They Excited The Unbounded Admiration Of The Makololo,
And Clearly Proved That The Country Was Well Adapted For Them.
When Katema Wishes To Slaughter One, He Is Obliged To Shoot It
As If It Were A Buffalo.
Matiamvo is said to possess a herd of cattle
in a similar state.
I never could feel certain as to the reason
why they do not all possess cattle in a country containing
such splendid pasturage.
As Katema did not offer an ox, as would have been done
by a Makololo or Caffre chief, we slaughtered one of our own,
and all of us were delighted to get a meal of meat, after subsisting so long
on the light porridge and green maize of Londa. On occasions
of slaughtering an animal, some pieces of it are in the fire before the skin
is all removed from the body. A frying-pan full of these pieces
having been got quickly ready, my men crowded about their father,
and I handed some all round. It was a strange sight to the Balonda,
who were looking on, wondering. I offered portions to them too, but these
were declined, though they are excessively fond of a little animal food
to eat with their vegetable diet. They would not eat with us,
but they would take the meat and cook it in their own way, and then use it.
I thought at one time that they had imported something from the Mohammedans,
and the more especially as an exclamation of surprise, "Allah",
sounds like the Illah of the Arabs; but we found, a little farther on,
another form of salutation, of Christian (?) origin, "Ave-rie" (Ave Marie).
The salutations probably travel farther than the faith. My people,
when satisfied with a meal like that which they enjoy so often at home,
amused themselves by an uproarious dance. Katema sent to ask
what I had given them to produce so much excitement.
Intemese replied it was their custom, and they meant no harm.
The companion of the ox we slaughtered refused food for two days, and went
lowing about for him continually. He seemed inconsolable for his loss,
and tried again and again to escape back to the Makololo country.
My men remarked, "He thinks they will kill me as well as my friend."
Katema thought it the result of art, and had fears of my skill in medicine,
and of course witchcraft. He refused to see the magic lantern.
One of the affairs which had been intrusted by Shinte to Intemese
was the rescue of a wife who had eloped with a young man belonging to Katema.
As this was the only case I have met with in the interior
in which a fugitive was sent back to a chief against his own will,
I am anxious to mention it. On Intemese claiming her as his master's wife,
she protested loudly against it, saying "she knew she was not going back
to be a wife again; she was going back to be sold to the Mambari."
My men formed many friendships with the people of Katema,
and some of the poorer classes said in confidence, "We wish our children
could go back with you to the Makololo country; here we are all
in danger of being sold." My men were of opinion that it was only
the want of knowledge of the southern country which prevented
an exodus of all the lower portions of Londa population thither.
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