There Was A Considerable Pleasure, In Spite Of Rain And Fever,
In This New Scenery.
The deep gloom contrasted strongly
with the shadeless glare of the Kalahari, which had left
an indelible impression on my memory.
Though drenched day by day
at this time, and for months afterward, it was long before I could believe
that we were getting too much of a good thing. Nor could I look at water
being thrown away without a slight, quick impression flitting across the mind
that we were guilty of wasting it. Every now and then we emerged
from the deep gloom into a pretty little valley, having a damp portion
in the middle; which, though now filled with water, at other times contains
moisture enough for wells only. These wells have shades put over them
in the form of little huts.
We crossed, in canoes, a little never-failing stream, which passes
by the name of Lefuje, or "the rapid". It comes from a goodly high mountain,
called Monakadzi (the woman), which gladdened our eyes as it rose to our sight
about twenty or thirty miles to the east of our course.
It is of an oblong shape, and seemed at least eight hundred feet
above the plains. The Lefuje probably derives its name
from the rapid descent of the short course it has to flow
from Monakadzi to the Leeba.
The number of little villages seemed about equal to the number of valleys.
At some we stopped and rested, the people becoming more liberal
as we advanced. Others we found deserted, a sudden panic having seized
the inhabitants, though the drum of Manenko was kept beaten pretty constantly,
in order to give notice of the approach of great people. When we had decided
to remain for the night at any village, the inhabitants lent us
the roofs of their huts, which in form resemble those of the Makololo,
or a Chinaman's hat, and can be taken off the walls at pleasure.
They lifted them off, and brought them to the spot we had selected
as our lodging, and, when my men had propped them up with stakes,
they were then safely housed for the night. Every one who comes to salute
either Manenko or ourselves rubs the upper parts of the arms and chest
with ashes; those who wish to show profounder reverence put some also
on the face.
We found that every village had its idols near it. This is the case
all through the country of the Balonda, so that, when we came
to an idol in the woods, we always knew that we were within
a quarter of an hour of human habitations. One very ugly idol we passed
rested on a horizontal beam placed on two upright posts.
This beam was furnished with two loops of cord, as of a chain,
to suspend offerings before it. On remarking to my companions that these
idols had ears, but that they heard not, etc., I learned that the Balonda,
and even the Barotse, believe that divination may be performed
by means of these blocks of wood and clay; and though the wood itself
could not hear, the owners had medicines by which it could be made
to hear and give responses, so that if an enemy were approaching
they would have full information.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 235 of 572
Words from 125278 to 125832
of 306638
