Missionary Travels and Researches in South AfricaLivingstone, David
Religion
Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa
Livingstone, David
Missions -- South Africa; South Africa -- Description and travel
This vaticination, which loses much in the translation, I have given
rather fully, as it shows an observant mind. The policy recommended was
wise, and the deaths of the "senoga" and of the two men he had named,
added to the destruction of their village, having all happened soon
after, it is not wonderful that Sebituane followed implicitly the
warning voice. The fire pointed to was evidently the Portuguese
fire-arms, of which he must have heard. The black men referred to were
the Barotse, or, as they term themselves, Baloiana; and Sebituane spared
their chiefs, even though they attacked him first. He had ascended the
Barotse valley, but was pursued by the Matebele, as Mosilikatse never
could forgive his former defeats. They came up the river in a very large
body. Sebituane placed some goats on one of the large islands of the
Zambesi as a bait to the warriors, and some men in canoes to co-operate
in the manoeuvre. When they were all ferried over to the island, the
canoes were removed, and the Matebele found themselves completely in a
trap, being perfectly unable to swim. They subsisted for some time on
the roots of grass after the goats were eaten, but gradually became so
emaciated that, when the Makololo landed, they had only to perform the
part of executioners on the adults, and to adopt the rest into their own
tribe. Afterward Mosilikatse was goaded on by his warriors to revenge
this loss; so he sent an immense army, carrying canoes with them, in
order that no such mishap might occur again. Sebituane had by this time
incorporated the Barotse, and taught his young men to manage canoes; so
he went from island to island, and watched the Matebele on the main land
so closely that they could not use their canoes to cross the river any
where without parting their forces. At last all the Makololo and their
cattle were collected on the island of Loyelo, and lay all around,
keeping watch night and day over the enemy. After some time spent in
this way, Sebituane went in a canoe toward them, and, addressing them by
an interpreter, asked why they wished to kill him; he had never attacked
them, never harmed their chief: "Au!" he continued, "the guilt is on
your side." The Matebele made no reply; but the Makololo next day saw
the canoes they had carried so far lying smashed, and the owners gone.
They returned toward their own country, and fever, famine, and
the Batoka completed their destruction; only five men returned to
Mosilikatse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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