The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume I (of 2), 1866-1868Livingstone, David
History
The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume I (of 2), 1866-1868
Livingstone, David
Africa, Central -- Description and travel
Thanks to the kindness of Messrs. Levin & Co., the bead merchants, of
Bevis Marks, E.C., we have been able to get some idea of the more
valuable beads, through a selection made by Susi and Chuma in their
warehouse. The Waiyou prefer exceedingly small beads, the size of
mustard-seed, and of various colours, but they must be opaque: amongst
them dull white chalk varieties, called "Catchokolo," are valuable,
besides black and pink, named, respectively, "Bububu" and
"Sekundereche" = the "dregs of pombe." One red bead, of various sizes,
which has a white centre, is always valuable in every part of Africa.
It is called "Sami-sami" by the Suahele, "Chitakaraka" by the Waiyou,
"Mangazi," = "blood," by the Nyassa, and was found popular even
amongst the Manyuema, under the name of "Maso-kantussi", "bird's
eyes." Whilst speaking of this distant tribe, it is interesting to
observe that one peculiar long bead, recognised as common in the
Manyuema land, is only sent to the West Coast of Africa, and _never_
to the East. On Chuma pointing to it as a sort found at the extreme
limit explored by Livingstone, it was at once seen that he must have
touched that part of Africa which begins to be within the reach of the
traders in the Portuguese settlements. "Machua Kanga" = "guinea fowl's
eyes," is another popular variety; and the "Moiompio" = "new heart,"
a large pale blue bead, is a favourite amongst the Wabisa; but by far
the most valuable of all is a small white oblong bead, which, when
strung, looks like the joints of the cane root, from which it takes
its name, "Salani" = cane. Susi says that 1 lb. weight of these beads
would buy a tusk of ivory, at the south end of Tanganyika, so big that
a strong man could not carry it more than two hours.]
* * * * *
_25th January, 1867._--Remain and get our maere ground into flour.
Moaba has cattle, sheep, and goats. The other side of the Chambeze has
everything in still greater abundance; so we may recover our lost
flesh. There are buffaloes in this quarter, but we have not got a
glimpse of any. If game was to be had, I should have hunted; but the
hopo way of hunting prevails, and we pass miles of hedges by which
many animals must have perished. In passing-through the forests it is
surprising to see none but old footsteps of the game; but the hopo
destruction accounts for its absence. When the hedges are burned, then
the manured space is planted with pumpkins and calabashes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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