They Beat Their Drums Furiously,
And Occasionally Fired Off A Gun.
As this sort of dance is never got up
unless there is an intention to attack, my men expected an assault.
We sat and looked at them for some time, and then, as it became dark,
lay down, all ready to give them a warm reception.
But an hour or two
after dark the dance ceased, and, as we then saw no one approaching us,
we went to sleep. During the night, one of my head men, Monahin, was seen
to get up, look toward the village, and say to one who was half awake,
"Don't you hear what these people are saying? Go and listen."
He then walked off in the opposite direction, and never returned.
We had no guard set, but every one lay with his spear in his hand.
The man to whom he spoke appears to have been in a dreamy condition,
for it did not strike him that he ought to give the alarm. Next morning
I found to my sorrow that Monahin was gone, and not a trace of him
could be discovered. He had an attack of pleuritis some weeks before,
and had recovered, but latterly complained a little of his head.
I observed him in good spirits on the way hither, and in crossing
some of the streams, as I was careful not to wet my feet, he aided me,
and several times joked at my becoming so light. In the evening
he sat beside my tent until it was dark, and did not manifest any great alarm.
It was probably either a sudden fit of insanity, or, having gone
a little way out from the camp, he may have been carried off by a lion,
as this part of the country is full of them. I incline to the former opinion,
because sudden insanity occurs when there is any unusual strain
upon their minds. Monahin was in command of the Batoka of Mokwine
in my party, and he was looked upon with great dislike
by all that chief's subjects. The only difficulties I had with them
arose in consequence of being obliged to give orders through him.
They said Mokwine is reported to have been killed by the Makololo,
but Monahin is the individual who put forth his hand and slew him.
When one of these people kills in battle, he seems to have
no compunction afterward; but when he makes a foray on his own responsibility,
and kills a man of note, the common people make remarks to each other,
which are reported to him, and bring the affair perpetually
to his remembrance. This iteration on the conscience causes insanity,
and when one runs away in a wide country like this, the fugitive
is never heard of. Monahin had lately become afraid of his own party
from overhearing their remarks, and said more than once to me,
"They want to kill me." I believe if he ran to any village
they would take care of him. I felt his loss greatly, and spent three days
in searching for him. He was a sensible and most obliging man.
I sent in the morning to inform Monina of this sad event,
and he at once sent to all the gardens around, desiring the people
to look for him, and, should he come near, to bring him home.
He evidently sympathized with us in our sorrow, and, afraid lest we
might suspect him, added, "We never catch nor kidnap people here.
It is not our custom. It is considered as guilt among all the tribes."
I gave him credit for truthfulness, and he allowed us to move on
without farther molestation.
After leaving his village we marched in the bed of a sand-river
a quarter of a mile broad, called Tangwe. Walking on this sand
is as fatiguing as walking on snow. The country is flat,
and covered with low trees, but we see high hills in the distance.
A little to the south we have those of the Lobole. This region is very much
infested by lions, and men never go any distance into the woods alone.
Having turned aside on one occasion at midday, and gone a short distance
among grass a little taller than myself, an animal sprung away from me
which was certainly not an antelope, but I could not distinguish
whether it was a lion or a hyaena. This abundance of carnivora made us
lose all hope of Monahin. We saw footprints of many black rhinoceroses,
buffaloes, and zebras.
After a few hours we reached the village of Nyakoba. Two men,
who accompanied us from Monina to Nyakoba's, would not believe us when we said
that we had no beads. It is very trying to have one's veracity doubted,
but, on opening the boxes, and showing them that all I had was perfectly
useless to them, they consented to receive some beads off Sekwebu's waist,
and I promised to send four yards of calico from Tete. As we came away
from Monina's village, a witch-doctor, who had been sent for, arrived,
and all Monina's wives went forth into the fields that morning fasting.
There they would be compelled to drink an infusion of a plant named "goho",
which is used as an ordeal. This ceremony is called "muavi",
and is performed in this way. When a man suspects that any of his wives
has bewitched him, he sends for the witch-doctor, and all the wives
go forth into the field, and remain fasting till that person has made
an infusion of the plant. They all drink it, each one holding up
her hand to heaven in attestation of her innocency. Those who vomit it
are considered innocent, while those whom it purges are pronounced guilty,
and put to death by burning. The innocent return to their homes,
and slaughter a cock as a thank-offering to their guardian spirits.
The practice of ordeal is common among all the negro nations
north of the Zambesi.
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