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
_6th February, 1867._--Chitapangwa came with his wife to see the
instruments which I explained to them as well as I could, and the
books, as well as the Book of Books, and to my statements he made
intelligent remarks. The boys are sorely afraid of him. When Abraham
does not like to say what I state, he says to me "I don't know the
proper word;" but when I speak without him, he soon finds them. He and
Simon thought that talking in a cringing manner was the way to win him
over, so I let them try it with a man he sent to communicate with us,
and the result was this fellow wanted to open their bundles, pulled
them about, and kept them awake most of the night. Abraham came at
night: "Sir, what shall I do? they won't let me sleep." "You have had
your own way," I replied, "and must abide by it." He brought them over
to me in the morning, but I soon dismissed both him and them.
_7th February, 1867._--I sent to the chief either to come to me or say
Avhen I should come to him and talk; the answer I got was that he
would come when shaved, but he afterwards sent a man to hear what I
had to advance--this I declined, and when the rain ceased I went
myself.
On coming into his hut I stated that I had given him four times the
value of his cow, but if he thought otherwise, let us take the four
cloths to his brother Moamba, and if he said that I had not given
enough, I would buy a cow and send it back. This he did not relish at
all. "Oh, great Englishman! why should we refer a dispute to an
inferior. I am the great chief of all this country. Ingleze mokolu,
you are sorry that you have to give so much for the ox you have eaten.
You would not take a smaller, and therefore I gratified your heart by
giving the larger; and why should not you gratify my heart by giving
cloth sufficient to cover me, and please me?"
I said that my cloths would cover him, and his biggest wife too all
over, he laughed at this, but still held out; and as we have meat, and
he sent maize and calabashes, I went away. He turns round now, and
puts the blame of greediness on me. I cannot enter into his ideas, or
see his point of view; cannot, in fact, enter into his ignorance, his
prejudices, or delusions, so it is impossible to pronounce a true
judgment. One who has no humour cannot understand one who has: this is
an equivalent case.
Rain and clouds so constantly, I could not get our latitude till last
night, 10 deg. 14' 6" S. On 8th got lunars. Long. 31 deg. 46' 45" E.
Altitude above sea, 4700 feet, by boiling-point and barometer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account