The Mosala (`Clarias Capensis' And `Glanis Siluris'), The Mullet
(`Mugil Africanus'), And Other Fishes, Spread Over The Barotse Valley
In Such Numbers That When The Waters Retire All The People Are Employed
In Cutting Them Up And Drying Them In The Sun.
The supply exceeds the demand,
and the land in numerous places is said to emit a most offensive smell.
Wherever you see the Zambesi in the centre of the country,
it is remarkable for the abundance of animal life in and upon its waters,
and on the adjacent banks.
We passed great numbers of hippopotami. They are very numerous
in the parts of the river where they are never hunted.
The males appear of a dark color, the females of yellowish brown.
There is not such a complete separation of the sexes among them
as among elephants. They spend most of their time in the water, lolling about
in a listless, dreamy manner. When they come out of the river by night,
they crop off the soft succulent grasses very neatly. When they blow,
they puff up the water about three feet high.
Chapter 15.
Message to Masiko, the Barotse Chief, regarding the Captives -
Navigation of the Leeambye - Capabilities of this District -
The Leeba - Flowers and Bees - Buffalo-hunt - Field for a Botanist -
Young Alligators; their savage Nature - Suspicion of the Balonda -
Sekelenke's Present - A Man and his two Wives - Hunters -
Message from Manenko, a female Chief - Mambari Traders - A Dream -
Sheakondo and his People - Teeth-filing - Desire for Butter -
Interview with Nyamoana, another female Chief - Court Etiquette -
Hair versus Wool - Increase of Superstition - Arrival of Manenko;
her Appearance and Husband - Mode of Salutation - Anklets -
Embassy, with a Present from Masiko - Roast Beef - Manioc -
Magic Lantern - Manenko an accomplished Scold: compels us to wait -
Unsuccessful Zebra-hunt.
On the 27th of December we were at the confluence of the Leeba and Leeambye
(lat. 14d 10' 52" S., long. 23d 35' 40" E.). Masiko, the Barotse chief,
for whom we had some captives, lived nearly due east of this point. They were
two little boys, a little girl, a young man, and two middle-aged women.
One of these was a member of a Babimpe tribe, who knock out
both upper and lower front teeth as a distinction. As we had been informed
by the captives on the previous Sunday that Masiko was in the habit of seizing
all orphans, and those who have no powerful friend in the tribe
whose protection they can claim, and selling them for clothing to the Mambari,
we thought the objection of the women to go first to his town
before seeing their friends quite reasonable, and resolved to send
a party of our own people to see them safely among their relatives.
I told the captive young man to inform Masiko that he was very unlike
his father Santuru, who had refused to sell his people to Mambari.
He will probably be afraid to deliver such a message himself,
but it is meant for his people, and they will circulate it pretty widely,
and Masiko may yet feel a little pressure from without. We sent Mosantu,
a Batoka man, and his companions, with the captives. The Barotse whom we had
were unwilling to go to Masiko, since they owe him allegiance
as the son of Santuru, and while they continue with the Makololo
are considered rebels. The message by Mosantu was, that "I was sorry to find
that Santuru had not borne a wiser son. Santuru loved to govern men,
but Masiko wanted to govern wild beasts only, as he sold his people
to the Mambari;" adding an explanation of the return of the captives,
and an injunction to him to live in peace, and prevent his people kidnapping
the children and canoes of the Makololo, as a continuance in these deeds
would lead to war, which I wished to prevent. He was also instructed to say,
if Masiko wanted fuller explanation of my views, he must send a sensible man
to talk with me at the first town of the Balonda, to which I was
about to proceed.
We ferried Mosantu over to the left bank of the Leeba.
The journey required five days, but it could not have been at a quicker rate
than ten or twelve miles per day; the children were between
seven and eight years of age, and unable to walk fast in a hot sun.
Leaving Mosantu to pursue his course, we shall take but one glance
down the river, which we are now about to leave, for it comes at this point
from the eastward, and our course is to be directed to the northwest,
as we mean to go to Loanda in Angola. From the confluence,
where we now are, down to Mosioatunya, there are many long reaches,
where a vessel equal to the Thames steamers plying between the bridges
could run as freely as they do on the Thames. It is often, even here,
as broad as that river at London Bridge, but, without accurate
measurement of the depth, one could not say which contained most water.
There are, however, many and serious obstacles to a continued navigation
for hundreds of miles at a stretch. About ten miles below
the confluence of the Loeti, for instance, there are many large sand-banks
in the stream; then you have a hundred miles to the River Simah,
where a Thames steamer could ply at all times of the year;
but, again, the space between Simah and Katima-molelo
has five or six rapids with cataracts, one of which, Gonye,
could not be passed at any time without portage. Between these rapids
there are reaches of still, deep water, of several miles in length.
Beyond Katima-molelo to the confluence of the Chobe you have nearly
a hundred miles again, of a river capable of being navigated in the same way
as in the Barotse valley.
Now I do not say that this part of the river presents a very inviting prospect
for extemporaneous European enterprise; but when we have a pathway
which requires only the formation of portages to make it equal to our canals
for hundreds of miles, where the philosophers supposed there was naught
but an extensive sandy desert, we must confess that the future partakes
at least of the elements of hope.
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