We Now Proceeded With Preparations For The Launch Of The "Lady
Nyassa." Ground Was Levelled On The Bank At Shupanga, For The
Purpose Of Arranging The Compartments In Order:
She was placed on
palm-trees which were brought from a place lower down the river for
ways, and the engineer and his assistants were soon busily engaged;
about a fortnight after they were all brought from Kongone, the
sections were screwed together.
The blacks are more addicted to
stealing where slavery exists than elsewhere. We were annoyed by
thieves who carried off the iron screw-bolts, but were gratified to
find that strychnine saved us from the man-thief as well as the
hyena-thief. A hyena was killed by it, and after the natives saw the
dead animal and knew how we had destroyed it, they concluded that it
was not safe to steal from men who possessed a medicine so powerful.
The half-caste, who kept Shupanga-house, said he wished to have some
to give to the Zulus, of whom he was mortally afraid, and to whom he
had to pay an unwilling tribute.
The "Pioneer" made several trips to the Kongone, and returned with
the last load on the 12th of June. On the 23rd the "Lady Nyassa" was
safely launched, the work of putting her together having been
interrupted by fever and dysentery, and many other causes which it
would only weary the reader to narrate in detail. Natives from all
parts of the country came to see the launch, most of them quite
certain that, being made of iron, she must go to the bottom as soon
as she entered the water. Earnest discussions had taken place among
them with regard to the propriety of using iron for ship-building.
The majority affirmed that it would never answer. They said, "If we
put a hoe into the water, or the smallest bit of iron, it sinks
immediately. How then can such a mass of iron float? it must go to
the bottom." The minority answered that this might be true with
them, but white men had medicine for everything. "They could even
make a woman, all except the speaking; look at that one on the
figure-head of the vessel." The unbelievers were astonished, and
could hardly believe their eyes, when they saw the ship float lightly
and gracefully on the river, instead of going to the bottom, as they
so confidently predicted. "Truly," they said, "these men have
powerful medicine."
Birds are numerous on the Shupanga estate. Some kinds remain all the
year round, while many others are there only for a few months.
Flocks of green pigeons come in April to feed on the young fruit of
the wild fig-trees, which is also eaten by a large species of bat in
the evenings. The pretty little black weaver, with yellow shoulders,
appears to enjoy life intensely after assuming his wooing dress. A
hearty breakfast is eaten in the mornings and then come the hours for
making merry.
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