifty miles from the Zambesi. + +The diet of salt provisions and preserved meats without vegetables, with +the depression of spirits caused by seeing how effectually a few wretched +convicts, aided by the connivance of officials, of whom better might have +been hoped, could counteract our best efforts, and turn intended good to +certain evil, brought on attacks of dysentery, which went the round of +the Expedition--and, Dr. Kirk and Charles Livingstone having suffered +most severely, it was deemed advisable that they should go home. This +measure was necessary, though much to the regret of all--for having done +so much, they were naturally anxious to be present, when, by the +establishing ourselves on the Lake, all our efforts should be crowned +with success. After it had been decided that these two officers, and all +the whites who could be spared, should be sent down to the sea for a +passage to England, Dr. Livingstone was seized in May with a severe +attack of dysentery, which continued for a month, and reduced him to a +shadow. Dr. Kirk kindly remained in attendance till the worst was +passed. The parting took place on the 19th of May. + +After a few miles of road were completed, and the oxen broken in, we +resolved to try and render ourselves independent of the south for fresh +provisions, by going in a boat up the Shire, above the Cataracts, to the +tribes at the foot of Lake Nyassa, who were still untouched by the Ajawa +invasion. In furtherance of this plan Dr. Livingstone and Mr. Rae +determined to walk up to examine, and, if need be, mend the boat which +had been left two seasons previously hung up to the limb of a large shady +tree, before attempting to carry another past the Cataracts. The +"Pioneer," which was to be left in charge of our active and most +trustworthy gunner, Mr. Edward D. Young, R.N., was thoroughly roofed over +with euphorbia branches and grass, so as completely to protect her decks +from the sun: she also received daily a due amount of man-of-war +scrubbing and washing; and, besides having everything put in shipshape +fashion, was every evening swung out into the middle of the river, for +the sake of the greater amount of air which circulated there. In +addition to their daily routine work of the ship, the three stokers, one +sailor, and one carpenter--now our complement--were encouraged to hunt +for guinea-fowl, which in June, when the water inland is dried up, come +in large flocks to the river's banks, and roost on the trees at night. +Everything that can be done to keep mind and body employed tends to +prevent fever. + +While we were employed in these operations, some of the poor starved +people about had been in the habit of crossing the river, and reaping the +self-sown mapira, in the old gardens of their countrymen. In the +afternoon of the 9th, a canoe came floating down empty, and shortly after +a woman was seen swimming near the other side, which was about two +hundred yards distant from us. Our native crew manned the boat, and +rescued her; when brought on board, she was found to have an arrow-head, +eight or ten inches long, in her back, below the ribs, and slanting up +through the diaphragm and left lung, towards the heart--she had been shot +from behind when stooping. Air was coming out of the wound, and, there +being but an inch of the barbed arrow-head visible, it was thought better +not to run the risk of her dying under the operation necessary for its +removal; so we carried her up to her own hut. One of her relatives was +less scrupulous, for he cut out the arrow and part of the lung. Mr. +Young sent her occasionally portions of native corn, and strange to say +found that she not only became well, but stout. The constitution of +these people seems to have a wonderful power of self-repair--and it could +be no slight privation which had cut off the many thousands that we saw +dead around us. + +We regretted that, in consequence of Dr. Meller having now sole medical +charge, we could not have his company in our projected trip; but he found +employment in botany and natural history, after the annual sickly season +of March, April, and May was over; and his constant presence was not so +much required at the ship. Later in the year, when he could be well +spared, he went down the river to take up an appointment he had been +offered in Madagascar; but unfortunately was so severely tried by illness +while detained at the coast, that for nearly two years he was not able to +turn his abilities as a naturalist to account by proceeding to that +island. We have no doubt but he will yet distinguish himself in that +untrodden field. + +On the 16th of June we started for the Upper Cataracts, with a mule-cart, +our road lying a distance of a mile west from the river. We saw many of +the deserted dwellings of the people who formerly came to us; and were +very much struck by the extent of land under cultivation, though that, +compared with the whole country, is very small. Large patches of mapira +continued to grow,--as it is said it does from the roots for three years. +The mapira was mixed with tall bushes of the Congo-bean, castor-oil +plants, and cotton. The largest patch of this kind we paced, and found +it to be six hundred and thirty paces on one side--the rest were from one +acre to three, and many not more than one-third of an acre. The +cotton--of very superior quality--was now dropping off the bushes, to be +left to rot--there was no one to gather what would have been of so much +value in Lancashire. The huts, in the different villages we entered, +were standing quite perfect. The mortars for pounding corn--the stones +for grinding it--the water and beer pots--the empty corn-safes and +kitchen utensils, were all untouched; and most of the doors were shut, as +if the starving owners had gone out to wander in search of roots or +fruits in the forest, and had never returned. When opened, several huts +revealed a ghastly sight of human skeletons. Some were seen in such +unnatural positions, as to give the idea that they had expired in a +faint, when trying to reach something to allay the gnawings of hunger. + +We took several of the men as far as the Mukuru-Madse for the sake of the +change of air and for occupation, and also to secure for the ships a +supply of buffalo meat--as those animals were reported to be in abundance +on that stream. But though it was evident from the tracks that the +report was true, it was impossible to get a glimpse of them. The grass +being taller than we were, and pretty thickly planted, they always knew +of our approach before we saw them. And the first intimation we had of +their being near was the sound they made in rushing over the stones, +breaking the branches, and knocking their horns against each other. Once, +when seeking a ford for the cart, at sunrise, we saw a herd slowly +wending up the hill-side from the water. Sending for a rifle, and +stalking with intense eagerness for a fat beefsteak, instead of our usual +fare of salted provisions, we got so near that we could hear the bulls +uttering their hoarse deep low, but could see nothing except the mass of +yellow grass in front; suddenly the buffalo-birds sounded their alarm- +whistle, and away dashed the troop, and we got sight of neither birds nor +beasts. This would be no country for a sportsman except when the grass +is short. The animals are wary, from the dread they have of the poisoned +arrows. Those of the natives who do hunt are deeply imbued with the +hunting spirit, and follow the game with a stealthy perseverance and +cunning, quite extraordinary. The arrow making no noise, the herd is +followed up until the poison takes effect, and the wounded animal falls +out. It is then patiently watched till it drops--a portion of meat round +the wound is cut away, and all the rest eaten. + +Poisoned arrows are made in two pieces. An iron barb is firmly fastened +to one end of a small wand of wood, ten inches or a foot long, the other +end of which, fined down to a long point, is nicely fitted, though not +otherwise secured, in the hollow of the reed, which forms the arrow +shaft. The wood immediately below the iron head is smeared with the +poison. When the arrow is shot into an animal, the reed either falls to +the ground at once, or is very soon brushed off by the bushes; but the +iron barb and poisoned upper part of the wood remain in the wound. If +made in one piece, the arrow would often be torn out, head and all, by +the long shaft catching in the underwood, or striking against trees. The +poison used here, and called _kombi_, is obtained from a species of +_strophanthus_, and is very virulent. Dr. Kirk found by an accidental +experiment on himself that it acts by lowering the pulse. In using his +tooth-brush, which had been in a pocket containing a little of the +poison, he noticed a bitter taste, but attributed it to his having +sometimes used, the handle in taking quinine. Though the quantity was +small, it immediately showed its power by lowering his pulse which at the +time had been raised by a cold, and next day he was perfectly restored. +Not much can be inferred from a single case of this kind, but it is +possible that the kombi may turn out a valuable remedy; and as Professor +Sharpey has conducted a series of experiments with this substance, we +look with interest for the results. An alkaloid has been obtained from +it similar to strychnine. There is no doubt that all kinds of wild +animals die from the effects of poisoned arrows, except the elephant and +hippopotamus. The amount of poison that this little weapon can convey +into their systems being too small to kill those huge beasts, the hunters +resort to the beam trap instead. + +Another kind of poison was met with on Lake Nyassa, which was said to be +used exclusively for killing men. It was put on small wooden +arrow-heads, and carefully protected by a piece of maize-leaf tied round +it. It caused numbness of the tongue when the smallest particle was +tasted. The Bushmen of the northern part of the Kalahari were seen +applying the entrails of a small caterpillar which they termed 'Nga to +their arrows. This venom was declared to be so powerful in producing +delirium, that a man in dying returned in imagination to a state of +infancy, and would call for his mother's breast. Lions when shot with it +are said to perish in agonies. The poisonous ingredient in this case may +be derived from the plant on which the caterpillar feeds. It is +difficult to conceive by what sort of experiments the properties of these +poisons, known for generations, were proved. Probably the animal +instincts, which have become so obtuse by civilization, that children in +England eat the berries of the deadly nightshade (_Atropa belladonna_) +without suspicion, were in the early uncivilized state much more keen. In +some points instinct is still retained among savages. It is related that +in the celebrated voyage of the French navigator, Bougainville, a young +lady, who had assumed the male attire, performed all the hard duties +incident to the calling of a common sailor; and, even as servant to the +geologist, carried a bag of stones and specimens over hills and dales +without a complaint, and without having her sex suspected by her +associates; but on landing among the savages of one of the South Sea +Islands, she was instantly recognized as a female. They began to show +their impressions in a way that compelled her to confess her sex, and +throw herself on the protection of the commander, which of course was +granted. In like manner, the earlier portions of the human family may +have had their instincts as to plants more highly developed than any of +their descendants--if indeed much more knowledge than we usually suppose +be not the effect of direct revelation from above. + +The Mukuru-Madse has a deep rocky bed. The water is generally about four +feet deep, and fifteen or twenty yards broad. Before reaching it, we +passed five or six gullies; but beyond it the country, for two or three +miles from the river, was comparatively smooth. The long grass was +overrunning all the native paths, and one species (_sanu_), which has a +sharp barbed seed a quarter of an inch in length, enters every pore of +woollen clothing and highly irritates the skin. From its hard, sharp +point a series of minute barbs are laid back, and give the seed a hold +wherever it enters: the slightest touch gives it an entering motion, and +the little hooks prevent its working out. These seeds are so abundant in +some spots, that the inside of the stocking becomes worse than the +roughest hair shirt. It is, however, an excellent self-sower, and fine +fodder; it rises to the height of common meadow-grass in England, and +would be a capital plant for spreading over a new country not so +abundantly supplied with grasses as this is. + +We have sometimes noticed two or three leaves together pierced through by +these seeds, and thus made, as it were, into wings to carry them to any +soil suited to their growth. + +We always follow the native paths, though they are generally not more +than fifteen inches broad, and so often have deep little holes in them, +made for the purpose of setting traps for small animals, and are so much +obscured by the long grass, that one has to keep one's eyes on the ground +more than is pleasant. In spite, however, of all drawbacks, it is vastly +more easy to travel on these tracks than to go straight over uncultivated +ground, or virgin forest. A path usually leads to some village, though +sometimes it turns out to be a mere game track leading nowhere. + +In going north, we came into a part called Mpemba where Chibisa was owned +as chief, but the people did not know that he had been assassinated by +the Portuguese Terera. A great deal of grain was lying round the hut, +where we spent the night. Very large numbers of turtledoves feasted +undisturbed on the tall stalked mapira ears, and we easily secured plenty +of fine fat guinea-fowls--now allowed to feed leisurely in the deserted +gardens. The reason assigned for all this listless improvidence was +"There are no women to grind the corn--all are dead." + +The cotton patches in all cases seemed to have been so well cared for, +and kept so free of weeds formerly, that, though now untended, but few +weeds had sprung up; and the bushes were thus preserved in the annual +grass burnings. Many baobab-trees grow in different spots, and the few +people seen were using the white pulp found between the seeds to make a +pleasant subacid drink. + +On passing Malango, near the uppermost cataract, not a soul was to be +seen; but, as we rested opposite a beautiful tree-covered island, the +merry voices of children at play fell on our ears--the parents had fled +thither for protection from the slave-hunting Ajawa, still urged on by +the occasional visits of the Portuguese agents from Tette. The Ajawa, +instead of passing below the Cataracts, now avoided us, and crossed over +to the east side near to the tree on which we had hung the boat. Those +of the Manganja, to whom we could make ourselves known, readily came to +us; but the majority had lost all confidence in themselves, in each +other, and in every one else. The boat had been burned about three +months previously, and the Manganja were very anxious that we should +believe that this had been the act of the Ajawa; but on scanning the spot +we saw that it was more likely to have caught fire in the grass-burning +of the country. Had we intended to be so long in returning to it, we +should have hoisted it bottom upwards; for, as it was, it is probable +that a quantity of dried leaves lay inside, and a spark ignited the +whole. All the trees within fifty yards were scorched and killed, and +the nails, iron, and copper sheathing, all lay undisturbed beneath. Had +the Ajawa done the deed, they would have taken away the copper and iron. + +Our hopes of rendering ourselves independent of the south for provisions, +by means of this boat, being thus disappointed, we turned back with the +intention of carrying another up to the same spot; and, in order to find +level ground for this, we passed across from the Shire at Malango to the +upper part of the stream Lesungwe. A fine, active, intelligent fellow, +called Pekila, guided us, and was remarkable as almost the only one of +the population left with any spirit in him. The depressing effect which +the slave-hunting scourge has upon the native mind, though little to be +wondered at, is sad, very sad to witness. Musical instruments, mats, +pillows, mortars for pounding meal, were lying about unused, and becoming +the prey of the white ants. With all their little comforts destroyed, +the survivors were thrown still further back into barbarism. + +It is of little importance perhaps to any but travellers to notice that +in occupying one night a well-built hut, which had been shut up for some +time, the air inside at once gave us a chill, and an attack of fever; +both of which vanished when the place was well-ventilated by means of a +fire. We have frequently observed that lighting a fire early in the +mornings, even in the hottest time of the year, gives freshness to the +whole house, and removes that feeling of closeness and langour, which a +hot climate induces. + +On the night of the 1st July, 1863, several loud peals of thunder awoke +us; the moon was shining brightly, and not a cloud to be seen. All the +natives remarked on the clearness of the sky at the time, and next +morning said, "We thought it was God" (Morungo). + +On arriving at the ship on the 2nd July, we found a despatch from Earl +Russell, containing instructions for the withdrawal of the Expedition. +The devastation caused by slave-hunting and famine lay all around. The +labour had been as completely swept away from the Great Shire Valley, as +it had been from the Zambesi, wherever Portuguese intrigue or power +extended. The continual forays of Mariano had spread ruin and desolation +on our south-east as far as Mount Clarendon. + +While this was going on in our rear, the Tette slave-hunters from the +West had stimulated the Ajawa to sweep all the Manganja off the hills on +our East; and slaving parties for this purpose were still passing the +Shire above the Cataracts. In addition to the confession of the Governor +of Tette, of an intention to go on with this slaving in accordance with +the counsel of his elder brother at Mosambique, we had reason to believe +that slavery went on under the eye of his Excellency, the +Governor-General himself; and this was subsequently corroborated by our +recognizing two women at Mosambique who had lived within a hundred yards +of the Mission-station at Magomero. They were well known to our +attendants, and had formed a part of a gang of several hundreds taken to +Mosambique by the Ajawa at the very time when his Excellency was +entertaining English officers with anti-slavery palavers. To any one who +understands how minute the information is, which Portuguese governors +possess by means of their own slaves, and through gossiping traders who +seek to curry their favour, it is idle to assert that all this slaving +goes on without their approval and connivance. + +If more had been wanted to prove the hopelessness of producing any change +in the system which has prevailed ever since our allies, the Portuguese, +entered the country, we had it in the impunity with which the freebooter, +Terera, who had murdered Chibisa, was allowed to carry on his forays. +Belchoir, another marauder, had been checked, but was still allowed to +make war, as they term slave-hunting. + +Mr. Horace Waller was living for some five months on Mount Morambala, a +position from which the whole process of the slave-trade, and +depopulation of the country around could be well noted. The mountain +overlooks the Shire, the beautiful meanderings of which are distinctly +seen, on clear days, for thirty miles. This river was for some time +supposed to be closed against Mariano, who, as a mere matter of form, was +declared a rebel against the Portuguese flag. When, however, it became +no longer possible to keep up the sham, the river was thrown open to him; +and Mr. Waller has seen in a single day from fifteen to twenty canoes of +different sizes going down, laden with slaves, to the Portuguese +settlements from the so-called rebel camp. These cargoes were composed +entirely of women and children. For three months this traffic was +incessant, and at last, so completely was the mask thrown