Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-08-02

DR.. LIvINGsroxE,s EXPLORATIONS


1ngstone, was read. We subjOin a few extrt cs:
In the upper part of the Lower Shire, in the
highlands, and in the valley of the Upper Shire,
there IS somewhat numerous population
The people generally live in villages and in
hamlets near them. Each village has its own
chief, and the chiefs in given territory have
a head chief, to whom they owe some sort of
allegiance. The paramount chief of one nor
ton Of the Upper Shire is a woman The sites
of their villages are selected, for the most part
with judgment and good taste. A stream or
spring Is near, and pleasant shade-trees grow
an and around the place Nearly every viii
lsge Is surrounded by thick hedge Of the
poisonous euphorbia During the greater part
IT the year the inhabitants could see an en-
smy through the hedge, while he would find
their already poisoned arrows through the ten,
der branches, they get smeared with the poi
sonous milky juice, and infiict most painful if
not fatal wounds. The constant dripping of
the juice of the bruised branches prevents the
enemy from attempting to force his way
through the hedge, as it destroys the eyesight.
Ihe huts are larger, stronger built, with high
er and more graceful roofs than any we have
seen on the ZamDesi
Many of the men are very intelligent look
ing, with high foreheads and well-shaped
heads They show singular taste in the aston
lsnlngly varied styles in which their hair is ar
ranged. Their bead necklaces are really pretty
specimens of work. Many have upper and
middle as well as the lower part of the ear
oored, and have from three to five rings in
each ear. The hole in the lobe of the ear i
sSrge enough to admit ones finger, and some
wear piece of bamboo about an inch long in
IT. Brass and iron bracelets, elaborately fip-
ured, are seen; and some of the men sport from
Two 10 eight brass rings on each finger and
even the thumbs are not spared They wear
copper, brass, and iron rings on their legs and
arms many nave their front teeth notched
fhaF 49, IL
OF saw The upper-lip ring of the women
gives them revolving appearance; it is univer-
sally worn in the highlands A puncture is
made high up in the lip, and it is gradually
enlarged until the pelele can be inserted.
some are very large. One we measured caused
tne lip TO project two inches beyond the tip of
the nose; when the lady smiled, the contrac-
ton OF the muscles elevated it over the owes.
Nhy do the women wear these things 30
the venerable chief, Chinsurdi, was asked.
Evidently surprised at such a stupid question
he replied For beauty, They are the only
oeautlful things women have; men have
boards, women have none. What kind of a
person would she be without the pelele? She
would not be woman at all with a mouth like
man, but no beard
They seem TO be an industrious race Iron
Is dug out Of the hills and every village has
one or two smelling houses and from their
own natlve iron they make excellent hoes
axes, spears, knives, arrowheads, &C. They
maze also round baskets of various sizes and
earthen pots, which they ornament with plum
bago, said to be found in the Hill country.
though we could not learn exactly where, or
IN What quantities; the only specimen we OBJ
tanned was not pure. At every fishing village
on the banks Of the river Shire men were busy
spinning bauze and making large fishing nets
from it; and from Chihisas to the Lake in
every village almost We saw men cleaning and
spinning cotton, while others were weaving it
NWfn 49, a-.l,s 81 = l. r
strucuon, all the processes being excessively
slow This is great cotton-growing country.
The cotton is Of two kinds, ''Tongi manga" or
foreign cotton, and Toni eadi, +" or native
cotton. The former is Of good quality, with
staple from three quarters to an inch in length.
us perennial, requiring to be planted only
once IN three years. The native cotton IS
planted every year in the highlands, is Of short
staple, and feels more like wool than cotton.
Every family appears TO own a cotton patch
which Is kept clear Of weeds and grass We
saw the foreign growing at the Lake and in
various places for thirty miles south of it, and
about an equal number Of miles below the cat
aracts on the Lower Shire. Although the ma
tive cotton requires to be planted annually in
the highlands. the people prefer it, because,
they say, lit makes the stronger cloth"
Ii was remarked to a number of intelligent
natives near the Shire lakelet, ''you should
plant plenty of cotton, and perhaps the En-
country is full of cotton, said an elderly man
who was trader and travelled much Our
own observations convinced US of the truth of
this statement. Everywhere we saw it, Cotton
patches Of from two to three acres were seen
abreast OF the cataracts during the first trip,
when Lake Tamandua was discovered, though
In this journey, on a different route, none were
observed Of more than half an acre. They
usually contained about a quarter of an acre
each. There are extensive tracts on the level
plans OF both the Lower and Upper Shire,
where salt exudes from the soil. Sea Island
cotton might grow well there, as on these the
foreign cotton becomes longer in the staple
The cotton growers here never have their crops
cut of by the frosts. There are none Both
kinds Of cotton require but little labor, none
of that severe and killing toll required in the
United States. The people are great cultiva-
tors of the soil, and it repays them well. They
grow lassayer IN large quantities, preparing
ridges for it from three to four feet high and
about foot high. They also raise maize.
rice, two kinds of millet, beans sugar cane.
sweet potatoes, yams, ground nuts, pumpkins,
tobacco, and Indian hemp. Near Lake Ny
assa we saw indigo seven feet high.
Large quantities Of beer are made We found
whole villages on the spree, and saw the stu
pid type OF drunkenness, the silly SORT the
boisterOus talkatiye sort, and on one occasion
the almOst-up- to-the-fghting point variety,
when a petty chief, with some of the people
near, placed himself in front, exclsiming, az
stop this path; you must 60 back" Had he
not got out Of the way with greater speed than
dignity, an incensed Makololo would have
cured him Of all desire 10 try similar exploit
in future. II was remarked by the oidest
traveller in the party that he had not seen 40
much drunkennsss during all the years he had
spent in Africa. The people, notwithstanding.
attain great age. One is struck with the
large number Of old grey headed persons in
the highlands This seems to indicate a healthy
climate. For their long lives they are not the
least indebted to frequent ablutions "Why
do you wash yourselves? our men never do. u
said some women at Chinsardi to the MakoloIo.
An old man told us he remembered having
washed himself once when boy, but never re.
peated it; and from bis appearance one could
hardly call the truth Of his statement in cues
tiOn. A fellow who volunteered some wild
geographical information followed US about
dozen miles, and introduced us to the chief
MOena MOeEi by saying They have wandered:
they don't know where they are going
kat S.sI 49,