In Placing Their Fires They Are Careful To Put
Them Where The Smoke Will Not Blow In Our Faces.
Soon after we halt,
the spot for the English is selected, and all regulate their places
accordingly, and deposit their burdens.
The men take it by turns to
cut some of the tall dry grass, and spread it for our beds on a spot,
either naturally level, or smoothed by the hoe; some, appointed to
carry our bedding, then bring our rugs and karosses, and place the
three rugs in a row on the grass; Dr. Livingstone's being in the
middle, Dr. Kirk's on the right, and Charles Livingstone's on the
left. Our bags, rifles, and revolvers are carefully placed at our
heads, and a fire made near our feet. We have no tent nor covering
of any kind except the branches of the tree under which we may happen
to lie; and it is a pretty sight to look up and see every branch,
leaf, and twig of the tree stand out, reflected against the clear
star-spangled and moonlit sky. The stars of the first magnitude have
names which convey the same meaning over very wide tracts of country.
Here when Venus comes out in the evenings, she is called Ntanda, the
eldest or first-born, and Manjika, the first-born of morning, at
other times: she has so much radiance when shining alone, that she
casts a shadow. Sirius is named Kuewa usiko, "drawer of night,"
because supposed to draw the whole night after it. The moon has no
evil influence in this country, so far as we know. We have lain and
looked up at her, till sweet sleep closed our eyes, unharmed. Four
or five of our men were affected with moon-blindness at Tette; though
they had not slept out of doors there, they became so blind that
their comrades had to guide their hands to the general dish of food;
the affection is unknown in their own country. When our posterity
shall have discovered what it is which, distinct from foul smells,
causes fever, and what, apart from the moon, causes men to be moon-
struck, they will pity our dulness of perception.
The men cut a very small quantity of grass for themselves, and sleep
in fumbas or sleeping-bags, which are double mats of palm-leaf, six
feet long by four wide, and sewn together round three parts of the
square, and left open only on one side. They are used as a
protection from the cold, wet, and mosquitoes, and are entered as we
should get into our beds, were the blankets nailed to the top,
bottom, and one side of the bedstead.
A dozen fires are nightly kindled in the camp; and these, being
replenished from time to time by the men who are awakened by the
cold, are kept burning until daylight. Abundance of dry hard wood is
obtained with little trouble; and burns beautifully. After the great
business of cooking and eating is over, all sit round the camp-fires,
and engage in talking or singing.
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