Exploration and Hunting in Central Africa, 1895-96 ... With eight full-page illustrations by C. Whymper, twenty-five photographs and a map

Chapter I

Progress of Empire in Africa — Want of means twice spoil plans — Zambezi-Kwando confluence — Sesheke fiats — Pookoo shot — Hippopotamus hunt, two bagged — Favourable impression of natives — A large hippopotamus — His measurements — Sesheke reached — M. and Mdme. Goy — Wilson's party and Lobengula's death — The " Mokwai " of Sesheke — Her friendly attitude . . . Page I

Chapter II

An eight days' hunting excursion — Tsessebe shot — Wounded wildebeest escapes — Wildebeest shot — Unusual markings — Oribi shot — Avaricious natives — Blackfaced wildebeest shot — Oribi pookoo and jackal shot — Two hyænas shot — Exciting chase — Warthog missed — Zebra shot — Buffalo cow and bull shot — Two more buffaloes bagged — Giraffe and eland — An abortive drive — Pallah and sable antelope shot — A disloyal subject — Large herd of roan antelope and of sable — Return to Sesheke 13

Chapter III

Night watching for lions — Journey continued — Locusts' depredations — Consequent famine — Buffalo bagged — A series of rapids — Comical native ceremony — Much game and spoor — Eland wounded — Long chase — Roan antelope killed — Native mendacity — Wounded eland killed by lions — In pursuit — Troop of sive lions — Two bagged — Narrow escape from wounded lioness 36

Chapter IV

Elephants — Unsuccessful pursuit — A tough pallah — Futile rhinoceros hunt — Lusu Rapids — Njoko confluence — Start up Njoko — The Tsetse fly — Remarkable penetration of Mannlicher bullet — Herds of lechwe — Game on the Njoko — Rampungu river — Native hospitality — Fine reedbuck head — Victims of famine — Return to the Zambezi A 2 v VI CONTENTS

Chapter V

Camp illuminations— Illness of Lecharu— River journey recommenced — Wounded hippo. — Aggressive hippopotami — In search of meat — An amphibious pig — Sickness among boys discouraged — The Lumbi river — The Gonye Rapids— Paddlers' insubordination — Fight for mastery— Gonye Falls— Chiefs of Sioma— Refusal to sell corn- Mutineers repentant and forgiven Page 74

Chapter VI

Boys' food finished— Buffaloes to the rescue— Charged by a wounded cow — Three shot — A disappointed leopard — "No corn, no meat" — Borotse reached — Character of Borotse — The Marotse — A land of milk — Strange letter from Liwanika — And reply — Captain Bertrand — The "Great" Mokwai — Her husbands— Nalolo— Zambezi fish — Mokwai visited — Previous outrages on missionaries — " Cheques will do " — Liwanika's reprimand ........ SS

Chapter VII

The Makololo — Their Chief Sebitwane— His conquests — The Matabele worsted — The Marotse subdued — Subject tribes — Sebitwane's death — Mamochisane succeeds, but abdicates — Sekeletu becomes king — Leprosy — Death — Marotse rebel successfully — Sepopo elected king — Relentless cruelty — Deposed and slain — Ngwanwina succeeds — Defeated and killed by Liwanika, the present king — Early atrocities — Driven into exile — Once more in power — Reformation — The extent of his country ........ in

Chapter VIII

Liwanika's subjects — Their characteristics — Agricultural — Pastoral — Canoes — Arms — Fishing — Cuisine — Fire-making — Habitations — Method of defence — Superstition — Witchcraft — Trial and punishment — Tobacco — Ornaments and charms — Religion — Salutes — Clothing — Peculiarities of tribes — Marotse — Mabunda — Makwenga — Matutela — Masubia— Matoka — Mankoya — Mashikolumbwe . 121

Chapter IX

Arrival at Lialui — Missionary conference — The royal residence — Liwanika and his wives — Cordial reception — Misunderstandings cleared up— A thief in the night — Ben the Matoka— Another chat with Liwanika— His anxiety for the suture— Unprincipled white men — Good done by missionaries . . . . . . .146 CONTENTS

Chapter X

Liwanika and Livingstone — King sanctions my plans — An ethnological collection — Liwanika's geography — A map of his country — Farewell visit — A start — Rising ground — The Kande river — Duelshooting — The Lui river — Source of the Lumbi — Game once more

