He Likewise Presented
Abundance Of Good Fresh Butter And Honey, And Did Every Thing In His Power
To Make Me Comfortable For The Journey.
I was entirely dependent
on his generosity, for the goods I originally brought from the Cape
were all expended
By the time I set off from Linyanti to the west coast.
I there drew 70 Pounds of my salary, paid my men with it, and purchased goods
for the return journey to Linyanti. These being now all expended,
the Makololo again fitted me out, and sent me on to the east coast.
I was thus dependent on their bounty, and that of other Africans,
for the means of going from Linyanti to Loanda, and again from Linyanti
to the east coast, and I feel deeply grateful to them. Coin would have been
of no benefit, for gold and silver are quite unknown. We were here joined
by Moriantsane, uncle of Sekeletu and head man of Sesheke,
and, entering canoes on the 13th, some sailed down the river
to the confluence of the Chobe, while others drove the cattle along the banks,
spending one night at Mparia, the island at the confluence of the Chobe,
which is composed of trap, having crystals of quartz in it
coated with a pellicle of green copper ore. Attempting to proceed
down the river next day, we were detained some hours by a strong east wind
raising waves so large as to threaten to swamp the canoes.
The river here is very large and deep, and contains two considerable islands,
which from either bank seem to be joined to the opposite shore. While waiting
for the wind to moderate, my friends related the traditions of these islands,
and, as usual, praised the wisdom of Sebituane in balking the Batoka,
who formerly enticed wandering tribes to them, and starved them,
by compelling the chiefs to remain by his side till all his cattle and people
were ferried over. The Barotse believe that at certain parts of the river
a tremendous monster lies hid, and that it will catch a canoe, and hold it
fast and motionless, in spite of the utmost exertions of the paddlers.
While near Nameta they even objected to pass a spot supposed to be haunted,
and proceeded along a branch instead of the main stream.
They believe that some of them possess a knowledge of the proper prayer
to lay the monster. It is strange to find fables similar to those
of the more northern nations even in the heart of Africa.
Can they be the vestiges of traditions of animals which no longer exist?
The fossil bones which lie in the calcareous tufa of this region will yet,
we hope, reveal the ancient fauna.
Having descended about ten miles, we came to the island of Nampene,
at the beginning of the rapids, where we were obliged to leave the canoes
and proceed along the banks on foot. The next evening we slept opposite
the island of Chondo, and, then crossing the Lekone or Lekwine,
early the following morning were at the island of Sekote, called Kalai.
This Sekote was the last of the Batoka chiefs whom Sebituane rooted out.
The island is surrounded by a rocky shore and deep channels,
through which the river rushes with great force. Sekote, feeling secure
in his island home, ventured to ferry over the Matebele enemies of Sebituane.
When they had retired, Sebituane made one of those rapid marches
which he always adopted in every enterprise. He came down the Leeambye
from Naliele, sailing by day along the banks, and during the night
in the middle of the stream, to avoid the hippopotami. When he reached Kalai,
Sekote took advantage of the larger canoes they employ in the rapids,
and fled during the night to the opposite bank. Most of his people were slain
or taken captive, and the island has ever since been under the Makololo.
It is large enough to contain a considerable town. On the northern side
I found the kotla of the elder Sekote, garnished with numbers of human skulls
mounted on poles: a large heap of the crania of hippopotami,
the tusks untouched except by time, stood on one side. At a short distance,
under some trees, we saw the grave of Sekote, ornamented with
seventy large elephants' tusks planted round it with the points turned inward,
and there were thirty more placed over the resting-places of his relatives.
These were all decaying from the effects of the sun and weather;
but a few, which had enjoyed the shade, were in a pretty good condition.
I felt inclined to take a specimen of the tusks of the hippopotami,
as they were the largest I had ever seen, but feared that the people
would look upon me as a "resurrectionist" if I did, and regard
any unfavorable event which might afterward occur as a punishment
for the sacrilege. The Batoka believe that Sekote had a pot of medicine
buried here, which, when opened, would cause an epidemic in the country.
These tyrants acted much on the fears of their people.
As this was the point from which we intended to strike off to the northeast,
I resolved on the following day to visit the falls of Victoria,
called by the natives Mosioatunya, or more anciently Shongwe.
Of these we had often heard since we came into the country; indeed,
one of the questions asked by Sebituane was, "Have you smoke that sounds
in your country?" They did not go near enough to examine them,
but, viewing them with awe at a distance, said, in reference to
the vapor and noise, "Mosi oa tunya" (smoke does sound there).
It was previously called Shongwe, the meaning of which I could not ascertain.
The word for a "pot" resembles this, and it may mean a seething caldron,
but I am not certain of it. Being persuaded that Mr. Oswell and myself
were the very first Europeans who ever visited the Zambesi
in the centre of the country, and that this is the connecting link
between the known and unknown portions of that river, I decided to use
the same liberty as the Makololo did, and gave the only English name
I have affixed to any part of the country.
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