and fifty yards wide. The chief of the district--a young man, who wore
his hair curiously formed into the shape of a cone, bound round with
white thread--on their refusing to pay him an extortionate demand,
ordered his people not to ferry them across, and opened fire on them.
At this juncture a half-caste Portuguese, a sergeant of militia,
Cypriano Di Abreu arrived, and, obtaining ferrymen, they crossed over
into the territory of the Bangala, who are subject to the Portuguese.
They had some time before rebelled, and troops were now stationed among
them, Cypriano being in command of a party of men. Next morning he
provided a delicious breakfast for his guest, and fed the Makololo with
pumpkins and maize, while he supplied them with farina for their journey
to Kasenge, without even hinting at payment.
The natives, though they long have had intercourse with the Portuguese,
are ignorant and superstitious in the extreme. Many parts of the
country are low and marshy, and they suffer greatly from fever. Of the
use of medicine they have no notion, their only remedies being charms
and cupping. The latter operation is performed with a small horn, which
has a little hole in the upper end. The broad end is placed on the
flesh, when the operator sucks through the hole; as the flesh rises, he
gashes it with a knife, then replaces the horn and sucks again, till
finally he introduces a piece of wax into his mouth, to stop up the
hole, when the horn is left to allow the blood to gush into it.
It took the travellers four days to reach Kasenge, a town inhabited by
about forty Portuguese traders and their servants. Though told by the
doctor that he was a Protestant minister, they treated him with the
greatest kindness and hospitality.
Here the Makololo sold Sekeletu's tusks, obtaining much better prices
than they would have done from the Cape traders, forgetting, however,
that their value was greatly increased by the distance they had been
brought.
The Makololo here expressed their fears, from what they had heard, that
they were about to be led down to the sea-coast to be sold, but when
Livingstone asked them if he had ever deceived them, and that he would
assure them of their safety, they agreed to accompany him.
The merchants of Kasenge treated the doctor with the most disinterested
kindness, and furnished him with letters to their friends at Loanda.
He was escorted by a black corporal of militia, who was carried in a
hammock by his slaves. He could both read and write, and was cleanly in
all his ways; he was considerate also to his young slaves, and walked
most of the way, only getting into his hammock on approaching a village,
for the sake of keeping up his dignity. He, however, had the usual
vices in a land of slaves, and did not fail to cheat those he was sent
to protect.
Sleeping-places were erected on the road about ten miles apart, as there
is a constant stream of people going to and coming from the coast.
Goods are either carried on the head or on one shoulder, in a sort of
basket, supported by two poles five or six feet long. When the carrier
feels tired and halts, he plants them on the ground, allowing his burden
to rest against a tree, so that he has not to lift it up from the ground
to the level of his head.
On arriving at a sleeping-place, the sheds were immediately taken
possession of by the first comers, those arriving last having to make
huts with long grass for themselves. Women might then be seen coming
from their villages with baskets of manioc meal, yams, garlic, and other
roots for sale.
As Dr Livingstone had supplied himself with calico at Kasenge, he was
able to purchase what was necessary.
The district of Ambaca, through which he now passed, was excessively
fertile. Large numbers of cattle exist on its pastures, which are
well-watered by flowing streams, while lofty mountains rise in the
distance. It is said to contain forty thousand souls.
The doctor was delighted with Golcongo Alto, a magnificent district--the
hills bedecked with trees of various hues, the graceful oil-yielding
palm towering above them.
Here the commandant, Lieutenant Castro, received him in a way which won
the doctor's affectionate regard.
He calculated that this district has a population of a hundred and four
thousand.
The lieutenant regretted, as does every person of intelligence, the
neglect with which this magnificent country has been treated.
As they proceeded, they passed streams with cascades, on which mills
might easily be formed; but here numbers of carpenters were converting
the lofty trees which grew around into planks, by splitting them with
wedges.
At Trombeta the commandant had his garden ornamented with rows of trees,
with pineapples and flowers growing between them. A few years ago he
had purchased an estate for 16 pounds, on which he had now a coffee
plantation and all sorts of fruit-trees and grape-vines, besides grain
and vegetables growing, as also a cotton plantation.
