On The Evening Of The Day In Which Manenko Arrived, We Were Delighted
By The Appearance Of Mosantu And An
Imposing embassy from Masiko.
It consisted of all his under-chiefs, and they brought a fine elephant's tusk,
two calabashes
Of honey, and a large piece of blue baize, as a present.
The last was intended perhaps to show me that he was a truly great chief,
who had such stores of white men's goods at hand that he could afford
to give presents of them; it might also be intended for Mosantu,
for chiefs usually remember the servants; I gave it to him.
Masiko expressed delight, by his principal men, at the return of the captives,
and at the proposal of peace and alliance with the Makololo.
He stated that he never sold any of his own people to the Mambari,
but only captives whom his people kidnapped from small neighboring tribes.
When the question was put whether his people had been in the habit
of molesting the Makololo by kidnapping their servants and stealing canoes,
it was admitted that two of his men, when hunting, had gone
to the Makololo gardens, to see if any of their relatives were there.
As the great object in all native disputes is to get both parties to turn over
a new leaf, I explained the desirableness of forgetting past feuds,
accepting the present Makololo professions as genuine, and avoiding in future
to give them any cause for marauding. I presented Masiko with an ox,
furnished by Sekeletu as provision for ourselves. All these people
are excessively fond of beef and butter, from having been accustomed to them
in their youth, before the Makololo deprived them of cattle.
They have abundance of game, but I am quite of their opinion that,
after all, there is naught in the world equal to roast beef, and that
in their love for it the English show both good taste and sound sense.
The ox was intended for Masiko, but his men were very anxious
to get my sanction for slaughtering it on the spot. I replied
that when it went out of my hands I had no more to do with it.
They, however, wished the responsibility of slaughtering it to rest with me;
if I had said they might kill it, not many ounces would have remained
in the morning. I would have given permission, but had nothing else to offer
in return for Masiko's generosity.
We were now without any provisions except a small dole of manioc roots
each evening from Nyamoana, which, when eaten raw, produce poisonous effects.
A small loaf, made from nearly the last morsel of maize-meal from Libonta,
was my stock, and our friends from Masiko were still more destitute;
yet we all rejoiced so much at their arrival that we resolved
to spend a day with them. The Barotse of our party, meeting with
relatives and friends among the Barotse of Masiko, had many old tales to tell;
and, after pleasant hungry converse by day, we regaled our friends with
the magic lantern by night, and, in order to make the thing of use to all,
we removed our camp up to the village of Nyamoana. This is a good means
of arresting the attention, and conveying important facts
to the minds of these people.
When erecting our sheds at the village, Manenko fell upon
our friends from Masiko in a way that left no doubt on our minds
but that she is a most accomplished scold. Masiko had, on a former occasion,
sent to Samoana for a cloth, a common way of keeping up intercourse,
and, after receiving it, sent it back, because it had the appearance
of having had "witchcraft medicine" on it; this was a grave offense,
and now Manenko had a good excuse for venting her spleen,
the embassadors having called at her village, and slept in one of the huts
without leave. If her family was to be suspected of dealing in evil charms,
why were Masiko's people not to be thought guilty of leaving the same
in her hut? She advanced and receded in true oratorical style,
belaboring her own servants as well for allowing the offense,
and, as usual in more civilized feminine lectures, she leaned over
the objects of her ire, and screamed forth all their faults and failings
ever since they were born, and her despair of ever seeing them become better,
until they were all "killed by alligators". Masiko's people
followed the plan of receiving this torrent of abuse in silence,
and, as neither we nor they had any thing to eat, we parted next morning.
In reference to Masiko selling slaves to the Mambari, they promised to explain
the relationship which exists between even the most abject of his people
and our common Father; and that no more kidnapping ought to be allowed,
as he ought to give that peace and security to the smaller tribes
on his eastern borders which he so much desired to obtain himself
from the Makololo. We promised to return through his town
when we came back from the sea-coast.
Manenko gave us some manioc roots in the morning, and had determined
to carry our baggage to her uncle's, Kabompo or Shinte.
We had heard a sample of what she could do with her tongue;
and as neither my men nor myself had much inclination to encounter
a scolding from this black Mrs. Caudle, we made ready the packages;
but she came and said the men whom she had ordered for the service had not
yet come; they would arrive to-morrow. Being on low and disagreeable diet,
I felt annoyed at this further delay, and ordered the packages
to be put into the canoes to proceed up the river without her servants;
but Manenko was not to be circumvented in this way; she came forward
with her people, and said her uncle would be angry if she did not
carry forward the tusks and goods of Sekeletu, seized the luggage,
and declared that she would carry it in spite of me.
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