Great African Travellers: From Mungo Park to Livingstone and StanleyKingston, William Henry Giles
History
Great African Travellers: From Mungo Park to Livingstone and Stanley
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Africa -- Description and travel; Africa -- Discovery and exploration; Explorers
As they advanced, the country became still more beautiful, abounding
with large game. Often buffaloes were seen standing on eminences. One
day, a buffalo was found lying down, and the doctor went to secure it
for food. Though the animal received three balls they did not prove
fatal, and it turned round as if to charge. The doctor and his
companions ran for shelter to some rocks, but, before they gained them,
they found that three elephants had cut off their retreat. The enormous
brutes, however, turned off, and allowed them to gain the rocks. As the
buffalo was moving rapidly away the doctor tried a long shot, and, to
the satisfaction of his followers, broke the animal's fore leg. The
young men soon brought it to a stand, and another shot in its brain
settled it. They had thus an abundance of food, which was shared by the
villagers of the neighbourhood. Soon afterwards an elephant was killed
by his men.
Leaving the Elephant Valley, they reached the residence of a chief named
Semalembue, who, soon after their arrival, paid them a visit, and
presented five or six baskets of meal and maize, and one of ground nuts,
saying that he feared his guest would sleep the first night at his
village hungry. The chief professed great joy at hearing the words of
the Gospel of Peace, replying: "Now I shall cultivate largely, in the
hopes of eating and sleeping in quiet."
It is remarkable that all to whom the doctor spoke, eagerly caught up
the idea of living in peace as the probable effect of the Gospel.
This region Sekwebu considered one of the best adapted for the residence
of a large tribe. It was here that Sebituane formerly dwelt.
They now crossed the Kafue by a ford. _Every_ available spot between
the river and hills was under cultivation. The inhabitants select these
positions to secure themselves and their gardens from their human
enemies. They are also obliged to make pit-holes to protect their
grounds from the hippopotami. These animals, not having been disturbed,
were unusually tame, and took no notice of the travellers. A number of
young ones were seen, not much larger than terrier dogs, sitting on the
necks of their dams, the little saucy-looking heads cocked up between
the old one's ears; when older, they sit more on the mother's back.
Meat being required, a full-grown cow was shot, the flesh of which
resembled pork.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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