By Dint Of Persuasion,
However, We Induced Them To Sell Us Provisions, Though At A
Monstrous Rate, Such As No Merchant Could Have Afforded; And
Having Spent The Night Quietly, We Proceeded On To The Upper
Courses Of The M'yombo River, Which Trends Its Way Northwards To
The Mukondokua River.
The scenery was most interesting, with
every variety of hill, roll, plateau, and ravine, wild and
prettily wooded; but we saw nothing of the people.
Like
frightened rats, as soon as they caught the sound of our
advancing march, they buried themselves in the jungles, carrying
off their grain with them. Foraging parties, of necessity, were
sent out as soon as the camp was pitched, with cloth for
purchases, and strict orders not to use force; the upshot of
which was, that my people got nothing but a few arrows fired at
them by the lurking villagers, and I was abused for my
squeamishness. Moreover, the villagers, emboldened by my lenity,
vauntingly declared they would attack the camp by night, as they
could only recognise in us such men as plunder their houses and
steal their children. This caused a certain amount of alarm
among my men, which induced them to run up a stiff bush-fence
round the camp, and kept them talking all night.
This morning we marched on as usual, with one of the Hottentots
lashed on a donkey; for the wretched creature, after lying in the
sun asleep, became so sickly that he could not move or do
anything for himself, and nobody would do anything for him. The
march was a long one, but under ordinary circumstances would have
been very interesting, for we passed an immense lagoon, where
hippopotami were snorting as if they invited an attack. In the
larger tree-jungles the traces of elephants, buffaloes,
rhinoceros, and antelopes were very numerous; while a rich
variety of small birds, as often happened, made me wish I had
come on a shooting rather than on a long exploring expedition.
Towards sunset we arrived at New Mbimi, a very pretty and fertile
place, lying at the foot of a cluster of steep hills, and pitched
camp for three days to lay in supplies for ten, as this was
reported to be the only place where we could buy corn until we
reached Ugogo, a span of 140 miles. Mr Mbumi, the chief of the
place, a very affable negro, at once took us by the hand, and
said he would do anything we desired, for he had often been to
Zanzibar. He knew that the English were the ruling power in that
land, and that they were opposed to slavery, the terrible effects
of which had led to his abandoning Old Mbumi, on the banks of the
Mukondokua river, and rising here.
The sick Hottentot died here, and we buried him with Christian
honours. As his comrades said, he died because he had determined
to die, - an instance of that obstinate fatalism in their mulish
temperament which no kind words or threats can cure.
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