第85章
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  WereachedourfriendShinte,andreceivedaheartywelcomefromthisfriendlyoldman,andabundantprovisionsofthebesthehad。

  Onhearingthereportofthejourneygivenbymycompanions,andreceivingapieceofcottonclothabouttwoyardssquare,hesaid,“TheseMambaricheatusbybringinglittlepiecesonly;

  butthenexttimeyoupassIshallsendmenwithyoutotradeformeinLoanda。”WhenIexplainedtheusemadeoftheslaveshesold,andthathewasjustdestroyinghisowntribebysellinghispeople,andenlargingthatoftheMambariforthesakeofthesesmallpiecesofcloth,itseemedtohimquiteanewideaHeenteredintoalongdetailofhistroubleswithMasiko,whohadpreventedhimfromcultivatingthatfriendshipwiththeMakololowhichIhadinculcated,andhadevenplunderedthemessengershehadsentwithKolimbotatotheBarotsevalleyShintewasparticularlyanxioustoexplainthatKolimbotahadremainedaftermydepartureofhisownaccord,andthathehadengagedinthequarrelsofthecountrywithoutbeinginvited;

  that,inattemptingtocaptureoneofthechildrenofaBalobaleman,whohadoffendedtheBalondabytakinghoneyfromahivewhichdidnotbelongtohim,Kolimbotahadgotwoundedbyashotinthethigh,butthathehadcuredthewound,givenhimawife,andsentapresentofclothtoSekeletu,withafullaccountofthewholeaffair。

  FromthestatementofShintewefoundthatKolimbotahadlearned,beforewelefthistown,thatthewayweintendedtotakewassodangerousthatitwouldbebetterforhimtoleaveustoourfate;

  and,ashehadtakenoneofourcanoeswithhim,itseemedevidentthathedidnotexpectustoreturnShinte,however,sentarecommendationtohissisterNyamoanatofurnishasmanycanoesasweshouldneedforourdescentoftheLeebaandLeeambye。

  AsIhadbeendesirousofintroducingsomeofthefruit-treesofAngola,bothformyownsakeandthatoftheinhabitants,wehadcarriedapotcontainingalittleplantationoforange,cashew-trees,custard-apple-trees`anona’,andafig-tree,withcoffee,aracas`Aracapomifera’,andpapaws`Caricapapaya’Fearingthat,ifwetookthemfarthersouthatpresent,theymightbekilledbythecold,weplantedthemoutinaninclosureofoneofShinte’sprincipalmen,and,athisrequest,promisedtogiveShinteasharewhengrown。

  Theyknowthevalueoffruits,butatpresenthavenoneexceptwildones。

  AwildfruitwefrequentlymetwithinLondaiseatable,and,whenboiled,yieldsalargequantityofoil,whichismuchusedinanointingbothheadandbodyHeeagerlyacceptedsomeoftheseedsofthepalm-oil-tree`ElaeisGuineensis’,whentoldthatthiswouldproduceoilinmuchgreaterquantitythantheirnativetree,whichisnotapalmThereareveryfewpalm-treesinthiscountry,butnearBangowesawafewofapeculiarpalm,theendsoftheleaf-stalksofwhichremainattachedtothetrunk,givingitatriangularshape。

  ItispleasanttoobservethatallthetribesinCentralAfricaarefondofagricultureMymenhadcollectedquantitiesofseedsinAngola,andnowdistributedthemamongtheirfriendsSomeevencarriedonions,garlic,andbird’s-eyepepper,growinginpannikinsThecourtsoftheBalonda,plantedwithtobacco,sugar-cane,andplantsusedasrelishes,ledmetothebeliefthatcarewouldbetakenofmylittlenursery。

  Thethermometerearlyinthemorningsrangedfrom42Degto52Deg。,atnoon94Degto96Deg。,andintheeveningabout70DegItwasplacedintheshadeofmytent,whichwaspitchedunderthethickesttreewecouldfindThesensationofcold,aftertheheatoftheday,wasverykeenTheBalondaatthisseasonneverleavetheirfirestillnineorteninthemorningAsthecoldwassogreathere,itwasprobablyfrostyatLinyanti;IthereforefearedtoexposemyyoungtreesthereThelatitudeofShinte’stownis12d37’35“S。,longitude22d47’E。

  WeremainedwithShintetillthe6thofJuly,hebeingunwillingtoallowustodepartbeforehearinginaformalmanner,inthepresenceofhisgreatestcouncilorChebende,amessagefromLimboa,thebrotherofMasikoWhenMasikofledfromtheMakololocountryinconsequenceofadislikeofbeinginastateofsubjectiontoSebituane,hecameintotheterritoryofShinte,whoreceivedhimkindly,andsentorderstoallthevillagesinhisvicinitytosupplyhimwithfood。