off, that one +of the officials came to pay a visit to Bishop Tozer on another part of +the same mountain, and, combining business with pleasure, collected +payment for some canoe work done for the Missionary party, and with this +purchased slaves from the rebels, who had only to be hailed from the bank +of the river. When he had concluded the bargain he trotted the slaves +out for inspection in Mr. Waller's presence. This official, Senhor +Mesquita, was the only officer who could be forced to live at the +Kongone. From certain circumstances in his life, he had fallen under the +power of the local Government; all the other Custom-house officers +refused to go to Kongone, so here poor Mesquita must live on a miserable +pittance--must live, and perhaps slave, sorely against his will. His +name is not brought forward with a view of throwing any odium on his +character. The disinterested kindness which he showed to Dr. Meller, and +others, forbids that he should be mentioned by us with anything like +unkindness. + +Under all these considerations, with the fact that we had not found the +Rovuma so favourable for navigation at the time of our visit as we +expected, it was impossible not to coincide in the wisdom of our +withdrawal; but we deeply regretted that we had ever given credit to the +Portuguese Government for any desire to ameliorate the condition of the +African race; for, with half the labour and expense anywhere else, we +should have made an indelible mark of improvement on a section of the +Continent. Viewing Portuguese statesmen in the light of the laws they +have passed for the suppression of slavery and the slave-trade, and by +the standard of the high character of our own public men, it cannot be +considered weakness to have believed in the sincerity of the anxiety to +aid our enterprise, professed by the Lisbon Ministry. We hoped to +benefit both Portuguese and Africans by introducing free-trade and +Christianity. Our allies, unfortunately, cannot see the slightest +benefit in any measure that does not imply raising themselves up by +thrusting others down. The official paper of the Lisbon Government has +since let us know "that their policy was directed to frustrating the +grasping designs of the British Government to the dominion of Eastern +Africa." We, who were on the spot, and behind the scenes, knew that +feelings of private benevolence had the chief share in the operations +undertaken for introducing the reign of peace and good will on the Lakes +and central regions, which for ages have been the abodes of violence and +bloodshed. But that great change was not to be accomplished. The narrow- +minded would ascribe all that was attempted to the grasping propensity of +the English. But the motives that actuate many in England, both in +public and private life, are much more noble than the world gives them +credit for. + +Seeing, then, that we were not yet arrived at "the good time coming," and +that it was quite impossible to take the "Pioneer" down to the sea till +the floods of December, we made arrangements to screw the "Lady Nyassa" +together; and, in order to improve the time intervening, we resolved to +carry a boat past the Cataracts a second time, sail along the eastern +shore of the Lake, and round the northern end, and also collect data by +which to verify the information collected by Colonel Rigby, that the +19,000 slaves, who go through the Custom-house of Zanzibar annually, are +chiefly drawn from Lake Nyassa and the Valley of the Shire. + +Our party consisted of twenty natives, some of whom were Johanna men, and +were supposed to be capable of managing the six oxen which drew the small +wagon with a boat on it. A team of twelve Cape oxen, with a Hottentot +driver and leader, would have taken the wagon over the country we had to +pass through with the greatest ease; but no sooner did we get beyond the +part of the road already made, than our drivers encountered obstructions +in the way of trees and gullies, which it would have been a waste of time +to have overcome by felling timber and hauling out the wagon by block and +tackle purchases. The Ajawa and Manganja settled at Chibisa's were +therefore sent for, and they took the boat on their shoulders and carried +it briskly, in a few days, past all the Cataracts except one; then coming +to a comparatively still reach of the river, they took advantage of it to +haul her up a couple of miles. The Makololo had her then entirely in +charge; for, being accustomed to rapids in their own country, no better +boatmen could be desired. The river here is very narrow, and even in +what are called still places, the current is very strong, and often +obliged them to haul the boat along by the reeds on the banks, or to hand +a tow-rope ashore. The reeds are full of cowitch (_Dolichos pruriens_), +the pods of which are covered with what looks a fine velvety down, but is +in reality a multitude of fine prickles, which go in by the million, and +caused an itching and stinging in the naked bodies of those who were +pulling the tow-rope, that made them wriggle as if stung by a whole bed +of nettles. Those on board required to be men of ready resource with +oars and punting-poles, and such they were. But, nevertheless, they +found, after attempting to pass by a rock, round which the water rushed +in whirls, that the wiser plan would be to take the boat ashore, and +carry her past the last Cataract. When this was reported, the carriers +were called from the various shady trees under which they had taken +refuge from the sun. This was midwinter, but the sun is always hot by +day here, though the nights are cold. Five Zambesi men, who had been all +their lives accustomed to great heavy canoes,--the chief recommendation +of which is said to be, that they can be run against a rock with the full +force of the current without injury--were very desirous to show how much +better they could manage our boat than the Makololo; three jumped into +her when our backs were turned, and two hauled her up a little way; the +tide caught her bow, we heard a shout of distress, the rope was out of +their hands in a moment, and there she was, bottom upwards; a turn or two +in an eddy, and away she went, like an arrow, down the Cataracts. One of +the men in swimming ashore saved a rifle. The whole party ran with all +their might along the bank, but never more did we see our boat. + +The five performers in this catastrophe approached with penitential +looks. They had nothing to say, nor had we. They bent down slowly, and +touched our feet with both hands. "Ku kuata moendo"--"to catch the +foot"--is their way of asking forgiveness. It was so like what we have +seen a little child do--try to bring a dish unbidden to its papa, and +letting it fall, burst into a cry of distress--that they were only +sentenced to go back to the ship, get provisions, and, in the ensuing +journey on foot, carry as much as they could, and thus make up for the +loss of the boat. + +It was excessively annoying to lose all this property, and be deprived of +the means of doing the work proposed, on the east and north of the Lake; +but it would have been like crying over spilt milk to do otherwise now +than make the best use we could of our legs. The men were sent back to +the ship for provisions, cloth, and beads; and while they are gone, we +may say a little of the Cataracts which proved so fatal to our boating +plan. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +Dr. Livingstone's further explorations--Effects of slave-trade--Kirk's +range--Ajawa migration--Native fishermen--Arab slave-crossing--Splendid +highlands. + +The Murchison Cataracts of the Shire river begin in 15 degrees 20 minutes +S., and end in lat. 15 degrees 55 minutes S., the difference of latitude +is therefore 35 minutes. The river runs in this space nearly north and +south, till we pass Malango; so the entire distance is under 40 miles. +The principal Cataracts are five in number, and are called Pamofunda or +Pamozima, Morewa, Panoreba or Tedzane, Pampatamanga, and Papekira. +Besides these, three or four smaller ones might be mentioned; as, for +instance, Mamvira, where in our ascent we first met the broken water, and +heard that gushing sound which, from the interminable windings of some +200 miles of river below, we had come to believe the tranquil Shire could +never make. While these lesser cataracts descend at an angle of scarcely +20 degrees, the greater fall 100 feet in 100 yards, at an angle of about +45 degrees, and one at an angle of 70 degrees. One part of Pamozima is +perpendicular, and, when the river is in flood, causes a cloud of vapour +to ascend, which, in our journey to Lake Shirwa, we saw at a distance of +at least eight miles. The entire descent from the Upper to the Lower +Shire is 1200 feet. Only on one spot in all that distance is the current +moderate--namely, above Tedzane. The rest is all rapid, and much of it +being only fifty or eighty yards wide, and rushing like a mill-race, it +gives the impression of water-power, sufficient to drive all the mills in +Manchester, running to waste. Pamofunda, or Pamozima, has a deep shady +grove on its right bank. When we were walking alone through its dark +shade, we were startled by a shocking smell like that of a dissecting- +room; and on looking up saw dead bodies in mats suspended from the +branches of the trees, a mode of burial somewhat similar to that which we +subsequently saw practised by the Parsees in their "towers of silence" at +Poonah, near Bombay. The name Pamozima means, "the departed spirits or +gods"--a fit name for a place over which, according to the popular +belief, the disembodied souls continually hover. + +The rock lowest down in the series is dark reddish-grey syenite. This +seems to have been an upheaving agent, for the mica schists above it are +much disturbed. Dark trappean rocks full of hornblende have in many +places burst through these schists, and appear in nodules on the surface. +The highest rock seen is a fine sandstone of closer grain than that at +Tette, and quite metamorphosed where it comes into contact with the +igneous rocks below it. It sometimes gives place to quartz and reddish +clay schists, much baked by heat. This is the usual geological condition +on the right bank of the Cataracts. On the other side we pass over +masses of porphyritic trap, in contact with the same mica schists, and +these probably give to the soil the great fertility we observed. The +great body of the mountains is syenite. So much mica is washed into the +river, that on looking attentively on the stream one sees myriads of +particles floating and glancing in the sun; and this, too, even at low +water. + +It was the 15th of August before the men returned from the ship, +accompanied by Mr. Rae and the steward of the "Pioneer." They brought +two oxen, one of which was instantly slaughtered to put courage into all +hearts, and some bottles of wine, a present from Waller and Alington. We +never carried wine before, but this was precious as an expression of +kindheartedness on the part of the donors. If one attempted to carry +either wine or spirits, as a beverage, he would require a whole troop of +followers for nothing else. Our greatest luxury in travelling was tea or +coffee. We never once carried sugar enough to last a journey, but coffee +is always good, while the sugarless tea is only bearable, because of the +unbearable gnawing feeling of want and sinking which ensues if we begin +to travel in the mornings without something warm in the stomach. Our +drink generally was water, and if cool, nothing can equal it in a hot +climate. We usually carried a bottle of brandy rolled up in our +blankets, but that was used only as a medicine; a spoonful in hot water +before going to bed, to fend off a chill and fever. Spirits always do +harm, if the fever has fairly begun; and it is probable that brandy-and- +water has to answer for a good many of the deaths in Africa. + +Mr. Rae had made gratifying progress in screwing together the "Lady +Nyassa." He had the zealous co-operation of three as fine steady workmen +as ever handled tools; and, as they were noble specimens of English +sailors, we would fain mention the names of men who are an honour to the +British navy--John Reid, John Pennell, and Richard Wilson. The reader +will excuse our doing so, but we desire to record how much they were +esteemed, and how thankful we felt for their good behaviour. The weather +was delightfully cool; and, with full confidence in those left behind, it +was with light hearts we turned our faces north. Mr. Rae accompanied us +a day in front; and, as all our party had earnestly advised that at least +two Europeans should be associated together on the journey, the steward +was at the last moment taken. Mr. Rae returned to get the "Lady Nyassa" +ready for sea; and, as she drew less water than the "Pioneer," take her +down to the ocean in October. One reason for taking the steward is worth +recording. Both he and a man named King, {5} who, though only a leading +stoker in the Navy, had been a promising student in the University of +Aberdeen, had got into that weak bloodless-looking state which residence +in the lowlands without much to do or think about often induces. The +best thing for this is change and an active life. A couple of days' +march only as far as the Mukuru-Madse, infused so much vigour into King +that he was able to walk briskly back. Consideration for the steward's +health led to his being selected for this northern journey, and the +measure was so completely successful that it was often, in the hard +march, a subject of regret that King had not been taken too. A removal +of only a hundred yards is sometimes so beneficial that it ought in +severe cases never to be omitted. + +Our object now was to get away to the N.N.W., proceed parallel with Lake +Nyassa, but at a considerable distance west of it, and thus pass by the +Mazitu or Zulus near its northern end without contact--ascertain whether +any large river flowed into the Lake from the west--visit Lake Moelo, if +time permitted, and collect information about the trade on the great +slave route, which crosses the Lake at its southern end, and at Tsenga +and Kota-kota. The Makololo were eager to travel fast, because they +wanted to be back in time to hoe their fields before the rains, and also +because their wives needed looking after. + +In going in the first instance N.E. from the uppermost Cataract, we +followed in a measure the great bend of the river towards the foot of +Mount Zomba. Here we had a view of its most imposing side, the west, +with the plateau some 3000 feet high, stretching away to its south, and +Mounts Chiradzuru and Mochiru towering aloft to the sky. From that +goodly highland station, it was once hoped by the noble Mackenzie, who, +for largeness of heart and loving disposition, really deserved to be +called the "Bishop of Central Africa," that light and liberty would +spread to all the interior. We still think it may be a centre for +civilizing influences; for any one descending from these cool heights, +and stepping into a boat on the Upper Shire, can sail three hundred miles +without a check into the heart of Africa. + +We passed through a tract of country covered with mopane trees, where the +hard baked soil refused to let the usual thick crops of grass grow; and +here we came upon very many tracks of buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, +and the spoor of one lion. An ox we drove along with us, as provision +for the way, was sorely bitten by the tsetse. The effect of the bite +was, as usual, quite apparent two days afterwards, in the general +flaccidity of the muscles, the drooping ears, and looks of illness. It +always excited our wonder that we, who were frequently much bitten too by +the same insects, felt no harm from their attacks. Man shares the +immunity of the wild animals. + +Finding a few people on the evening of the 20th of August, who were +supporting a wretched existence on tamarinds and mice, we ascertained +that there was no hope of our being able to buy food anywhere nearer than +the Lakelet Pamalombe, where the Ajawa chief, Kainka, was now living; but +that plenty could be found with the Maravi female chief, Nyango. We +turned away north-westwards, and struck the stream Ribve-ribve, or Rivi- +rivi, which rises in the Maravi range, and flows into the Shire. + +As the Rivi-rivi came from the N.W. we continued to travel along its +banks, until we came to people who had successfully defended themselves +against the hordes of the Ajawa. By employing the men of one village to +go forward and explain who we were to the next, we managed to prevent the +frightened inhabitants from considering us a fresh party of Ajawa, or of +Portuguese slaving agents. Here they had cultivated maize, and were +willing to sell, but no persuasion could induce them to give us guides to +the chieftainess, Nyango. They evidently felt that we were not to be +trusted; though, as we had to certify to our own character, our +companions did not fail "to blow our own trumpet," with blasts in which +modesty was quite out of the question. To allay suspicion, we had at +last to refrain from mentioning the lady's name. + +It would be wearisome to repeat the names of the villages we passed on +our way to the north-west. One was the largest we ever saw in Africa, +and quite deserted, with the usual sad sight of many skeletons lying +about. Another was called Tette. We know three places of this name, +which fact shows it to be a native word; it seems to mean a place where +the water rushes over rocks. A third village was called Chipanga (a +great work), a name identical with the Shupanga of the Portuguese. This +repetition of names may indicate that the same people first took these +epithets in their traditional passage from north to south. + +At this season of the year the nights are still cold, and the people, +having no crops to occupy their attention, do not stir out till long +after the sun is up. At other times they are off to their fields before +the day dawns, and the first sound one hears is the loud talking of men +and women, in which they usually indulge in the dark to scare off beasts +by the sound of the human voice. When no work is to be done, the first +warning of approaching day is the hemp-smoker's loud ringing cough. + +Having been delayed one morning by some negotiation about guides, who +were used chiefly to introduce us to other villages, we two whites walked +a little way ahead, taking the direction of the stream. The men having +been always able to find out our route by the prints of our shoes, we +went on for a number of miles. This time, however, they lost our track, +and failed to follow us. The path was well marked by elephants, hyenas, +pallahs, and zebras, but for many a day no human foot had trod it. When +the sun went down a deserted hamlet was reached, where we made +comfortable beds for ourselves of grass. Firing muskets to attract the +attention of those who have strayed is the usual resource in these cases. +On this occasion the sound of firearms tended to mislead us; for, hearing +shots next morning, a long weary march led us only to some native +hunters, who had been shooting buffaloes. Returning to a small village, +we met with some people who remembered our passing up to the Lake in the +boat; they were as kind as they could be. The only food they possessed +was tamarinds, prepared with ashes, and a little cowitch meal. The +cowitch, as mentioned before, has a velvety brown covering of minute +prickles, which, if touched, enter the pores of the skin and cause a +painful tingling. The women in times of scarcity collect the pods, +kindle a fire of grass over them to destroy the prickles, then steep the +beans till they begin to sprout, wash them in pure water, and either boil +them or pound them into meal, which resembles our bean-meal. This plant +climbs up the long grass, and abounds in all reedy parts, and, though a +plague to the traveller who touches its pods, it performs good service in +times of famine by saving many a life from starvation. Its name here is +Kitedzi. + +Having travelled at least twenty miles in search of our party that day, +our rest on a mat in the best hut of the village was very sweet. We had +dined the evening before on a pigeon each, and had eaten only a handful +of kitedzi porridge this afternoon. The good wife of the village took a +little corn which she