One By One The Others Perform The Same Feat, And Continue The
Sport For Hours, Striving Which Can Produce The Loudest Brattle While
Turning.
These games are only played during the season of courting
and of the gay feathers; the merriment seems never to be thought of
while the bird wears his winter suit of sober brown.
We received two mules from the Cape to aid us in transporting the
pieces of the "Lady Nyassa" past the cataracts and landed them at
Shupanga, but they soon perished. A Portuguese gentleman kindly
informed us, AFTER both the mules were dead, that he knew they would
die; for the land there had been often tried, and nothing would live
on it - not even a pig. He said he had not told us so before, because
he did not like to appear officious!
By the time everything had been placed on board the "Lady Nyassa,"
the waters of the Zambesi and the Shire had fallen so low that it was
useless to attempt taking her up to the cataracts before the rains in
December. Draught oxen and provisions also were required, and could
not be obtained nearer than the Island of Johanna. The Portuguese,
without refusing positively to let trade enter the Zambesi, threw
impediments in the way; they only wanted a small duty! They were
about to establish a river police, and rearrange the Crown lands,
which have long since become Zulu lands; meanwhile they were making
the Zambesi, by slaving, of no value to any one.
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