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
One of the Bazula invited a man to go with him to buy ivory; he went
with him, and on getting into the Zulas country the stranger was asked
by the guide if his gun killed men, and how it did it: whilst he was
explaining the matter he was stabbed to death. No one knows the reason
of this, but the man probably lost some of his relations elsewhere: this
is called murder without cause. When Syde and Dugumbé come, I hope to
get men and a canoe to finish my work among those who have not been
abused by Ujijians, and still retain their natural kindness of
disposition; none of the people are ferocious without cause; and the
sore experience which they gain from slaves with guns in their hands
usually ends in sullen hatred of all strangers.
The education of the world is a terrible one, and it has come down with
relentless rigour on Africa from the most remote times! What the African
will become after this awfully hard lesson is learned, is among the
future developments of Providence. When He, who is higher than the
highest, accomplishes His purposes, this will be a wonderful country,
and again something like what it was of old, when Zerah and Tirhaka
flourished, and were great.
The soil of Manyuema is clayey and remarkably fertile, the maize sown in
it rushes up to seed, and everything is in rank profusion if only it be
kept clear of weeds, but the Bambarré people are indifferent
cultivators, planting maize, bananas and plantains, and ground-nuts
only--no dura, a little cassava, no pennisetum, meleza, pumpkins,
melons, or nyumbo, though they all flourish in other districts: a few
sweet potatoes appear, but elsewhere all these native grains and roots
are abundant and cheap. No one would choose this as a residence, except
for the sake of Moenékuss. Oil is very dear, while at Lualaba a gallon
may be got for a single string of beads, and beans, ground-nuts,
cassava, maize, plantains in rank profusion. The Balégga, like the
Bambarré people, trust chiefly to plantains and ground-nuts; to play
with parrots is their great amusement.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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