had kept for seed, ground it after dark, and made +it into porridge. This, and a cup of wild vegetables of a sweetish taste +for a relish, a little boy brought in and put down, with several vigorous +claps of his hands, in the manner which is esteemed polite, and which is +strictly enjoined on all children. + +On the third day of separation, Akosanjere, the headman of this village, +conducted us forward to our party who had gone on to Nseze, a district to +the westward. This incident is mentioned, not for any interest it +possesses, apart from the idea of the people it conveys. We were +completely separated from our men for nearly three days, and had nothing +wherewith to purchase food. The people were sorely pressed by famine and +war, and their hospitality, poor as it was, did them great credit, and +was most grateful to us. Our own men had become confused and wandered, +but had done their utmost to find us; on our rejoining them, the ox was +slain, and all, having been on short commons, rejoiced in this "day of +slaughter." Akosanjere was, of course, rewarded to his heart's content. + +As we pursued our way, we came close up to a range of mountains, the most +prominent peak of which is called Mvai. This is a great, bare, rounded +block of granite shooting up from the rest of the chain. It and several +other masses of rock are of a light grey colour, with white patches, as +if of lichens; the sides and summits are generally thinly covered with +rather scraggy trees. There are several other prominent peaks--one, for +instance, still further north, called Chirobve. Each has a name, but we +could never ascertain that there was an appellation which applied to the +whole. This fact, and our wish to commemorate the name of Dr. Kirk, +induced us afterwards, when we could not discover a particular peak +mentioned to us formerly as Molomo-ao-koku, or Cock's-bill, to call the +whole chain from the west of the Cataracts up to the north end of the +Lake, "Kirk's Range." The part we slept at opposite Mvai was named +Paudio, and was evidently a continuation of the district of one of our +stations on the Shire, at which observations for latitude were formerly +taken. + +Leaving Paudio, we had Kirk's Range close on our left and at least 3000 +feet above us, and probably not less than 5000 feet above the sea. Far +to our right extended a long green wooded country rising gradually up to +a ridge, ornamented with several detached mountains, which bounded the +Shire Valley. In front, northwards, lay a valley as rich and lovely as +we ever saw anywhere, terminating at the mountains, which, stretched away +some thirty miles beyond our range of vision and ended at Cape Maclear. +The groups of trees had never been subjected to the landscape gardener's +art; but had been cut down mercilessly, just as suited the convenience of +the cultivator; yet the various combinations of open forest, sloping +woodland, grassy lawns, and massive clumps of dark green foliage along +the running streams, formed as beautiful a landscape as could be seen on +the Thames. This valley is named Goa or Gova, and as we moved through it +we found that what was smooth to the eye was very much furrowed by +running streams winding round innumerable knolls. These little brooklets +came down from the range on our left, and the water was deliciously cool. + +When we came abreast of the peak Chirobve, the people would no longer +give us guides. They were afraid of their enemies, whose dwellings we +now had on our east; and, proceeding without any one to lead us, or to +introduce us to the inhabitants, we were perplexed by all the paths +running zigzag across instead of along the valley. They had been made by +the villagers going from the hamlets on the slopes to their gardens in +the meadows below. To add to our difficulties, the rivulets and mountain- +torrents had worn gullies some thirty or forty feet deep, with steep +sides that could not be climbed except at certain points. The remaining +inhabitants on the flank of the range when they saw strangers winding +from side to side, and often attempting to cross these torrent beds at +impossible places, screamed out their shrill war-alarm, and made the +valley ring with their wild outcries. It was war, and war alone, and we +were too deep down in the valley to make our voices heard in explanation. +Fortunately, they had burned off the long grass to a great extent. It +only here and there hid them from us. Selecting an open spot, we spent a +night regarded by all around us as slave-hunters, but were undisturbed, +though the usual way of treating an enemy in this part of the country is +by night attack. + +The nights at the altitude of the valley were cool, the lowest +temperature shown being 37 degrees; at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. it was 58 +degrees, about the average temperature of the day; at mid-day 82 degrees, +and sunset 70 degrees. Our march was very much hindered by the +imperfectly burned corn and grass stalks having fallen across the paths. +To a reader in England this will seem a very small obstacle. But he must +fancy the grass stems as thick as his little finger, and the corn-stalks +like so many walkingsticks lying in one direction, and so supporting each +other that one has to lift his feet up as when wading through deep high +heather. The stems of grass showed the causes of certain explosions as +loud as pistols, which are heard when the annual fires come roaring over +the land. The heated air inside expanding bursts the stalk with a loud +report, and strews the fragments on the ground. + +A very great deal of native corn had been cultivated here, and we saw +buffaloes feeding in the deserted gardens, and some women, who ran away +very much faster than the beasts did. + +On the 29th, seeing some people standing under a tree by a village, we +sat down, and sent Masego, one of our party, to communicate. The +headman, Matunda, came back with him, bearing a calabash with water for +us. He said that all the people had fled from the Ajawa, who had only +just desisted from their career of pillage on being paid five persons as +a fine for some offence for which they had commenced the invasion. +Matunda had plenty of grain to sell, and all the women were soon at work +grinding it into meal. We secured an abundant supply, and four milk +goats. The Manganja goat is of a very superior breed to the general +African animal, being short in the legs and having a finely-shaped broad +body. By promising the Makololo that, when we no longer needed the milk, +they should have the goats to improve the breed of their own at home, +they were induced to take the greatest possible care of both goats and +kids in driving and pasturing. + +After leaving Matunda, we came to the end of the highland valley; and, +before descending a steep declivity of a thousand feet towards the part +which may be called the heel of the Lake, we had the bold mountains of +Cape Maclear on our right, with the blue water at their base, the hills +of Tsenga in the distance in front, and Kirk's Range on our left, +stretching away northwards, and apparently becoming lower. As we came +down into a fine rich undulating valley, many perennial streams running +to the east from the hills on our left were crossed, while all those +behind us on the higher ground seemed to unite in one named Lekue, which +flowed into the Lake. + +After a long day's march in the valley of the Lake, where the temperature +was very much higher than in that we had just left, we entered the +village of Katosa, which is situated on the bank of a stream among +gigantic timber trees, and found there a large party of Ajawa--Waiau, +they called themselves--all armed with muskets. We sat down among them, +and were soon called to the chiefs court, and presented with an ample +mess of porridge, buffalo meat, and beer. Katosa was more frank than any +Manganja chief we had met, and complimented us by saying that "we must be +his 'Bazimo' (good spirits of his ancestors); for when he lived at +Pamalombe, we lighted upon him from above--men the like of whom he had +never seen before, and coming he knew not whence." He gave us one of his +own large and clean huts to sleep in; and we may take this opportunity of +saying that the impression we received, from our first journey on the +hills among the villages of Chisunse, of the excessive dirtiness of the +Manganja, was erroneous. This trait was confined to the cool highlands. +Here crowds of men and women were observed to perform their ablutions +daily in the stream that ran past their villages; and this we have +observed elsewhere to be a common custom with both Manganja and Ajawa. + +Before we started on the morning of the 1st September, Katosa sent an +enormous calabash of beer, containing at least three gallons, and then +came and wished us to "stop a day and eat with him." On explaining to +him the reasons for our haste, he said that he was in the way by which +travellers usually passed, he never stopped them in their journeys, but +would like to look at us for a day. On our promising to rest a little +with him on our return, he gave us about two pecks of rice, and three +guides to conduct us to a subordinate female chief, Nkwinda, living on +the borders of the Lake in front. + +The Ajawa, from having taken slaves down to Quillimane and Mosambique, +knew more of us than Katosa did. Their muskets were carefully polished, +and never out of these slaver's hands for a moment, though in the chiefs +presence. We naturally felt apprehensive that we should never see Katosa +again. A migratory afflatus seems to have come over the Ajawa tribes. +Wars among themselves, for the supply of the Coast slave-trade, are said +to have first set them in motion. The usual way in which they have +advanced among the Manganja has been by slave-trading in a friendly way. +Then, professing to wish to live as subjects, they have been welcomed as +guests, and the Manganja, being great agriculturists, have been able to +support considerable bodies of these visitors for a time. When the +provisions became scarce, the guests began to steal from the fields; +quarrels arose in consequence, and, the Ajawa having firearms, their +hosts got the worst of it, and were expelled from village after village, +and out of their own country. The Manganja were quite as bad in regard +to slave-trading as the Ajawa, but had less enterprise, and were much +more fond of the home pursuits of spinning, weaving, smelting iron, and +cultivating the soil, than of foreign travel. The Ajawa had little of a +mechanical turn, and not much love for agriculture, but were very keen +traders and travellers. This party seemed to us to be in the first or +friendly stage of intercourse with Katosa; and, as we afterwards found, +he was fully alive to the danger. + +Our course was shaped towards the N.W., and we traversed a large fertile +tract of rich soil extensively cultivated, but dotted with many gigantic +thorny acacias which had proved too large for the little axes of the +cultivators. After leaving Nkwinda, the first village we spent a night +at in the district Ngabi was that of Chembi, and it had a stockade around +it. The Azitu or Mazitu were said to be ravaging the country to the west +of us, and no one was safe except in a stockade. We have so often, in +travelling, heard of war in front, that we paid little attention to the +assertion of Chembi, that the whole country to the N.W. was in flight +before these Mazitu, under a chief with the rather formidable name of +Mowhiriwhiri; we therefore resolved to go on to Chinsamba's, still +further in the same direction, and hear what he said about it. + +The only instrument of husbandry here is the short-handled hoe; and about +Tette the labour of tilling the soil, as represented in the woodcut, is +performed entirely by female slaves. On the West Coast a double-handled +hoe is employed. Here the small hoe is seen in the hands of both men and +women. In other parts of Africa a hoe with a handle four feet long is +used, but the plough is quite unknown. + +In illustration of the manner in which the native knowledge of +agriculture strikes an honest intelligent observer, it may be mentioned +that the first time good Bishop Mackenzie beheld how well the fields of +the Manganja were cultivated on the hills, he remarked to Dr. +Livingstone, then his fellow-traveller--"When telling the people in +England what were my objects in going out to Africa, I stated that, among +other things, I meant to teach these people agriculture; but I now see +that they know far more about it than I do." This, we take it, was an +honest straightforward testimony, and we believe that every unprejudiced +witness, who has an opportunity of forming an opinion of Africans who +have never been debased by slavery, will rank them very much higher in +the scale of intelligence, industry, and manhood, than others who know +them only in a state of degradation. + +On coming near Chinsamba's two stockades, on the banks of the Lintipe, we +were told that the Mazitu had been repulsed there the day before, and we +had evidence of the truth of the report of the attack in the sad sight of +the bodies of the slain. The Zulus had taken off large numbers of women +laden with corn; and, when driven back, had cut off the ears of a male +prisoner, as a sort of credential that he had been with the Mazitu, and +with grim humour sent him to tell Chinsamba "to take good care of the +corn in the stockades, for they meant to return for it in a month or +two." + +Chinsamba's people were drumming with might and main on our arrival, to +express their joy at their deliverance from the Mazitu. The drum is the +chief instrument of music among the Manganja, and with it they express +both their joy and grief. They excel in beating time. Chinsamba called +us into a very large hut, and presented us with a huge basket of beer. +The glare of sunlight from which we had come enabled him, in diplomatic +fashion, to have a good view of us before our eyes became enough +accustomed to the dark inside to see him. He has a Jewish cast of +countenance, or rather the ancient Assyrian face, as seen in the +monuments brought to the British Museum by Mr. Layard. This form of face +is very common in this country, and leads to the belief that the true +type of the negro is not that met on the West Coast, from which most +people have derived their ideas of the African. + +Chinsamba had many Abisa or Babisa in his stockade, and it was chiefly by +the help of their muskets that he had repulsed the Mazitu: these Babisa +are great travellers and traders. + +We liked Chinsamba very well, and found that he was decidedly opposed to +our risking our lives by going further to the N.W. The Mazitu were +believed to occupy all the hills in that direction, so we spent the 4th +of September with him. + +It is rather a minute thing to mention, and it will only be understood by +those who have children of their own, but the cries of the little ones, +in their infant sorrows, are the same in tone, at different ages, here as +all over the world. We have been perpetually reminded of home and family +by the wailings which were once familiar to parental ears and heart, and +felt thankful that to the sorrows of childhood our children would never +have superadded the heartrending woes of the slave-trade. + +Taking Chinsamba's advice to avoid the Mazitu in their marauding, we +started on the 5th September away to the N.E., and passed mile after mile +of native cornfields, with an occasional cotton-patch. + +After a long march, we passed over a waterless plain about N.N.W. of the +hills of Tsenga to a village on the Lake, and thence up its shores to +Chitanda. The banks of the Lake were now crowded with fugitives, who had +collected there for the poor protection which the reeds afforded. For +miles along the water's edge was one continuous village of temporary +huts. The people had brought a little corn with them; but they said, +"What shall we eat when that is done? When we plant corn, the wild +beasts (Zinyama, as they call the Mazitu) come and take it. When we +plant cassava, they do the same. How are we to live?" A poor blind +woman, thinking we were Mazitu, rushed off in front of us with outspread +arms, lifting the feet high, in the manner peculiar to those who have +lost their sight, and jumped into the reeds of a stream for safety. + +In our way along the shores we crossed several running rivulets of clear +cold water, which, from having reeds at their confluences, had not been +noticed in our previous exploration in the boat. One of these was called +Mokola, and another had a strong odour of sulphuretted hydrogen. We +reached Molamba on the 8th September, and found our old acquaintance, +Nkomo, there still. One of the advantages of travelling along the shores +of the Lake was, that we could bathe anywhere in its clear fresh water. +To us, who had been obliged so often to restrain our inclination in the +Zambesi and Shire for fear of crocodiles, this was pleasant beyond +measure. The water now was of the same temperature as it was on our +former visit, or 72 degrees Fahr. The immense depth of the Lake prevents +the rays of the sun from raising the temperature as high as that of the +Shire and Zambesi; and the crocodiles, having always clear water in the +Lake, and abundance of fish, rarely attack man; many of these reptiles +could be seen basking on the rocks. + +A day's march beyond Molamba brought us to the lakelet Chia, which lies +parallel with the Lake. It is three or four miles long, by from one to +one and a half broad, and communicates with the Lake by an arm of good +depth, but with some rocks in it. As we passed up between the Lake and +the eastern shore of this lakelet, we did not see any streams flowing +into it. It is quite remarkable for the abundance of fish; and we saw +upwards of fifty large canoes engaged in the fishery, which is carried on +by means of hand-nets with side-frame poles about seven feet long. These +nets are nearly identical with those now in use in Normandy--the +difference being that the African net has a piece of stick lashed across +the handle-ends of the side poles to keep them steady, which is a great +improvement. The fish must be very abundant to be scooped out of the +water in such quantities as we saw, and by so many canoes. There is +quite a trade here in dried fish. + +The country around is elevated, undulating, and very extensively planted +with cassava. The hoe in use has a handle of four feet in length, and +the iron part is exactly of the same form as that in the country of the +Bechuanas. The baskets here, which are so closely woven together as to +hold beer, are the same with those employed to hold milk in Kaffirland--a +thousand miles distant. + +Marching on foot is peculiarly conducive to meditation--one is glad of +any subject to occupy the mind, and relieve the monotony of the weary +treadmill-like trudge-trudging. This Chia net brought to our mind that +the smith's bellows made here of a goatskin bag, with sticks along the +open ends, are the same as those in use in the Bechuana country far to +the south-west. These, with the long-handled hoe, may only show that +each successive horde from north to south took inventions with it from +the same original source. Where that source may have been is probably +indicated by another pair of bellows, which we observed below the +Victoria Falls, being found in Central India and among the Gipsies of +Europe. + +Men in remote times may have had more highly-developed instincts, which +enabled them to avoid or use poisons; but the late Archbishop Whately has +proved, that wholly untaught savages never could invent anything, or even +subsist at all. Abundant corroboration of his arguments is met with in +this country, where the natives require but little in the way of +clothing, and have remarkably hardy stomachs. Although possessing a +knowledge of all the edible roots and fruits in the country, having hoes +to dig with, and spears, bows, and arrows to kill the game,--we have seen +that, notwithstanding all these appliances and means to boot, they have +perished of absolute starvation. + +The art of making fire is the same in India as in Africa. The smelting +furnaces, for reducing iron and copper from the ores, are also similar. +Yellow haematite, which bears not the smallest resemblance either in +colour or weight to the metal, is employed near Kolobeng for the +production of iron. Malachite, the precious green stone used in +civilized life for vases, would never be suspected by the uninstructed to +be a rich ore of copper, and yet it is extensively smelted for rings and +other ornaments in the heart of Africa. A copper bar of native +manufacture four feet long was offered to us for sale at Chinsamba's. +These arts are monuments attesting the fact, that some instruction from +above must at some time or other have been supplied to mankind; and, as +Archbishop Whately says, "the most probable conclusion is, that man when +first created, or very shortly afterwards, was advanced, by the Creator +Himself, to a state above that of a mere savage." + +The argument for an original revelation to man, though quite independent +of the Bible history, tends to confirm that history. It is of the same +nature with this, that man could not have _made_ himself, and therefore +must have had a Divine _Creator_. Mankind could not, in the first +instance, have _civilized_ themselves, and therefore must have had a +superhuman _Instructor_. + +In connection with this subject, it is remarkable that throughout +successive generations no change has taken place in the form of the +various inventions. Hammers, tongs, hoes, axes, adzes, handles to them; +needles, bows and arrows, with the mode of feathering the latter; spears, +for killing game, with spear-heads having what is termed "dish" on both +sides to give them, when thrown, the rotatory motion of rifle-balls; the +arts of spinning and weaving, with that of pounding and steeping the +inner bark of a tree till it serves as clothing; millstones for grinding +corn into meal; the manufacture of the same kind of pots or _chatties_ as +in India; the art of cooking, of brewing beer and straining it as was +done in ancient Egypt; fish-hooks, fishing and hunting nets, +fish-baskets, and weirs, the same as in the Highlands of Scotland; traps +for catching animals, etc., etc.,--have all been so very permanent from +age to age, and some of them of identical patterns are so widely spread +over the globe, as to render it probable that they were all, at least in +some degree, derived from one Source. The African traditions, which seem +possessed of the same unchangeability as the arts to which they relate, +like those of all other nations refer their origin to a superior Being. +And it is much more reasonable to receive the hints given in Genesis, +concerning direct instruction from God to our first parents or their +children in religious or moral duty, and probably in the knowledge of the +arts of life, {6} than to give credence to the theory that untaught +savage man subsisted in a state which would prove fatal to all his +descendants, and that in such helpless state he made many inventions +which most of his progeny retained, but never improved upon during some +thirty centuries. + +We crossed in canoes the arm of the Lake, which joins Chia to Nyassa, and +spent the night on its northern bank. The whole country adjacent to the +Lake, from this point up to Kota-kota Bay, is densely peopled by +thousands who have fled from the forays of the Mazitu in hopes of +protection from the Arabs who live there. In three running rivulets we +saw the _Shuare_ palm, and an oil palm which is much inferior to that on +the West Coast. Though somewhat similar in appearance, the fruit is not +much larger than hazel-nuts, and the people do not use them, on account +of the small quantity of oil which they afford. + +The idea of using oil for light never seems to have entered the African +mind. Here a bundle of split and dried bamboo, tied together with +creeping plants, as thick as a man's body, and about twenty feet in +length, is employed in the canoes as a torch to attract the fish at +night. It would be considered a piece of the most wasteful extravagance +to burn the oil they obtain from the castor-oil bean and other seeds, and +also from certain fish, or in fact to do anything with it but anoint +their heads and bodies. + +We arrived at Kota-kota Bay in the afternoon of the 10th September, 1863; +and sat down under a magnificent wild fig-tree with leaves ten inches +long, by five broad, about a quarter of a mile from the village of Juma +ben Saidi, and Yakobe ben Arame, whom we had met on the River Kaombe, a +little north of this, in our first exploration of the Lake. We had +rested but a short time when Juma, who is evidently the chief person +here, followed by about fifty people, came to salute us and to invite us +to take up our quarters in his village. The hut which, by mistake, was +offered, was so small and dirty, that we preferred sleeping in an open +space a few hundred yards off. + +Juma afterwards apologized for the mistake, and presented us with rice, +meal, sugar-cane, and a piece of malachite. We returned his visit on the +following day, and found him engaged in building a dhow or Arab vessel, +to replace one which he said had been wrecked. This new one was fifty +feet long, twelve feet broad, and five feet deep. The planks were of a +wood like teak, here called Timbati, and the timbers of a closer grained +wood called Msoro. The sight of this dhow gave us a hint which, had we +previously received it, would have prevented our attempting to carry a +vessel of iron past the Cataracts. The trees around Katosa's village +were Timbati, and they would have yielded planks fifty feet long and +thirty inches broad. With a few native carpenters a good vessel could be +built on the Lake nearly as quickly as one could be carried past the +Cataracts, and at a vastly less cost. Juma said that no money would +induce him to part with this dhow. He was very busy in transporting +slaves across the Lake by means of two boats, which we saw returning from +a trip in the afternoon. As he did not know of our intention to visit +him, we came upon several gangs of stout young men slaves, each secured +by the neck to one common chain, waiting for exportation, and several +more in slave-sticks. These were all civilly removed before our +interview was over, because Juma knew that we did not relish the sight. + +When we met the same Arabs in 1861, they had but few attendants: +according to their own account, they had now, in the village and adjacent +country, 1500 souls. It is certain that tens of thousands had flocked to +them for protection, and all their power and influence must be attributed +to the possession of guns and gunpowder. This crowding of refugees to +any point where there is a hope for security for life and property is +very common in this region, and the knowledge of it made our hopes beat +high for the success of a peaceful Mission on the shores of the Lake. The +rate, however, in which the people here will perish by the next famine, +or be exported by Juma and others, will, we fear, depopulate those parts +which we have just described as crowded with people. Hunger will ere +long compel them to sell each other. An intelligent man complained to us +of the Arabs often seizing slaves, to whom they took a fancy, without the +formality of purchase; but the price is so low--from two to four yards of +calico--that one can scarcely think this seizure and exportation without +payment worth their while. The boats were in constant employment, and, +curiously enough, Ben Habib, whom we met at Linyanti in 1855, had been +taken across the Lake, the day before our arrival at this Bay, on his way +from Sesheke to Kilwa, and we became acquainted with a native servant of +the Arabs, called Selele Saidallah, who could speak the Makololo language +pretty fairly from having once spent some months in the Barotse Valley. + +From boyhood upwards we have been accustomed, from time to time, to read +in books of travels about the great advances annually made by +Mohammedanism in Africa. The rate at which this religion spreads was +said to be so rapid, that in after days, in our own pretty extensive +travels, we have constantly been on the look out for the advancing wave +from North to South, which, it was prophesied, would soon reduce the +entire continent to the faith of the false prophet. The only foundation +that we can discover for the assertions referred to, and for others of +more recent date, is the fact that in a remote corner of North-Western +Africa the Fulahs, and Mandingoes, and some others in Northern Africa, as +mentioned by Dr. Barth, have made conquests of territory; but even they +care so very little for the extension of their faith, that after the +conquest no pains whatever are taken to indoctrinate the adults of the +tribe. This is in exact accordance with the impression we have received +from our intercourse with Mohammedans and Christians. The followers of +Christ alone are anxious to propagate their faith. A _quasi_ +philanthropist would certainly never need to recommend the followers of +Islam, whom we have met, to restrain their benevolence by preaching that +"Charity should begin at home." + +Though Selele and his companions were bound to their masters by domestic +ties, the only new idea they had imbibed from Mohammedanism was, that it +would be wrong to eat meat killed by other people. They thought it would +be "unlucky." Just as the inhabitants of Kolobeng, before being taught +the requirements of Christianity, refrained from hoeing their gardens on +Sundays, lest they should reap an unlucky crop. So far as we could +learn, no efforts had been made to convert the natives, though these two +Arabs, and about a dozen half-castes, had been in the country for many +years; and judging from our experience with a dozen Mohammedans in our +employ at high wages for sixteen months, the Africans would be the better +men in proportion as they retained their native faith. This may appear +only a harsh judgment from a mind imbued with Christian prejudices; but +without any pretention to that impartiality, which leaves it doubtful to +which side the affections lean, the truth may be fairly stated by one who +viewed all Mohammedans and Africans with the sincerest good will. + +Our twelve Mohammedans from Johanna were the least open of any of our +party to impression from kindness. A marked difference in general +conduct was apparent. The Makololo, and other natives of the country, +whom we had with us, invariably shared with each other the food they had +cooked, but the Johanna men partook of their meals at a distance. This, +at first, we attributed to their Moslem prejudices; but when they saw the +cooking process of the others nearly complete, they came, sat beside +them, and ate the portion offered without ever remembering to return the +compliment when their own turn came to be generous. The Makololo and the +others grumbled at their greediness, yet always followed the common +custom of Africans of sharing their food with all who sit around them. +What vexed us most in the Johanna men was their indifference to the +welfare of each other. Once, when they were all coming to the ship after +sleeping ashore, one of them walked into the water with the intention of +swimming off to the boat, and while yet hardly up to his knees was seized +by a horrid crocodile and dragged under; the poor fellow gave a shriek, +and held up his hand for aid, but none of his countrymen stirred to his +assistance, and he was never seen again. On asking his brother-in-law +why he did not help him, he replied, "Well, no one told him to go into +the water. It was his own fault that he was killed." The Makololo on +the other hand rescued a woman at Senna by entering the water, and taking +her out of the crocodile's mouth. + +It is not assumed that their religion had much to do in the matter. Many +Mohammedans might contrast favourably with indifferent Christians; but, +so far as our experience in East Africa goes, the moral tone of the +follower of Mahomed is pitched at a lower key than that of the untutored +African. The ancient zeal for propagating the tenets of the Koran has +evaporated, and been replaced by the most intense selfishness and +grossest sensuality. The only known efforts made by Mohammedans, namely, +those in the North-West and North of the continent, are so linked with +the acquisition of power and plunder, as not to deserve the name of +religious propagandism; and the only religion that now makes proselytes +is that of Jesus Christ. To those who are capable of taking a +comprehensive view of this subject, nothing can be adduced of more +telling significance than the well-attested fact, that while the +Mohammedans, Fulahs, and others towards Central Africa, make a few +proselytes by a process which gratifies their own covetousness, three +small sections of the Christian converts, the Africans in the South, in +the West Indies, and on the West Coast of Africa actually contribute for +the support and spread of their religion upwards of 15,000 pounds +annually. {7} That religion which so far overcomes the selfishness of +the human heart must be Divine. + +Leaving Kota-kota Bay, we turned away due West on the great slave route +to Katanga's and Cazembe's country in Londa. Juma lent us his servant, +Selele, to lead us the first day's march. He said that the traders from +Kilwa and Iboe cross the Lake either at this bay, or at Tsenga, or at the +southern end of the Lake; and that wherever they may cross they all go by +this path to the interior. They have slaves with them to carry their +goods, and when they reach a spot where they can easily buy others, they +settle down and begin the traffic, and at once cultivate grain. So much +of the land lies waste, that no objection is ever made to any one taking +possession of as much as he needs; they can purchase a field of cassava +for their present wants for very little, and they continue trading in the +country for two or three years, and giving what weight their muskets +possess to the chief who is most liberal to them. + +The first day's march led us over a rich, well-cultivated plain. This +was succeeded by highlands, undulating, stony, and covered with scraggy +trees. Many banks of well rounded shingle appear. The disintegration of +the rocks, now going on, does not round off the angles; they are split up +by the heat and cold into angular fragments. On these high downs we +crossed the River Kaombe. Beyond it we came among the upland +vegetation--rhododendrons, proteas, the masuko, and molompi. At the foot +of the hill, Kasuko-suko, we found the River Bua running north to join +the Kaombe. We had to go a mile out of our way for a ford; the stream is +deep enough in parts for hippopotami. The various streams not previously +noticed, crossed in this journey, had before this led us to the +conclusion, independently of the testimony of the natives, that no large +river ran into the north end of the Lake. No such affluent was needed to +account for the Shire's perennial flow. + +On September 15th we reached the top of the ascent which, from its many +ups and downs, had often made us puff and blow as if broken-winded. The +water of the streams we crossed was deliciously cold, and now that we had +gained the summit at Ndonda, where the boiling-point of water showed an +altitude of 3440 feet above the sea, the air was delightful. Looking +back we had a magnificent view of the Lake, but the haze prevented our +seeing beyond the sea horizon. The scene was beautiful, but it was +impossible to dissociate the lovely landscape whose hills and dales had +so sorely tried our legs and lungs, from the sad fact that this was part +of the great slave route now actually in use. By this road many "Ten +thousands" have here seen "the Sea," "the Sea," but with sinking hearts; +for the universal idea among the captive gangs is, that they are going to +be fattened and eaten by the whites. They cannot of course be so much +shocked as we should be--their sensibilities are far from fine, their +feelings are more obtuse than ours--in fact, "the live eels are used to +being skinned," perhaps they rather like it. We who are not philosophic, +blessed the Providence which at Thermopylae in ancient days rolled back +the tide of Eastern conquest from the West, and so guided the course of +events that light and liberty and gospel truth spread to our distant +isle, and emancipating our race freed them from the fear of ever again +having to climb fatiguing heights and descend wearisome hollows in a +slave-gang, as we suppose they did when the fair English youths were +exposed for sale at Rome. + +Looking westwards we perceived that, what from below had the appearance +of mountains, was only the edge of a table-land which, though at first +undulating, soon became smooth, and sloped towards the centre of the +country. To the south a prominent mountain called Chipata, and to the +south-west another named Ngalla, by which the Bua is said to rise, gave +character to the landscape. In the north, masses of hills prevented our +seeing more than eight or ten miles. + +The air which was so exhilarating to Europeans had an opposite effect on +five men who had been born and reared in the malaria of the Delta of the +Zambesi. No sooner did they reach the edge of the plateau at Ndonda, +than they lay down prostrate, and complained of pains all over them. The +temperature was not much lower than that on the shores of the Lake below, +76 degrees being the mean temperature of the day, 52 degrees the lowest, +and 82 degrees the highest during the twenty-four hours; at the Lake it +was about l0 degrees higher. Of the symptoms they complained of--pains +everywhere--nothing could be made. And yet it was evident that they had +good reason for saying that they were ill. They scarified almost every +part of their bodies as a remedial measure; medicines, administered on +the supposition that their malady was the effect of a sudden chill, had +no effect, and in two days one of them actually died in consequence of, +as far as we could judge, a change from a malarious to a purer and more +rarefied atmosphere. + +As we were on the slave route, we found the people more churlish than +usual. On being expostulated with about it, they replied, "We have been +made wary by those who come to buy slaves." The calamity of death having +befallen our party, seemed, however, to awaken their sympathies. They +pointed out their usual burying-place, lent us hoes, and helped to make +the grave. When we offered to pay all expenses, they showed that they +had not done these friendly offices without fully appreciating their +value; for they enumerated the use of the hut, the mat on which the +deceased had lain, the hoes, the labour, and the medicine which they had +scattered over the place to make him rest in peace. + +The primitive African faith seems to be that there is one Almighty Maker +of heaven and earth; that he has given the various plants of earth to man +to be employed as mediators between him and the spirit world, where all +who have ever been born and died continue to live; that sin consists in +offences against their fellow-men, either here or among the departed, and +that death is often a punishment of guilt, such as witchcraft. Their +idea of moral evil differs in no respect from ours, but they consider +themselves amenable only to inferior beings, not to the Supreme. Evil- +speaking--lying--hatred--disobedience to parents--neglect of them--are +said by the intelligent to have been all known to be sin, as well as +theft, murder, or adultery, before they knew aught of Europeans or their +teaching. The only new addition to their moral code is, that it is wrong +to have more wives than one. This, until the arrival of Europeans, never +entered into their minds even as a doubt. + +Everything not to be accounted for by common causes, whether of good or +evil, is ascribed to the Deity. Men are inseparably connected with the +spirits of the departed, and when one dies he is believed to have joined +the hosts of his ancestors. All the Africans we have met with are as +firmly persuaded of their future existence as of their present life. And +we have found none in whom the belief in the Supreme Being was not +rooted. He is so invariably referred to as the Author of everything +supernatural, that, unless one is ignorant of their language, he cannot +fail to notice this prominent feature of their faith. When they pass +into the unseen world, they do not seem to be possessed with the fear of +punishment. The utensils placed upon the grave are all broken as if to +indicate that they will never be used by the departed again. The body is +put into the grave in a sitting posture, and the hands are folded in +front. In some parts of the country there are tales which we could +translate into faint glimmerings of a resurrection; but whether these +fables, handed down from age to age, convey that meaning to the natives +themselves we cannot tell. The true tradition of faith is asserted to be +"though a man die he will live again;" the false that when he dies he is +dead for ever. