When We Came Into The Country, His People Were Fighting
Under His Brother Bonga.
The war had lasted six months and stopped
all trade on the river during that period.
On the 15th June we first
came into contact with the "rebels." They appeared as a crowd of
well-armed and fantastically-dressed people under the trees at
Mazaro. On explaining that we were English, some at once came on
board and called to those on shore to lay aside their arms. On
landing among them we saw that many had the branded marks of slaves
on their chests, but they warmly approved our objects, and knew well
the distinctive character of our nation on the slave question. The
shout at our departure contrasted strongly with the suspicious
questioning on our approach. Hence-forward we were recognized as
friends by both parties.
At a later period we were taking in wood within a mile of the scene
of action, but a dense fog prevented our hearing the noise of a
battle at Mazaro; and on arriving there, immediately after, many
natives and Portuguese appeared on the bank.
Dr. Livingstone, landing to salute some of his old friends among the
latter, found himself in the sickening smell, and among the mutilated
bodies of the slain; he was requested to take the Governor, who was
very ill of fever, across to Shupanga, and just as he gave his
assent, the rebels renewed the fight, and the balls began to whistle
about in all directions. After trying in vain to get some one to
assist the Governor down to the steamer, and unwilling to leave him
in such danger, as the officer sent to bring our Kroomen did not
appear, he went into the hut, and dragged along his Excellency to the
ship. He was a very tall man, and as he swayed hither and thither
from weakness, weighing down Dr. Livingstone, it must have appeared
like one drunken man helping another. Some of the Portuguese white
soldiers stood fighting with great bravery against the enemy in
front, while a few were coolly shooting at their own slaves for
fleeing into the river behind. The rebels soon retired, and the
Portuguese escaped to a sandbank in the Zambesi, and thence to an
island opposite Shupanga, where they lay for some weeks, looking at
the rebels on the mainland opposite. This state of inactivity on the
part of the Portuguese could not well be helped, as they had expended
all their ammunition and were waiting anxiously for supplies; hoping,
no doubt sincerely, that the enemy might not hear that their powder
had failed. Luckily their hopes were not disappointed; the rebels
waited until a supply came, and were then repulsed after three-and-a-
half hours' hard fighting. Two months afterwards Mariano's stockade
was burned, the garrison having fled in a panic; and as Bonga
declared that he did not wish to fight with this Governor, with whom
he had no quarrel, the war soon came to an end.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 12 of 263
Words from 5765 to 6269
of 136856