Chapter XI

Matlakala sick — The Luena system — Matlakala's audacity — A lucky shot — Matlakala gives trouble — The Njoko river — Serumpunta — Native smithy — Schemes for delay — Even with Matlakala — Old Rampungu camp — Sesheke reached — The missionary and the princess — Woman's status — A husband's cowardice — Presents and royal remuneration — Murder of missionaries — Start for Kazungula — Reproductive powers of crocodiles — Kazungula reached — Victoria Falls — Water buck and plover — A fine sable — Snake-bitten boy — Poverty of oxen — The Zambezi at Kazungula . . . . 17S

Chapter XII

Swimming oxen — Scarcity of porters — Down with dysentery — Start for Mashikolumbweland — Pleasant country — Swamps and relapse — The Umgwezi swollen — Wildebeest killed — High ground at last — ■ Native devoured by lions — Delirious boy — A healthy plateau — Its possibilities 205

Chapter XIII

Christmas Eve — Warthog — How to cook him — A Christmas koodoo — A stormy day — On the Kafukwe system — Gluttonous boys — Swamps again — Four hartebeests bagged — Making biltong — New Year's Day, 1896 — Zebra and hartebeest shot — A warning for the boys — Observation for latitude — Encouraging result — The Nanzela in flood — Native bridging — Safe, but wet — Sezunga — Gruesome sight — Sickness at the mission — Reputation of Mashikolumbwe — The boys "jib" — Au revoir to my hosts 219

Chapter XIV

Sulky boys — A tough warthog — The boys give trouble — Lecharu reported dead — Heartless comrades — Plain speaking — Waterbuck shot — Porters abscond — Staff of five — Two zebras shot — Lecharu swoons — Leave camp with three boys — Inquisitive game — A fine country — Well received by the ladies — Not so by the men — Unprepossessing savages— Variety of game — Fat eland cow shot — Natives more friendly — Trifling worries — Arrival at Kaiyngu . . . CONTENTS

Chapter XV

The Chief Kaiyngu— Friendly reception— Scene in the stockade- Native music — Kafukwe river — Carnivorous ants — A lucky shot — A "royal" hunt — His Highness upbraided — Kaiyngu's "little game " — Secret of African travel— Bad news — A large warthog — Exceptional pookoo horns — Kaiyngu's perversity— The river crossed — Kowetu — Hospitable natives — Magnificent scenery — The Chief Kowetu Page 262

Chapter XVI

Muliphi still absent — Mashikolumbwe deceit — I smell a rat — Decide to return to Musa camp — Request for boys — Kaiyngu prevaricates — But finally acquiesces — Muliphi found — Hartebeest shot — Muliphi waylaid — Mashikolumbwe abscond — Camp reached — Pony's theft — Leopard killed by Lecharu — Camp struck — Wildebeest shot — A godsend — Mankoyas engaged as porters — Trouble at N'kala — "Missy" dead — An audacious lion — Musanana — Hot water springs — Slave for sale — Hartebeest bagged .... 288

Chapter XVII

"The lion is in the kraal" — Attack at night — Unsuccessful — We oversleep ourselves — We follow him in morning — The death shot — The lion's measurements — Pony's perversity — A large congregation — Start for Kazungula — Missionary's wife and the flock — One bullet, two pallah — Thieving villagers — Strained relations — Hyde Park in Africa — Threatened attack— Enemy routed — The deserters' tale — Pony fever-stricken — Lags behind — Brought into camp . . . 308

Chapter XVIII

Guinea fowls devoured by ants — A missionary's experience — Pony left behind — Game on the Umgwezi — Two deserters — Trophies recovered — Accused of murder — Value of native report — Value of opinion of some newspaper editors — Rinderpest ravages — Bootless — Fever at the mission station — Chat with Latia — Deserters to be punished — An unruly ox — Unexpected bath — South African postal negligence — News of England — Sesheke again — The slaves' rejoicing — Liwanika and Sekome — Khama and Sekome — Return to Kazungula — Messrs. Bagley and Kerr — The loaded cart 327

