A long palaver ensued. Mystery seemed to cloud its
words. Why should I stay here, as the chief desired, until
Sakanii was informed of my arrival ? Could I not, in any
case, go on to his town, and hear what his people said; he
must surely have subordinates ?
No satisfactory reply could be had. I concluded therefore
that to go ahead was the only plan to adopt. To be
left at this spot would indeed, be an awkward position, for
how could I get out of it with sufficient goods to pay my
way ?
The night was warm, and the first blush of morning
presaged a day of scorching heat. The indescribable glow
of coloured light which heralded the advent of the sun
told me clearly what was before us and made me anxious to
hurry the men towards making a start.
The approach to the king’s town was not made without a
series of not only mysterious, but actually nervous signs on
the part of our guides, who numbered about a dozen. Halts
were repeatedly made and consultations held. I was quite
unable to learn from John what it all meant. He was as
much puzzled as I was.
This position was very trying to the temper, for I understood
that we were approaching the town of a Portuguese.
Six miles were traversed, during which we crossed and
recrossed the winding course of the Msingua river. The
guides then said that it would be well that my party should
now remain where they were, and that I should go on and
see the man who was in charge of the town.
I lost no time. Taking Karemba with me, and armed
with a small rifle in case we should meet game, we set out
to unmask the strange mystery. Only one man accompanied
us as a guide.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHIBINGA.
Skulls on gate-posts—Black but not comely—Meaning of Mzungo—A
dubious reception—Karemba’s nonchalance—Marching into the town—
Confusion of tongues—Undesirable quarters—A waterless river—
i Hungry retainers—Absence of King Sakanii—Hunting, a last resource
—The mother of the monarch—Bats swarming—A mutilating wolf—
Inyota versus women—“ Satan ” is bibulous—Plies in myriads—Signs
of disaffection—Negotiations with the “ faithfuls ”—Truculent Inyota
—The monarch’s mother commands my attendance—Curious reception—
Hopes revived—Deplorable servility—Comparison with Mexican
peone—The palmero punishment—“ Us Shall die from de hunger”
—I start in search of the King—Bringing down a boar—Game on the
route—The Mkumbura river—Spoor of wild animals—The busy
tsetse—Description, of the tsetse—A lion adventure—Fierceness of
heat— The Umzengaizi river — Msenza — Meeting with Sakanii—
Courteous greeting—Civilised comforts—The king’s mode of travelling
—His Portuguese connection—Ketuming to Chibinga—The king’s
bearers — Rapid progress — Prospects of relief—Noisy welcome to
Chibinga.
We soon, arrived at tbe outskirts of tbe town, which, was
situated on the north bank of the Msingua, and was
encircled by a high pole fence. As we approached the
entrance, great numbers of people flocked to witness our
arrival. I observed that a human skull was fixed upon the
top of each post at the entrance gate.
We pushed our way through the surging throng and
reached the centre of the town. There we found a sort of
plastered divan, under a thatched roof, serving as a shade
from the sun, and supported by a number of poles.
Beneath this shade stood a man blacker than ebony,