So Far
My Ajumba Friends Have Only Tried To Meet This Difficulty By Tying
The Cargo In.
I try to get up the geography of this region conscientiously.
Fortunately I find Gray Shirt, Singlet, and Pagan can speak trade
English.
None of them, however, seem to recognise a single blessed
name on the chart, which is saying nothing against the chart and its
makers, who probably got their names up from M'pongwes and Igalwas
instead of Ajumba, as I am trying to. Geographical research in this
region is fraught with difficulty, I find, owing to different tribes
calling one and the same place by different names; and I am sure the
Royal Geographical Society ought to insert among their "Hints" that
every traveller in this region should carefully learn every separate
native word, or set of words, signifying "I don't know," - four
villages and two rivers I have come across out here solemnly set
down with various forms of this statement, for their native name.
Really I think the old Portuguese way of naming places after Saints,
etc., was wiser in the long run, and it was certainly pleasanter to
the ear. My Ajumba, however, know about my Ngambi and the Vinue all
right and Eliva z'Ayzingo, so I must try and get cross bearings from
these.
We have an addition to our crew this morning - a man who wants to go
and get work at John Holt's sub-factory away on the Rembwe. He has
been waiting a long while at Arevooma, unable to get across, I am
told, because the road is now stopped between Ayzingo and the Rembwe
by "those fearful Fans." "How are we going to get through that
way?" says I, with natural feminine alarm.
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