Zanzibar and the East Coast of Africa [pp. 70-87]

1887. Zanzibar and the East Coast of Africa. 81
all, for here and there you will find a tribe habits of various t~bes; but they seemed
that displays considerable industry; but to be all pretty much alike. Some had their
these are mostly situated in a more north- paddy and others their maize, millet, or
erly direction. manioc fields, and their clumps of banana
The territory owned by the Portuguese trees, and on these they bestowed just as
near the Zambeze is, as I have said, of but much labor as was sufficient to supply themsmall extent, and confined to a compara- selves with food, and then idled away the
tively short distance from its banks; and rest of their time, either in sleep, striking
their towns, if they can now be so called, their tom-toms and dancing, or playing on
are in a state of decay, owing to the com- a sweet-toned musical instrument called, if
plete cessation of the slave trade. Indeed, I recollect rightly, a "marimba." This
the utility of these colonies to Portugal is was formed of the half of a large calabash,
questionable, unless they continue to use with a small hollowed fiat board fixed in it,
them as penal settlements. to which were fastened narrow curved strips
The mode of traveling adopted by the of steel of different lengths. The ends of
Portuguese is comfortable enough. A nar- these were rounded off, and when bent
row cot, to hold one person, is slung from a slightly backwards with the fingers, as if
stout pole, and to this there are two relays playing on the strings of a harp, produced
of four bearers each, who run along at a somewhat sad and plaintive notes, their
good pace, and to relieve themselves shift simple airs being of the same character.
the pole simultaneously, at a given signal, I am not aware whether the manioc, otherfrom one set of shoulders to another with- wise cassava root, which I have mentioned,
out stopping. The cot has a flat awning, is known in the United States. It is a very
which is pulled down on either side by a nutritious and wholesome vegetable when
string as a protection from the sun's rays. cooked; otherwise it is poisonous. Boiled,
During the rainy season, (and it does rain it is served up in its natural shape-thick
there,) these awnings are replaced by a straw stalk, cut longitudinally into slices; but I
roof, with a small open window on each ~have seen it universally eaten in Brazil as a
side, protected from the rain by an up and substitute for bread. There it is first baked,
down shutter. The owners of these cots, and then ground, or rather pounded, into
or machilas" as they are called, take a coarse fibrous powder, and this-called
pride in dressing their bearers in the most "farinha de pao," literally, stick-flour-is
fashionable styles; this consists of chintzes served up in small plates, from which
of gay patterns, worn from the waist to the pinches are taken just as you would break
knee. My cognizance was a cotton cloth off a piece of crumb or crust.
with broad black and white stripes, which I was fortunate enough to be present at a
the bearers took to wonderftilly, and the very original dance, a ceremony held in
costume really did look picturesque, when honor df a king or chief of the Macua tribe,
contrasted with the jet-black skins. In this who had died some months before. It is, I
conveyance I traveled considerable dis- have no doubt, well known to those who
tances in different directions, and was ac- have read stories of African travel, that a
tually able to fire from it when game came hideous and unnatural custom prevails more
sufficiently near for a shot. Elephants were or less throughout this vast continent of imvisible at times, but my rifle was not of cal- molating the wives of the head of a tribe at
ibre large enough to attack them with safety. his de~ease, with the idea that they will ac These trips were very interesting, as they company him to another world. In Ashanenabled me to have some insight into the tee and Dahomey, the sacrifice of hrn~an
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