Visit to the Barolongs

Visit to the Barolongs — An interview with lions — Narrow escape — Fresh visitors — A lion’s meal — Arrive at Choang — Company and assistance — IManner of life — Rhinoceroses — A night hunt — Kinds of game — Swift runners — Depravity of the natives — A cruel practice — The smith’s shop — Wire-drawing — A royal visitor — Re¬ turn to the station.

In the end of the year 182G, having removed into oar new habitation, and the state of the country being somewhat more tranquil, a journey was resolved on to the Barolongs, near the Malapo, in order to attend exclusively to the language, which hitherto it had not been possible to do, owing to the succession of manual labour connected with commencing a new station, when the missionaries must he at the beginning, middle, and end of eAmry thing. Mr. Hamilton, who felt that his advanced age was a serious harrier to his acquisition of the language, was anxious for my progress, and cheerfully undertook the entire labours of the station for a short season, preaching to the Batlapis in the neighbourhood, and keeping up public seiwice for the few on the station. Two attempts had been previously made for this very purpose, hut I had not long left the place before, in both instances, I was recalled on account of threatened attacks. As it was taking a new position among a

wild people, a brief glance at my manner of life may yield information, and interest the mind of the reader.

Having put my wagon in order, taken a driver, and a little boy as leader of the oxen, and two Barolongs, who were going to the same place, I left the station, my wife and family, for an absence of two or three months. Our journey lay over a wild and dreary country, inhabited by Balalas only, and but a sprinkling of these. On the night of the third day’s journey, having halted at a pool (Khokhole,) we listened, on the lonely plain, for the sound of an inhabitant, but all was silent. We could discover no lights, and, amid the darkness, were unable to trace footmarks to the pool. We let loose our wearied oxen to drink and graze, but as we were ignorant of the character of the company with which we might have to spend the night, we took a firebrand, and examined the edges of the pool, to see, from the im¬ prints, what animals were in the habit of drinking there, and, with terror, discovered many spoors of lions. We immediately collected the oxen, and brought them to the wagon, to which we fastened them with the strongest thongs we had, having dis¬ covered in their appearance something rather wild, indicating that, either from scent or sight, they knew danger was near. The two Barolongs had brought a young cow with them, and though I recommended their making her fast also, they very humorously replied that she was too wise to leave the wagon and oxen, even though a lion should be scented. We took a little supper, which was followed by our evening hymn, and prayer. I had retired only a i’ew minutes to my ^Yagon to prepare for the night, when the whole of the oxen started to their feet. A lion had seized the cow only a few steps from their tails, and dragged it to the distance of thirty or forty yards, where we distinctly heard it tearing the animal, and breaking the bones, while its bellowings were most pitiful. When these were over, I seized my gun, but as it was too dark to see any object at half the distance, I aimed at the spot where the devouring jaws of the lion were heard. I fired again and again, to which he replied with tremendous roars, at the same time making a rush towards the wagon, so as exceedingly to terrify the oxen. The two Barolongs engaged to take firebrands, advance a few yards, and throw them at him, so as to afford me a degree of light, that I might take aim, the place being bushy. They had scarcely discharged them from their hands when the flame went out, and the enraged animal rushed towards them with such swiftness, that I had barely time to turn the gun and fire between the men and the lion, and providentially the ball struck the ground immediately under his head, as we found by examination the following morning. From this surprise he returned, growling fearfully. The men dclrted through some thorn-bushes, with countenances indicative of the utmost terror. It was now the opinion of all that we had better let him alone if he did not molest us.

Having but a scanty supply of wood to keep up a fire, one man crept among the bushes on one side of the pool, while I proceeded for the same purpose on the other side. I had not gone far, when, looking uy)ward to the edge of the small basin, I discerned