As they approached the sea the Makololo gazed at it, spreading out
before them, with feelings of awe, having before believed that the whole
world was one extended plain. They again showed their fears that they
might be kidnapped, but Dr Livingstone reassured them, telling them
that as they had stood by each other hitherto, so they would do to the
last.
On the 31st of May they descended a declivity leading to the city of
Loanda, where Dr Livingstone was warmly welcomed by Mr Gabriel, the
British commissioner for the suppression of the slave trade. Seeing him
so ill, he benevolently offered the doctor his bed. "Never shall I
forget," says Dr Livingstone, "the luxurious pleasure I enjoyed in
feeling myself again on a good English couch, after for six months
sleeping on the ground."
It took many days, however, before the doctor recovered from the
exposure and fatigue he had endured. All that time he was watched over
with the most generous sympathy by his kind host. The Portuguese Bishop
of Angola, and numerous other gentlemen, called on him and tendered
their services.
Her Majesty's ship "Polyphemus" coming in, the surgeon, Mr Cockin,
afforded him the medical assistance he so much required, and on the 14th
of June he was sufficiently recovered to call on the bishop, attended by
his Makololo followers. They had all been dressed in new robes of
striped cotton cloth, and red caps, presented by Mr Gabriel.
The bishop, acting as head of the provisional government, received them
in form, and gave them permission to come to Loanda and trade as often
as they wished, with which they were greatly pleased.
The Makololo gazed with astonishment at all they witnessed, the large
stone houses and churches especially, never before having seen a
building larger than a hut. The commanders of the "Pluto" and
"Philomel," which came into the harbour, invited them on board. Knowing
their fears, Dr Livingstone told them that no one need go should they
entertain the least suspicion of foul play. Nearly the whole party,
however, went.
Pointing to the sailors, the doctor said: "Now, these are all my
countrymen, sent by our queen for the purpose of putting down the trade
of those that buy and sell black men."
They replied: "Truly they are just like you," and all their fears
vanished.
Going forward amongst the men, they were received much the same as the
Makololo would have received them, the jolly tars handing them a share
of the bread and beef they had for dinner. They were allowed to fire
off a cannon, at which they were greatly pleased, especially when the
doctor observed: "That is what they put down the slave trade with."
This visit had a most beneficial effect, as it raised Dr Livingstone
still more highly than ever in the opinion of the natives.
They were not so much struck at the high mass which they witnessed at
the cathedral, observing that they had seen the white men charming their
demons.
During August the doctor was again attacked by a severe fit of fever.
His men, while he was unable to attend to them, employed themselves in
going into the country and cutting firewood, which they sold to the
inhabitants of the town. Mr Gabriel also found them employment in
unloading a collier, at sixpence a day. They continued at this work for
upwards of a month, astonished at the vast amount of "stones that burn"
which were taken out of her. With the money thus obtained they
purchased clothing, beads, and other articles to carry home with them.
In selecting calicoes they were well able to judge of the best, and
chose such pieces as appeared the strongest, without reference to
colour.
Saint Paul de Loanda, once a considerable city, has now fallen greatly
into decay. There are, however, many large stone houses, and the palace
of the governor, and the government offices, are substantial structures.
Trees are planted throughout the town for the sake of shade. Though
the dwellings of the native inhabitants are composed merely of wattle
and daub, from the sea they present an imposing appearance.
Though at first the government lost its chief revenue from the
suppression of the slave trade, it has again gradually increased by the
lawful commerce now carried on by its merchants. The officers are,
however, so badly paid that they are compelled to engage in mercantile
pursuits, and some attempt by bribes to assist the slave-dealers.
From the kind and generous treatment Dr Livingstone received from the
Portuguese, they rose deservedly high in his estimation.
He now prepared for his departure. The merchants sent a present to
Sekeletu, consisting of specimens of all their articles of trade and two
donkeys, that the breed might be introduced into his country, as the
_tsetse_ cannot kill those beasts of burden. The doctor was also
furnished with letters of recommendation to the Portuguese authorities
in Eastern Africa. The bishop likewise furnished him with twenty
carriers, and sent forward orders to the commandants of the districts to
the east to render him every assistance. He supplied himself with
ammunition, and beads, and a stock of cloth, and he gave each of his men
a musket. He had also purchased a horse for Sekeletu. His friends of
the "Philomel" fitted him out also with a new tent, and, on the 20th of
September, 1854, he and his party left Loanda, escorted by Mr Gabriel,
who, from his unwearied attentions and liberality to his men, had become
endeared to all their hearts.
