Our Food Having Been Exhausted,
My Men Had Been Subsisting For Some Time On Roots And Honey.
About Two O'clock
In the morning of the 3d we were aroused
by two officers and a company of soldiers, who had been
Sent with
the materials for a civilized breakfast and a "masheela" to bring me to Tete.
(Commandant's house: lat. 16d 9' 3" S., long. 33d 28' E.)
My companions thought that we were captured by the armed men,
and called me in alarm. When I understood the errand on which they had come,
and had partaken of a good breakfast, though I had just before been too tired
to sleep, all my fatigue vanished. It was the most refreshing breakfast
I ever partook of, and I walked the last eight miles without the least
feeling of weariness, although the path was so rough that one of the officers
remarked to me, "This is enough to tear a man's life out of him."
The pleasure experienced in partaking of that breakfast was only equaled
by the enjoyment of Mr. Gabriel's bed on my arrival at Loanda.
It was also enhanced by the news that Sebastopol had fallen
and the war was finished.
-
Note. - Having neglected, in referring to the footprints of the rhinoceros,
to mention what may be interesting to naturalists, I add it here in a note;
that wherever the footprints are seen, there are also marks of the animal
having plowed up the ground and bushes with his horn. This has been supposed
to indicate that he is subject to "fits of ungovernable rage";
but, when seen, he appears rather to be rejoicing in his strength.
He acts as a bull sometimes does when he gores the earth with his horns.
The rhinoceros, in addition to this, stands on a clump of bushes,
bends his back down, and scrapes the ground with his feet,
throwing it out backward, as if to stretch and clean his toes,
in the same way that a dog may be seen to do on a little grass:
this is certainly not rage.
-
Chapter 31.
Kind Reception from the Commandant - His Generosity to my Men -
The Village of Tete - The Population - Distilled Spirits -
The Fort - Cause of the Decadence of Portuguese Power -
Former Trade - Slaves employed in Gold-washing - Slave-trade drained
the Country of Laborers - The Rebel Nyaude's Stockade - He burns Tete -
Kisaka's Revolt and Ravages - Extensive Field of Sugar-cane -
The Commandant's good Reputation among the Natives -
Providential Guidance - Seams of Coal - A hot Spring -
Picturesque Country - Water-carriage to the Coal-fields -
Workmen's Wages - Exports - Price of Provisions - Visit Gold-washings -
The Process of obtaining the precious Metal - Coal within a Gold-field -
Present from Major Sicard - Natives raise Wheat, etc. -
Liberality of the Commandant - Geographical Information
from Senhor Candido - Earthquakes - Native Ideas of a Supreme Being -
Also of the Immortality and Transmigration of Souls - Fondness for Display
at Funerals - Trade Restrictions - Former Jesuit Establishment -
State of Religion and Education at Tete - Inundation of the Zambesi -
Cotton cultivated - The fibrous Plants Conge and Buaze -
Detained by Fever - The Kumbanzo Bark - Native Medicines - Iron,
its Quality - Hear of Famine at Kilimane - Death of a Portuguese Lady -
The Funeral - Disinterested Kindness of the Portuguese.
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