  Limboafledinawesterlydirectionwithanumberofpeople,andalsobecameachiefHiscountrywassometimescalledNyenko,butbytheMambariandnativePortuguesetraders“Mboela“theplacewherethey“turnedagain“,orbackAsoneofthefruitsofpolygamy,thechildrenofdifferentmothersarealwaysinastateofvariance。

  EachsonendeavorstogaintheascendencybyenticingawaythefollowersoftheothersThemotherofLimboabeingofahighfamily,hefeltaggrievedbecausethesituationchosenbyMasikowasbetterthanhis。

  MasikolivedataconvenientdistancefromtheSaloishohills,wherethereisabundanceofironore,withwhichtheinhabitantsmanufacturehoes,knives,etcTheyarealsoskillfulinmakingwoodenvesselsLimboafeltannoyedbecausehewasobligedtoapplyforthesearticlesthroughhisbrother,whomheregardedashisinferior,andaccordinglyresolvedtocomeintothesamedistrict。

  AsthiswaslookeduponasanassertionofsuperioritywhichMasikowouldresist,itwasvirtuallyadeclarationofwar。

  BothMasikoandShintepleadedmyinjunctiontoliveinpeaceandfriendship,butLimboa,confidentofsuccess,nowsentthemessagewhichIwasabouttohear“Thathe,too,highlyapprovedofthe`word’Ihadgiven,butwouldonlyforoncetransgressalittle,andliveatpeaceforeverafterward。”HenowdesiredtheaidofShintetosubduehisbrother。

  MessengerscamefromMasikoatthesametime,desiringassistancetorepelhimShintefeltinclinedtoaidLimboa,but,ashehadadvisedthembothtowaittillIcame,Inowurgedhimtoletthequarrelalone,andhetookmyadvice。

  WepartedonthebestpossibletermswithourfriendShinte,andproceededbyourformerpathtothevillageofhissisterNyamoana,whoisnowawidowShereceiveduswithmuchapparentfeeling,andsaid,“Wehadremovedfromourformerabodetotheplacewhereyoufoundus,andhadnoideathenthatitwasthespotwheremyhusbandwastodie。”

  ShehadcometotheRiverLofuje,astheyneverremaininaplacewheredeathhasoncevisitedthemWereceivedtheloanoffivesmallcanoesfromher,andalsooneofthosewehadleftherebefore,toproceeddowntheLeebaAfterviewingtheCoanzaatMassangano,IthoughttheLeebaatleastathirdlarger,andupwardoftwohundredyardswide。

  Wesawevidenceofitsriseduringitslastfloodhavingbeenupwardoffortyfeetinperpendicularheight;butthisisprobablymorethanusual,astheamountofrainwasabovetheaverage。

  MycompanionspurchasedalsoanumberofcanoesfromtheBalonda。

  Theseareverysmall,andcancarryonlytwopersons。

  Theyaremadequitethinandlight,andassharpasracing-skiffs,becausetheyareusedinhuntinganimalsinthewater。

  Thepricepaidwasastringofbeadsequaltothelengthofthecanoe。

  WeadvisedthemtobringcanoesforsaletotheMakololo,astheywouldgladlygivethemcowsinexchange。

  IndescendingtheLeebawesawmanyherdsofwildanimals,especiallythetahetsi`Aigocerosequina’,onemagnificentantelope,theputokuane`Antilopeniger’,andtwofinelionsTheBalobale,however,aregettingwellsuppliedwithguns,andwillsoonthinoutthelargegame。

  Atoneofthevillageswewereentreatedtoattacksomebuffaloeswhichgrazedinthegardenseverynightanddestroyedthemanioc。

  Aswehadhadnosuccessinshootingatthegamewehadseen,andwealllongedtohaveamealofmeat,wefollowedthefootprintsofanumberofoldbullsTheyshowedagreatamountofcunningbyselectingthedensestpartsofveryclosely-plantedforeststostandorreclineinduringthedayWecamewithinsixyardsofthemseveraltimesbeforeweknewthattheyweresonearWeonlyheardthemrushawayamongthecrashingbranches,catchingonlyaglimpseofthem。

  Itwassomewhatexcitingtofeel,aswetrodonthedryleaveswithstealthysteps,that,foranythingweknew,wemightnextmomentbechargedbyoneofthemostdangerousbeastsoftheforestWethreadedouttheirdoublingsforhours,drawnonbyakeencravingforanimalfood,aswehadbeenentirelywithoutsaltforupwardoftwomonths,butnevercouldgetashot。

  InpassingalongthesideofthewatereverywhereexceptinLonda,greenfrogsspringoutatyourfeet,andlightinthewaterasiftakinga“header“;andontheLeeambyeandChobewehavegreatnumbersofsmallgreenfrogs`Ranafasciata’,Boie,whichlightonbladesofgrasswithremarkableprecision;

  butoncomingalongtheLeebaIwasstruckbythesightofalightgreentoadaboutaninchlongTheleafmightbenearlyperpendicular,butitstucktoitlikeaflyItwasofthesamesizeasthe`Brachymerusbi-fasciatus’Smith,*whichIsawonlyonceintheBakwaincountryThoughsmall,itwashideous,beingcoloredjetblack,withvermilionspots。