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +Important geographical discoveries in the Wabisa countries--Cruelty of +the slave-trade--The Mazitu--Serious illness of Dr. Livingstone--Return +to the ship. + +In our course westwards, we at first passed over a gently undulating +country, with a reddish clayey soil, which, from the heavy crops, +appeared to be very fertile. Many rivulets were crossed, some running +southwards into the Bua, and others northwards into the Loangwa, a river +which we formerly saw flowing into the Lake. Further on, the water was +chiefly found in pools and wells. Then still further, in the same +direction, some watercourses were said to flow into that same "Loangwa of +the Lake," and others into the Loangwa, which flows to the south-west, +and enters the Zambesi at Zumbo, and is here called the "Loangwa of the +Maravi." The trees were in general scraggy, and covered, exactly as they +are in the damp climate of the Coast, with lichens, resembling orchilla- +weed. The maize, which loves rather a damp soil, had been planted on +ridges to allow the superfluous moisture to run off. Everything +indicated a very humid climate, and the people warned us that, as the +rains were near, we were likely to be prevented from returning by the +country becoming flooded and impassable. + +Villages, as usual encircled by euphorbia hedges, were numerous, and a +great deal of grain had been cultivated around them. Domestic fowls, in +plenty, and pigeons with dovecots like those in Egypt were seen. The +people call themselves Matumboka, but the only difference between them +and the rest of the Manganja is in the mode of tattooing the face. Their +language is the same. Their distinctive mark consists of four tattooed +lines diverging from the point between the eyebrows, which, in frowning, +the muscles form into a furrow. The other lines of tattooing, as in all +Manganja, run in long seams, which crossing each other at certain angles +form a great number of triangular spaces on the breast, back, arms, and +thighs. The cuticle is divided by a knife, and the edges of the incision +are drawn apart till the true skin appears. By a repetition of this +process, lines of raised cicatrices are formed, which are thought to give +beauty, no matter how much pain the fashion gives. + +It would not be worth while to advert for a moment to the routine of +travelling, or the little difficulties that beset every one who attempts +to penetrate into a new country, were it not to show the great source of +the power here possessed by slave-traders. We needed help in carrying +our goods, while our men were ill, though still able to march. When we +had settled with others for hire, we were often told, that the dealers in +men had taken possession of some, and had taken them away altogether. +Other things led us to believe that the slave-traders carry matters with +a high hand; and no wonder, for the possession of gunpowder gives them +almost absolute power. The mode by which tribes armed with bows and +arrows carry on warfare, or defend themselves, is by ambuscade. They +never come out in open fight, but wait for the enemy ensconced behind +trees, or in the long grass of the country, and shoot at him unawares. +Consequently, if men come against them with firearms, when, as is usually +the case, the long grass is all burned off, the tribe attacked are as +helpless as a wooden ship, possessing only signal guns, would be before +an iron-clad steamer. The time of year selected for this kind of warfare +is nearly always that in which the grass is actually burnt off, or is so +dry as readily to take fire. The dry grass in Africa looks more like +ripe English wheat late in the autumn, than anything else we can compare +it to. Let us imagine an English village standing in a field of this +sort, bounded only by the horizon, and enemies setting fire to a line of +a mile or two, by running along with bunches of burning straw in their +hands, touching here and there the inflammable material,--the wind +blowing towards the doomed village--the inhabitants with only one or two +old muskets, but ten to one no powder,--the long line of flames, leaping +thirty feet into the air with dense masses of black smoke--and pieces of +charred grass falling down in showers. Would not the stoutest English +villager, armed only with the bow and arrow against the enemy's musket, +quail at the idea of breaking through that wall of fire? When at a +distance, we once saw a scene like this, and had the charred grass, +literally as thick as flakes of black snow, falling around us, there was +no difficulty in understanding the secret of the slave-trader's power. + +On the 21st of September, we arrived at the village of the chief Muasi, +or Muazi; it is surrounded by a stockade, and embowered in very tall +euphorbia-trees; their height, thirty or forty feet, shows that it has +been inhabited for at least one generation. A visitation of disease or +death causes the headmen to change the site of their villages, and plant +new hedges; but, though Muazi has suffered from the attacks of the +Mazitu, he has evidently clung to his birthplace. The village is +situated about two miles south-west of a high hill called Kasungu, which +gives the name to a district extending to the Loangwa of the Maravi. +Several other detached granite hills have been shot up on the plain, and +many stockaded villages, all owing allegiance to Muazi, are scattered +over it. + +On our arrival, the chief was sitting in the smooth shady place, called +Boalo, where all public business is transacted, with about two hundred +men and boys around him. We paid our guides with due ostentation. +Masiko, the tallest of our party, measured off the fathom of cloth agreed +upon, and made it appear as long as possible, by facing round to the +crowd, and cutting a few inches beyond what his outstretched arms could +reach, to show that there was no deception. This was by way of +advertisement. The people are mightily gratified at having a tall fellow +to measure the cloth for them. It pleases them even better than cutting +it by a tape-line--though very few men of six feet high can measure off +their own length with their outstretched arms. Here, where Arab traders +have been, the cubit called _mokono_, or elbow, begins to take the place +of the fathom in use further south. The measure is taken from the point +of the bent elbow to the end of the middle finger. + +We found, on visiting Muazi on the following day, that he was as frank +and straightforward as could reasonably be expected. He did not wish us +to go to the N.N.W., because he carries on a considerable trade in ivory +there. We were anxious to get off the slave route, to people not visited +before by traders; but Muazi naturally feared, that if we went to what is +said to be a well-watered country, abounding in elephants, we might +relieve him of the ivory which he now obtains at a cheap rate, and sells +to the slave-traders as they pass Kasungu to the east; but at last he +consented, warning us that "great difficulty would be experienced in +obtaining food--a district had been depopulated by slave wars--and a +night or two must be spent in it; but he would give us good guides, who +would go three days with us, before turning, and then further progress +must depend on ourselves." Some of our men having been ill ever since we +mounted this highland plain, we remained two days with Muazi. + +A herd of fine cattle showed that no tsetse existed in the district. They +had the Indian hump, and were very fat, and very tame. The boys rode on +both cows and bulls without fear, and the animals were so fat and lazy, +that the old ones only made a feeble attempt to kick their young +tormentors. Muazi never milks the cows; he complained that, but for the +Mazitu having formerly captured some, he should now have had very many. +They wander over the country at large, and certainly thrive. + +After leaving Muazi's, we passed over a flat country sparsely covered +with the scraggy upland trees, but brightened with many fine flowers. The +grass was short, reaching no higher than the knee, and growing in tufts +with bare spaces between, though the trees were draped with many various +lichens, and showed a moist climate. A high and very sharp wind blew +over the flats; its piercing keenness was not caused by low temperature, +for the thermometer stood at 80 degrees. + +We were now on the sources of the Loangwa of the Maravi, which enters the +Zambesi at Zumbo, and were struck by the great resemblance which the +boggy and sedgy streams here presented to the sources of the Leeba, an +affluent of the Zambesi formerly observed in Londa, and of the Kasai, +which some believe to be the principal branch of the Congo or Zaire. + +We had taken pains to ascertain from the travelled Babisa and Arabs as +much as possible about the country in front, which, from the lessening +time we had at our disposal, we feared we could scarcely reach, and had +heard a good deal of a small lake called Bemba. As we proceeded west, we +passed over the sources not only of the Loangwa, but of another stream, +called Moitawa or Moitala, which was represented to be the main feeder of +Lake Bemba. This would be of little importance, but for the fact that +the considerable river Luapula, or Loapula is said to flow out of Bemba +to the westward, and then to spread out into another and much larger +lake, named Moero, or Moelo. Flowing still further in the same +direction, the Loapula forms Lake Mofue, or Mofu, and after this it is +said to pass the town of Cazembe, bend to the north, and enter Lake +Tanganyika. Whither the water went after it entered the last lake, no +one would venture an assertion. But that the course indicated is the +true watershed of that part of the country, we believe from the unvarying +opinion of native travellers. There could be no doubt that our +informants had been in the country beyond Cazembe's, for they knew and +described chiefs whom we afterwards met about thirty-five or forty miles +west of his town. The Lualaba is said to flow into the Loapula--and +when, for the sake of testing the accuracy of the travelled, it was +asserted that all the water of the region round the town of Cazembe +flowed into the Luambadzi, or Luambezi (Zambesi), they remarked with a +smile, "He says, that the Loapula flows into the Zambesi--did you ever +hear such nonsense?" or words to that effect. We were forced to admit, +that according to native accounts, our previous impression of the +Zambesi's draining the country about Cazembe's had been a mistake. Their +geographical opinions are now only stated, without any further comment +than that the itinerary given by the Arabs and others shows that the +Loapula is twice crossed on the way to Cazembe's; and we may add that we +have never found any difficulty from the alleged incapacity of the negro +to tell which way a river flows. + +The boiling-point of water showed a descent, from the edge of the plateau +to our furthest point west, of 170 feet; but this can only be considered +as an approximation, and no dependence could have been placed on it, had +we not had the courses of the streams to confirm this rather rough mode +of ascertaining altitudes. The slope, as shown by the watershed, was to +the "Loangwa of the Maravi," and towards the Moitala, or south-west, +west, and north-west. After we leave the feeders of Lake Nyassa, the +water drains towards the centre of the continent. The course of the +Kasai, a river seen during Dr. Livingstone's journey to the West Coast, +and its feeders was to the north-east, or somewhat in the same direction. +Whether the water thus drained off finds its way out by the Congo, or by +the Nile, has not yet been ascertained. Some parts of the continent have +been said to resemble an inverted dinner-plate. This portion seems more +of the shape, if shape it has, of a wide-awake hat, with the crown a +little depressed. The altitude of the brim in some parts is +considerable; in others, as at Tette and the bottom of Murchison's +Cataracts, it is so small that it could be ascertained only by +eliminating the daily variations of the barometer, by simultaneous +observations on the Coast, and at points some two or three hundred miles +inland. So long as African rivers remain in what we may call the brim, +they present no obstructions; but no sooner do they emerge from the +higher lands than their utility is impaired by cataracts. The low lying +belt is very irregular. At times sloping up in the manner of the rim of +an inverted dinner-plate--while in other cases, a high ridge rises near +the sea, to be succeeded by a lower district inland before we reach the +central plateau. The breadth of the low lands is sometimes as much as +three hundred miles, and that breadth determines the limits of navigation +from the seaward. + +We made three long marches beyond Muazi's in a north-westerly direction; +the people were civil enough, but refused to sell us any food. We were +travelling too fast, they said; in fact, they were startled, and before +they recovered their surprise, we were obliged to depart. We suspected +that Muazi had sent them orders to refuse us food, that we might thus be +prevented from going into the depopulated district; but this may have +been mere suspicion, the result of our own uncharitable feelings. + +We spent one night at Machambwe's village, and another at Chimbuzi's. It +is seldom that we can find the headman on first entering a village. He +gets out of the way till he has heard all about the strangers, or he is +actually out in the fields looking after his farms. We once thought that +when the headman came in from a visit of inspection, with his spear, bow +and arrows, they had been all taken up for the occasion, and that he had +all the while been hidden in some hut slily watching till he heard that +the strangers might be trusted; but on listening to the details given by +these men of the appearances of the crops at different parts, and the +astonishing minuteness of the speakers' topography, we were persuaded +that in some cases we were wrong, and felt rather humiliated. Every +knoll, hill, mountain, and every peak on a range has a name; and so has +every watercourse, dell, and plain. In fact, every feature and portion +of the country is so minutely distinguished by appropriate names, that it +would take a lifetime to decipher their meaning. It is not the want, but +the superabundance of names that misleads travellers, and the terms used +are so multifarious that good scholars will at times scarcely know more +than the subject of conversation. Though it is a little apart from the +topic of the attention which the headmen pay to agriculture, yet it may +be here mentioned, while speaking of the fulness of the language, that we +have heard about a score of words to indicate different varieties of +gait--one walks leaning forward, or backward, swaying from side to side, +loungingly, or smartly, swaggeringly, swinging the arms, or only one arm, +head down or up, or otherwise; each of these modes of walking was +expressed by a particular verb; and more words were used to designate the +different varieties of fools than we ever tried to count. + +Mr. Moffat has translated the whole Bible into the language of the +Bechuana, and has diligently studied this tongue for the last forty-four- +years; and, though knowing far more of the language than any of the +natives who have been reared on the Mission-station of Kuruman, he does +not pretend to have mastered it fully even yet. However copious it may +be in terms of which we do not feel the necessity, it is poor in others, +as in abstract terms, and words used to describe mental operations. + +Our third day's march ended in the afternoon of the 27th September, 1863, +at the village of Chinanga on the banks of a branch of the Loangwa. A +large, rounded mass of granite, a thousand feet high, called _Nombe +rume_, stand on the plain a few miles off. It is quite remarkable, +because it has so little vegetation on it. Several other granitic hills +stand near it, ornamented with trees, like most heights of this country, +and a heap of blue mountains appears away in the north. + +The effect of the piercing winds upon the men had never been got rid of. +Several had been unable to carry a load ever since we ascended to the +highlands; we had lost one, and another poor lad was so ill as to cause +us great anxiety. By waiting in this village, which was so old that it +was full of vermin, all became worse. Our European food was entirely +expended, and native meal, though finely ground, has so many sharp +angular particles in it, that it brought back dysentery, from which we +had suffered so much in May. We could scarcely obtain food for the men. +The headman of this village of Chinanga was off in a foray against some +people further north to supply slaves to the traders expected along the +slave route we had just left; and was said, after having expelled the +inhabitants, to be living in their stockade, and devouring their corn. +The conquered tribe had purchased what was called a peace by presenting +the conqueror with three women. + +This state of matters afforded us but a poor prospect of finding more +provisions in that direction than we could with great difficulty and at +enormous prices obtain here. But neither want of food, dysentery, nor +slave wars would have prevented our working our way round the Lake in +some other direction, had we had time; but we had received orders from +the Foreign Office to take the "Pioneer" down to the sea in the previous +April. The salaries of all the men in her were positively "in any case +to cease by the 31st of December." + +We were said to be only ten days' distant from Lake Bemba. We might +speculate on a late rise of the river. A month or six weeks would secure +a geographical feat, but the rains were near. We had been warned by +different people that the rains were close at hand, and that we should +then be bogged and unable to travel. The flood in the river might be an +early one, or so small in volume as to give but one chance of the +"Pioneer" descending to the ocean. The Makololo too were becoming +dispirited by sickness and want of food, and were naturally anxious to be +back to their fields in time for sowing. But in addition to all this and +more, it was felt that it would not be dealing honestly with the +Government, were we, for the sake of a little eclat, to risk the +detention of the "Pioneer" up the river during another year; so we +decided to return; and though we had afterwards the mortification to find +that we were detained two full months at the ship waiting for the flood +which we expected immediately after our arrival there, the chagrin was +lessened by a consciousness of having acted in a fair, honest, +above-board manner throughout. + +On the night of the 29th of September a thief came to the sleeping-place +of our men and stole a leg of a goat. On complaining to the deputy +headman, he said that the thief had fled, but would be caught. He +suggested a fine, and offered a fowl and her eggs; but wishing that the +thief alone should be punished, it was advised that _he_ should be found +and fined. The Makololo thought it best to take the fowl as a means of +making the punishment certain. After settling this matter on the last +day of September, we commenced our return journey. We had just the same +time to go back to the ship, that we had spent in coming to this point, +and there is not much to interest one in marching over the same ground a +second time. + +While on our journey north-west, a cheery old woman, who had once been +beautiful, but whose white hair now contrasted strongly with her dark +complexion, was working briskly in her garden as we passed. She seemed +to enjoy a hale, hearty old age. She saluted us with what elsewhere +would be called a good address; and, evidently conscious that she +deserved the epithet, "dark but comely," answered each of us with a frank +"Yes, my child." Another motherly-looking