A burzah held—Paying off recruits—Kagehyi becomes a great trading
centre—A Central African “toper”—Prince Kaduma—Hopes of assistance
from him relinquished—The boat ready for sea—No volunteers—Selecting
my crew—The start for the circumnavigation of Lake Victoria.
_Feb. 28._—We all woke up on the morning of the 28th of February with a
feeling of intense relief. There were no more marches, no more bugle
summons to rouse us up for another fatiguing day, no more fear of
hunger—at least for a season.
We Europeans did not rise from bed until 8 A.M., and we then found the
Wangwana and Wanyamwezi still extended at their full lengths on their
mats and goat-skins, and peacefully reposing after their fatigues; and
had I not finally sallied out into the open air at this hour, I believe
that Sungoro and Kaduma, who, by the bye, were inseparable friends,
would, from motives of delicacy, have refrained from paying a morning
call, supposing that I should need many hours of rest.
At 9 A.M. a _burzah_, or levee, was held. First came Frank and Fred—now
quite recovered from fever—to bid me good morning, and to congratulate
themselves and me upon the prospective rest before us. Next came the
Wangwana and Wanyamwezi chiefs, to express a hope that I had slept
well, and after them the bold youths of the Expedition; then came
Prince Kaduma and Sungoro, to whom we were bound this day to render an
account of the journey and to give the latest news from Zanzibar; and,
lastly, the princess and her principal friends—for introductions have
to be undergone in this land as in others. The burzah lasted two hours,
after which my visitors retired to pursue their respective avocations,
which I discovered to be principally confined, on the part of the
natives, to gossiping, making or repairing fishing-nets, hatchets,
canoes, food-troughs, village fences, and huts; and on the part of our
people to arranging plans for building their own grass-huts, being
perfectly content to endure a long stay at Kagehyi.
Though the people had only their own small domestic affairs to engage
their attentions, and Frank and Fred were for this day relieved from
duty, I had much to do—observations to take to ascertain the position of
Kagehyi, and its altitude above the sea; to prepare paper, pens, and ink
for the morrow’s report to the journals which had despatched me to this
remote and secluded part of the globe; to make calculations of the time
likely to be occupied in a halt at Kagehyi, in preparing and equipping
the _Lady Alice_ for sea, and in circumnavigating the great “Nianja,” as
the Wasukuma call the lake. It was also incumbent upon me to ascertain
the political condition of the country before leaving the port and the
camp, that my mind might be at rest about its safety during my
contemplated absence. Estimates were also to be entered upon as to the
quantity of cloth and beads likely to be required for the provisioning
of the expeditionary force during my absence, and as to the amount of
tribute and presents to be bestowed upon the King of Uchambi—of which
Kagehyi was only a small district, and to whom Prince Kaduma was only a
subordinate and tributary. In brief, my own personal work was not begun,
and pages would not suffice to describe in detail the full extent of the
new duties now devolving upon me.
During the afternoon the Wasukuma recruits were summoned to receive
farewell gifts, and nearly all were discharged. Then 13 doti of cloth
were measured for the King of Uchambi, and 10 doti for Prince Kaduma;
and beads were also given in proportion—the expectations of these two
magnates and their favourite wives being thus satisfactorily realised.
These grave affairs were not to be disposed of as mere trivialities, and
occupied me many hours of our second day’s life at Kagehyi. Meanwhile
the Wangwana and Wanyamwezi required me to show my appreciation of their
fidelity to me during the march, and chiefs and men received accordingly
substantial tokens thereof. Besides new cloths to wear, and beads to
purchase luxuries, I was expected to furnish them with meat for a
banquet; and in accordance with their just wishes, six bullocks were
purchased and slaughtered for their benefit. In addition to which, as a
banquet would be rather tame without wine for cheer, twenty gallons of
_pombé_—beer in a state of natural fermentation—were distributed. To
satisfy all which demands and expectations, three full bales of cloth
and 120 lbs. of beads were disbursed.
_March 1-8._—On the evening of the second day, I was rewarded for my
liberality when I saw the general contentment, and heard on all sides
expressions of esteem and renewed loyalty.
Nor were Frank and Fred forgotten, for I gave permission for them to
issue for themselves, each day while in camp, four yards of cloth, or
two fundo of beads, to be expended as they thought fit, over and above
ration money. Small as this may seem, it was really equal to a gift of
4_s._ per day pocket-money. Though they lived on similar food to that
cooked for myself, I observed that they chose to indulge in many things
which I could not digest, or for which I had no appetite, such as
ground-nuts, ripe bananas, plaintains, and parched green corn. Fred
Barker was remarkably partial to these things. This extra pocket-money
also served to purchase a larger quantity of milk, eggs, chickens, and
rice from the Wasukuma and Sungoro. My daily fare at this time consisted
principally of chickens, sweet-potatoes, milk, tea and coffee. Pocock
and Barker varied this diet with rice, with which Sungoro furnished
them, and bread made of Indian corn and millet.
