There Were No Inscriptions On Stone, And The People
Could Not Tell What The Bazunga Called Their Place.
We found afterward
it was Zumbo.
I felt some turmoil of spirit in the evening at the prospect of having
all my efforts for the welfare of this great region and its teeming population
knocked on the head by savages to-morrow, who might be said
to "know not what they do." It seemed such a pity that
the important fact of the existence of the two healthy ridges
which I had discovered should not become known in Christendom,
for a confirmation would thereby have been given to the idea
that Africa is not open to the Gospel. But I read that Jesus said,
"All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth; go ye, therefore,
and teach all nations . . . and lo, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO
THE END OF THE WORLD." I took this as His word of honor, and then went out
to take observations for latitude and longitude, which, I think,
were very successful. (The church: lat. 15d 37' 22" S., long. 30d 32' E.)
15TH. The natives of the surrounding country collected around us
this morning, all armed. The women and children were sent away,
and one of Mburuma's wives, who lives in the vicinity, was not allowed
to approach, though she had come from her village to pay me a visit.
Only one canoe was lent to us, though we saw two others tied to the bank.
The part we crossed was about a mile from the confluence,
and, as it was now flooded, it seemed upward of half a mile in breadth.
We passed all our goods first on to an island in the middle,
then the remaining cattle and men; occupying the post of honor, I, as usual,
was the last to enter the canoe. A number of the inhabitants stood armed
all the time we were embarking. I showed them my watch, lens,
and other things to keep them amused, until there only remained those
who were to enter the canoe with me. I thanked them for their kindness,
and wished them peace. After all, they may have been influenced
only by the intention to be ready in case I should play them some false trick,
for they have reason to be distrustful of the whites. The guides came over
to bid us adieu, and we sat under a mango-tree fifteen feet in circumference.
We found them more communicative now. They said that the land
on both sides belonged to the Bazunga, and that they had left of old,
on the approach of Changamera, Ngaba, and Mpakane. Sekwebu was with
the last named, but he maintained that they never came to the confluence,
though they carried off all the cattle of Mburuma. The guides confirmed this
by saying that the Bazunga were not attacked, but fled in alarm
on the approach of the enemy. This mango-tree he knew by its proper name,
and we found seven others and several tamarinds, and were informed
that the chief Mburuma sends men annually to gather the fruit,
but, like many Africans whom I have known, has not had patience
to propagate more trees.
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