CHAPTER XIX
DA COSTA, THE ELEPHANT HUNTER.
A visit from Chikuse—The king washes himself—Beads and cloth are
products of nature!—No God—Chikuse’s wives—Engaging a guide—
Music hath charms—The queen mother—A fine old woman—Her
love affairs—Bewailing death—Tears and snuff—A scene of murder
Graceful damsels—Looking out for the new moon—Da Costa’s kindness—
Story of his life—The dreaded Makanga—Cruelty and treachery
of the king—Execution of a supposed sorceress—Thrown to the
crocodiles—A hunter’s life in African wilds.
O n e morning, when Senhor da Costa and myself were having
our simple morning meal, his majesty Chikuse came down
unexpectedly, and seated himself upon a large mat, his
courtiers forming a circle about him, and I at once seized
the opportunity of putting forward my case, managing to
get a favourable answer, in so far that he promised that
men would be forthcoming. Remembering that a savage
king only begins to perceive the lapse of time when he
thinks that his faculties are failing, I was inclined to ask
myself at what time the men would appear.
Da Costa had secured the confidence of Chikuse to a wonderful
extent, having even succeeded in influencing him to
drink a cup of tea occasionally. This he deigned to do on
the present occasion. The performance which followed was
comical in the extreme. A brass basin which we were in
the habit of using was given to his majesty, along with
soap, a towel, and a small looking-glass. With these at
hand he went through the operation of making a heavy
lather with the soap. This seemed to give great satisfaction,
and he took a good look at himself in the mirror,
always a source of great delight to the savage mind. A
considerable time elapsed before da Côsta had been able to
persuade Chikuse to wash his hands or drink tea; but
ultimately his objections had been overcome, and he became
quite accustomed to both these habits of the white man’s
life.
The admirably easy manner which my friend had in
dealing with the people impregnated their shallow minds
with confidence ; but doubtless his having so large a
number of armed men in the country, and the generosity
with which he gave innumerable presents to the king, had
strengthened his hold upon respect, if not affection.
“ You are great fools,” Chikuse said. “Why do you not
buy people? You are not men. You have been dead for
a long time.”
As to our statement that the cloth and beads which we
had were made by people like ourselves, he would not credit
a word of it. No; we found them just as they were, all
ready-made by the master hand of nature ! The cloth
came off the trees.
“ People,” said the king, “ do not make that stuff.”
This incredulity puzzled me ; for in his own town I had
seen a man weaving a coarse cotton blanket in a primitive
way. Perhaps the glowing patterns and the fineness of thé
calico gave it in his mind a spiritual origin.
Instead of revering the white man’s curiosities (which
they are always glad to get with as little exertion as possible),
they continue to view the owner with pity or toleration.
Should the black man of these lands see you strike a match,
and make instantaneous fire, he does not reason that such a
feat is the product of thought and labour.
K 2