An Ajawa Chief, Named Kapeni, Had So Much Confidence In The English
Name That He, With Most Of His People, Visited The Ship; And Asserted
That Nothing Would Give His Countrymen Greater Pleasure Than To
Receive The Associates Of Bishop Mackenzie As Their Teachers.
This
declaration, coupled with the subsequent conduct of the Ajawa, was
very gratifying, inasmuch as it was clear that no umbrage had been
taken at the check which the Bishop had given to their slaving; their
consciences had told them that the course he had pursued was right.
When we returned, the contrast between the vegetation about Muazi's
and that near the ship was very striking. We had come so quickly
down, that while on the plateau in latitude 12 degrees S., the young
leaves had in many cases passed from the pink or other colour they
have on first coming out to the light fresh green which succeeds it,
here, on the borders of 16 degrees S., or from 150 to 180 miles
distant, the trees were still bare, the grey colour of the bark
predominating over every other hue. The trees in the tropics here
have a very well-marked annual rest. On the Rovuma even, which is
only about ten degrees from the equator, in September the slopes up
from the river some sixty miles inland were of a light ashy-grey
colour; and on ascending them, we found that the majority of the
trees were without leaves; those of the bamboo even lay crisp and
crumpled on the ground. As the sun is usually hot by day, even in
the winter, this withering process may be owing to the cool nights;
Africa differing so much from Central India in the fact that, in
Africa, however hot the day may be, the air generally cools down
sufficiently by the early morning watches to render a covering or
even a blanket agreeable.
The first fortnight after our return to the ship was employed in the
delightful process of resting, to appreciate which a man must have
gone through great exertions. In our case the muscles of the limbs
were as hard as boards, and not an ounce of fat existed on any part
of the body. We now had frequent showers; but, these being only the
earlier rains, the result on the rise of the river was but a few
inches. The effect of these rains on the surrounding scenery was
beautiful in the extreme. All trace of the dry season was soon
obliterated, and hills and mountains from base to summit were covered
with a mantle of living green. The sun passed us on his way south
without causing a flood, so all our hopes of a release were centred
on his return towards the Equator, when, as a rule, the waters of
inundation are made to flow. Up to this time the rains descended
simply to water the earth, fill the pools, and make ready for the
grand overflow for which we had still to wait six weeks. It is of no
use to conceal that we waited with much chagrin; for had we not been
forced to return from the highlands west of Nyassa we might have
visited Lake Bemba; but unavailing regrets are poor employment for
the mind; so we banished them to the best of our power.
About the middle of December, 1863, we were informed that Bishop
Mackenzie's successor, after spending a few months on the top of a
mountain about as high as Ben Nevis in Scotland, at the mouth of the
Shire, where there were few or no people to be taught, had determined
to leave the country. This unfortunate decision was communicated to
us at the same time that six of the boys reared by Bishop Mackenzie
were sent back into heathenism. The boys were taken to a place about
seven miles from the ship, but immediately found their way up to us.
We told them that if they wished to remain in the country they had
better so arrange at once, for we were soon to leave. The sequel
will show their choice.
As soon as the death of Bishop Mackenzie was known at the Cape, Dr.
Gray, the excellent Bishop there, proceeded at once to England, with
a view of securing an early appointment of another head to the
Mission, which in its origin owed so much to his zeal for the spread
of the gospel among the heathen, and whose interests he had
continually at heart. About the middle of 1862 we heard that Dr.
Gray's efforts had been successful, and that another clergyman would
soon take the place of our departed friend. This pleasing
intelligence was exceedingly cheering to the Missionaries, and
gratifying also to the members of the Expedition. About the
beginning of 1863 the new Bishop arrived at the mouth of the river in
a man-of-war, and after some delay proceeded inland. The Bishop of
the Cape had taken a voyage home at considerable inconvenience to
himself, for the sole object of promoting this Mission to the
heathen; and it was somehow expected that the man he would secure
would be an image of himself; and we must say, that whatever others,
from the representations that have gone abroad, may think of his
character, we invariably found Dr. Gray to be a true, warm-hearted
promoter of the welfare of his fellow-men; a man whose courage and
zeal have provoked very many to good works.
It was hoped that the presence of a new head to the Mission would
infuse new energy and life into the small band of Missionaries, whose
ranks had been thinned by death; and who, though discouraged by the
disasters which the slave war and famine had induced, and also
dispirited by the depressing influences of a low and unhealthy
position in the swampy Shire Valley, were yet bravely holding out
till the much-needed moral and material aid should arrive.
We believe that we are uttering the sentiments of many devout members
of different sections of Christians, when we say, it was a pity that
the Mission of the Universities was abandoned.
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