TROUBLES WITH THE NATIVES.
I instantly roused Hatibu, and together we rushed into the middle of the
village, calling for our followers to rally round us; for it was only
too evident that a conflict was taking place between some of our
fellow-travellers from Nyangwe and some of the natives.
They came round us at once, and without waiting to try to learn anything
of the cause of the trouble, they proposed at once to set fire to the
village where we were and then make the best of our way to the camp.
They were all in such a state of mingled fright and anger that there was
no knowing to what lengths they would have proceeded; but fortunately
Hatibu kept his head and restrained them, pointing out that the people
of the village where we were could have had no hand in causing the
conflict, as our camp was on the other side of the river, and that none
of them were absent.
The fetichman and all his people had also turned out, and any foolish
word or action might have brought on a conflict the results or
termination of which no one could have foreseen. Hatibu called out and
said that we were Tipolo’s people, and he asked if Tipolo had not always
paid for all he had received, and if he was not friends with the whole
country when they did not molest him. “But,” said he, “remember Tipolo
is strong and has many guns, and if his people are hurt he will eat up
his enemies.”
The fetichman said this was true, but the drums were saying that the
strangers had been robbing the villages, and had made people prisoners;
and even now, as some had attempted to escape, two had been shot, and
others that got away had told their friends; and there was war between
the people on the other side of the river and those travelling with us.
I had often heard of news being conveyed by drums, but never so detailed
and elaborate as this; but Hatibu said he could believe it all, and now
proposed to have a talk with the fetichman and settle what should be
done.
When I had first awoke dawn was just breaking, and now it was daylight,
and we would be able to make our way to camp quickly unless hindered by
the natives on this side of the Luama throwing in their lot with those
on the other bank. To prevent this Hatibu put forth all his powers of
argument and persuasion, and at last the fetichman consented to
accompany us to camp, and with Hatibu to endeavour to arrange terms of
peace.
No sooner had he consented than we set off and made our way to the
river. While some made their way along the banks others paddled up in
canoes. By nine o’clock we reached our camp, where we found Bilal
anxiously awaiting our arrival. He said that the day before, soon after
we were gone, two chiefs and their followers had come into the part of
the camp occupied by the people, and had taken advantage of Tipolo
sending a caravan to the coast to protest against the thieving of
provisions, and also to ask for the release of two women caught while
fishing near the river by these ruffians and made slaves.
The demands of the native chiefs were moderate enough. They offered to
give a tusk of ivory for the freedom of the two women, and asked for a
promise that all the corn, plantains, goats, and other things required
by the men in the caravan should be paid for. But the men with us, being
over-confident in the possession of guns, refused to do anything, took
the ivory, and seized upon the two chiefs and some of their followers.
The rest, seeing this, made off, and all got away clear, except two who
were shot down.
The men who got away roused the whole country and just before daybreak
the drums were beaten in the villages. The prisoners, who were somewhat
carelessly guarded, then attempted to escape, and all had done so except
one of the two chiefs and another man, who were killed while trying to
get away. This had occasioned the firing we had heard in the morning,
and large bodies of armed men assembled all round our camp with their
spears and wooden shields.
These people were now taunting their enemies and daring them to come out
and fight. Both sides were afraid of one another--the natives fearing to
come within range, and our troublesome fellow-travellers not daring to
go out into the woods for fear of losing the advantage which the
possession of guns gave them in an open place. When we arrived Hatibu at
once sent for the leaders of the men who had occasioned all this
trouble. He spoke his mind very plainly to them, saying that they were
endangering not only their own lives and belongings, which he did not
value overmuch, but also all Tipolo’s ivory and property. He would tell
all the big traders of their conduct, and they would never again be able
to come into Manyuema by attaching themselves to the parties of men who
wished to deal honourably and honestly.
After much talk and a great deal of abuse, Hatibu said he would try to
patch up a peace through the people who had come with us from the
village where we had passed the night. Unless, however, the aggressors
agreed to terms, he and all Tipolo’s men would make common cause with
the natives; for he had no wish to be delayed or to have to make his way
through a country hostile to us, as there were many places we should
have to pass where we would be cut off to a man.
At last his proposals were agreed to. Our friends went out in front of
the camp and beat a drum, and then some men from among those in the
woods came and spoke. After a little a messenger came to Hatibu to say
that the natives would listen to what any of Tipolo’s men had to say. I
went out with them, and found that though they looked very fierce and
formidable they had such a fear of our guns that they were very willing
to come to terms. They only asked now that the two women should be
released, and that some cloth and beads should be given to bury with the
men who had been killed, so that these should not appear in the next
world bare and naked.
To this we readily assented, and as those who caused the disturbance had
nothing, Hatibu, out of Tipolo’s stores, gave what was required, and
took a writing from them that the amount they had to pay should be
settled when we arrived at Kawele on Lake Tanganyika, which from the way
it was spoken of I expected to find quite a civilized place. To cement
the treaty a great fetich had to be made, which the fetichman who had
conducted the negotiations superintended. First of all a fowl was
brought and killed, and the guns of our people and the spears and
shields of some of the natives were sprinkled with its blood. It was
said that if they broke the treaty their weapons would do damage to
themselves, and not to those against whom they were directed. After this
an earthen pot full of water was brought, into which sundry bits of
stick and dirt were put, and, to render it a still more powerful charm,
there were added a charge of gunpowder and a small scrap of paper on
which Hatibu had made some marks. Every one took a sip, and then we all
parted, apparently the best friends in the world.
