There Is Always A Shade Of Brown
In The Most Deeply Colored.
I showed my watch and pocket compass,
which are considered great curiosities; but, though the lady
was called on by her husband to look, she would not be persuaded
to approach near enough.
These people are more superstitious than any we had yet encountered;
though still only building their village, they had found time to erect
two little sheds at the chief dwelling in it, in which were placed two pots
having charms in them. When asked what medicine they contained,
they replied, "Medicine for the Barimo;" but when I rose and looked into them,
they said they were medicine for the game. Here we saw
the first evidence of the existence of idolatry in the remains of an old idol
at a deserted village. It was simply a human head carved on a block of wood.
Certain charms mixed with red ochre and white pipe-clay are dotted over them
when they are in use; and a crooked stick is used in the same way for an idol
when they have no professional carver.
As the Leeba seemed still to come from the direction in which we wished to go,
I was desirous of proceeding farther up with the canoes;
but Nyamoana was anxious that we should allow her people
to conduct us to her brother Shinte; and when I explained
the advantage of water-carriage, she represented that her brother
did not live near the river, and, moreover, there was a cataract in front,
over which it would be difficult to convey the canoes.
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