He Conceived The Idea Of
Digging A Broad And Deep Canal Nearly A Mile In Length, From The
Reedy Marsh
To the Zambesi, and, having actually carried the scheme
into execution, he formed a large island, on which his cattle
Grazed
in safety, and his corn ripened from year to year secure from all
marauders.
Another chief, who died a number of years ago, believed that he had
discovered a remedy for tsetse-bitten cattle; his son Moyara showed
us a plant, which was new to our botanist, and likewise told us how
the medicine was prepared; the bark of the root, and, what might
please our homoeopathic friends, a dozen of the tsetse are dried, and
ground together into a fine powder. This mixture is administered
internally; and the cattle are fumigated by burning under them the
rest of the plant collected. The treatment must be continued for
weeks, whenever the symptoms of poison appear. This medicine, he
frankly admitted, would not cure all the bitten cattle. "For," said
he, "cattle, and men too, die in spite of medicine; but should a herd
by accident stray into a tsetse district and be bitten, by this
medicine of my father, Kampa-kampa, some of them could be saved,
while, without it, all would inevitably die." He stipulated that we
were not to show the medicine to other people, and if ever we needed
it in this region we must employ him; but if we were far off we might
make it ourselves; and when we saw it cure the cattle think of him,
and send him a present.
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