Senhor Ferrao Received Us With His Usual Kindness, And Gave Us A
Bountiful Breakfast.
During the day the principal men of the place
called, and were unanimously of opinion that the free natives would
willingly cultivate large quantities of cotton, could they find
purchasers.
They had in former times exported largely both cotton
and cloth to Manica and even to Brazil. "On their own soil," they
declared, "the natives are willing to labour and trade, provided only
they can do so to advantage: when it is for their interest, blacks
work very hard." We often remarked subsequently that this was the
opinion of men of energy; and that all settlers of activity,
enterprise, and sober habits had become rich, while those who were
much addicted to lying on their backs smoking, invariably complained
of the laziness of the negroes, and were poor, proud, and despicable.
Beyond Pita lies the little island Nyamotobsi, where we met a small
fugitive tribe of hippopotamus hunters, who had been driven by war
from their own island in front. All were busy at work; some were
making gigantic baskets for grain, the men plaiting from the inside.
With the civility so common among them the chief ordered a mat to be
spread for us under a shed, and then showed us the weapon with which
they kill the hippopotamus; it is a short iron harpoon inserted in
the end of a long pole, but being intended to unship, it is made fast
to a strong cord of milola, or hibiscus, bark, which is wound closely
round the entire length of the shaft, and secured at its opposite
end.
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