The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume I (of 2), 1866-1868Livingstone, David
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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
The favourite son of Mpweto called on us; his father is said to do
nothing without consulting him; but he did not seem to be endowed with
much wisdom.
_20th and 21st March, 1868._--Our interview was put off; and then a
sight of the cloth we were to give was required. I sent a good large
cloth, and explained that we were nearly out of goods now, having been
travelling two years, and were going to Ujiji to get more. Mpweto had
prepared a quantity of pombe, a basket of meal, and a goat; and when
he looked at them and the cloth, he seemed to feel that it would be a
poor bargain, so he sent to say that we had gone to Casembe and given
him many cloths, and then to Muabo, and if I did not give another
cloth he would not see me. "He had never slept with only one cloth."
"I had put medicine on this one to kill him, and must go away."
It seems he was offended because we went to his great rival, Muabo,
before visiting him. He would not see Syde bin Habib for eight days;
and during that time was using charms to try if it would be safe to
see him at all: on the ninth day he peeped past a door for some time
to see if Bin Habib were a proper person, and then came out: he is
always very suspicious.
At last he sent an order to us to go away, and if we did not move, he
would come with all his people and drive us off. Sariamo said if he
were not afraid for Syde bin Habib's goods, he would make a stand
against Mpweto; but I had no wish to stay or to quarrel with a
worthless chief, and resolved to go next day. (_24th March._) He
abused a native trader with his tongue for coming to trade, and sent
him away too. We slept again at our half-way village, Kapemba, just as
a party of salt-traders from Rua came into it: they were tall,
well-made men, and rather dark.
_25th March, 1868._--Reached Kabwabwata at noon, and were welcomed by
Mohamad and all the people. His son, Sheikh But, accompanied us; but
Mohamad told us previously that it was likely Mpweto would refuse to
see us.
The water is reported to be so deep in front that it is impossible to
go north: the Wanyamwesi, who are detained here as well as we, say it
is often more than a man's depth, and there are no canoes. They would
not stop here if a passage home could be made. I am thinking of going
to Lake Bemba, because at least two months must be passed here still
before a passage can be made; but my goods are getting done, and I
cannot give presents to the chiefs on our way.
This Lake has a sandy, not muddy bottom, as we were at first informed,
and there are four islands in it, one, the Bangweolo, is very large,
and many people live on it; they have goats and sheep in abundance:
the owners of canoes demand three hoes for the hire of one capable of
carrying eight or ten persons; beyond this island it is sea horizon
only. The tsebula and nzoe antelopes abound. The people desire salt
and not beads for sale.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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