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
_19th May, 1866._--Coming on with what carriers we could find at the
crossing place, we reached the confluence without seeing it; and
Matumora being about two miles up the Loendi, we sent over to him for
aid. He came over this morning early,--a tall, well-made man, with a
somewhat severe expression of countenance, from a number of wrinkles
on his forehead. He took us over the Loendi, which is decidedly the
parent stream of the Rovuma, though that as it comes from the west
still retains the name Loendi from the south-west here, and is from
150 to 200 yards wide, while the Rovuma above Matawatawa is from 200
to 250, full of islands, rocks, and sandbanks. The Loendi has the same
character. We can see the confluence from where we cross about 2' to
the north. Both rivers are rapid, shoal, and sandy; small canoes are
used on them, and the people pride themselves on their skilful
management: in this the women seem in no way inferior to the men.
In looking up the Loendi we see a large granitic peak called Nkanje,
some 20 miles off, and beyond it the dim outline of distant highlands,
in which seams of coal are exposed. Pieces of the mineral are found in
Loendi's sands.
Matumora has a good character in the country, and many flee to him
from oppression. He was very polite; sitting on the right bank till
all the goods were carried over, then coming in the same canoe wifn me
himself, he opened a fish basket in a weir and gave me the contents,
and subsequently a little green sorghum. He literally has lost all his
corn, for he was obliged to flee with his people to Marumba, a rocky
island in Rovuma, about six miles above Matawatawa. He says that both
Loendi and Rovuma come out of Lake Nyassa; a boat could not ascend,
however, because many waterfalls are in their course: it is strange if
all this is a myth. Matumora asked if the people through whose country
I had come would preserve the peace I wished. He says he has been
assailed on all sides by slave-hunters: he alone has never hunted for
captives: if the people in front should attack me he would come and
fight them: finally he had never seen a European before (Dr. Roscher
travelled as an Arab), nor could I learn where Likumbu at Ngomano
lives; it was with him that Roscher is said to have left his goods.
The Mazitu had women, children, oxen and goats with them. The whole
tribe lives on plundering the other natives by means of the terror
their shields inspire; had they gone further down the Rovuma, no ox
would have survived the tsetse.
_20th May, 1866._--I paid Ali to his entire satisfaction, and
entrusted him with a despatch, "No. 2 Geographical," and then sent off
four men south to buy food. Here we are among Matambwe. Two of
Matumora's men act as guides. We are about 2' south and by west of the
confluence Ngomano. Lat. 11 deg. 26' 23" S.; long. 37 deg. 40' 52" E.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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