Next morning, however, we found that the women had not been given up as
agreed, and Hatibu had to go in person and insist upon their release.
This obstinacy on the part of those who had caused us all this trouble
led to a delay of another day; and next morning, when we at last
started, Hatibu told me he would push on with all speed with Tipolo’s
people and let the others keep up with him or not as they liked. Hatibu
wanted us to get away from Kawele before the rainy season commenced, or
we should be much troubled by the streams we should have to pass before
we got to Unyanyembe, where he said there were many Arabs, and whence
communication with the coast was constant and easy.
Following this determination we made very long marches--as long indeed
as the poor wretches of slaves carrying the ivory could possibly
make--and in four or five days more we came to a range of steep and
mountainous hills. According to Hatibu, these formed the termination of
the country called Manyuema by the Arabs, and, until Tipolo had managed
to make friends with some of the chiefs, they had been considered by
many as a barrier to any advance westwards or northwards.
Climbing these mountains took us a whole day. In ravines on their sides
I saw some of the tallest trees I ever remember having seen; indeed I do
not think that the tallest among them could have been under three
hundred feet in height. This climb was very severe on the unfortunate
slaves who were carrying the ivory. Besides the physical labour which
they had to endure, they seemed to lose all heart at passing what to
them seemed the limit of their native land. Hitherto they had hoped that
by some fortunate chance they might regain their freedom; but from this
day many of them seemed to droop and die without any apparent
illness--doubtless simply from lack of wish to live now that they
despaired of ever again seeing their own country.
Notwithstanding this, Hatibu forced on our march, the Wanyamwesi and
Zanzibar men all carrying ivory when necessary, and in an
extraordinarily short time we reached the shores of Lake Tanganyika. I
remember some of the names of the countries we hurried through--Uhiya,
Ubudjwa, and Uguhba. Some of the people had most extravagant
head-dresses, something resembling a huge chignon, made of bark, and
with a piece like a tongue hanging out of the middle of it. Others
disfigured themselves by perforating their upper lips and inserting in
the hole a piece of circular wood or stone, which caused it to project
like a duck’s bill, and which, while certainly no ornament, could have
been of no manner of use. The women, apparently to make up for their
lack of clothing, were most elaborately tattooed in patterns which were
by no means unpleasing all over the fronts of their bodies. I remember
the day that I came upon streams running eastward, and I was glad at the
sign that we were really making our way now towards that bourn of my
hopes, the east coast of Africa. I have also a remembrance of some hot
springs where all our travel-worn company enjoyed a most refreshing
bath. But though I had thought myself equal to my companions in
endurance, I found myself so tired at the end of each day’s march that I
was glad to eat what food was provided me, and then to rest till the
word was given to resume our toilsome way.
The day before we reached the Tanganyika we saw its blue waters gleaming
in the sun as we crossed the summit of a range of hills. As I saw this
great inland sea sparkling, as it seemed, at our feet, I could not
believe that it was still many weary hours’ march from us; but so it
proved, the hills which we had crossed being much higher than I had
supposed. On reaching the lake we went to a village called, I think,
Ruanda, where the head-man had been put in charge of some huge canoes
belonging to Tipolo which had been hauled up on shore, sheds being built
over to protect them from the weather.
One of these canoes was over seventy feet long, all hewed out of one
enormous log, and so large that I could only just manage to look over
her side when standing on the ground by her, and I could not stretch
across her. Two others had their bottoms all of one piece, with topsides
made of planks nailed to rough ribs, and small poops and forecastles.
The trees out of which these canoes were made had grown in the mountains
of Uyoma. They were pointed out to me on the west of the lake, lying to
the north of where we had struck it.
With much ado and trouble we got the canoes launched, and then found
that the two built-up ones wanted calking, and had to be hauled ashore
again. I was astonished now to see Hatibu, Bilal, and other Zanzibar men
at this work. They did it well, using raw cotton, which, when water gets
to it, swells exceedingly and makes the seams stanch and tight. All
having been prepared, we embarked all our ivory and the greater portion
of our slaves, who were dreadfully frightened at going on such an
expanse of water as Tanganyika, though they were by no manner of means
bad hands in the smaller canoes they were accustomed to on their own
rivers. We gave the remainder to the chief who had been in charge of the
canoes for the care he had taken of them, and also to pay for men to
assist in pulling the canoes across the lake.
Our fellow-travellers who had been lagging behind for part of the way,
had been making extraordinary exertions to overtake us, but could not
possibly get their loaded men up before we left. However, a messenger
arrived from them just as we were going to leave, and begged us to wait
and give them a passage across to Kawele with as. “There,” said Hatibu,
“it is always the same. Tipolo has boats, and these men want them;
Tipolo has guns, and these men shelter themselves behind them. They
always cry to Tipolo to help them, and then they do things which are
against Tipolo’s words. They find trouble, and cry to Tipolo.” As there
was only room for our party, Hatibu refused to wait, but said he would
send the canoes back, and they could have the use of them to get to
Kawele. Even this was more than I thought they deserved, for they had
been nothing but a hindrance and a danger to us from the time we left
Nyangwe.