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
_14th September, 1867._--I remained at Hara, for I was ill, and Hamees
had no confidence in Nsama, because he promised his daughter to wife
by way of cementing the peace, but had not given her. Nsama also told
Hamees to stay at Hara, and he would send him ivory for sale, but none
came, nor do people come here to sell provisions, as they do
elsewhere; so Hamees will return to Chitimba's, to guard his people
and property there, and send on Syde Hamidi and his servants to
Lopere, Kabuire, and Moero, to buy ivory. He advised me to go with
them, as he has no confidence in Nsama; and Hamidi thought that this
was the plan to be preferred: it would be slower, as they would
purchase ivory on the road, but safer to pass his country altogether
than trust myself in his power.
The entire population of the country has received a shock from the
conquest of Nsama, and their views of the comparative values of bows
and arrows and guns have undergone a great change. Nsama was the
Napoleon of these countries; no one could stand before him, hence the
defeat of the invincible Nsama has caused a great panic. The Arabs say
that they lost about fifty men in all: Nsama must have lost at least
an equal number. The people seem intelligent, and will no doubt act on
the experience so dearly bought.
In the midst of the doubts of Hamees a daughter of Nsama came this
afternoon to be a wife and cementer of the peace! She came riding
"pickaback" on a man's shoulders; a nice, modest, good-looking young
woman, her hair rubbed all over with _nkola_, a red pigment, made from
the camwood, and much used as an ornament. She was accompanied by
about a dozen young and old female attendants, each carrying a small
basket with some provisions, as cassava, ground-nuts, &c. The Arabs
were all dressed in their finery, and the slaves, in fantastic
dresses, flourished swords, fired guns, and yelled. When she was
brought to Hamees' hut she descended, and with her maids went into the
hut. She and her attendants had all small, neat features. I had been
sitting with Hamees, and now rose up and went away; as I passed him,
he spoke thus to himself: "Hamees Wadim Tagh! see to what you have
brought yourself!!"
_15th September, 1867._--A guide had come from Nsama to take us to the
countries beyond his territory. Hamees set off this morning with his
new wife to his father-in-law, but was soon met by two messengers, who
said that he was not to come yet. We now sent for all the people who
were out to go west or north-west without reference to Nsama.
_16th-18th September, 1867._--Hamidi went to Nsama to try and get
guides, but he would not let him come into his stockade unless he came
up to it without either gun or sword. Hamidi would not go in on these
conditions, but Nsama promised guides, and they came after a visit by
Hamees to Nsama, which he paid without telling any of us: he is
evidently ashamed of his father-in-law.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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