He Had Absolute Power Of Life And Death.
On Inquiring Whether Human Sacrifices Were Still Made, As In The Time
Of Pereira, at Cazembe's, we were informed that these had never been so common
as was represented to Pereira, but
That it occasionally happened,
when certain charms were needed by the chief, that a man was slaughtered
for the sake of some part of his body. He added that he hoped
the present chief would not act like his (mad) predecessor,
but kill only those who were guilty of witchcraft or theft.
These men were very much astonished at the liberty enjoyed by the Makololo;
and when they found that all my people held cattle, we were told
that Matiamvo alone had a herd. One very intelligent man among them asked,
"If he should make a canoe, and take it down the river to the Makololo,
would he get a cow for it?" This question, which my men answered
in the affirmative, was important, as showing the knowledge
of a water communication from the country of Matiamvo to the Makololo;
and the river runs through a fertile country abounding in large timber.
If the tribes have intercourse with each other, it exerts a good influence
on their chiefs to hear what other tribes think of their deeds.
The Makololo have such a bad name, on account of their perpetual forays,
that they have not been known in Londa except as ruthless destroyers.
The people in Matiamvo's country submit to much wrong from their chiefs,
and no voice can be raised against cruelty, because they are afraid
to flee elsewhere.
We left Quendende's village in company with Quendende himself,
and the principal man of the embassadors of Matiamvo, and after
two or three miles' march to the N.W., came to the ford of the Lotembwa,
which flows southward. A canoe was waiting to ferry us over,
but it was very tedious work; for, though the river itself
was only eighty yards wide, the whole valley was flooded, and we were obliged
to paddle more than half a mile to get free of the water. A fire was lit
to warm old Quendende, and enable him to dry his tobacco-leaves.
The leaves are taken from the plant, and spread close to the fire
until they are quite dry and crisp; they are then put into a snuff-box,
which, with a little pestle, serves the purpose of a mill
to grind them into powder; it is then used as snuff.
As we sat by the fire, the embassadors communicated their thoughts freely
respecting the customs of their race. When a chief dies, a number of servants
are slaughtered with him to form his company in the other world.
The Barotse followed the same custom, and this and other usages
show them to be genuine negroes, though neither they nor the Balonda
resemble closely the typical form of that people. Quendende said
if he were present on these occasions he would hide his people,
so that they might not be slaughtered. As we go north, the people become
more bloodily superstitious.
We were assured that if the late Matiamvo took a fancy to any thing,
such, for instance, as my watch-chain, which was of silver wire,
and was a great curiosity, as they had never seen metal plaited before,
he would order a whole village to be brought up to buy it from a stranger.
When a slave-trader visited him, he took possession of all his goods;
then, after ten days or a fortnight, he would send out a party of men
to pounce upon some considerable village, and, having killed the head man,
would pay for all the goods by selling the inhabitants. This has frequently
been the case, and nearly all the visitants he ever had were men of color.
On asking if Matiamvo did not know he was a man, and would be judged,
in company with those he destroyed, by a Lord who is no respector of persons?
the embassador replied, "We do not go up to God, as you do;
we are put into the ground." I could not ascertain that even those who have
such a distinct perception of the continued existence of departed spirits
had any notion of heaven; they appear to imagine the souls
to be always near the place of sepulture.
After crossing the River Lotembwa we traveled about eight miles,
and came to Katema's straggling town (lat. 11d 35' 49" S., long. 22d 27' E.).
It is more a collection of villages than a town. We were led out
about half a mile from the houses, that we might make for ourselves
the best lodging we could of the trees and grass, while Intemese
was taken to Katema to undergo the usual process of pumping
as to our past conduct and professions. Katema soon afterward
sent a handsome present of food.
Next morning we had a formal presentation, and found Katema seated
on a sort of throne, with about three hundred men on the ground around,
and thirty women, who were said to be his wives, close behind him.
The main body of the people were seated in a semicircle,
at a distance of fifty yards. Each party had its own head man
stationed at a little distance in front, and, when beckoned by the chief,
came near him as councilors. Intemese gave our history,
and Katema placed sixteen large baskets of meal before us, half a dozen fowls,
and a dozen eggs, and expressed regret that we had slept hungry:
he did not like any stranger to suffer want in his town; and added,
"Go home, and cook and eat, and you will then be in a fit state to speak to me
at an audience I will give you to-morrow." He was busily engaged
in hearing the statements of a large body of fine young men who had fled
from Kangenke, chief of Lobale, on account of his selling their relatives
to the native Portuguese who frequent his country.
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