  *Thediscoveryofthislastspeciesisthusmentionedbythataccomplishednaturalist,DrSmith:“OnthebanksoftheLimpopoRiver,closetothetropicofCapricorn,amassivetreewascutdowntoobtainwoodtorepairawagonTheworkman,whilesawingthetrunklongitudinallynearlyalongitscentre,remarked,onreachingacertainpoint,`Itishollow,andwillnotanswerthepurposeforwhichitiswanted。’

  Hepersevered,however,andwhenadivisionintoequalhalveswaseffected,itwasdiscoveredthatthesawinitscoursehadcrossedalargehole,inwhichwerefivespecimensofthespeciesjustdescribed,eachaboutaninchinlengthEveryexertionwasmadetodiscoverameansofcommunicationbetweentheexternalairandthecavity,butwithoutsuccessEverypartofthelatterwasprobedwiththeutmostcare,andwaterwaskeptineachhalfforaconsiderabletime,withoutanypassingintothewoodTheinnersurfaceofthecavitywasblack,asifcharred,andsowaslikewisetheadjoiningwoodforhalfaninchfromthecavityThetree,atthepartwherethelatterexisted,was19inchesindiameter;thelengthofthetrunkwas18feetWhentheBatrachiaabovementionedwerediscovered,theyappearedinanimate,buttheinfluenceofawarmsuntowhichtheyweresubjectedsoonimpartedtothemamoderatedegreeofvigor。

  Inafewhoursfromthetimetheywereliberatedtheyweretolerablyactive,andabletomovefromplacetoplaceapparentlywithgreatease。”

  BeforereachingtheMakondorivulet,latitude13d23’12“S。,wecameuponthetsetseinsuchnumbersthatmanybiteswereinflictedonmypoorox,inspiteofamanwithabranchwardingthemoff。

  Thebiteofthisinsectdoesnotaffectthedonkeyasitdoescattle。

  Thenextmorning,thespotsonwhichmyoxhadbeenbittenweremarkedbypatchesofhairabouthalfaninchbroadbeingwettedbyexudation。

  PoorSinbadhadcarriedmeallthewayfromtheLeebatoGolungoAlto,andallthewaybackagain,withoutlosinganyofhispeculiarities,oreverbecomingreconciledtoourperversityinforcinghimawayeachmorningfromthepleasantpasturageonwhichhehadfedIwishedtogivetheclimaxtohisusefulness,andallayourcravingforanimalfoodatthesametime;butmymenhavingsomecompunction,wecarriedhimtoendhisdaysinpeaceatNaliele。

  HavingdispatchedamessagetoouroldfriendManenko,wewaitedadayoppositehervillage,whichwasaboutfifteenmilesfromtheriver。

  Herhusbandwasinstantlydispatchedtomeetuswithliberalpresentsoffood,shebeingunabletotravelinconsequenceofaburnonthefoot。

  Sambanzagaveusadetailedaccountofthepoliticalaffairsofthecountry,andofKolimbota’sevildoings,andnextmorningperformedtheceremonycalled“Kasendi“,forcementingourfriendshipItisaccomplishedthus:

  ThehandsofthepartiesarejoinedinthiscasePitsaneandSambanzawerethepartiesengaged;smallincisionsaremadeontheclaspedhands,onthepitsofthestomachofeach,andontherightcheeksandforeheads。

  AsmallquantityofbloodistakenofffromthesepointsinbothpartiesbymeansofastalkofgrassThebloodfromonepersonisputintoapotofbeer,andthatofthesecondintoanother;

  eachthendrinkstheother’sblood,andtheyaresupposedtobecomeperpetualfriendsorrelationsDuringthedrinkingofthebeer,someofthepartycontinuebeatingthegroundwithshortclubs,anduttersentencesbywayofratifyingthetreatyThemenbelongingtoeachthenfinishthebeerTheprincipalsintheperformanceof“Kasendi“arehenceforthconsideredblood-relations,andareboundtodisclosetoeachotheranyimpendingevilIfSekeletushouldresolvetoattacktheBalonda,PitsanewouldbeunderobligationtogiveSambanzawarningtoescape,andsoontheothersideTheynowpresentedeachotherwiththemostvaluablepresentstheyhadtobestowSambanzawalkedoffwithPitsane’ssuitofgreenbaizefacedwithred,whichhadbeenmadeinLoanda,andPitsane,besidesabundantsuppliesoffood,obtainedtwoshellssimilartothatIhadreceivedfromShinte。

  OnoneoccasionIbecameblood-relationtoayoungwomanbyaccident。

  Shehadalargecartilaginoustumorbetweenthebonesofthefore-arm,which,asitgraduallyenlarged,sodistendedthemusclesastorenderherunabletoworkSheappliedtometoexciseit。

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