between me and the sky four animals, whose attention appeared to be directed to me, by the noise I made in breaking a dry stick. On closer inspection, I found that the large, round, hairy-headed visitors were lions; and retreated on my hands and feet towards the other side of the pool, when coming to my wagon-driver, to inform him of our danger, I found him looking, with no little alarm, in an opposite direction, and with good reason, as no fewer than two lions, with a cub, were eyeing us both, apparently as uncertain about us as we were distrustful of them. They appeared as they always do in the dark, tvdce the usual size. We thankfully decamped to the wagon, and sat down to keep alive our scanty fire, while we listened to the lion tearing and devouring his prey. When any of the other hungry lions dared to approach, he would pursue them for some paces, with a horrible howl, which made our poor oxen tremble, and produced anything but agreeable sensations in ourselves. We had reason for alarm, lest any of the six lions we saw, fearless of our small fire, might rush in among us. The two Barolongs were grudging the lion his fat meal, and would now and then break the silence with a deep sigh, and expressions of regret that such a vagabond lion should have such a feast on their cow, which they anticipated would have afforded them many a draught of luscious milk. Before the day dawned, having deposited nearly the whole of the carcase in his stomach, he collected the head, backbone, parts of the legs, the paunch, which he emptied of its contents, and the two clubs which had been thrown at him, and walked off, leaving nothing but some fragments

of bones, and one of mv balls, ^^llicll bad bit the carcase instead of himself.

When it was light we examined the spot, and toimd from the foot-marks, that the lion was a large one, and had devoured the cow himself. I had some difficulty in believing this, but was fully convinced by the Barolongs pointing out to me that the foot¬ marks of the other lions had not come within thirty 3vards of the spot; two jackals only had approached to lick up any little leavings. The men pursued the spoor to find the fragments, where the lion had de¬ posited them, while he retired to a thicket to sleep during the day. I had often heard how much a large, hungry lion could eat, but nothing less than a demonstration would have convinced me that it was ])ossible for him to have eaten all the flesh of a good heifer, and many of the bones, for scarcely a rib was left, and even some of the marrow-bones were broken as if with a hammer.

Having discovered a small village on a neighbour¬ ing height, although it was the Sabbath, we thought it quite right and lawful to inyoke our oxen, and leave a s])ot haunted with something worse than ghosts. When we told our tale to the natives, they expressed no surprise whatever, but only regretted that the lion should have had such a feast, wdiile they were so hungry. These peo])le were, as their name ‘‘ Balala” signifies, poor indeed, and never before having either seen or heard a missionary, they exhibited melancholy jiroofs of human depi’avity and y)alpable ignorance. I talked long to them, to convince them that there was something far superior to eating and drinking, which ought to command our

attention. This was to them inexplicable, while the description I gave of the character of God, and our sinful and helpless condition, amused them only, and extorted some expressions of sympathy, that a Khosi king, as they called me, should talk such foolishness.

Leaving this village, after travelling for two days in a north-north-east direction over a plain country, passing Mothothobo, and other dry river beds, where one would suppose water had not flowed for the last thousand years, we reached Choaing as it is called, from Lechoai, (salt,) and halted at the village of Bogachu a Barolong chief, a very intelligent young man, with whom I had some previous acquaintance. At this place, and at Setabeng, about twenty miles distant, where a great number of Barolongs and Batlaros dwelt, I spent ten weeks, attending to the language. There was certainly neither personal comfort nor pleasure to be had during my stay, being compelled to live a semi-savage life, among heathenish dance and song, and immeasurable heaps of dirt and filth. It was not a proper town, but a comparatively temporary abode, to which the people had fled from the attacks made on the Batlapis by Jacob Cloete and his followers. People in this situation, and indeed all living a nomade life, become extremely filthy in their habits. My object being to obtain as much native society as possible, to which they had not the shadow of an objection, I was necessarily, while sitting with them at their work in their folds and inclosures, exposed to myriads of very unpleasant company, which made the night worse than the day. The people were kind, and my blundering in the language gave rise to many bursts of laughter. Never, in one instance, would an individual correct a word or sentence, till he or she had mimicked the original so effectually, as to give great merriment to others. They appeared delighted with my company, especially as I could, when meat was scarce, take my gun and shoot a rhinoceros, or some other animal, when a night of feasting and talking, as if they had had a barrel of spirits among them, would follow. They thought themselves quite lucky in having such company as one who could supply them occasionally with both food and medicine.

