This Has Frequently
Been The Case, And Nearly All The Visitants He Ever Had Were Men Of Color.
On Asking
If Matiamvo did not know he was a man, and would be judged,
in company with those he destroyed, by
A Lord who is no respector of persons?
the embassador replied, "We do not go up to God, as you do;
we are put into the ground." I could not ascertain that even those who have
such a distinct perception of the continued existence of departed spirits
had any notion of heaven; they appear to imagine the souls
to be always near the place of sepulture.
After crossing the River Lotembwa we traveled about eight miles,
and came to Katema's straggling town (lat. 11d 35' 49" S., long. 22d 27' E.).
It is more a collection of villages than a town. We were led out
about half a mile from the houses, that we might make for ourselves
the best lodging we could of the trees and grass, while Intemese
was taken to Katema to undergo the usual process of pumping
as to our past conduct and professions. Katema soon afterward
sent a handsome present of food.
Next morning we had a formal presentation, and found Katema seated
on a sort of throne, with about three hundred men on the ground around,
and thirty women, who were said to be his wives, close behind him.
The main body of the people were seated in a semicircle,
at a distance of fifty yards. Each party had its own head man
stationed at a little distance in front, and, when beckoned by the chief,
came near him as councilors. Intemese gave our history,
and Katema placed sixteen large baskets of meal before us, half a dozen fowls,
and a dozen eggs, and expressed regret that we had slept hungry:
he did not like any stranger to suffer want in his town; and added,
"Go home, and cook and eat, and you will then be in a fit state to speak to me
at an audience I will give you to-morrow." He was busily engaged
in hearing the statements of a large body of fine young men who had fled
from Kangenke, chief of Lobale, on account of his selling their relatives
to the native Portuguese who frequent his country. Katema is a tall man,
about forty years of age, and his head was ornamented
with a helmet of beads and feathers. He had on a snuff-brown coat,
with a broad band of tinsel down the arms, and carried in his hand
a large tail made of the caudal extremities of a number of gnus.
This has charms attached to it, and he continued waving it in front of himself
all the time we were there. He seemed in good spirits, laughing heartily
several times. This is a good sign, for a man who shakes his sides with mirth
is seldom difficult to deal with. When we rose to take leave,
all rose with us, as at Shinte's.
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