He Added That The Italian Had Come Talking Of Peace,
As We Did, But Had Kidnapped Children And Bought Ivory
With them,
and that we were supposed to be following the same calling.
I pointed to my men, and asked
If any of these were slaves,
and if we had any children among them, and I think we satisfied him
that we were true men. Referring to our ill success in hunting
the day before, he said, "The man at whose village you remained was in fault
in allowing you to want meat, for he had only to run across to Mburuma;
he would have given him a little meal, and, having sprinkled that
on the ground as an offering to the gods, you would have found your elephant."
The chiefs in these parts take upon themselves an office somewhat like
the priesthood, and the people imagine that they can propitiate the Deity
through them. In illustration of their ideas, it may be mentioned that,
when we were among the tribes west of Semalembue, several of the people
came forward and introduced themselves - one as a hunter of elephants,
another as a hunter of hippopotami, a third as a digger of pitfalls -
apparently wishing me to give them medicine for success in their avocations,
as well as to cure the diseases of those to whom I was administering
the drugs. I thought they attributed supernatural power to them,
for, like all Africans, they have unbounded faith in the efficacy of charms;
but I took pains to let them know that they must pray and trust
to another power than mine for aid. We never saw Mburuma himself,
and the conduct of his people indicated very strong suspicions,
though he gave us presents of meal, maize, and native corn.
His people never came near us except in large bodies and fully armed.
We had to order them to place their bows, arrows, and spears at a distance
before entering our encampment. We did not, however, care much
for a little trouble now, as we hoped that, if we could pass this time
without much molestation, we might yet be able to return with ease,
and without meeting sour, suspicious looks.
The soil, glancing every where with mica, is very fertile, and all the valleys
are cultivated, the maize being now in ear and eatable. Ranges of hills,
which line both banks of the river above this, now come close up to each bank,
and form a narrow gorge, which, like all others of the same nature,
is called Mpata. There is a narrow pathway by the side of the river,
but we preferred a more open one in a pass among the hills to the east,
which is called Mohango. The hills rise to a height of 800 or 1000 feet,
and are all covered with trees. The rocks were of various colored
mica schist; and parallel with the Zambesi lay a broad band of gneiss
with garnets in it. It stood on edge, and several dikes of basalt,
with dolerite, had cut through it.
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