Chapter XIX

Doubtful prospects — Bid farewell to the Zambezi — Pendamatenka In the desert — Boys scheme delay — Pony absent for two days A " Europe" morning — A strange but welcome voice— Simpson and CONTENTS Walsh — A wild-goose chase — Simpson's generosity — Oxen lost for two days and a half — The Chief Menu — Friendly warnings mis construed — Pony caught red-handed — Pony flogged — Simpson's retreat — Matabele in arms— A lucky escape .... Page 353

Chapter XX

Accident to cart — Broken wheel taken on sleigh to Monarch Mines — Prepared for attack — The manager's hospitality — Comforts of Civilization — Return for cart — All safe — Pony deserts — Mr. Drake— Matabele impi in neighbourhood — A scare — Arrival at Tati — A poor creature and a practical joke — Degenerate Judah — Diseasestricken koodoo — Palapye and old friends — Post cart — Home by Arundel Castle — Finale 369 Appendix I. The Country : Its Character, Climate, and Prospects 38: Appendix II. Big Game and its Distribution .... 394 Index 4°' LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Frontispiece. Photograph of Author . . Stereoscopic Co. FACE PAGE 8 Masubia Paddlers landing Hippopotami . Photograph by Author. 28 Giraffe . . ... By Charles Whymper. 32 Large herd of Sable Antelope . . ,, ,, 35 Buffalo head . ...

From Sketch by Author. 42 On the Zambezi . ... Photograph by Author. 56 Charged by Wounded Lioness . . By Charles Whymper. 83 The Gonye Falls . ... Photograph by Author. 90 Charged by Wounded Buffalo . . . By Charles Whymper. 123 Dug-out Canoe . ... Photograph by Author. 138 Masubia Village . . . . ,, ,, I Liwanika, King of the Marotse, __c. . . „ ,, ( Trophies . . . ,, ■> 184 Matutela Blacksmith . . . By Charles Whymper. o ( Victoria Falls (1) . ... Photograph by Author. I ,, ,, (2) . . . . „ „ ,q, f a. .. (3) • • • • >• " •x „ „ (4) • • • • 199 Waterbuck warned by Plovers . . By Charles Whymper. 236 Mashikolumbwe and Mankoya . . Photograph by Author. 256 Game in Mashikolumbweland . . By Charles Whymper. 267 Two Views in Mashikolumbweland . . Photograph by Author. ( Kafuk we River at Kaiyngu . . . ,, ,, > Native Huts . » » 309 A Night Attack . . . .

By Charles Whymper. 316 Lion carried by Natives . . . Photograph by Author. I Group of Matoka . . . . ,, ,, I Matutela Women and Stockade . . ,, ,, 337 Herd of Zebra on Sesheke Flats . . ,, „ ( Mission Station at Sesheke . . . ,, „ < Masubia Girls at Sesheke Mission Station . ,, „ 369 A Breakdown on the Road . . . ,, >, 380 Map of Part of the Kingdom of the Marotse. B 1 EXPLORATION AND HUNTING IN CENTRAL AFRICA

Chapter I. The

land of the Marotse and the various tribes in the neighbourhood of the upper Zambezi, has for many years been regarded with interest, while its mysteries have excited not a little conjecture in geographical circles, but more especially among the hardy pioneers of Central South Africa. There, under the direction of Mr. Cecil Rhodes, a marvel in the practical advance of the British Empire had been accomplished ; townships had sprung up ; and such was the energy and enterprise of settlers, that within three years from the first organised incursion into Mashonaland in 1890 few likely districts remained unappropriated, and many mining properties were in full working order. As early as 1893 Marotseland was commonly mentioned in South Africa as the next country for occupation, and many were ready to be first there should opportunity offer.

But the diffi culties in the way of individual prospecting expeditions made the risk of failure too great to warrant the expense of outfit. As is usually the case with unexplored countries, the mysteries of Marotseland were supplemented by exaggera tions in every direction ; gold and game abounded, but the people were hostile and the climate deadly. Even the 450 mile trek through the Kalahari — trying as it is — had the reputation of being very much more severe than is justified by fact. At the commencement of 1893, and again in 1894, plans which I had conceived of exploring the then unknown districts bordering on the Upper Zambezi, had been frustrated through want of the necessary pecuniary means. In 1895 this difficulty was surmounted with the result herein after described. It is my earnest endeavour, in relating these experiences, to convey an unem bellished impression of the countries and peoples concerned ; and I trust the reader will not be disappointed when he fails to discover a " hair breadth escape " in each chapter, and will be content with a production which, though having no pretensions in the direction of high literary attainment, at least aspires to honesty of state ment.

