perished daily from lung disease, and the heaps of carcases
increased the insanitation. Mr. Decle confesses to have
had enjoyments, during his troublous' waggon, journey,
but with the horrors above mentioned ^ the great heat,
the gnats, stingy Boers, tiresome natives, mud, dust and
flies, which harassed and aged him—these must have been
very rare, or we'should have heard more of them. His
reflections are such as belong to a forgiving disposition.
“ After all/’ he says, “ a journey to Central Africa-is not
so very terrible. It is very monotonous. One must be
endowed with an inexhaustible fund of patience and a
good stomach, bear many things without disgust, be- able
to drink putrid water, eat no matter what, be without
meat, sugar, or'salt for days, sleep whole nights in water,
remain long without-washing; for if one only makes'up
his mind to endure the mean, degrading life, there will
be no disappointment.” But, alas! how many of us could
endure all these things ?
Every few pages orso we’have a bold sketch of a native
chief, who is. stripped.of all romance. Men likeTkaneng
—who is jet black, six feet high, with a full grey beard,
and dressed in Europeanclothes—who is unkind to our
traveller because he has no letter for him from the
Colonial Governmentor, like Khantura, who was. o.nce.
half-executed by Lobengula and subsequently became
an independent chief, and now passes his time in smoking
bhang; or, like Khama, who is presented in: such, an
unpleasant light; arid appears to .'be too good to please
South Africans.. .
Missionaries do not seem to have taken kindly to. Mr,
Decle. His .experiences; with. them , cause us to imagine
that in hospitality they are inferior to the natives/ Their
houses, for instance, contain no guest-room, while, the
native village always' contains; a ‘‘ lekothla,” or guesthouse,
for the reception of the stranger, and possesses a
“ king’s field,” the produce of which is devoted to a visitor’s
w an ts .;
xiypithin'
four months, Mr. Decle. reached the Zambezi.
He crossed the river, and for two months lived among the
Barotse people. His reniarks upon this: nation are full of
interest, and despite his gift of condensation, the notes he
gives . of them prove him excellently qualified for the
investigation of native mariners ¿nd customs, and show
his genius for making; dry matter agreeable reading.
In December, 1891, he starts on his return from the
Zambezi,/with only two tins of sardines, an ounce of salt,
arid''ten pounds of coffee for provisions', while his kit is
reduced to two flannel shirts, .two under vests, .three pairs
of/stockings, a patched pair of knickerbockers, arid a hat
without any crown to it. His barter stores .are extremely
limited—for they consist of only six yards of sheetirig and
a; pound of beads. His means of defence , are a revólver
and a rifle with five cartridges. Awful as his experiences
were "from Vryburg to the Zambezi, they are tame
compared to those he meets ori , his return, journey.
Misery in one shape or another haunts him continually,
and such startling adventures happen to him, that we
expect every minute to read that orie of them has been
his last, and wonder to what other hand is due the rest of
the book,, Fortunately he passes through his many' perils
safely; and arrives at Palapslnve again.
Though wQè-begone and terribly ernaciated, he;has: no
sooner recovered a;, little .strength, than he abandons his
purpose of going home and prepares to visit Lobengula at
Bulawâyo. |
The troubles along the road to Bulawayo are principally
at: ther; crossing of the flooded rivers; They are/described
m a Vivid style, which makes us realize hisrdanger and fills
us with anxiety for him; but while we constantly expect
a final catastrophe, good fortune rescues him from .every
predicament.
We who have just seen Bulawayo- preening itself for the
grèat destiny which awaits it, and entertaining 300 guests
at the Balace Hotel, can relish the description of the/place
xv :