The village of Kagehyi, in the Uchambi district and country of Usukuma,
became after our arrival a place of great local importance. It attracted
an unusual number of native traders from all sides within a radius of
twenty or thirty miles. Fishermen from Ukerewé, whose purple hills we
saw across the arm of the lake, came in their canoes, with stores of
dried fish; those of Igusa, Sima, and Magu, east of us in Usukuma,
brought their cassava, or manioc, and ripe bananas; the herdsmen of
Usmau, thirty miles south of Kagehyi, sent their oxen; and the tribes of
Muanza—famous historically as being the point whence Speke first saw
this broad gulf of Lake Victoria—brought their hoes, iron wire, and
salt, besides great plenty of sweet-potatoes and yams.
Reports of us were carried far along the paths of trade to the countries
contiguous to the highways of traffic, because we were in a land which
had been, from time immemorial, a land of gossip and primitive commerce;
and a small band of peaceful natives, accustomed to travel, might
explore hundreds of square miles in Usukuma without molestation. But
though Unyanyembé, and through it Zanzibar, might receive within a few
months reliable information about our movements, there were countries in
the immediate neighbourhood of Kagehyi whither traders never venture,
which were for ever cut off from the interesting intelligence that there
were three _white_ men on the shores of the lake, who were said to be
most amiable and sociable. Ujiji, far away on Lake Tanganika, might be
set to wondering whether they had come from Masr (Cairo) or from
Zanzibar, but Wirigedi, close at hand here, on Speke Gulf, might still
be in profound ignorance of the arrival. Mtesa of Uganda might prick up
his ears at the gratifying intelligence, and hope they would soon visit
him, while Ukara, though only about twenty-five geographical miles from
Kagehyi, might be excluded for ever from discussing the strange topic.
The natives of Karagwé and their gentle king might be greatly exercised
in their minds with the agreeable news, and wonder whether they, in
their turn, should ever see the white men, and yet Komeh, 300 miles
nearer to us, might only hear of the wonderful event years after our
departure! Thus it is that information is only conveyed along the lines
of traffic, and does not filter into those countries which are
ostracised from common interests and events by the reputed ferocity of
their inhabitants and their jealous hostility to strangers, even though
they may actually border upon the localities where those interests and
events are freely discussed.
Prince Kaduma, truth compels me to state, is a true Central African
“toper”—a naturally amiable man, whose natural amiability might be
increased to enormous proportions, provided that it was stimulated by
endless supplies of pombé. From perpetual indulgence in his favourite
vice, he has already attained to that blear-eyed, thick-tongued,
husky-voiced state from which only months of total abstinence can
redeem a man. In his sober moments—I cannot say hours—which were soon
after he rose in the morning, he pretended to manifest an interest in
his cattle-yard, and to be deeply alive to the importance of doing
something in the way of business whenever opportunities offered. In
fact, he would sometimes go so far as to say to his half-dozen elders
that he had something in view even then—“but we must have a shauri
first.” Becoming exceedingly interested, the elders would invite him
to speak, and instantly assume that wise, thoughtful, grave respect
which you sometimes see in members of Parliament, Congress, Reichstag,
&c. “Ah, but,” Kaduma would say, “does a man work when he is hungry?
Can he talk when he is thirsty?” The elders slily exchange winks and
nods of approval, at which Kaduma bursts into a hoarse chuckle—never a
laugh—for Kaduma is remarkable for possessing the conceit of humour.
Others may laugh at his dry sayings, but he himself never laughs: he
chuckles.
The great jar of froth-topped pombé[8] is then brought up by a naked
youth of fourteen or fifteen years, who is exceedingly careful to plant
the egg-bottomed jar firmly on the ground lest it should topple over.
Beside it is conveniently placed Kaduma’s favourite drinking cup, as
large as a quart measure, and cut out of a symmetrically shaped gourd.
