The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume II (of 2), 1869-1873: Continued By A Narrative Of His Last Moments And Sufferings, Obtained From His Faithful Servants Chuma And SusiLivingstone, David
History
The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume II (of 2), 1869-1873: Continued By A Narrative Of His Last Moments And Sufferings, Obtained From His Faithful Servants Chuma And Susi
Livingstone, David
Africa, Central -- Description and travel
Marching was now much easier, and the men quickly found they had crossed
the watershed. The Lovu ran in front of them on its way to Tanganyika.
The Kalongwesé, we have seen, flows to Lake Moero in the opposite
direction. More to their purpose it was perhaps to find the terror of
Kumbakumba dying away as they travelled in a north-easterly direction,
and came amongst the Mwambi. As yet no invasion had taken place. A young
chief, Chungu, did all he could for them, for when the Doctor explored
these regions before, Chungu had been much impressed with him: and now,
throwing off all the native superstition, he looked on the arrival of
the dead body as a cause of real sorrow.
Asoumani had some luck in hunting, and a fine buffalo was killed near
the town. According to native game laws (which in some respects are
exceedingly strict in Africa), Chungu had a right to a fore leg--had it
been an elephant the tusk next the ground would have been his, past all
doubt--in this instance, however, the men sent in a plea that theirs was
no ordinary case, and that hunger had laws of its own; they begged to be
allowed to keep the whole carcase, and Chungu not only listened to their
story, but willingly waived his claim to the chief's share.
It is to be hoped that these sons of Tafuna, the head and father of the
Amambwi a lungu, may hold their own. They seem a superior race, and this
man is described as a worthy leader. His brothers Kasonso, Chitimbwa,
Sombé, and their sister Mombo, are all notorious for their reverence for
Tafuna. In their villages an abundance of coloured homespun cloth speaks
for their industry; whilst from the numbers of dogs and elephant-spears
no further testimony is needed to show that the character they bear as
great hunters is well deserved.
The steep descent to the Lake now lay before them, and they came to
Kasakalawé's. Here it was that the Doctor had passed weary months of
illness on his first approach to Tanganyika in previous years. The
village contained but few of its old inhabitants, but those few received
them hospitably enough and mourned the loss of him who had been so well
appreciated when alive. So they journeyed on day by day till the
southern end of the Lake was rounded.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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