Bogachu whom I might call my host, daily allowed me a little milk for tea. He was an interesting character, and though not tall, had great dignity about his person, as well as much politeness of manner. As the people had no gardens, the women had very little to do, and they considered it quite a luxury to spend a couple of hours in noisy and often deafen¬ ing conversation at my wagon. Every opportunity was gladly embraced in which I could impart instruction to the people of the different villages around, which were inhabited by Barolongs, Bamairis, and some Bahurutsi refugees from Kurrechane. My preaching and speaking did indeed appear to he casting seed by the wayside or on the flinty rock, while they would gravely ask, if I were in earnest, and believed that there was such a Being as I described. It was indeed painful to hear them turning the theme of man’s redemption and the Cross into ridicule, and making a sport of immortality.

The people, to please me, would assemble on the Sabbath, as I told them I could not he hap])y without telling them about their souls and another world.

One clay, while describing the day of judgment, several of my hearers expressed great concern at the idea of all their cattle being destroyed, together with their ornaments. They never for one moment allow their thoughts to dwell on death, which is, according to their views, nothing less than annihilation. Their supreme happiness consists in having abundance of meat. Asking a man who was more grave and thoughtful than his companions, what was the finest sight he could desire, he instantly replied, “A great hre covered with pots full of meat;” adding, “how ugly the fire looks without a pot!”*

My situation was not very well suited for study, among a noisy rabble and a constant influx of beggars. Writing was a work of great difficulty, owing to the flies crowding into the inkhorn or clustering round the point of the pen, and pursuing it on the paper, drinking the ink as fast as it flowed. The night brought little relief, for as soon as the candle was lighted, innumerable insects swarmed around so as to put it out. When I had occasion to hunt, in order to supply the wants of myself and people, a troop of men would follow, and as soon as a rhinoceros or any other animal was shot, a fire was made, and some would be roasting, while the others would be cutting and tearing away at the ponderous carcase, which was soon dissected. During these operations they would exhibit all the gestures of heathenish joy, making an uproar as if a town were on fire. I do not wonder that Mr. Campbell once remarked on a similar occa-

* A roiigli kind of earthenware made by all the Bechiiana tribes, and which stands the fire well.

4Glsion, that from their noise and gestures lie did not know his travelling companions. Having once shot a rhinoceros, the men surrounded it with roaring congratulation. In vain I shouted that it was not dead — a dozen spears were thrust into it, when up started the animal in a fury, and tearing up the ground with his horn, made every one fly in terror. These animals were very numerous in this part of the country; they are not gregarious, more than four or flve being seldom seen together, though I once observed nine following each other to the water. They fear no enemy but man, and are fearless of him when wounded and pursued. The lion flies before them like a cat; the mohohu, the largest species, has been known even to kill the elephant, by thrusting his horn into his ribs. This genus is called by the Bechuanas, chukuru; and the four distinct species have more than once been pointed out to me when they have all been within sight, the mohohu, kheitlua, and the horila or kenengyane.^’ The last, though the smallest with the shortest horns, is the most fierce, and consequently they are the last that retire from populous regions, while the other species, owing to their more timid habits, seek the recesses of the interior wilds.

Being in want of food, and not liking to spend a harassing day, exposed to a hot sun, on a thirsty plain, in quest of a steak, I went one night, accoml)anied by two men, to the water whence the supply

* Not having brought with me my memoranda of names, character and instincts of game, I cannot recall the name of the fourth, which is distinguished from the Tiheitliia by the position of its cars and the formation of its head. There arc also other marks by which the natives distinguish them.