Passing round by the sea, he ascended the River Bengo to Icollo-i-Bengo,
once the residence of a native king. While Mr Gabriel returned to
Loanda, Dr Livingstone and his party proceeded to Golcongo Alto, where
he left some of his men to rest, while he took an excursion to Kasenge,
celebrated for its coffee plantations. On his return he found several
of them suffering from fever, while one of them had gone out of his
mind, but in a short time recovered.
The doctor had the satisfaction of returning the kindness he received
from Mr Canto, the commandant, by attending him during a severe attack
of illness.
He had thus an opportunity of watching the workings of slavery. The
moment their master was ill, the slaves ate up everything on which they
could lay their hands, till the doctor himself could scarcely obtain
even bread and butter. Here Sekeletu's horse was seized with
inflammation, and the poor animal afterwards died on its journey.
On the 28th of February they reached the banks of the Quango, where they
were again received by Cypriano.
The coloured population of Angola are sunk in the grossest superstition.
They fancy themselves completely in the power of spirits, and are
constantly deprecating their wrath. A chief, named Gando, had lately
been accused of witchcraft, and, being killed by the ordeal, his body
was thrown into the river.
Heavy payment was demanded by the ferrymen for crossing in their
wretched canoes; but the cattle and donkeys had to swim across.
Avoiding their friend with the comical head-dress, they made their way
to the camp of some Ambakistas, or half-caste Portuguese, who had gone
across to trade in wax. They are famed for their love of learning, and
are keen traders, and, writing a peculiarly fine hand, are generally
employed as clerks, sometimes being called the Jews of Angola.
The travellers were now in the country of the Bashinji, possessing the
lowest negro physiognomy. At a village where they halted, they were
attacked by the head man, who had been struck by one of the Makololo on
their previous visit, although atonement had been made. A large body of
the natives now rushed upon them as they were passing through a forest,
and began firing, the bullets passing amid the trees. Dr Livingstone
fortunately encountered the chief, and, presenting a six-barrelled
revolver, produced an instant revolution in his martial feelings. The
doctor then, ordering, him and his people to sit down, rode off.
They were now accompanied by their Portuguese friends, the Londa people,
who inhabit the banks of the Loajima.
They elaborately dress their hair in a number of ways. It naturally
hangs down on their shoulders in large masses, which, with their general
features, give them a strong resemblance to the ancient Egyptians. Some
of them twist their hair into a number of small cords, which they
stretch out to a hoop encircling the head, giving it the resemblance of
the glory seen in pictures round the head of the Virgin Mary. Others
adorn their heads with ornaments of woven hair and hide, to which they
occasionally suspend the tails of buffaloes. A third fashion is to
weave the hair on pieces of hide in the form of buffalo horns,
projecting on either side of the head. The young men twine their hair
in the form of a single horn, projecting over their forehead in front.
They frequently tattoo their bodies, producing figures in the form of
stars. Although their heads are thus elaborately adorned, their bodies
are almost destitute of clothing.
Reaching Calongo, Dr Livingstone directed his course towards the
territory of his old friend, Katema.
They were generally well received at the villages.
On the 2nd of June they reached that of Kanawa. This chief, whose
village consisted of forty or fifty huts, at first treated them very
politely, but he took it into his head to demand an ox as tribute. On
their refusing it, Kanawa ordered his people to arm. On this, Dr
Livingstone directed his Makololo to commence the march. Some did so
with alacrity, but one of them refused, and was preparing to fire at
Kanawa, when the doctor, giving him a blow with his pistol, made him go
too. They had already reached the banks of the river when they found
that Kanawa had sent on ahead to carry off all the canoes. The
ferrymen, supposing that the travellers were unable to navigate the
canoes, left them, unprotected, on the bank. As soon as it was dark,
therefore, the Makololo quickly obtained one of them, and the whole
party crossed, greatly to the disgust of Kanawa when he discovered in
the morning what had occurred.
