18TH. Yesterday We Rested Under A Broad-Spreading Fig-Tree.
Large Numbers Of Buffaloes And Water-Antelopes Were Feeding Quietly
In The Meadows; The People Have Either No Guns Or No Ammunition,
Or They Would Not Be So Tame.
Pangola visited us, and presented us with food.
In few other countries would one hundred and fourteen sturdy vagabonds
be supported by the generosity of the head men and villagers,
and whatever they gave be presented with politeness.
My men got pretty well
supplied individually, for they went into the villages and commenced dancing.
The young women were especially pleased with the new steps they had to show,
though I suspect many of them were invented for the occasion,
and would say, "Dance for me, and I will grind corn for you."
At every fresh instance of liberality, Sekwebu said, "Did not I tell you
that these people had hearts, while we were still at Linyanti?"
All agreed that the character he had given was true, and some remarked,
"Look! although we have been so long away from home, not one of us
has become lean." It was a fact that we had been all well supplied
either with meat by my gun or their own spears, or food from
the great generosity of the inhabitants. Pangola promised
to ferry us across the Zambesi, but failed to fulfill his promise.
He seemed to wish to avoid offending his neighbor Mpende
by aiding us to escape from his hands, so we proceeded along the bank.
Although we were in doubt as to our reception by Mpende,
I could not help admiring the beautiful country as we passed along.
There is, indeed, only a small part under cultivation in this fertile valley,
but my mind naturally turned to the comparison of it with Kolobeng,
where we waited anxiously during months for rain, and only
a mere thunder-shower followed. I shall never forget
the dry, hot east winds of that region; the yellowish, sultry, cloudless sky;
the grass and all the plants drooping from drought, the cattle lean,
the people dispirited, and our own hearts sick from hope deferred.
There we often heard in the dead of the night the shrill whistle
of the rain-doctor calling for rain that would not come,
while here we listened to the rolling thunder by night,
and beheld the swelling valleys adorned with plenty by day.
We have rain almost daily, and every thing is beautifully fresh and green.
I felt somewhat as people do on coming ashore after a long voyage -
inclined to look upon the landscape in the most favorable light.
The hills are covered with forests, and there is often
a long line of fleecy cloud lying on them about midway up;
they are very beautiful. Finding no one willing to aid us
in crossing the river, we proceeded to the village of the chief Mpende.
A fine large conical hill now appeared to the N.N.E.;
it is the highest I have seen in these parts, and at some points
it appears to be two cones joined together, the northern one being
a little lower than the southern. Another high hill stands on the same side
to the N.E., and, from its similarity in shape to an axe at the top,
is called Motemwa. Beyond it, eastward, lies the country of Kaimbwa,
a chief who has been engaged in actual conflict with the Bazunga,
and beat them too, according to the version of things here.
The hills on the north bank are named Kamoenja. When we came
to Mpende's village, he immediately sent to inquire who we were,
and then ordered the guides who had come with us from the last village
to go back and call their masters. He sent no message to us whatever.
We had traveled very slowly up to this point, the tsetse-stricken oxen
being now unable to go two miles an hour. We were also delayed
by being obliged to stop at every village, and send notice of our approach
to the head man, who came and received a little information,
and gave some food. If we had passed on without taking any notice of them,
they would have considered it impolite, and we should have appeared
more as enemies than friends. I consoled myself for the loss of time
by the thought that these conversations tended to the opening
of our future path.
23D. This morning, at sunrise, a party of Mpende's people came close
to our encampment, uttering strange cries and waving some bright red substance
toward us. They then lighted a fire with charms in it, and departed,
uttering the same hideous screams as before. This was intended
to render us powerless, and probably also to frighten us. Ever since dawn,
parties of armed men have been seen collecting from all quarters, and numbers
passed us while it was yet dark. Had we moved down the river at once,
it would have been considered an indication of fear or defiance,
and so would a retreat. I therefore resolved to wait,
trusting in Him who has the hearts of all men in His hands.
They evidently intended to attack us, for no friendly message was sent;
and when three of the Batoka the night before entered the village to beg food,
a man went round about each of them, making a noise like a lion.
The villagers then called upon them to do homage, and, when they complied,
the chief ordered some chaff to be given them, as if it had been food.
Other things also showed unmistakable hostility. As we were now
pretty certain of a skirmish, I ordered an ox to be slaughtered,
as this is a means which Sebituane employed for inspiring courage.
I have no doubt that we should have been victorious; indeed, my men,
who were far better acquainted with fighting than any of the people
on the Zambesi, were rejoicing in the prospect of securing captives
to carry the tusks for them.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 245 of 295
Words from 253068 to 254073
of 306638
