The Men Were Thoroughly Frightened, They Had
Never Seen Such Perilous Navigation.
They would carry all the loads,
rather than risk Kebrabasa any longer; but the fatigue of a day's
march
Over the hot rocks and burning sand changed their tune before
night; and then they regretted having left the canoes; they thought
they should have dragged them past the dangerous places, and then
launched them again. One of the two donkeys died from exhaustion
near the Luia. Though the men eat zebras and quaggas, blood
relations of the donkey, they were shocked at the idea of eating the
ass; "it would be like eating man himself, because the donkey lives
with man, and is his bosom companion." We met two large trading
parties of Tette slaves on their way to Zumbo, leading, to be sold
for ivory, a number of Manganja women, with ropes round their necks,
and all made fast to one long rope.
Panzo, the headman of the village east of Kebrabasa, received us with
great kindness. After the usual salutation he went up the hill, and,
in a loud voice, called across the valley to the women of several
hamlets to cook supper for us. About eight in the evening he
returned, followed by a procession of women, bringing the food.
There were eight dishes of nsima, or porridge, six of different sorts
of very good wild vegetables, with dishes of beans and fowls; all
deliciously well cooked, and scrupulously clean. The wooden dishes
were nearly as white as the meal itself: food also was brought for
our men. Ripe mangoes, which usually indicate the vicinity of the
Portuguese, were found on the 21st November; and we reached Tette
early on the 23rd, having been absent a little over six months.
The two English sailors, left in charge of the steamer, were well,
had behaved well, and had enjoyed excellent health all the time we
were away. Their farm had been a failure. We left a few sheep, to
be slaughtered when they wished for fresh meat, and two dozen fowls.
Purchasing more, they soon had double the number of the latter, and
anticipated a good supply of eggs; but they also bought two monkeys,
and THEY ate all the eggs. A hippopotamus came up one night, and
laid waste their vegetable garden; the sheep broke into their cotton
patch, when it was in flower, and ate it all, except the stems; then
the crocodiles carried off the sheep, and the natives stole the
fowls. Nor were they more successful as gun-smiths: a Portuguese
trader, having an exalted opinion of the ingenuity of English
sailors, showed them a double-barrelled rifle, and inquired if they
could put on the BROWNING, which had rusted off. "I think I knows
how," said one, whose father was a blacksmith, "it's very easy; you
have only to put the barrels in the fire." A great fire of wood was
made on shore, and the unlucky barrels put over it, to secure the
handsome rifle colour.
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