woman, sitting by a well, +began the conversation by "You are going to visit Muazi, and you have +come from afar, have you not?" But in general women never speak to +strangers unless spoken to, so anything said by them attracts attention. +Muazi once presented us with a basket of corn. On hinting that we had no +wife to grind our corn, his buxom spouse struck in with roguish glee, and +said, "I will grind it for you; and leave Muazi, to accompany and cook +for you in the land of the setting sun." As a rule the women are modest +and retiring in their demeanour, and, without being oppressed with toil, +show a great deal of industry. The crops need about eight months' +attention. Then when the harvest is home, much labour is required to +convert it into food as porridge, or beer. The corn is pounded in a +large wooden mortar, like the ancient Egyptian one, with a pestle six +feet long and about four inches thick. The pounding is performed by two +or even three women at one mortar. Each, before delivering a blow with +her pestle, gives an upward jerk of the body, so as to put strength into +the stroke, and they keep exact time, so that two pestles are never in +the mortar at the same moment. The measured thud, thud, thud, and the +women standing at their vigorous work, are associations inseparable from +a prosperous African village. By the operation of pounding, with the aid +of a little water, the hard outside scale or husk of the grain is +removed, and the corn is made fit for the millstone. The meal irritates +the stomach unless cleared from the husk; without considerable energy in +the operator, the husk sticks fast to the corn. Solomon thought that +still more vigour than is required to separate the hard husk or bran from +wheat would fail to separate "a fool from his folly." "Though thou +shouldst bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, _yet_ will +not his foolishness depart from him." The rainbow, in some parts, is +called the "pestle of the Barimo," or gods. Boys and girls, by constant +practice with the pestle, are able to plant stakes in the ground by a +somewhat similar action, in erecting a hut, so deftly that they never +miss the first hole made. + +Let any one try by repeatedly jobbing a pole with all his force to make a +deep hole in the ground, and he will understand how difficult it is +always to strike it into the same spot. + +As we were sleeping one night outside a hut, but near enough to hear what +was going on within, an anxious mother began to grind her corn about two +o'clock in the morning. "Ma," inquired a little girl, "why grind in the +dark?" Mamma advised sleep, and administered material for a sweet dream +to her darling, by saying, "I grind meal to buy a cloth from the +strangers, which will make you look a little lady." An observer of these +primitive races is struck continually with such little trivial touches of +genuine human nature. + +The mill consists of a block of granite, syenite, or even mica schist, +fifteen or eighteen inches square and five or six thick, with a piece of +quartz or other hard rock about the size of a half brick, one side of +which has a convex surface, and fits into a concave hollow in the larger +and stationary stone. The workwoman kneeling, grasps this upper +millstone with both hands, and works it backwards and forwards in the +hollow of the lower millstone, in the same way that a baker works his +dough, when pressing it and pushing from him. The weight of the person +is brought to bear on the movable stone, and while it is pressed and +pushed forwards and backwards, one hand supplies every now and then a +little grain to be thus at first bruised and then ground on the lower +stone, which is placed on the slope so that the meal when ground falls on +to a skin or mat spread for the purpose. This is perhaps the most +primitive form of mill, and anterior to that in oriental countries, where +two women grind at one mill, and may have been that used by Sarah of old +when she entertained the Angels. + +On 2nd October we applied to Muazi for guides to take us straight down to +Chinsamba's at Mosapo, and thus cut off an angle, which we should +otherwise make, by going back to Kota-kota Bay. He replied that his +people knew the short way to Chinsamba's that we desired to go, but that +they all were afraid to venture there, on account of the Zulus, or +Mazitu. We therefore started back on our old route, and, after three +hours' march, found some Babisa in a village who promised to lead us to +Chinsamba. + +We meet with these keen traders everywhere. They are easily known by a +line of horizontal cicatrices, each half an inch long, down the middle of +the forehead and chin. They often wear the hair collected in a mass on +the upper and back part of the head, while it is all shaven off the +forehead and temples. The Babisa and Waiau or Ajawa heads have more of +the round bullet-shape than those of the Manganja, indicating a marked +difference in character; the former people being great traders and +travellers, the latter being attached to home and agriculture. The +Manganja usually intrust their ivory to the Babisa to be sold at the +Coast, and complain that the returns made never come up to the high +prices which they hear so much about before it is sent. In fact, by the +time the Babisa return, the expenses of the journey, in which they often +spend a month or two at a place where food abounds, usually eat up all +the profits. + +Our new companions were trading in tobacco, and had collected quantities +of the round balls, about the size of nine pounder shot, into which it is +formed. One of them owned a woman, whose child had been sold that +morning for tobacco. The mother followed him, weeping silently, for +hours along the way we went; she seemed to be well known, for at several +hamlets, the women spoke to her with evident sympathy; we could do +nothing to alleviate her sorrow--the child would be kept until some slave- +trader passed, and then sold for calico. The different cases of slave- +trading observed by us are mentioned, in order to give a fair idea of its +details. + +We spent the first night, after leaving the slave route, at the village +of Nkoma, among a section of Manganja, called Machewa, or Macheba, whose +district extends to the Bua. + +The next village at which we slept was also that of a Manganja smith. It +was a beautiful spot, shaded with tall euphorbia-trees. The people at +first fled, but after a short time returned, and ordered us off to a +stockade of Babisa, about a mile distant. We preferred to remain in the +smooth shady spot outside the hamlet, to being pent up in a treeless +stockade. Twenty or thirty men came dropping in, all fully armed with +bows and arrows, some of them were at least six feet four in height, yet +these giants were not ashamed to say, "We thought that you were Mazitu, +and, being afraid, ran away." Their orders to us were evidently inspired +by terror, and so must the refusal of the headman to receive a cloth, or +lend us a hut have been; but as we never had the opportunity of realizing +what feelings a successful invasion would produce, we did not know +whether to blame them or not. The headman, a tall old smith, with an +enormous, well-made knife of his own workmanship, came quietly round, +and, inspecting the shelter, which, from there being abundance of long +grass and bushes near, our men put up for us in half an hour, gradually +changed his tactics, and, in the evening, presented us with a huge pot of +porridge and a deliciously well-cooked fowl, and made an apology for +having been so rude to strangers, and a lamentation that he had been so +foolish as to refuse the fine cloth we had offered. Another cloth was of +course presented, and we had the pleasure of parting good friends next +day. + +Our guide, who belonged to the stockade near to which we had slept, +declined to risk himself further than his home. While waiting to hire +another, Masiko attempted to purchase a goat, and had nearly concluded +the bargain, when the wife of the would-be seller came forward, and said +to her husband, "You appear as if you were unmarried; selling a goat +without consulting your wife; what an insult to a woman! What sort of +man are you?" Masiko urged the man, saying, "Let us conclude the +bargain, and never mind her;" but he being better instructed, replied, +"No, I have raised a host against myself already," and refused. + +We now pushed on to the east, so as to get down to the shores of the +Lake, and into the parts where we were known. The country was beautiful, +well wooded, and undulating, but the villages were all deserted; and the +flight of the people seemed to have been quite recent, for the grain was +standing in the corn-safes untouched. The tobacco, though ripe, remained +uncut in the gardens, and the whole country was painfully quiet: the +oppressive stillness quite unbroken by the singing of birds, or the +shrill calls of women watching their corn. + +On passing a beautiful village, called Bangwe, surrounded by shady trees, +and placed in a valley among mountains, we were admiring the beauty of +the situation, when some of the much dreaded Mazitu, with their shields, +ran out of the hamlet, from which we were a mile distant. They began to +scream to their companions to give us chase. Without quickening our pace +we walked on, and soon were in a wood, through which the footpath we were +following led. The first intimation we had of the approaching Mazitu was +given by the Johanna man, Zachariah, who always lagged behind, running +up, screaming as if for his life. The bundles were all put in one place +to be defended; and Masiko and Dr. Livingstone walked a few paces back to +meet the coming foe. Masiko knelt down anxious to fire, but was ordered +not to do so. For a second or two dusky forms appeared among the trees, +and the Mazitu were asked, in their own tongue, "What do you want?" +Masiko adding, "What do you say?" No answer was given, but the dark +shade in the forest vanished. They had evidently taken us for natives, +and the sight of a white man was sufficient to put them to flight. Had +we been nearer the Coast, where the people are accustomed to the slave- +trade, we should have found this affair a more difficult one to deal +with; but, as a rule, the people of the interior are much more mild in +character than those on the confines of civilization. + +The above very small adventure was all the danger we were aware of in +this journey; but a report was spread from the Portuguese villages on the +Zambesi, similar to several rumours that had been raised before, that Dr. +Livingstone had been murdered by the Makololo; and very unfortunately the +report reached England before it could be contradicted. + +One benefit arose from the Mazitu adventure. Zachariah, and others who +had too often to be reproved for lagging behind, now took their places in +the front rank; and we had no difficulty in making very long marches for +several days, for all believed that the Mazitu would follow our +footsteps, and attack us while we slept. + +A party of Babisa tobacco-traders came from the N.W. to Molamba, while we +were there; and one of them asserted several times that the Loapula, +after emerging from Moelo, received the Lulua, and then flowed into Lake +Mofu, and thence into Tanganyika; and from the last-named Lake into the +sea. This is the native idea of the geography of the interior; and, to +test the general knowledge of our informant, we asked him about our +acquaintances in Londa; as Moene, Katema, Shinde or Shinte, who live +south-west of the rivers mentioned, and found that our friends there were +perfectly well-known to him and to others of these travelled natives. In +the evening two of the Babisa came in, and reported that the Mazitu had +followed us to the village called Chigaragara, at which we slept at the +bottom of the descent. The whole party of traders set off at once, +though the sun had set. We ourselves had given rise to the report, for +the women of Chigaragara, supposing us in the distance to be Mazitu, +fled, with all their household utensils on their heads, and had no +opportunity afterwards of finding out their mistake. We spent the night +where we were, and next morning, declining Nkomo's entreaty to go and +kill elephants, took our course along the shores of the Lake southwards. + +We have only been at the Lake at one season of the year: then the wind +blows strongly from the east, and indeed this is its prevailing direction +hence to the Orange River; a north or a south wind is rare, and seldom +lasts more than three days. As the breeze now blew over a large body of +water, towards us, it was delightful; but when facing it on the table- +land it was so strong as materially to impede our progress, and added +considerably to the labour of travelling. Here it brought large +quantities of the plant (_Vallisneriae_), from which the natives extract +salt by burning, and which, if chewed, at once shows its saline +properties by the taste. Clouds of the kungo, or edible midges, floated +on the Lake, and many rested on the bushes on land. + +The reeds along the shores of the Lake were still crowded with fugitives, +and a great loss of life must since have taken place; for, after the corn +they had brought with them was expended, famine would ensue. Even now we +passed many women and children digging up the roots, about the size of +peas, of an aromatic grass; and their wasted forms showed that this poor +hard fare was to allay, if possible, the pangs of hunger. The babies at +the breast crowed to us as we passed, their mothers kneeling and grubbing +for the roots; the poor little things still drawing nourishment from the +natural fountain were unconscious of that sinking of heart which their +parents must have felt in knowing that the supply for the little ones +must soon fail. No one would sell a bit of food to us: fishermen, even, +would not part with the produce of their nets, except in exchange for +some other kind of food. Numbers of newly-made graves showed that many +had already perished, and hundreds were so emaciated that they had the +appearance of human skeletons swathed in brown and wrinkled leather. In +passing mile after mile, marked with these sad proofs that "man's +inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn," one experiences an +overpowering sense of helplessness to alleviate human woe, and breathes a +silent prayer to the Almighty to hasten the good time coming when "man +and man the world o'er, shall brothers be for all that." One small +redeeming consideration in all this misery could not but be felt; these +ills were inflicted by heathen Mazitu, and not by, or for, those who say +to Him who is higher than the highest, "We believe that thou shalt come +to be our Judge." + +We crossed the Mokole, rested at Chitanda, and then left the Lake, and +struck away N.W. to Chinsamba's. Our companions, who were so much +oppressed by the rarefied air of the plateau, still showed signs of +exhaustion, though now only 1300 feet above the sea, and did not recover +flesh and spirits till we again entered the Lower Shire Valley, which is +of so small an altitude, that, without simultaneous observations with the +barometer there and on the sea-coast, the difference would not be +appreciable. + +On a large plain on which we spent one night, we had the company of +eighty tobacco traders on their way from Kasungu to Chinsamba's. The +Mazitu had attacked and killed two of them, near the spot where the Zulus +fled from us without answering our questions. The traders were now so +frightened that, instead of making a straight course with us, they set +off by night to follow the shores of the Lake to Tsenga, and then turn +west. It is the sight of shields, or guns that inspires terror. The +bowmen feel perfectly helpless when the enemy comes with even the small +protection the skin shield affords, or attacks them in the open field +with guns. They may shoot a few arrows, but they are such poor shots +that ten to one if they hit. The only thing that makes the arrow +formidable is the poison; for if the poisoned barb goes in nothing can +save the wounded. A bow is in use in the lower end of Lake Nyassa, but +is more common in the Maravi country, from six to eight inches broad, +which is intended to be used as a shield as well as a bow; but we never +saw one with the mark on it of an enemy's arrow. It certainly is no +match for the Zulu shield, which is between four and five feet long, of +an oval shape, and about two feet broad. So great is the terror this +shield inspires that we sometimes doubted whether the Mazitu here were +Zulus at all, and suspected that the people of the country took advantage +of that fear, and, assuming shields, pretended to belong to that nation. + +On the 11th October we arrived at the stockade of Chinsamba in Mosapo, +and had reason to be very well satisfied with his kindness. A paraffin +candle was in his eyes the height of luxury, and the ability to make a +light instantaneously by a lucifer match, a marvel that struck him with +wonder. He brought all his relatives in different groups to see the +strange sights,--instantaneous fire-making, and a light, without the +annoyance of having fire and smoke in the middle of the floor. When they +wish to look for anything in the dark, a wisp of dried grass is lighted. + +Chinsamba gave us a great deal of his company during our visits. As we +have often remarked in other cases, a chief has a great deal to attend to +in guiding the affairs of his people. He is consulted on all occasions, +and gives his advice in a stream of words, which show a very intimate +acquaintance with the topography of his district; he knows every rood +cultivated, every weir put in the river, every hunting-net, loom, gorge, +and every child of his tribe. Any addition made to the number of these +latter is notified to him; and he sends thanks and compliments to the +parents. + +The presents which, following the custom of the country, we gave to every +headman, where we either spent a night or a longer period, varied from +four to eight yards of calico. We had some Manchester cloths made in +imitation of the native manufactured robes of the West Coast, each worth +five or six shillings. To the more important of the chiefs, for calico +we substituted one of these strong gaudy dresses, iron spoons, a knife, +needles, a tin dish, or pannikin, and found these presents to be valued +more than three times their value in cloth would have been. Eight or ten +shillings' worth gave abundant satisfaction to the greediest; but this is +to be understood as the prime cost of the articles, and a trader would +sometimes have estimated similar generosity as equal to from 30 to 50 +pounds. In some cases the presents we gave exceeded the value of what +was received in return; in others the excess of generosity was on the +native side. + +We never asked for leave to pass through the country; we simply told +where we were going, and asked for guides; if they were refused, or if +they demanded payment beforehand, we requested to be put into the +beginning of the path, and said that we were sorry we could not agree +about the guides, and usually they and we started together. Greater care +would be required on entering the Mazitu or Zulu country, for there the +Government extends over very large districts, while among the Manganja +each little district is independent of every other. The people here have +not adopted the exacting system of the Banyai, or of the people whose +country was traversed by Speke and Grant. + +In our way back from Chinsamba's to Chembi's and from his village to +Nkwinda's, and thence to Katosa's, we only saw the people working in +their gardens, near to the stockades. These strongholds were +strengthened with branches of acacias, covered with strong hooked thorns; +and were all crowded with people. The air was now clearer than when we +went north, and we could see the hills of Kirk's Range five or six miles +to the west of our path. The sun struck very hot, and the men felt it +most in their feet. Every one who could get a bit of goatskin made it +into a pair of sandals. + +While sitting at Nkwinda's, a man behind the court hedge-wall said, with +great apparent glee, that an Arab slaving party on the other side of the +confluence of the Shire and Lake were "giving readily two fathoms of +calico for a boy, and two and a half for a girl; never saw trade