but white men had medicine for everything. “ They could
even make a woman, all except the speaking; look at that
one on the figure-head of the vessel.” The unbelievers were
astonished, and could hardly believe their eyes, when they
saw the ship float lightly and gracefully on the river, instead
of going to the bottom, as they so confidently predicted.
“ Truly,” they said, “ these men have powerful medicine.”
Our distinguished countryman, Professor Owen, recommended
our attention to be directed to the genesis of the
tsetse, in order to discover a means for the extirpation of
this pest. We frequently inquired of the different tribes if
they could help us in our inquiries; and one of the Makololo
remembered that this very question was once under public discussion
at Linyanti, and as usual a bet was laid that no one
could tell. After a number of days had elapsed, an old man
claimed the prize, asserting that the tsetse laid its eggs, which
were of a red colour, on the leaves of the mopane-tree. These
were probably only the eggs of an insect described in the
‘ Missionary Travels ’ as depositing over its eggs a sweet gum,
which is collected and eaten. Some denied that he had seen
them; others affirmed that the red eggs were laid on the
twigs of trees, and not on the leaves; and others insisted that
the eggs were placed in the droppings of buffaloes, and these
last were probably in the right. The destruction of all game
by the advance of civilization is the only chance of getting
rid of the tsetse.
We remember to have heard a furious discussion among
the natives on the question whether the two toes of the
ostrich represent the thumb and forefinger in man, or the
little and ring fingers. On these occasions it is amusing to
observe the freedom and earnestness with which men of the
lowest grade assault the opinions of their betters. I t is not
often that they can bring themselves into importance, and
they make the most of an opportunity. “We are little
infants; we are still clinging to the bosoms of our mothers;
we cannot walk alone; we know nothing at a ll; but on this
little subject we know that the elder gentlemen talk like all
those who speak about that of which they know nothing. We
never heard such nonsense,” and so forth; or two men of the
same age may be the disputants. He who is most glib of
tongue covers h is . opponent with confusion; that, however,
does not end the argument. Why should it ? The sensation
of choking in his throat, the pressure of blood on his heart,
make the vanquished, when unable to argue still, gasp out
“ Can you outrun me then ? ” and off they start, run a mile,
bring a branch of a tree at the end of the usual race-course,
and, the mental and bodily excitement by this means equalized,
they settle down in peace. If our editors, after allowing
the paper war to rage till both the “ esteemed correspondents
H are ready to go into fits from the blood being lashed
into fury round the heart and brain, instead of the usual
atrocious way (!) of proposing the next letters to be paid for
as advertisements, would only advise % that they should “ run
a race,” far fewer cases of heart disease and apoplexy would
be traceable to the “ sanctum ” door.
Birds are numerous on the Shupanga estate. Some kinds
remain all the year round, while many others are there only
for a few months. Flocks of green pigeons come in April
to feed on the young fruit of the wild fig-trees, which is
also eaten by a large species of bat in the evenings. The
pretty little black weaver; with yellow shoulders, appears to
enjoy life intensely after assuming his wooing dress. A
hearty breakfast is eaten in the morning, and then come
the hours for making merry. A select party of three or
four perch on the bushes which skirt a small grassy plain,
and cheer themselves with the music of their own quiet