One Substantial Fact Has Been Established, Owing To Our Having
Crossed Over Ten Degrees Of Latitude In The Centre Of
The
continent, or from 5§ south to 5§ north latitude, which is this:
There exists a regular gradation of fertility,
Surprisingly rich
on the equator, but decreasing systematically from it; and the
reason why this great fertile zone is confined to the equatorial
regions, is the same as that which has constituted it the great
focus of water or lake supply, whence issue the principal rivers
of Africa. On the equator lie the rainbearing influences of the
Mountains of the Moon. The equatorial line is, in fact, the
centre of atmospheric motion.
Fauna
In treating of this branch of natural history, we will first take
man - the true curly-head, flab-nosed, pouch-mouthed negro - not
the Wahuma.[FN#2] They are well distributed all over these
latitudes, but are not found anywhere in dense communities.
Their system of government is mostly of the patriarchal
character. Some are pastorals, but most are agriculturalists;
and this difference, I believe, originates solely from want of a
stable government, to enable them to reap what they produce; for
where the negro can save his cattle, which is his wealth, by
eating grain, he will do it. In the same way as all animals,
whether wild or tame, require a guide to lead their flocks, so do
the negroes find it necessary to have chiefs over their villages
and little communities, who are their referees on all domestic or
political questions. They have both their district and their
village chiefs, but, in the countries we are about to travel
over, no kings such as we shall find that the Wahuma have. The
district chief is absolute, though guided in great measure by his
"grey-beards," who constantly attend his residence, and talk over
their affairs of state. These commonly concern petty internal
matters; for they are too selfish and too narrow-minded to care
for anything but their own private concerns. The grey-beards
circulate the orders of the chief amongst the village chiefs, who
are fined when they do not comply with them; and hence all orders
are pretty well obeyed.
One thing only tends to disorganise the country, and that is war,
caused, in the first instance, by polygamy, producing a family of
half-brothers, who, all aspiring to succeed their father, fight
continually with one another, and make their chief aim slaves and
cattle; whilst, in the second instance, slavery keeps them ever
fighting and reducing their numbers. The government revenues are
levied, on a very small scale, exclusively for the benefit of the
chief and his grey-beards. For instance, as a sort of land-tax,
the chief has a right to drink free from the village brews of
pombe (a kind of beer made by fermentation), which are made in
turn by all the villagers successively. In case of an elephant
being killed, he also takes a share of the meat, and claims one
of its tusks as his right; further, all leopard, lion, or zebra
skins are his by right.
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