They now took their way across the level plain, which had been flooded
on their former journey. Numberless vultures were flying in the air,
showing the quantity of carrion which had been left by the waters.
They passed Lake Dilolo, a sheet of water six or eight miles long and
two broad.
The sight of the blue waters had a soothing effect on the doctor, who
was suffering from fever, after his journey through the gloomy forest
and across the wide flat.
Pitsane and Mohorisi, Livingstone's chief men, had proposed establishing
a Makololo village on the banks of the Leeba, near its confluence with
the Leeambye, that it might become a market to communicate westward with
Loanda, and eastward with the regions along the banks of the Zambesi.
Old Shinti, whose capital they now reached, received them as before in a
friendly way, and supplied them abundantly with provisions.
The doctor left with him a number of plants, among which were orange,
cashew, custard, apple, and fig-trees, with coffee, acacias, and papaws,
which he had brought from Loanda. They were planted out in the
enclosure of one of his principal men, with a promise that Shinti should
have a share of them when grown.
They now again embarked in six small canoes on the waters of the Leeba.
Paddling down it, they next entered the Leeambye. Here they found a
party of hunters, who had been engaged in stalking buffaloes,
hippopotami, and other animals. They use for this purpose the skin of a
deer, with the horns attached, or else the head and upper part of the
body of a crane, with which they creep through the grass till they can
get near enough to shoot their prey.
The doctor, wishing to obtain some meat for his men, took a small canoe
and paddled up a creek towards a herd of zebras seen on the shore.
Firing, he broke the hind leg of one of them. His men pursued it, and,
as he walked slowly after them, he observed a solitary buffalo, which
had been disturbed by others of his party, galloping towards him. The
only tree was a hundred yards off. The doctor cocked his rifle in the
hope of striking the brute on the forehead. The thought occurred to
him, but what should his gun miss fire? The animal came on at a
tremendous speed, but a small bush a short distance off made it swerve
and expose its shoulder. The doctor fired, and as he heard the ball
crack, he fell flat on his face. The buffalo bounded past him towards
the water, near which it was found dead. His Makololo blamed themselves
for not having been by his side, while he returned thanks to God for his
preservation.
On reaching the town of Lebouta, they were welcomed with the warmest
demonstrations of joy, the women coming out, dancing and singing.
Thence they were conducted to the _kotlar_, or house of assembly, where
Pitsane delivered a long speech, describing the journey and the kind way
in which they had been received at Loanda, especially by the English
chief.
Next day Dr Livingstone held a service, when his Makololo braves,
arrayed in their red caps and white suits of European clothing,
attended, sitting with their guns over their shoulders.
As they proceeded down the Barotse Valley, they were received in the
same cordial manner.
The doctor was astonished at the prodigious quantities of wild animals
of all descriptions which he saw on this journey, and also when
traversing the country further to the east--elephants, buffaloes,
giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and pigs. Frequently the beautiful
springbok appeared, covering the plain, sometimes in sprinklings and at
other times in dense crowds, as far as the eye could reach.
The troops of elephants also far exceeded in numbers anything which he
had ever before heard of or conceived. He and his men had often to
shout to them to get out of their way, and on more than one occasion a
herd rushed in upon the travellers, who not without difficulty made
their escape. A number of young elephants were shot for food, their
flesh being highly esteemed. To the natives the huge beasts are a great
plague, as they break into their gardens and eat up their pumpkins and
other produce; when disturbed they are apt to charge those interrupting
their feast, and, following them, to demolish the huts in which they may
have taken refuge, not unfrequently killing them in their rage.
Resting at Sesheke, they proceeded to Linyanti, where the wagon and
everything that had been left in it in November, 1853, was found
perfectly safe.
A grand meeting was called, when the doctor made a report of his journey
and distributed the articles which had been sent by the governor and
merchants of Loanda. Pitsane and others then gave an account of what
they had seen, and, as may be supposed, nothing was lost in the
description. The presents afforded immense satisfaction, and on Sunday
Sekeletu made his appearance in church dressed in the uniform which had
been brought down for him, and which attracted every man's attention.