THE ZAMBEZI-KWANDO CONFLUENCE With these few introductory remarks, I will take the reader at once to the confluence of the Zambezi and Kwando rivers, where three " dug out " canoes had been placed at my disposal by Latia, eldest son of Liwanika, paramount chief of the Marotse and subject tribes, for conveyance of myself and goods as far as Sesheke, where fresh boys and canoes were to be provided for my further journey to Lialui, in Borotse.* I felt thoroughly content with everything and everybody, as the canoe boys chattered and paddled with that cheerful energy usual in natives at the commencement of a journey. Everything breathed of peace. The intensely blue sky cast its colour on the wide stretch of clear water, which contrasted so pleasantly with the 500 miles of sandy monotony and everlasting bush in which the preceding five weeks had been spent.

Not that there is anything particularly striking in the scenery of this part of the Zambezi. No tropical vegetation lends additional effect to the picture, nor do broken crags or distant hills give it contrast in colour. It is, in fact, one of those scenes which could be more effectively dealt with by the pen of the poet than by painter's art. A noble expanse of transparent water, studded here and there with treeless * The prefix Madenotes the people, Bothe country. Thus, Marotse, Borotse ; Matoka, Botoka have their parallels with us in English, England. islands ; a fringe of tall, matted river reeds, and about a mile of plain beyond, with a background of tree-clad undulations, make up the view to right and left. On the first night of my river journey — that of July 2nd, 1895 — I camped immediately above the Mambova Rapids, beyond which the river winds for some ninety miles through the Sesheke flats — in winter a plain, in summer an extensive swamp.

It was now winter, and the Zambezi was nearly at its lowest, so that the clean-cut banks restricted the view to the river itself. There is, however, much of interest to the naturalist here ; for countless flocks of water fowl congregate on the numerous sandbanks which appear in the dry season. In places thousands of these birds are to be seen in every direction, some species intermingling one with another on equal terms, while others confine themselves exclusively to the society of their own kind. Among the better-known species are to be noticed the ibis, heron, pelican, stork, plover, and crane. I also saw four species of goose, many varieties of duck and teal, though these wild cousins of our domestic waterfowl are not nearly so numerous as might have been expected. I subsequently discovered that they prefer the grassy swamps of such rivers as the Lui, Lumbi, and other tributaries to the bio river itself.

HIPPOPOTAMUS HUNT Leaving Mambova early the following morn ing, the boys paddled for about three hours, and then put into the bank for rest. Hearing that pookoo lechwe and reedbuck were plentiful in the neighbourhood, I took my rifle and set out for a short walk. The grass, however, was taller than myself, and though I occasionally caught a glimpse of, or heard, the game I had some difficulty in bagging anything. I was quite ashamed of the number of rounds wasted before a badly-placed bullet drove a pookoo to take to water and seek a safer asylum on the opposite bank. In obedience to shouts from the boys who accompanied me, three paddlers raced down on the wounded antelope, and just succeeded in assegaiing her as she reached land. Towards four o'clock that afternoon the grunt ing of hippopotami a short distance from the left bank, and coming, as I afterwards found, from a long lagoon which ran parallel with the river, tempted me to land.

The lagoon was surrounded by a dense fringe of reeds, and had it not been for the hippo paths which ran through them in all directions, progress would have been almost impossible. So dense were these reeds that I was only able to get a glimpse of the water at occasional intervals. Half a mile of walking and creeping through narrow winding paths and low tunnels brought me to a small open space which gave a view, about 120 yards distant, of the heads of some seven or eight hippos. An unsuccessful shot sent them all down below for a few minutes. Shortly an inquisitive head rose only twenty-five yards away, offering an easy shot. The hippo sank immediately, sending up much blood. A moment later another head appeared 120 yards away, where the animals had originally shown themselves. A lucky shot sent the owner down, though his reappearance about three minutes afterwards showed that he was only wounded.