Kaduma is now seated on a favourite low stool, and folds his greasy
Sohari cloth about him, while the elders are seated on either side of
him on wood chips, or axe handles, or rocks. The foaming jar is ready,
and the dusky Ganymede attentive. Kaduma stretches out his hand
languidly—it is all affectation, for Kaduma is really thirsty—and
Ganymede, with both hands, presents the cup kneeling. The pombé being
broached, the valves of the “shauri” are opened. During the hour devoted
to the consumption of the pombé, Kaduma may be said to be rational, and
even interested in business. Withal he is gay, light-hearted, and
pleasant in conversation; grand projects are hinted at; trading
expeditions even as far as Ujiji suggested; a trip to Unyanyembé and
Zanzibar appears to be in serious contemplation with him. But, alas! the
pombé is ended. Kaduma goes to sleep. At three o’clock he expands again
into a creature of intelligence. Two or three pots are exhausted between
3 and 6 P.M., and finally Kaduma reels to his cot like the inebriated
sot he really is. Alas! for the virtues of a naturally intelligent
nature drowned by such intemperance! Alas! for the fine attributes of
manhood conquered by vile indulgences! Alas! for the brains muddled by
such impurities!
It will be apparent, then, that, though the Prince of Kagehyi is a
well-meaning and well-disposed creature, he possessed an infirmity
that rendered him incapable of rendering me that service which he had
himself suggested to me. He promised that he would accompany me in my
exploration of Lake Victoria! It is to be doubted, after acquiring
such a knowledge of his character, whether his intentions could be
fulfilled. Yet he informed me that he had visited Ukerewé, Ururi, and
Ugeyeya, and would, for a consideration, place himself at my disposal.
The consideration was ready, but Kaduma, unfortunately for me, I
saw, could not be ready within a decade! Hopes of his assistance and
influence were therefore relinquished; and, since the chief was not
available, it became evident that none of his people could be obtained
for the service of exploration. Without this insight into Kaduma’s life
and manners, it would have been a matter for fair speculation whether
his weakness and intemperance, or his dread of the vast lake, were the
real causes of his reluctance to accompany me.
The prince was learned in the names of several countries or villages—but
which they were, I was then ignorant. But if every name he repeated to
my interested ears were the names of real countries, then, I began to
think, it might be true, as he himself believed, that the lake was so
large that its exploration would occupy years. Nearly all the Wangwana,
while the _Lady Alice_ was being prepared for sea, were impressed with
the vastness of the enterprise, as Prince Kaduma, his people, Sungoro,
and his slaves—who had really only reached Ururi—sketched it to them
with their superstitious and crude notions of its size. There were, they
said, a people dwelling on its shores who were gifted with tails;
another who trained enormous and fierce dogs for war; another a tribe of
cannibals, who preferred human flesh to all other kinds of meat. The
lake was so large it would take years to trace its shores, and who then
at the end of that time would remain alive? Therefore, as I expected,
there were no volunteers for the exploration of the Great Lake. Its
opposite shores, from their very vagueness of outline, and its people,
from the distorting fogs of misrepresentation through which we saw them,
only heightened the fears of my men as to the dangers which filled the
prospect.
Within seven days the boat was ready, and strengthened for a rough sea
life. Provisions of flour and dried fish, bales of cloth and beads of
various kinds, odds and ends of small possible necessaries were boxed,
and she was declared, at last, to be only waiting for her crew. “Would
any one volunteer to accompany me?” A dead silence ensued. “Not for
rewards and extra pay?” Another dead silence: no one would volunteer.
“Yet I must,” said I, “depart. Will you let me go alone?”
“No.”
“What then? Show me my braves—those men who freely enlist to follow
their master round the sea.”
All were again dumb. Appealed to individually, each said he knew nothing
of sea life; each man frankly declared himself a terrible coward on
water.
“Then, what am I to do?”
Manwa Sera said:—
“Master, have done with these questions. Command your party. All your
people are your children, and they will not disobey you. While you ask
them as a friend, no one will offer his services. Command them, and they
will all go.”
So I selected a chief, Wadi Safeni—the son of Safeni—and told him to
pick out the elect of the young men. Wadi Safeni chose men who knew
nothing of boat life. Then I called Kachéché, the detective, and told
him to ascertain the names of those young men who were accustomed to sea
life, upon which Kachéché informed me that the young guides first
selected by me at Bagamoyo were the sailors of the Expedition. After
reflecting upon the capacities of the younger men, as they had developed
themselves on the road, I made a list of ten sailors and a steersman, to
whose fidelity I was willing to entrust myself and fortunes while
coasting round the Victorian Sea.
Accordingly, after drawing up instructions for Frank Pocock and Fred
Barker on about a score of matters concerning the wellbeing of the
Expedition during my absence, and enlisting for them, by an adequate
gift, the goodwill of Sungoro and Prince Kaduma, I set sail on the 8th
of March, 1875, eastward along the shores of the broad arm of the lake
which we first sighted, and which henceforward is known, in honour of
its first discoverer, as “Speke Gulf.”
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# 8:
Native beer, made from fermented grain or coarse flour.