We Traveled Much More
In The Deep Gloom Of The Forest Than In Open Sunlight.
No passage existed
on either side of the narrow path made by the axe.
Large climbing plants
entwined themselves around the trunks and branches of gigantic trees
like boa constrictors, and they often do constrict the trees
by which they rise, and, killing them, stand erect themselves.
The bark of a fine tree found in abundance here, and called "motuia",
is used by the Barotse for making fish-lines and nets, and the "molompi",
so well adapted for paddles by its lightness and flexibility,
was abundant. There were other trees quite new to my companions;
many of them ran up to a height of fifty feet of one thickness,
and without branches.
In these forests we first encountered the artificial beehives
so commonly met with all the way from this to Angola. They consist of
about five feet of the bark of a tree fifteen or eighteen inches in diameter.
Two incisions are made right round the tree at points five feet apart,
then one longitudinal slit from one of these to the other;
the workman next lifts up the bark on each side of this slit,
and detaches it from the trunk, taking care not to break it,
until the whole comes from the tree. The elasticity of the bark
makes it assume the form it had before; the slit is sewed or pegged up
with wooden pins, and ends made of coiled grass-rope are inserted,
one of which has a hole for the ingress of the bees in the centre,
and the hive is complete. These hives are placed in a horizontal position
on high trees in different parts of the forest, and in this way
all the wax exported from Benguela and Loanda is collected.
It is all the produce of free labor. A "piece of medicine" is tied round
the trunk of the tree, and proves sufficient protection against thieves.
The natives seldom rob each other, for all believe that certain medicines
can inflict disease and death; and though they consider
that these are only known to a few, they act on the principle
that it is best to let them all alone. The gloom of these forests
strengthens the superstitious feelings of the people. In other quarters,
where they are not subjected to this influence, I have heard the chiefs
issue proclamations to the effect that real witchcraft medicines
had been placed at certain gardens from which produce had been stolen,
the thieves having risked the power of the ordinary charms
previously placed there.
This being the rainy season, great quantities of mushrooms were met with,
and were eagerly devoured by my companions: the edible variety
is always found growing out of ant-hills, and attains the diameter of
the crown of a hat; they are quite white, and very good, even when eaten raw;
they occupy an extensive region of the interior; some, not edible,
are of a brilliant red, and others are of the same light blue as the paper
used by apothecaries to put up their medicines.
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