The Reader Will Excuse Our Doing So, But We Desire To Record
How Much They Were Esteemed, And How Thankful We Felt For Their Good
Behaviour.
The weather was delightfully cool; and, with full
confidence in those left behind, it was with light hearts we turned
our faces north.
Mr. Rae accompanied us a day in front; and, as all
our party had earnestly advised that at least two Europeans should be
associated together on the journey, the steward was at the last
moment taken. Mr. Rae returned to get the "Lady Nyassa" ready for
sea; and, as she drew less water than the "Pioneer," take her down to
the ocean in October. One reason for taking the steward is worth
recording. Both he and a man named King, {5} who, though only a
leading stoker in the Navy, had been a promising student in the
University of Aberdeen, had got into that weak bloodless-looking
state which residence in the lowlands without much to do or think
about often induces. The best thing for this is change and an active
life. A couple of days' march only as far as the Mukuru-Madse,
infused so much vigour into King that he was able to walk briskly
back. Consideration for the steward's health led to his being
selected for this northern journey, and the measure was so completely
successful that it was often, in the hard march, a subject of regret
that King had not been taken too. A removal of only a hundred yards
is sometimes so beneficial that it ought in severe cases never to be
omitted.
Our object now was to get away to the N.N.W., proceed parallel with
Lake Nyassa, but at a considerable distance west of it, and thus pass
by the Mazitu or Zulus near its northern end without contact -
ascertain whether any large river flowed into the Lake from the west-
-visit Lake Moelo, if time permitted, and collect information about
the trade on the great slave route, which crosses the Lake at its
southern end, and at Tsenga and Kota-kota. The Makololo were eager
to travel fast, because they wanted to be back in time to hoe their
fields before the rains, and also because their wives needed looking
after.
In going in the first instance N.E. from the uppermost Cataract, we
followed in a measure the great bend of the river towards the foot of
Mount Zomba. Here we had a view of its most imposing side, the west,
with the plateau some 3000 feet high, stretching away to its south,
and Mounts Chiradzuru and Mochiru towering aloft to the sky. From
that goodly highland station, it was once hoped by the noble
Mackenzie, who, for largeness of heart and loving disposition, really
deserved to be called the "Bishop of Central Africa," that light and
liberty would spread to all the interior. We still think it may be a
centre for civilizing influences; for any one descending from these
cool heights, and stepping into a boat on the Upper Shire, can sail
three hundred miles without a check into the heart of Africa.
We passed through a tract of country covered with mopane trees, where
the hard baked soil refused to let the usual thick crops of grass
grow; and here we came upon very many tracks of buffaloes, elephants,
antelopes, and the spoor of one lion. An ox we drove along with us,
as provision for the way, was sorely bitten by the tsetse. The
effect of the bite was, as usual, quite apparent two days afterwards,
in the general flaccidity of the muscles, the drooping ears, and
looks of illness. It always excited our wonder that we, who were
frequently much bitten too by the same insects, felt no harm from
their attacks. Man shares the immunity of the wild animals.
Finding a few people on the evening of the 20th of August, who were
supporting a wretched existence on tamarinds and mice, we ascertained
that there was no hope of our being able to buy food anywhere nearer
than the Lakelet Pamalombe, where the Ajawa chief, Kainka, was now
living; but that plenty could be found with the Maravi female chief,
Nyango. We turned away north-westwards, and struck the stream Ribve-
ribve, or Rivi-rivi, which rises in the Maravi range, and flows into
the Shire.
As the Rivi-rivi came from the N.W. we continued to travel along its
banks, until we came to people who had successfully defended
themselves against the hordes of the Ajawa. By employing the men of
one village to go forward and explain who we were to the next, we
managed to prevent the frightened inhabitants from considering us a
fresh party of Ajawa, or of Portuguese slaving agents. Here they had
cultivated maize, and were willing to sell, but no persuasion could
induce them to give us guides to the chieftainess, Nyango. They
evidently felt that we were not to be trusted; though, as we had to
certify to our own character, our companions did not fail "to blow
our own trumpet," with blasts in which modesty was quite out of the
question. To allay suspicion, we had at last to refrain from
mentioning the lady's name.
It would be wearisome to repeat the names of the villages we passed
on our way to the north-west. One was the largest we ever saw in
Africa, and quite deserted, with the usual sad sight of many
skeletons lying about. Another was called Tette. We know three
places of this name, which fact shows it to be a native word; it
seems to mean a place where the water rushes over rocks. A third
village was called Chipanga (a great work), a name identical with the
Shupanga of the Portuguese. This repetition of names may indicate
that the same people first took these epithets in their traditional
passage from north to south.
At this season of the year the nights are still cold, and the people,
having no crops to occupy their attention, do not stir out till long
after the sun is up.
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