Ma Mburuma Promised Us Canoes
To Cross The Loangwa In Our Front.
It was pleasant to see
great numbers of men, women, and boys come, without suspicion,
to look at the books, watch, looking-glass, revolver, etc.
They are a strong, muscular race, and both men and women are seen
cultivating the ground.
The soil contains so much comminuted talc and mica
from the adjacent hills that it seems as if mixed with spermaceti.
They generally eat their corn only after it has begun to sprout
from steeping it in water. The deformed lips of the women
make them look very ugly; I never saw one smile. The people in this part
seem to understand readily what is spoken about God, for they listen
with great attention, and tell in return their own ideas of departed spirits.
The position of the village of Mburuma's mother was one of great beauty,
quite inclosed by high, steep hills; and the valleys are all occupied
by gardens of native corn and maize, which grow luxuriantly.
We were obliged to hurry along, for the oxen were bitten daily by the tsetse,
which, as I have before remarked, now inhabits extensive tracts
which once supported herds of cattle that were swept off
by Mpakane and other marauders, whose devastations were well known to Sekwebu,
for he himself had been an actor in the scenes. When he told me of them
he always lowered his voice, in order that the guides might not hear
that he had been one of their enemies. But that we were looked upon
with suspicion, on account of having come in the footsteps of invaders,
was evident from our guides remarking to men in the gardens
through which we passed, "They have words of peace - all very fine;
but lies only, as the Bazunga are great liars." They thought
we did not understand them; but Sekwebu knew every word perfectly;
and, without paying any ostensible attention to these complimentary remarks,
we always took care to explain ever afterward that we were not Bazunga,
but Makoa (English).
Chapter 29.
Confluence of Loangwa and Zambesi - Hostile Appearances -
Ruins of a Church - Turmoil of Spirit - Cross the River -
Friendly Parting - Ruins of stone Houses - The Situation of Zumbo
for Commerce - Pleasant Gardens - Dr. Lacerda's Visit to Cazembe -
Pereira's Statement - Unsuccessful Attempt to establish Trade
with the People of Cazembe - One of my Men tossed by a Buffalo -
Meet a Man with Jacket and Hat on - Hear of the Portuguese and native War
- Holms and Terraces on the Banks of a River - Dancing for Corn -
Beautiful Country - Mpende's Hostility - Incantations -
A Fight anticipated - Courage and Remarks of my Men -
Visit from two old Councilors of Mpende - Their Opinion of the English -
Mpende concludes not to fight us - His subsequent Friendship -
Aids us to cross the River - The Country - Sweet Potatoes -
Bakwain Theory of Rain confirmed - Thunder without Clouds -
Desertion of one of my Men - Other Natives' Ideas of the English -
Dalama (gold) - Inhabitants dislike Slave-buyers -
Meet native Traders with American Calico - Game-laws -
Elephant Medicine - Salt from the Sand - Fertility of Soil -
Spotted Hyaena - Liberality and Politeness of the People -
Presents - A stingy white Trader - Natives' Remarks about him -
Effect on their Minds - Rain and Wind now from an opposite Direction -
Scarcity of Fuel - Trees for Boat-building - Boroma -
Freshets - Leave the River - Chicova, its Geological Features -
Small Rapid near Tete - Loquacious Guide - Nyampungo, the Rain-charmer -
An old Man - No Silver - Gold-washing - No Cattle.
14TH. We reached the confluence of the Loangwa and the Zambesi,
most thankful to God for his great mercies in helping us thus far.
Mburuma's people had behaved so suspiciously, that, though we had
guides from him, we were by no means sure that we should not be attacked
in crossing the Loangwa. We saw them here collecting in large numbers,
and, though professing friendship, they kept at a distance from our camp.
They refused to lend us more canoes than two, though they have many.
They have no intercourse with Europeans except through the Babisa.
They tell us that this was formerly the residence of the Bazunga,
and maintain silence as to the cause of their leaving it. I walked about
some ruins I discovered, built of stone, and found the remains of a church,
and on one side lay a broken bell, with the letters I. H. S. and a cross,
but no date. There were no inscriptions on stone, and the people
could not tell what the Bazunga called their place. We found afterward
it was Zumbo.
I felt some turmoil of spirit in the evening at the prospect of having
all my efforts for the welfare of this great region and its teeming population
knocked on the head by savages to-morrow, who might be said
to "know not what they do." It seemed such a pity that
the important fact of the existence of the two healthy ridges
which I had discovered should not become known in Christendom,
for a confirmation would thereby have been given to the idea
that Africa is not open to the Gospel. But I read that Jesus said,
"All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth; go ye, therefore,
and teach all nations . . . and lo, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO
THE END OF THE WORLD." I took this as His word of honor, and then went out
to take observations for latitude and longitude, which, I think,
were very successful. (The church: lat. 15d 37' 22" S., long. 30d 32' E.)
15TH. The natives of the surrounding country collected around us
this morning, all armed. The women and children were sent away,
and one of Mburuma's wives, who lives in the vicinity, was not allowed
to approach, though she had come from her village to pay me a visit.
Only one canoe was lent to us, though we saw two others tied to the bank.
The part we crossed was about a mile from the confluence,
and, as it was now flooded, it seemed upward of half a mile in breadth.
We passed all our goods first on to an island in the middle,
then the remaining cattle and men; occupying the post of honor, I, as usual,
was the last to enter the canoe.
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