for the town was obtained, as well as where the cattle came to drink. We determined to lie in a hollow spot near the fountain, and shoot the first object which might come within our reach. It was half moonlight, and rather cold, though the days were warm. We remained for a couple of hours, waiting with great anxiety for something to appear. We at length heard a loud lapping at the water, under the dark shadowy bank, within twenty yards of us. “What is that 1 asked Bogachu. “Ririmala,” (be silent,) he said; “there are lions, they will hear us.” A hint was more than enough; and thankful were we, that, when they had drunk, they did not come over the smooth grassy surface in our direction. Our next visitors were two buffalos, one immensely large. My wagon-driver, Mosi, who also had a gun, seeing them coming directly towards us, begged me to fire. I refused, having more dread of a wounded buffalo than of almost any other animal. He fired; and though the animal was severely wounded, he stood like a statue with his companion, within a hundred yards of us, for more than an hour, waiting to see us move, in order to attack us. We lay in an awkwmrd position for that time, scarcely daring to whisper; and when he at last retired we were so stiff with cold, that flight would have been impossible had an attack been made. We then moved about till our blood began to circulate. Our next visitors were two giraffes; one of these we wounded. A troop of quaggas next came; but the successful instinct of the principal stallion, in surveying the precincts of the water, galloping round in all directions to catch any strange scent, and re¬ turning to the troop with a whistling noise, to announce danger, set them off at full speed. The next was a huge rhinoceros, which receiving a mortal wound, departed. Hearing the approach of more lions, we judged it best to leave; and after a lonely walk of four miles through bushes, hyenas and jackals, we reached the village, when I felt thankful, resolving never to hunt by night at a water-pool, till I could find nothing to eat elsewhere. Next day the rhinoceros and buffalo were found, which afforded a plentiful supply.

While spending ten days with the Barolongs at Kongke, among several thousands of people, under the chiefs Molala, Mochuara, and Gontse, I had an opportunity of witnessing the swiftness of some of the natives. Two stately giraffes having got out of their usual heat, came sailing along through the tall acacias, till, discovering the abodes of men, they turned their course, and were soon pursued by some young men, who not only came up to them, hut were successful in killing one. This is a feat rarely at¬ tempted, except with a horse; and sometimes even that animal fails to overtake them.

During my sojourn among this portion of the Ba¬ rolongs, I had no little difficulty in obtaining a hearing when I wished to talk to them about their eternal interests. Molala was a complete heathen, and had obtained his riches, as well as his influence, by intrigue and rapine. I was in the habit of concluding from facts, about which I have not deemed it necessary to he very minute, that the Batlapis were, as a people, not only very ignorant and dey)raved, hut exceedingly brutal: however, a short stay among the 13arolongs convinced me that the latter far exceeded

the former. An intelligent, traveller,* who sojourned for a time among the Batlapis, was not mistaken when he was obliged, most reluctantly, to come to the conclusion, that “the foulest blot on their character is the indifterence with which murder is viewed among them. It excites little sensation, excepting in the family of the person who has been murdered; and brings, it is said, no disgrace upon him who has committed it; nor uneasiness, excepting the fear of their revenge. Shall we not hesitate to assert that human nature is superior to the brute creation, when we find among this people instances of the fact, that the shedding of human blood, without the pretext of provocation or offence, and even by the basest treachery, has fixed no infamy upon the perpetrator of so awful a crime; and rarely drawn upon him any punishment from the chief authority: an authority which the Giver of power intrusts to mortal hands, only for the weak, and for the common good? Such at least, are the sentiments which they express, and such were their replies to my questions on this subject.”

During my stay at Kongke, an instance occurred confirming the view of Dr. Burchell. A man was quarrelling with his wife about a very trifling affair, when, in a fit of rage, he grasped his spear, and laid her at his feet a bleeding corpse! Here there were no coroners nor jury to take cognizance of the fact, and he walked about without a blush, while the lifeless body was dragged out to be devoured by the hyena. When I endeavoured to represent to the chiefs, with Dr. Burcliell.

whom I was familiar, as old acquaintances, the magnitude of such crimes, they laughed, I might say inordinately, at the horror I felt for the murder of a woman by her own husband!

A custom prevails among all the Bechuanas whom I have visited, of removing to a distance from the towns and villages persons who have been wounded. Two young men, who had been wounded by the poisoned arrows of the Bushmen, were thus removed from the Kuruman. Having visited them, to administer relief, I made inquiries, but could learn no reason, except that it was a custom. This unnatural practice exposed the often helpless invalid to great danger; for, if not well attended during the night, his paltry little hut, or rather shade from the sun and wind, would be assailed by the hyena or lion. A catastrophe of this kind occurred a short time before my arrival among the Barolongs. The son of one of the principal chiefs, a tine young man, had been wounded by a butfalo; he was, according to custom, placed on the outside of the village till he should re¬ cover; a portion of food was daily sent, and a person appointed to make his fire for the evening. The fire went out; and the helpless man, notwithstanding his piteous cries, was carried off by the lion, and devoured. Some might think that this practice originated in the treatment of infectious diseases, such as leprosy; but the only individual I ever saw thus affected, was not separated. This disease, though often found among slaves in the Colony, is unknown among the tribes in the interior, and therefore they have no name for it.