so +brisk, no haggling at all." This party was purchasing for the supply of +the ocean slave-trade. One of the evils of this traffic is that it +profits by every calamity that happens in a country. The slave-trader +naturally reaps advantage from every disorder, and though in the present +case some lives may have been saved that otherwise would have perished, +as a rule he intensifies hatreds, and aggravates wars between the tribes, +because the more they fight and vanquish each other the richer his +harvest becomes. Where slaving and cattle are unknown the people live in +peace. As we sat leaning against that hedge, and listened to the +harangue of the slave-trader's agent, it glanced across our mind that +this was a terrible world; the best in it unable, from conscious +imperfections, to say to the worst "Stand by! for I am holier than thou." +The slave-trader, imbued no doubt with certain kindly feelings, yet +pursuing a calling which makes him a fair specimen of a human fiend, +stands grouped with those by whom the slave-traders are employed, and +with all the workers of sin and misery in more highly-favoured lands, an +awful picture to the All-seing Eye. + +We arrived at Katosa's village on the 15th October, and found about +thirty young men and boys in slave-sticks. They had been bought by other +agents of the Arab slavers, still on the east side of the Shire. They +were resting in the village, and their owners soon removed them. The +weight of the goree seemed very annoying when they tried to sleep. This +taming instrument is kept on, until the party has crossed several rivers +and all hope of escape has vanished from the captive's mind. + +On explaining to Katosa the injury he was doing in selling his people as +slaves, he assured us that those whom we had seen belonged to the Arabs, +and added that he had far too few people already. He said he had been +living in peace at the lakelet Pamalombe; that the Ajawa, or Machinga, +under Kainka and Karamba, and a body of Babisa, under Maonga, had induced +him to ferry them over the Shire; that they had lived for a considerable +time at his expense, and at last stole his sheep, which induced him to +make his escape to the place where he now dwelt, and in this flight he +had lost many of his people. His account of the usual conduct of the +Ajawa quite agrees with what these people have narrated themselves, and +gives but a low idea of their moral tone. They have repeatedly broken +all the laws of hospitality by living for months on the bounty of the +Manganja, and then, by a sudden uprising, overcoming their hosts, and +killing or chasing them out of their inheritances. The secret of their +success is the possession of firearms. There were several of these Ajawa +here again, and on our arrival they proposed to Katosa that they should +leave; but he replied that they need not be afraid of us. They had red +beads strung so thickly on their hair that at a little distance they +appeared to have on red caps. It is curious that the taste for red hair +should be so general among the Africans here and further north; in the +south black mica, called _Sebilo_, and even soot are used to deepen the +colour of the hair; here many smear the head with red-ochre, others plait +the inner bark of a tree stained red into it; and a red powder called +_Mukuru_ is employed, which some say is obtained from the ground, and +others from the roots of a tree. + +It having been doubted whether sugar-cane is indigenous to this country +or not, we employed Katosa to procure the two varieties commonly +cultivated, with the intention of conveying them to Johanna. One is +yellow, and the other, like what we observed in the Barotse Valley, is +variegated with dark red and yellow patches, or all red. We have seen it +"arrow," or blossom. Bamboos also run to seed, and the people are said +to use the seed as food. The sugar-cane has native names, which would +lead us to believe it to be indigenous. Here it is called _Zimbi_, +further south _Mesari_, and in the centre of the country _Meshuati_. +Anything introduced in recent times, as maize, superior cotton, or +cassava, has a name implying its foreign origin. + +Katosa's village was embowered among gigantic trees of fine timber: +several caffiaceous bushes, with berries closely resembling those of the +common coffee, grew near, but no use had ever been made of them. There +are several cinchonaceous trees also in the country; and some of the wild +fruits are so good as to cause a feeling of regret that they have not +been improved by cultivation, or whatever else brought ours to their +present perfection. Katosa lamented that this locality was so inferior +to his former place at Pamalombe; there he had maize at the different +stages of growth throughout the year. To us, however, he seemed, by +digging holes, and taking advantage of the moisture beneath, to have +succeeded pretty well in raising crops at this the driest time. The +Makololo remarked that "here the maize had no season,"--meaning that the +whole year was proper for its growth and ripening. By irrigation a +succession of crops of grain might be raised anywhere within the south +intertropical region of Africa. + +When we were with Motunda, on the 20th October, he told us frankly that +all the native provisions were hidden in Kirk's Range, and his village +being the last place where a supply of grain could be purchased before we +reached the ship, we waited till he had sent to his hidden stores. The +upland country, beyond the mountains now on our right, is called Deza, +and is inhabited by Maravi, who are only another tribe of Manganja. The +paramount chief is called Kabambe, and he, having never been visited by +war, lives in peace and plenty. Goats and sheep thrive; and Nyango, the +chieftainess further to the south, has herds of horned cattle. The +country being elevated is said to be cold, and there are large grassy +plains on it which are destitute of trees. The Maravi are reported to be +brave, and good marksmen with the bow; but, throughout all the country we +have traversed, guns are enabling the trading tribes to overcome the +agricultural and manufacturing classes. + +On the ascent at the end of the valley just opposite Mount Mvai, we +looked back for a moment to impress the beauties of the grand vale on our +memory. The heat of the sun was now excessive, and Masiko, thinking that +it was overpowering, proposed to send forward to the ship and get a +hammock, in which to carry any one who might knock up. He was truly kind +and considerate. Dr. Livingstone having fallen asleep after a fatiguing +march, a hole in the roof of the hut he was in allowed the sun to beat on +his head, and caused a splitting headache and deafness: while he was +nearly insensible, he felt Masiko repeatedly lift him back to the bed off +which he had rolled, and cover him up. + +On the 24th we were again in Banda, at the village of Chasundu, and could +now see clearly the hot valley in which the Shire flows, and the +mountains of the Manganja beyond to our south-east. Instead of following +the road by which we had come, we resolved to go south along the +Lesungwe, which rises at Zunje, a peak on the same ridge as Mvai, and a +part of Kirk's Range, which bounds the country of the Maravi on our west. +This is about the limit of the beat of the Portuguese native traders, and +it is but recently that, following our footsteps, they have come so far. +It is not likely that their enterprise will lead them further north, for +Chasundu informed us that the Babisa under-sell the agents from Tette. He +had tried to deal with the latter when they first came; but they offered +only ten fathoms of calico for a tusk, for which the Babisa gave him +twenty fathoms and a little powder. Ivory was brought to us for sale +again and again, and, as far as we could judge, the price expected would +be about one yard of calico per pound, or possibly more, for there is no +scale of prices known. The rule seems to be that buyer and seller shall +spend a good deal of time in trying to cheat each other before coming to +any conclusion over a bargain. + +We found the Lesungwe a fine stream near its source, and about forty feet +wide and knee-deep, when joined by the Lekudzi, which comes down from the +Maravi country. + +Guinea-fowl abounded, but no grain could be purchased, for the people had +cultivated only the holmes along the banks with maize and pumpkins. Time +enough had not elapsed since the slave-trader's invasion, and destruction +of their stores, for them to raise crops of grain on the adjacent lands. +To deal with them for a few heads of maize was the hungry bargaining with +the famished, so we hastened on southwards as fast as the excessive heat +would allow us. It was impossible to march in the middle of the day, the +heat was so intolerable; and we could not go on at night, because, if we +had chanced to meet any of the inhabitants, we should have been taken for +marauders. + +We had now thunder every afternoon; but while occasional showers seemed +to fall at different parts, none fell on us. The air was deliciously +clear, and revealed all the landscape covered everywhere with forest, and +bounded by beautiful mountains. On the 31st October we reached the +Mukuru-Madse, after having travelled 660 geographical miles, or 760 +English miles in a straight line. This was accomplished in fifty-five +travelling days, twelve miles per diem on an average. If the numerous +bendings and windings, and ups and downs of the paths could have been +measured too, the distance would have been found at least fifteen miles a +day. + +The night we slept at the Mukuru-Madse it thundered heavily, but, as this +had been the case every afternoon, and no rain had followed, we erected +no shelter, but during this night a pouring rain came on. When very +tired a man feels determined to sleep in spite of everything, and the +sound of dropping water is said to be conducive to slumber, but that does +not refer to an African storm. If, when half asleep in spite of a heavy +shower on the back of the head, he unconsciously turns on his side, the +drops from the branches make such capital shots into his ear, that the +brain rings again. + +We were off next morning, the 1st of November, as soon as the day dawned. +In walking about seven miles to the ship, our clothes were thoroughly +dried by the hot sun, and an attack of fever followed. We relate this +little incident to point out the almost certain consequence of getting +wet in this climate, and allowing the clothes to dry on the person. Even +if we walk in the mornings when the dew is on the grass, and only get our +feet and legs wet, a very uneasy feeling and partial fever with pains in +the limbs ensue, and continue till the march onwards bathes them in +perspiration. Had Bishop Mackenzie been aware of this, which, before +experience alone had taught us, entailed many a severe lesson, we know no +earthly reason why his valuable life might not have been spared. The +difference between getting the clothes soaked in England and in Africa is +this: in the cold climate the patient is compelled, or, at any rate, +warned, by discomfort to resort at once to a change of raiment; while in +Africa it is cooling and rather pleasant to allow the clothes to dry on +the person. A Missionary in proportion as he possesses an athletic +frame, hardened by manly exercises, in addition to his other +qualifications, will excel him who is not favoured with such bodily +endowments; but in a hot climate efficiency mainly depends on husbanding +the resources. He must never forget that, in the tropics, he is an +exotic plant. + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +Confidence of natives--Bishop Tozer--Withdrawal of the Mission party--The +English leave--Hazardous voyage to Mosambique--Dr. Livingstone's voyage +to Bombay--Return to England. + +We were delighted and thankful to find all those left at the ship in good +health, and that from the employments in which they had been occupied +they had suffered less from fever than usual during our absence. My +companion, Thomas Ward, the steward, after having performed his part in +the march right bravely, rejoined his comrades stronger than he had ever +been before. + +An Ajawa chief, named Kapeni, had so much confidence in the English name +that he, with most of his people, visited the ship; and asserted that +nothing would give his countrymen greater pleasure than to receive the +associates of Bishop Mackenzie as their teachers. This declaration, +coupled with the subsequent conduct of the Ajawa, was very gratifying, +inasmuch as it was clear that no umbrage had been taken at the check +which the Bishop had given to their slaving; their consciences had told +them that the course he had pursued was right. + +When we returned, the contrast between the vegetation about Muazi's and +that near the ship was very striking. We had come so quickly down, that +while on the plateau in latitude 12 degrees S., the young leaves had in +many cases passed from the pink or other colour they have on first coming +out to the light fresh green which succeeds it, here, on the borders of +16 degrees S., or from 150 to 180 miles distant, the trees were still +bare, the grey colour of the bark predominating over every other hue. The +trees in the tropics here have a very well-marked annual rest. On the +Rovuma even, which is only about ten degrees from the equator, in +September the slopes up from the river some sixty miles inland were of a +light ashy-grey colour; and on ascending them, we found that the majority +of the trees were without leaves; those of the bamboo even lay crisp and +crumpled on the ground. As the sun is usually hot by day, even in the +winter, this withering process may be owing to the cool nights; Africa +differing so much from Central India in the fact that, in Africa, however +hot the day may be, the air generally cools down sufficiently by the +early morning watches to render a covering or even a blanket agreeable. + +The first fortnight after our return to the ship was employed in the +delightful process of resting, to appreciate which a man must have gone +through great exertions. In our case the muscles of the limbs were as +hard as boards, and not an ounce of fat existed on any part of the body. +We now had frequent showers; but, these being only the earlier rains, the +result on the rise of the river was but a few inches. The effect of +these rains on the surrounding scenery was beautiful in the extreme. All +trace of the dry season was soon obliterated, and hills and mountains +from base to summit were covered with a mantle of living green. The sun +passed us on his way south without causing a flood, so all our hopes of a +release were centred on his return towards the Equator, when, as a rule, +the waters of inundation are made to flow. Up to this time the rains +descended simply to water the earth, fill the pools, and make ready for +the grand overflow for which we had still to wait six weeks. It is of no +use to conceal that we waited with much chagrin; for had we not been +forced to return from the highlands west of Nyassa we might have visited +Lake Bemba; but unavailing regrets are poor employment for the mind; so +we banished them to the best of our power. + +About the middle of December, 1863, we were informed that Bishop +Mackenzie's successor, after spending a few months on the top of a +mountain about as high as Ben Nevis in Scotland, at the mouth of the +Shire, where there were few or no people to be taught, had determined to +leave the country. This unfortunate decision was communicated to us at +the same time that six of the boys reared by Bishop Mackenzie were sent +back into heathenism. The boys were taken to a place about seven miles +from the ship, but immediately found their way up to us. We told them +that if they wished to remain in the country they had better so arrange +at once, for we were soon to leave. The sequel will show their choice. + +As soon as the death of Bishop Mackenzie was known at the Cape, Dr. Gray, +the excellent Bishop there, proceeded at once to England, with a view of +securing an early appointment of another head to the Mission, which in +its origin owed so much to his zeal for the spread of the gospel among +the heathen, and whose interests he had continually at heart. About the +middle of 1862 we heard that Dr. Gray's efforts had been successful, and +that another clergyman would soon take the place of our departed friend. +This pleasing intelligence was exceedingly cheering to the Missionaries, +and gratifying also to the members of the Expedition. About the +beginning of 1863 the new Bishop arrived at the mouth of the river in a +man-of-war, and after some delay proceeded inland. The Bishop of the +Cape had taken a voyage home at considerable inconvenience to himself, +for the sole object of promoting this Mission to the heathen; and it was +somehow expected that the man he would secure would be an image of +himself; and we must say, that whatever others, from the representations +that have gone abroad, may think of his character, we invariably found +Dr. Gray to be a true, warm-hearted promoter of the welfare of his fellow- +men; a man whose courage and zeal have provoked very many to good works. + +It was hoped that the presence of a new head to the Mission would infuse +new energy and life into the small band of Missionaries, whose ranks had +been thinned by death; and who, though discouraged by the disasters which +the slave war and famine had induced, and also dispirited by the +depressing influences of a low and unhealthy position in the swampy Shire +Valley, were yet bravely holding out till the much-needed moral and +material aid should arrive. + +We believe that we are uttering the sentiments of many devout members of +different sections of Christians, when we say, it was a pity that the +Mission of the Universities was abandoned. The ground had been +consecrated in the truest sense by the lives of those brave men who first +occupied it. In bare justice to Bishop Mackenzie, who was the first to +fall, it must be said, that the repudiation of all he had done, and the +sudden abandonment of all that had cost so much life and money to secure, +was a serious line of conduct for one so unversed in Missionary +operations as his successor, to inaugurate. It would have been no more +than fair that Bishop Tozer, before winding up the affairs of the +Mission, should actually have examined the highlands of the Upper Shire; +he would thus have gratified the associates of his predecessor, who +believed that the highlands had never had a fair trial, and he would have +gained from personal observation a more accurate knowledge of the country +and the people than he could possibly have become possessed of by +information gathered chiefly on the coast. With this examination, rather +than with a stay of a few months on the humid, dripping top of misty +Morambala, we should have felt much more satisfied. + +In January, 1864, the natives all confidently asserted that at next full +moon the river would have its great and permanent flood. It had several +times risen as much as a foot, but fell again as suddenly. It was +curious that their observation coincided exactly with ours, that the +flood of inundation happens when the sun comes overhead on his way back +to the Equator. We mention this more minutely because, from the +observation of several years, we believe that in this way the inundation +of the Nile is to be explained. On the 19th the Shire suddenly rose +several feet, and we started at once; and stopping only for a short time +at Chibisa's to bid adieu to the Ajawa and Makololo, who had been +extremely useful to us of late in supplying maize and fresh provisions, +we hastened on our way to the ocean. In order to keep a steerage way on +the "Pioneer," we had to go quicker than the stream, and unfortunately +carried away her rudder in passing suddenly round a bank. The delay +required for the repairs prevented our reaching Morambala till the 2nd of +February. + +The flood-water ran into a marsh some miles above the mountain, and +became as black as ink; and when it returned again to the river emitted +so strong an effluvium of sulphuretted hydrogen, that one could not +forget for an instant that the air was most offensive. The natives said +this stench did not produce disease. We spent one night in it, and +suffered no ill effects, though we