The Arab, Ben Habed, and Sekeletu arranged with him to conduct another
party with a load of ivory down to Loanda; they also consulted him as to
the proper presents to send to the governor and merchants. The Makololo
generally expressed great satisfaction at the route which had been
opened up, and proposed moving to the Barotse Valley, that they might be
nearer the great market. The unhealthiness of the climate, however, was
justly considered a great drawback to the scheme.
The doctor afterwards heard that the trading party which set out reached
Loanda in safety, and it must have been a great satisfaction to him to
feel that he had thus opened out a way to the enterprise of these
industrious and intelligent people.
The donkeys which had been brought excited much admiration, and, as they
were not affected by the bite of the _tsetse_, it was hoped that they
might prove of great use. Their music, however, startled the
inhabitants more than the roar of lions.
CHAPTER TWENTY.
TRAVELS OF DR. LIVINGSTONE, CONTINUED.
PREPARES FOR A JOURNEY TO THE EAST COAST--LEAVES LINYANTI--A STORM--THE
VICTORIA AND MOZIOATUNYA FALLS--FROM KALAI SETS OFF FOR LEKONE--CROSS
THE KAFUE--THE ZAMBESI--DOWN ITS BANKS--REACH THE CONFLUENCE OF THE
LOANGWA--MBURUMA'S PLOT--ZUMBO, A RUINED PORTUGUESE SETTLEMENT--A
CURIOUS RECEPTION--ARRIVAL AT TETE--A GOOD BREAKFAST--TETE DESCRIBED--
DOWN THE QUILLIMANE--EMBARKS WITH SEKWEBU ON BOARD THE "FROLIC"--ARRIVES
AT MAURITIUS--SEKWEBU DROWNS HIMSELF--LIVINGSTONE ARRIVES IN ENGLAND.
Dr Livingstone now began to make arrangements for performing another
adventurous journey to the East Coast. In the mean time he was fully
occupied in attending to the sick, as also in preaching the Gospel to
the people generally.
He was advised to wait till the rains had fallen and cooled the ground;
and as it was near the end of September, and clouds were collecting, it
was expected that they would soon commence. The heat was very great:
the thermometer, even in the shade of his wagon, was at 100 degrees,
and, if unprotected, rose to 110 degrees; during the night it sank to 70
degrees.
His notes made during the time abound with descriptions of the habits
and customs of the people. The children strongly resemble in many
respects those of other nations. "They have merry times, especially in
the cool of the evening. One of their games consists of a little girl
being carried on the shoulders of two others. She sits with
outstretched arms as they walk about with her, and all the rest clap
their hands and, stopping before each hut, sing pretty airs, some
beating time on their little skirts of cow-skin, and others making a
curious humming sound between the songs. Excepting this and the
skipping-rope, the play of the girls consists in imitating the serious
work of their mothers--building little huts, making small pots and
cooking, pounding corn in miniature mortars, or hoeing tiny gardens.
The boys play with small spears and shields, or bows and arrows, or make
little cattle-pens and cattle in clay, often showing much ingenuity in
their imitations of the animals, especially of their horns." However,
we must accompany Dr Livingstone on his journey. Among other routes
which were proposed, he selected that by the north bank of the Zambesi.
He would, however, thus have to pass through territories in the
possession of the Matabele, who, under the powerful Chief Mozelekatse,
had driven away the Makololo, its original possessors.
Notwithstanding this he had no fears for himself, as that chief looked
upon Mr Moffat, his father-in-law, as his especial friend. A
considerable district, also, of the country was still inhabited by the
Makololo, and by them he was sure to be kindly treated. The Makololo,
it must be understood, are a mixed race, composed of tribes of Bechuanas
who formerly inhabited the country bordering the Kalahara Desert. Their
language, the Bechuana, is spoken by the upper classes of the Makololo,
and into this tongue, by the persevering labours of Mr Moffat, nearly
the whole of the scriptures have been translated. Thus means already
existed of making known the Gospel among them. The bulk of the people
are negroes, and are an especially fine, athletic, and skilful race.