Seeing Us
Taking Notes, She Remarked That She Had Been To The Sea, And Had
There Seen White Men Writing.
She had seen camels also, probably
among the Arabs.
She was the only Manganja woman we ever met who was
ashamed of wearing the "pelele," or lip-ring. She retired to her
hut, took it out, and kept her hand before her mouth to hide the
hideous hole in the lip while conversing with us. All the villagers
respected her, and even the headmen took a secondary place in her
presence. On inquiring for her now, we found that she was dead. We
never obtained sufficient materials to estimate the relative
mortality of the highlands and lowlands; but, from many very old
white-headed blacks having been seen on the highlands, we think it
probable that even native races are longer lived the higher their
dwelling-places are.
We landed below at Mikena's and took observations for longitude, to
verify those taken two years before. The village was deserted,
Mikena and his people having fled to the other side of the river. A
few had come across this morning to work in their old gardens. After
completing the observations we had breakfast; and, as the last of the
things were being carried into the boat, a Manganja man came running
down to his canoe, crying out, "The Ajawa have just killed my
comrade!" We shoved off, and in two minutes the advanced guard of a
large marauding party were standing with their muskets on the spot
where we had taken breakfast.
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