fully expected an attack of fever. +Next morning every particle of white paint on both ships was so deeply +blackened, that it could not be cleaned by scrubbing with soap and water. +The brass was all turned to a bronze colour, and even the iron and ropes +had taken a new tint. This is an additional proof that malaria and +offensive effluvia are not always companions. We did not suffer more +from fever in the mangrove swamps, where we inhaled so much of the heavy +mousey smell that it was distinguishable in the odour of our shirts and +flannels, than we did elsewhere. + +We tarried in the foul and blackening emanations from the marsh because +we had agreed to receive on board about thirty poor orphan boys and +girls, and a few helpless widows whom Bishop Mackenzie had attached to +his Mission. All who were able to support themselves had been encouraged +by the Missionaries to do so by cultivating the ground, and they now +formed a little free community. But the boys and girls who were only +from seven to twelve years of age, and orphans without any one to help +them, could not be abandoned without bringing odium on the English name. +The effect of an outcry by some persons in England, who knew nothing of +the circumstances in which Bishop Mackenzie was placed, and who certainly +had not given up their own right of appeal to the sword of the +magistrate, was, that the new head of the Mission had gone to extremes in +the opposite direction from his predecessor; not even protesting against +the one monstrous evil of the country, the slave-trade. We believed that +we ought to leave the English name in the same good repute among the +natives that we had found it; and in removing the poor creatures, who had +lived with Mackenzie as children with a father, to a land where the +education he began would be completed, we had the aid and sympathy of the +best of the Portuguese, and of the whole population. The difference +between shipping slaves and receiving these free orphans struck us as +they came on board. As soon as permission to embark was given, the rush +into the boat nearly swamped her--their eagerness to be safe on the +"Pioneer's" deck had to be repressed. + +Bishop Tozer had already left for Quillimane when we took these people +and the last of the Universities' Missionaries on board and proceeded to +the Zambesi. It was in high flood. We have always spoken of this river +as if at its lowest, for fear lest we should convey an exaggerated +impression of its capabilities for navigation. Instead of from five to +fifteen feet, it was now from fifteen to thirty feet, or more, deep. All +the sandbanks and many of the islands had disappeared, and before us +rolled a river capable, as one of our naval friends thought, of carrying +a gunboat. Some of the sandy islands are annually swept away, and the +quantities of sand carried down are prodigious. + +The process by which a delta, extending eighty or one hundred miles from +the sea, has been formed may be seen going on at the present day--the +coarser particles of sand are driven out into the ocean, just in the same +way as we see they are over banks in the beds of torrents. The finer +portions are caught by the returning tide, and, accumulating by +successive ebbs and flows, become, with the decaying vegetation, arrested +by the mangrove roots. The influence of the tide in bringing back the +finer particles gives the sea near the mouth of the Zambesi a clean and +sandy bottom. This process has been going on for ages, and as the delta +has enlarged eastwards, the river has always kept a channel for itself +behind. Wherever we see an island all sand, or with only one layer of +mud in it, we know it is one of recent formation, and that it may be +swept away at any time by a flood; while those islands which are all of +mud are the more ancient, having in fact existed ever since the time when +the ebbing and flowing tides originally formed them as parts of the +delta. This mud resists the action of the river wonderfully. It is a +kind of clay on which the eroding power of water has little effect. Were +maps made, showing which banks and which islands are liable to erosion, +it would go far to settle where the annual change of the channel would +take place; and, were a few stakes driven in year by year to guide the +water in its course, the river might be made of considerable commercial +value in the hands of any energetic European nation. No canal or railway +would ever be thought of for this part of Africa. A few improvements +would make the Zambesi a ready means of transit for all the trade that, +with a population thinned by Portuguese slaving, will ever be developed +in our day. Here there is no instance on record of the natives flocking +in thousands to the colony, as they did at Natal, and even to the Arabs +on Lake Nyassa. This keeping aloof renders it unlikely that in +Portuguese hands the Zambesi will ever be of any more value to the world +than it has been. + +After a hurried visit to Senna, in order to settle with Major Sicard and +Senhor Ferrao for supplies we had drawn thence after the depopulation of +the Shire, we proceeded down to the Zambesi's mouth, and were fortunate +in meeting, on the 13th February, with H.M.S. "Orestes." She was joined +next day by H.M.S. "Ariel." The "Orestes" took the "Pioneer," and the +"Ariel" the "Lady Nyassa" in tow, for Mosambique. On the 16th a circular +storm proved the sea-going qualities of the "Lady of the Lake;" for on +this day a hurricane struck the "Ariel," and drove her nearly backwards +at a rate of six knots. The towing hawser wound round her screw and +stopped her engines. No sooner had she recovered from this shock than +she was again taken aback on the other tack, and driven stem on towards +the "Lady Nyassa's" broadside. We who were on board the little vessel +saw no chance of escape unless the crew of the "Ariel" should think of +heaving ropes when the big ship went over us; but she glided past our +bow, and we breathed freely again. We had now an opportunity of +witnessing man-of-war seamanship. Captain Chapman, though his engines +were disabled, did not think of abandoning us in the heavy gale, but +crossed the bows of the "Lady Nyassa" again and again, dropping a cask +with a line by which to give us another hawser. We might never have +picked it up, had not a Krooman jumped overboard and fastened a second +line to the cask; and then we drew the hawser on board, and were again in +tow. During the whole time of the hurricane the little vessel behaved +admirably, and never shipped a single green sea. When the "Ariel" +pitched forwards we could see a large part of her bottom, and when her +stern went down we could see all her deck. A boat, hung at her stern +davits, was stove in by the waves. The officers on board the "Ariel" +thought that it was all over with us: we imagined that they were +suffering more than we were. Nautical men may suppose that this was a +serious storm only to landsmen; but the "Orestes," which was once in +sight, and at another time forty miles off during the same gale, split +eighteen sails; and the "Pioneer" had to be lightened of parts of a sugar- +mill she was carrying; her round-house was washed away, and the cabin was +frequently knee-deep in water. When the "Orestes" came into Mosambique +harbour nine days after our arrival there, our vessel, not being anchored +close to the "Ariel," for we had run in under the lee of the fort, led to +the surmise on board the "Orestes" that we had gone to the bottom. +Captain Chapman and his officers pronounced the "Lady Nyassa" to be the +finest little sea-boat they had ever seen. She certainly was a contrast +to the "Ma-Robert," and did great credit to her builders, Ted and +Macgregor of Glasgow. We can but regret that she was not employed on the +Lake after which she was named, and for which she was intended and was so +well adapted. + +What struck us most, during the trip from the Zambesi to Mosambique, was +the admirable way in which Captain Chapman handled the "Ariel" in the +heavy sea of the hurricane; the promptitude and skill with which, when we +had broken three hawsers, others were passed to us by the rapid +evolutions of a big ship round a little one; and the ready appliance of +means shown in cutting the hawser off the screw nine feet under water +with long chisels made for the occasion; a task which it took three days +to accomplish. Captain Chapman very kindly invited us on board the +"Ariel," and we accepted his hospitality after the weather had moderated. + +The little vessel was hauled through and against the huge seas with such +force that two hawsers measuring eleven inches each in circumference +parted. Many of the blows we received from the billows made every plate +quiver from stem to stern, and the motion was so quick that we had to +hold on continually to avoid being tossed from one side to the other or +into the sea. Ten of the late Bishop's flock whom we had on board became +so sick and helpless that do what we could to aid them they were so very +much in the way that the idea broke in upon us, that the close packing +resorted to by slavers is one of the necessities of the traffic. If this +is so, it would account for the fact that even when the trade was legal +the same injurious custom was common, if not universal. If, instead of +ten such passengers, we had been carrying two hundred, with the wind +driving the rain and spray, as by night it did, nearly as hard as hail +against our faces, and nothing whatever to be seen to windward but the +occasional gleam of the crest of a wave, and no sound heard save the +whistling of the storm through the rigging, it would have been absolutely +necessary for the working of the ship and safety of the whole that the +live cargo should all have been stowed down below, whatever might have +been the consequences. + +Having delivered the "Pioneer" over to the Navy, she was towed down to +the Cape by Captain Forsyth of the "Valorous," and after examination it +was declared that with repairs to the amount of 300 pounds she would be +as serviceable as ever. Those of the Bishop's flock whom we had on board +were kindly allowed a passage to the Cape. The boys went in the +"Orestes," and we are glad of the opportunity to record our heartfelt +thanks to Captains Forsyth, Gardner, and Chapman for rendering us, at +various times, every aid in their power. Mr. Waller went in the +"Pioneer," and continued his generous services to all connected with the +Mission, whether white or black, till they were no longer needed; and we +must say that his conduct to them throughout was truly noble, and worthy +of the highest praise. + +After beaching the "Lady Nyassa" at Caboceira, opposite the house of a +Portuguese gentleman well known to all Englishmen, Joao da Costa Soares, +we put in brine cocks, and cleaned and painted her bottom. Mr. Soares +appeared to us to have been very much vilified in a publication in +England a few years ago; our experience proved him to be extremely kind +and obliging. All the members of the Expedition who passed Mosambique +were unanimous in extolling his generosity and, from the general +testimony of English visitors in his favour, we very much regret that his +character was so grievously misrepresented. To the authorities at +Mosambique our thanks are also due for obliging accommodation; and though +we differ entirely from the Portuguese officials as to the light in which +we regard the slave-trade, we trust our exposure of the system, in which +unfortunately they are engaged, will not be understood as indicating any +want of kindly feeling and good will to them personally. Senhor Canto e +Castro, who arrived at Mosambique two days after our departure to take +the office of Governor-General, was well known to us in Angola. We lived +two months in his house when he was Commandant of Golungo Alto; and, +knowing him thoroughly, believe that no better man could have been +selected for the office. We trust that his good principles may enable +him to withstand the temptations of his position; but we should be sorry +to have ours tried in a den of slave-traders with the miserable pittance +he receives for his support. + +While at Mosambique, a species of Pedalia called by Mr. Soares Dadeleira, +and by the natives--from its resemblance to Gerzilin, or sesamum--"wild +sesamum," was shown to us, and is said to be well known among native +nurses as a very gentle and tasteless aperient for children. A few +leaves of it are stirred in a cup of cold water for eight or nine +seconds, and a couple of teaspoonfuls of the liquid given as a dose. The +leaves form a sort of mucilage in the water by longer stirring, which is +said to have diuretic properties besides. + +On the 16th April we steamed out from Mosambique; and, the currents being +in our favour, in a week reached Zanzibar. Here we experienced much +hospitality from our countrymen, and especially from Dr. Seward, then +acting consul and political agent for Colonel Playfair. + +Dr. Seward was very doubtful if we could reach Bombay before what is +called the break of the monsoon took place. This break occurs usually +between the end of May and the 12th of June. The wind still blows from +Africa to India, but with so much violence, and with such a murky +atmosphere, that few or no observations for position can be taken. We +were, however, at the time very anxious to dispose of the "Lady Nyassa," +and, the only market we could reach being Bombay, we resolved to run the +risk of getting there before the stormy period commenced; and, after +taking fourteen tons of coal on board, we started on the 30th April from +Zanzibar. + +Our complement consisted of seven native Zambesians, two boys, and four +Europeans; namely, one stoker, one sailor, one carpenter, whose names +have been already mentioned, and Dr. Livingstone, as navigator. The +"Lady Nyassa" had shown herself to be a good sea-boat. The natives had +proved themselves capital sailors, though before volunteering not one of +them had ever seen the sea. They were not picked men, but, on paying a +dozen whom we had in our employment for fifteen months, they were taken +at random from several hundreds who offered to accompany us. Their wages +were ten shillings per mensem, and it was curious to observe, that so +eager were they to do their duty, that only one of them lay down from sea- +sickness during the whole voyage. They took in and set sail very +cleverly in a short time, and would climb out along a boom, reeve a rope +through the block, and come back with the rope in their teeth, though at +each lurch the performer was dipped in the sea. The sailor and +carpenter, though anxious to do their utmost, had a week's severe illness +each, and were unfit for duty. + +It is pleasant enough to take the wheel for an hour or two, or even for a +watch, but when it comes to be for every alternate four hours, it is +utterly wearisome. We set our black men to steer, showing them which arm +of the compass needle was to be kept towards the vessel's head, and soon +three of them could manage very well, and they only needed watching. In +going up the East Coast to take advantage of the current of one hundred +miles a day, we would fain have gone into the Juba or Webbe River, the +mouth of which is only 15 minutes south of the line, but we were too +shorthanded. We passed up to about ten degrees north of the Equator, and +then steamed out from the coast. Here Maury's wind chart showed that the +calm-belt had long been passed, but we were in it still; and, instead of +a current carrying us north, we had a contrary current which bore us +every day four miles to the south. We steamed as long as we dared, +knowing as we did that we must use the engines on the coast of India. + +After losing many days tossing on the silent sea, with innumerable +dolphins, flying-fish, and sharks around us, we had six days of strong +breezes, then calms again tried our patience; and the near approach of +that period, "the break of the monsoon," in which it was believed no boat +could live, made us sometimes think our epitaph would be "Left Zanzibar +on 30th April, 1864, and never more heard of." At last, in the beginning +of June, the chronometers showed that we were near the Indian coast. The +black men believed it was true because we told them it was so, but only +began to dance with joy when they saw sea-weed and serpents floating +past. These serpents are peculiar to these parts, and are mentioned as +poisonous in the sailing directions. We ventured to predict that we +should see land next morning, and at midday the high coast hove in sight, +wonderfully like Africa before the rains begin. Then a haze covered all +the land, and a heavy swell beat towards it. A rock was seen, and a +latitude showed it to be the Choule rock. Making that a fresh starting- +point, we soon found the light-ship, and then the forest of masts loomed +through the haze in Bombay harbour. We had sailed over 2500 miles. + + + +FOOTNOTES + + +{1} A remedy composed of from six to eight grains of resin of jalap, the +same of rhubarb, and three each of calomel and quinine, made up into four +pills, with tincture of cardamoms, usually relieved all the symptoms in +five or six hours. Four pills are a full dose for a man--one will +suffice for a woman. They received from our men the name of "rousers," +from their efficacy in rousing up even those most prostrated. When their +operation is delayed, a dessert-spoonful of Epsom salts should be given. +Quinine after or during the operation of the pills, in large doses every +two or three hours, until deafness or cinchonism ensued, completed the +cure. The only cases in which, we found ourselves completely helpless, +were those in which obstinate vomiting ensued. + +{2} The late Mr. Robson. + +{3} In 1865, four years after these forebodings were penned, we received +intelligence that they had all come to pass. Sekeletu died in the +beginning of 1864--a civil war broke out about the succession to the +chieftainship; a large body of those opposed to the late chief's uncle, +Impololo, being regent, departed with their cattle to Lake Ngami; an +insurrection by the black tribes followed; Impololo was slain, and the +kingdom, of which, under an able sagacious mission, a vast deal might +have been made, has suffered the usual fate of African conquests. That +fate we deeply deplore; for, whatever other faults the Makololo might +justly be charged with, they did not belong to the class who buy and sell +each other, and the tribes who have succeeded them do. + +{4} It was with sorrow that we learned by a letter from Mr. Moffat, in +1864, that poor Sekeletu was dead. As will be mentioned further on, men +were sent with us to bring up more medicine. They preferred to remain on +the Shire, and, as they were free men, we could do no more than try and +persuade them to hasten back to their chief with iodine and other +remedies. They took the parcel, but there being only two real Makololo +among them, these could neither return themselves alone or force their +attendants to leave a part of the country where they were independent, +and could support themselves with ease. Sekeletu, however, lived long +enough to receive and acknowledge goods to the value of 50 pounds, sent, +in lieu of those which remained in Tette, by Robert Moffat, jun., since +dead. + +{5} A brother, we believe, of one who accompanied Burke and Willis in the +famous but unfortunate Australian Expedition. + +{6} Genesis, chap. iii., verses 21 and 23, "make coats of skins, and +clothed them"--"sent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the +ground" imply teaching. Vide Archbishop Whately's "History of Religious +Worship." John W. Parker, West Strand, London, 1849. + +{7} "In 1854 the native church at Sierra-Leone undertook to pay for +their primary schools, and thereby effected a saving to the Church +Missionary Society of 800 pounds per annum. In 1861 the contributions of +this one section of native Christians had amounted to upwards of 10,000 +pounds."--"Manual of Church Missionary Society's African Missions." + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A POPULAR ACCOUNT OF DR. +LIVINGSTONE'S EXPEDITION TO THE ZAMBESI AND ITS TRIBUTARIES*** + + +******* This file should be named 2519.txt or 2519.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/5/1/2519 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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