round, much snuffing was solemnly indulged in, and copious
supplies of beer imbibed.
All things, however—even a Ohibinga carnival—must
come to an end. Now that the beer was finished the merrymaking
was stopped, like many another feast in different
climes.
I was truly glad when the affair was over, for there had
been no peace. During the day I was off hunting for
meat, which had to be stored in a small hut set apart as
my dwelling, and also as a storehouse for the boys. A horrible
effluvium filled the place, and nearly suffocated me.
The rats, too, held a high carnival, and made night hideous
as they ran with their cold feet over my unprotected face.
The Inyota boys made a most terrific noise in the mornings.
They appeared to be testing the powers of the human
frame in the production of penetrating sounds, the torment
being much aggravated by the effect of the hemp-pipe.
I t was with no little pleasure that I paid them off, satisfying
them all. One of the company, quite the wildest of
the lot, as he was running off to catch his companions who
were in advance, suddenly took off his iron and copper
bead bracelets and gave them to me. I mention this as an
extraordinary incident; for it is most unusual for a Kaffir
to make a present without a hope of receiving a better in
return. What had actuated him in this generosity I cannot
say, but I had at different times looked at his trinkets,
This was the man who on my first appearance at Inyota
went through such amazing antics, whistling loudly, and
throwing himself into threatening attitudes in front of me.
He was a beau ideal of the veritable savage, and his every
look and action showed that he felt the strongest instincts of
savageness. Wild, unfettered, robust, and uncontrolled, he
possessed in a marked degree the coveted happiness of a
natural life; that happiness which all the multitudes of
Christendom are perpetually striving after, and ignominiously
fail to achieve. The expression of his emotions was spontaneous
and quick, while the noisy clamour of his voice, or
the bark of his hemp excited cough, were varied by shrill
whistling, or by the music of the wild song of Inyota’s
saturnalian dance.
The household generally determined that they would
not accompany the Inyota men, but would wait until they
had a good day’s start. John had no confidence in them.
At this point I was able to find out a little about
Karemba’s history, and consequently .ceased to wonder at
his serious apprehensions concerning what seemed to him
probable dangers in travelling in this part of the country,
When he was a little boy he was sold as a slave and taken
to Tette on the Zambesi, along with his father and mother,
but in a few years they all obtained their freedom, and
travelled back to their home in Umzila’s country by the
waters of the Sabia river.
After the departure of the Inyota men, on the following
morning I paid off the “ faithfuls,” satisfying them all
except Karemba, who declared that he wanted a pair of
trousers besides the other articles, consisting of some pretty
clothes, I had given him. He said I had promised him
trousers. I told him there was none to give, but if he came
on to Tette with me he would assuredly get them. At the
same time I knew well that Karemba wished to adorn his
nether man with the corduroy trousers I had on, and
although inconvenient under the circumstances, I retired to
my den and delivered the unmentionables over to him. As
he still craved for something more, I gave him a few pounds
of beads, which made him perfectly happy. Karemba had
been such a very good boy that his little shortcomings were