What Led to the Discovery of the Source of the NileSpeke, John Hanning
History
What Led to the Discovery of the Source of the Nile
Speke, John Hanning
Horn of Africa -- Description and travel; Nile River; Tanganyika, Lake
At the usual hour of departure this morning, the Kirangozi discovered
that the pagazis' feet were sore from the late long marches, and
declared that they could not walk. To this the Jemadar replied that
the best asylum for such complaints was on ahead, where the sahib
proposed to kill some goats and rest a day. The Kirangozi replied,
"But the direct road is blocked up by wars: if a march must be made, I
will show another route three marches longer round." "That," answered
the Jemadar, "is not your business: if any troubles arise from
marauders, we, the Beluches, are the fighting men--leave that to us."
At last the Kirangozi, getting quite disconcerted, declared that there
was no water on the way. "Then," quoth the energetic Jemadar, "were
your gourds made for nothing? If you don't pack up at once, you and my
stick shall make acquaintance." The party was then off in a moment.
On the way we met some herdsmen driving their cattle to Unyanyembé,
and inquired from them the state of the road. They said that the
country beyond a certain distance was safe and quiet, but corroborated
the Kirangozi's statement as to warriors being in the immediate
neighbourhood, who came and visited this place from the west, where is
the northern extremity of the Msalala district. Several varieties of
antelopes were seen, and the Beluches fired at an ostrich. As in the
last place, no milk could be obtained, for the people, fearing the
Wamanda, had driven off their cattle to the northward. It is evident,
from the general nakedness of the people, that cloth or beads do not
find their way much here, which is accounted for by so few merchants
ever coming this way. Hardly a neck here is decorated, and they seldom
wear anything but the common goat-skin covering, hung over the
shoulder by a strap or string like a game-bag, which covers only one
hip at a time, and might as well be dispensed with as far as decency
is concerned; but at night they take it off, and spread it on the
ground to protect themselves from the cold and moisture of the earth.
This district is occupied by a tribe called Waumba; to the east of it,
thirty miles distant, are the Wanatiya, and thirty miles westward the
Wazinza tribes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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