From the movement of the water the boys soon detected the plans of the wounded " sea cow " — he was making a final effort to escape from the narrow lagoon into the more spacious depths of the big river. And now began an exciting chase, during which the hippo at intervals raised himself head and shoulders above the surface of the water, opening his huge mouth as he half groaned, half roared with rage and pain. For myself I ran along the bank as fast as I could, posting myself at intervals in open places in hopes of getting in a shot as the head appeared. A run of about half a mile only yielded one shot, and that without effect. Thus my quarry was only about thirty yards from the big river, which, had he entered it, would have very much increased the odds in his favour, when chance brought me to an opening in the reeds just as the head reappeared a few yards away.

One of a right and left entered his brain FAVOURABLY IMPRESSED BY NATIVES just above the eye, sending him to the bottom — lifeless. This was the signal for the boat boys to dance round me in the very ecstasy of delight, for they saw prospect of an abundancy of fat on the morrow, to them the very refinement of luxury. Of course it was useless to do anything with the two dead hippopotami that evening, as these animals remain below water for some six hours after death. On the opposite side of the river the banks were high and therefore more suitable for camping, so I decided to cross and pitch the tent in one of the small clumps of bush which only rarely occur in the low-lying Zambezi districts. The experience of my two previous visits to Africa had been limited to the South, principally among the Bamangwato, an inferior, indolent people, who cringe to the white man so long as they see any prospect of getting anything out of him, but show no gratitude when their purpose has been realised.

The cheeriness and activity of my Masubia paddlers, and the careful regard they had hitherto shown for my personal comfort, had already suggested marked superiority over their South African cousins, and an incident occurred that evening which strengthened this favourable impression. The canoes had been tied, their contents had been carried up the bank, and I was looking about for a suitable spot for the tent, when the head paddler approached to within a couple of paces of where I stood and respectfully addressed me with the words lumela n'tate— greetings, father. I acknowledged his salute, and he fell to the rear to make room for the next to do likewise, and so on until all eight had followed the example of their leader. My three South Africans looked on with an expression of amusement on their ugly faces as they squatted on the ground waiting to be told by me to do what my Masubias always did spon taneously, i.e., to light a fire and pitch the tent.

The next morning after eating my early meal I recrossed the river and proceeded to the scene of the hippo hunt. Both the bodies floated within a short distance of one another, the wind having driven them to the near extremity of the lagoon. It did not take long for the boys to roll the smaller animal on to dry land, but their combined efforts failed to move the larger one when once the carcase rested on the ground. I therefore took careful measurements and left the boys to cut him up in the water. He proved to be of abnormal size, and those white and half caste hunters who subsequently saw the skull, in spite of the reputation they have as a class for being able to "cap" everything, averred they had never seen such a head. The body from snout to root of tail measured fourteen feet and half an inch, and the circumference of the head, taken MASUBIA PADDLERS LANDING HIPPOPOTAMI SESHEKE REACHED midway betwixt eye and ear and under the chin, showed nine feet exactly, and five feet six and a half inches taken midway between eyes and snout.

The skull and the skin of the head and neck were saved for my collection. The whole of that day and the next were taken up in preparing the flesh for drying into " biltong," boiling down the fat, which in the hippopotamus excels in quantity and quality, and cutting the skin into broad strips. The best waggon-whips are cut out of "sea-cow" skin, while the "sjam boks " and walking-sticks made therefrom are much valued. On the following day, July 7th, I reached Sesheke, and went at once to see M. Goy, a Swiss Protestant Missionary, serving under the auspices of the Paris Missionary Society. He received me kindly, at once placed a comfortable hut at my disposal, and insisted on my taking all my meals with him and Madame during my stay at Sesheke. This mission station at Sesheke is pictur esquely situated on the banks of the Zambezi.

Not only the quality of the buildings but the arranorements and neatness of the whole station o speak volumes for the ingenuity and energy of the good missionary. An interesting conversation with M. and Madame, who spoke excellent English, helped me much to mature my plans. One fact mentioned is well worthy of repetition. It appears that four days after the lamentable extermination of Wilson's party on the Shangani, M. Goy heard through Matoka sources that thirty white men had been killed in battle with the Matabele ; that duringthe fight Lobengula was wounded in the bowels by a stray bullet, but fearing lest the fact might discourage his people, he told no man of his wound, and moved about as usual (he was not in the habit of moving much at any time) for two days. According to subsequent reports the wound grew worse, so he sent for a doctor, who told him his time had come to die.

