by the most intelligent of his headmen. A high ridge,
just before we reached the confluence, commands a splendid
view of the two great rivers and the rich country beyond.
Behind, on the north and east, is the high mountain-range,
along whose base we have been travelling; the whole range
is covered with trees, which appear even on the prominent
peaks, Chiarapela, Morindi, and Chiava; at this last the
chain bends away to the N.W., and we could see the distant
mountains where the Chief, Semalembue, gained all our
hearts in 1856.
C H A P T E R X I.
Semalembue — Ncbomokela—Mr. Moffat’s mission to Moselekatse beard of—
Native game-law —3 Mountains — Ancient state of country — Neither art nor
power possess the effect of ancient miracles—Jealousy of strangers not
African but Arab — The Bawe and “ Baenda pezi," or “ Go-nakeds ” — Their
hospitality—Leave Zambesi, and ascend Zungwe to Batoka Highlands —
Sebetuane —A cairn —Batoka men of’peace—Arboriculturists— Graveyards
— Muave — Tsetse medicine — Desire for peace — Corn extensively cultivated—
A poet, and minstrel— Musical instruments — Our naked friend—•
Polite tobacco-smokers — Bawe never visited by Europeans before — Slave-
trade follows our footsteps — Attempt by Governor-General of Mosambique
to shut up Rovuma—Seabenzo — Elephant killed—Numbers annually
slain — Meteor — The Palls visible upwards of twenty miles off—Fever
treated and untreated — Moshobotwane — Meet Makololo near the Falls.
On the 9th July, we tried to send Semalembue a present, but
the people here refused to incur the responsibility of carrying
it. We, who have the art of writing, cannot realize
the danger one incurs of being accused of purloining a
portion of goods sent from one person to another, when the
carrier cannot prove that he delivered all committed to his
charge. Rumours of a foray having been made, either
by Makololo or Batoka, as far as the fork of the Kafue,
were received here by our men with great indignation, as it
looked as if the marauders were shutting up the country,
which they had been trying so much to open. Below the
junction of the rivers, on a shallow sandbank, lay a large herd
of hippopotami, their bodies out of the water, like masses
of black rock. Kambadzo’s island, called Nyangalule, a name
which occurs again at the mouth of the Zambesi, has many
choice Motsikiri (Trachelia) trees on it; and four very conspicuous
stately palms growing out of a single stem. The