Thus he died, and was buried in a grave surrounded by a palisade. I presume the latter part of this information came by second and later messengers, a fact which seems to be omitted from my diary, the entries in which are as terse and brief as possible. The following morning, having previously sent my greetings to the " Mokwai " or ruling princess of the Sesheke district, I paid her a visit, accompanied by M. Goy, who kindly consented to act as interpreter. A neat palisade of reeds bound together and some ten feet high surrounds a courtyard, in the centre of which stands an oblong hut about thirty feet long and half that width. It is neatly thatched with coarse river grass, while the walls are constructed of cement made of ant heap earth and cow-dung mixed, and supported internally by upright stakes.

THE MOKWAI OF SESHEKE We found this young lady lounging on a mat beneath a reed-built shade. She is about twenty three years of age, very black, decidedly present able in appearance and refined in feature. Round each eye is a circular blue scar -tattoo mark. The two front teeth of a pearly white row are so filed as to form a reversed V. The wool, allowed to grow fairly long, is well combed out, thick and fuzzy, and in one side of it an ivory carved dagger is thrust. A coloured robe passing over the left and under the right shoulder covers her person. To this young woman, who is niece to Liwanika, the ruling of the Masubia and a section of the Matutela is entrusted, though her cousin Latia has powers of direction in the more important matters of government. A tall, good looking young Masubia sat next to her.

He bears the title of " Mokwetunga," or "son-in-law of the king," and is at once her husband and her slave. No sooner was the usual exchange of com pliments disposed of than she wanted to know many things. Was I an Englishman ? Had I ever seen the Great White Queen ? Why had I come to a country so far from my home ? How long did I propose staying? and what did I in tend doing? Then came my turn. I told her what I wanted her to do for me, and asked for canoes and boys to take me to Liwanika, her uncle. She said I should have everything I wished for, but that it would be impossible to provide me with canoes for about eight days. "Then," I said, " I will give you great thanks if you will detail a good hunter to lead me to where game is plentiful, so that I may hunt, and not be idle while the canoes and boys are being sent for."

"It shall be so," she answered, "to morrow a hunter shall be sent to you." And so he was, for next day my good host came to me with the news that the Mokwai had sent one Madzimani, the best hunter in the whole district and an excellent fellow, to show me where I would find much game. Madzimani, M. Goy informed me, though nominally a slave, had by his prowess in the hunting-field and success in battle made for himself a great name and earned the respect of his fellows. Though subject to a Marotse chief at Sesheke, he was himself chief of a large village a few miles to the south of the Zambezi, his subjects being his captives in war and their progeny. Note. — The important Zambezi affluent, which for some 200 miles from its source is marked on most — if not all — maps " Kwando," " Kuando," or " Cuando," appears in its lower reaches as " Chobe " or " Linyanti," the latter with more reason than the former, which name was received from a passing Makololo chief, whose village stood temporarily on the south bank of the river half a century ago. " Kwando," throughout these pages, is applied to the whole of this river from its source to its junction with the Zambezi.

Chapter II. Although

it is not my intention to bore the reader with detailed accounts of ordinary hunting incident throughout this book, a description of a short eight days' hunting under the most favourable circumstances is not out of place and may be of interest to some. I was encamped in a small clump of trees and undergrowth. The surrounding country was open, though scattered here and there were clumps similar to that in which I had taken up my quarters, while occasional narrow strips of forest subdivided the plain into sheltered glades, offering shade and covert to the numerous herds of game which but for traps and pitfalls knew no danger at the hands of man. Nature reigned supreme in this district ; its calm had never been outraged by the disquieting appliances of modern hunting, and the game cared little for what was going on ioo yards away.

In fact, centuries had brought no altered conditions ; even man remained as primitive as he must have been 2000 years ago. A plain about half a mile across lay to the west of my camp, and on this a small herd of seven tsessebe grazed unsuspectingly. The wind was right, and I had crawled to within eighty yards of them before they became aware of my presence. Picking out the best bull I fired, the bullet entering his lungs. Groaning loudly the wounded antelope attempted to follow the retreating herd, then suddenly fell to the ground stone dead. The remainder subsequently turned and stood. Another shot wounded a second animal, but after following for some distance and firing three times I failed to bag him. In the dead tsessebe I secured an excellent specimen, the horns measuring 14^ inches round the curve.