Among the diffei’ent tribes congregated in this wil-THE smith’s shop.

derness part of the world, the Bahurutsian refugees were the most interesting and industrious. Having occasion to mend the linchpin of my wagon, I inquired for a native smith, when a respectable and rather venerable man with one eye, was pointed out. Observing, from the cut of his hair, that he was a foreigner, and inquiring where, he practised his trade, I was alfected to hear him reply, I am a Mohurutsi, from Kurrechane.” I accompanied him to his shop, in an open yard at the back of his house. The whole of his implements consisted of two small goat-skins for bellows, some small broken pots for crucibles, a few round green stone boulders for his anvil, a hammer made of a small piece of iron about three-quarters of an inch thick, and rather more than two by three inches square, with a handle in a hole in the centre, a cold chisel, two or three other shapeless tools, and a heap of charcoal. “I am not an iron-smith,” he said; “I work in copper,” showing me some of his copper and brass ornaments, consisting of ear-rings, arm-rings, etc. I told him I only wanted wind and fire. He sat down between his two goat-skins, and puffed away. (Seepage 117.) Instead of using his tongs, made of the bark of a tree, I went for my own. When he saw them he gazed in silent admiration; he turned them over and over; he had never seen such ingenuity, and pressed them to his chest, giving me a most expressive look, which was as intelligible as “Will you give them to me?” My work was soon done, when he entered his hut, from which he brought a piece of flat iron, begging me to pierce it with a number of different sized holes, for the purpose of drawing copper and brass wire. Requesting to see

the old one, it was produced, accompanied by the feeling declaration, “It is from Kurrecliane.” Having examined his manner of using it, and formed a tolerable idea of the thing he wanted, I set to work; and finding his iron too soft for piercing holes through nearly an half-inch iron plate, I took the oldest of my two handsaw files to make a punch, which I had to repair many times. After much labour, and a long time spent, I succeeded in piercing about twenty holes, from the eighth of an inch to the thickness of a thread. The moment the work was completed, he grasped it, and breaking out into exclamations of surprise, bounded over the fence like an antelope, and danced about the village like a Merry-Andrew, exhibiting his treasure to every one, and asking if they ever saw any thing like it. Next day I told him, that as we were brothers of one trade, (for, among the Africans, arts, though in their infancy, have their secrets too,) he must show me the whole process of melting cop¬ per, making brass, and drawing wire. The broken pot or crucible, containing a quantity of copper and a little tin, was presently fixed in the centre of a charcoal fire. He then applied his bellows till the contents were fused. He had previously prepared a heap of sand, slightly adhesive, and by thrusting a stick about two-eighths of an inch in diameter, like the ramrod of a musket, obliquely into this heap, he made holes, into wdiich he poured the contents of his crucible. He then fixed a round, smooth stick, about three feet high, having a split in the top, up¬ right in the ground, when, taking out his rods of brass, he beat them out on a stone with his little hammer, till they were about the eighth of an inch

square, occasionally softening them in a small flame, made by burning grass. Having reduced them all to this thickness, he laid the end of one on a stone, and rubbed it to a point with another stone, in order to introduce it through the largest hole in his ironplate; he then opened the split in the upright stick, to hold fast the end of the wire, when he forced the plate and wire round the stick with a lever-power, frequently rubbing the wire with oil or fat. The same operation is performed each time, making the point of the wire smaller for the less hole, till it is reduced to the size wanted, which is sometimes about that of thick sewing-cotton. The wire is, of course, far inferior in colour and quality to our brass-wire. These native smiths, however, evince great dexterity in working ornaments from copper, brass, and iron.”^

When I had thus assisted the old man, and become sociable, I talked to him about the power of know¬ ledge; explaining the bellows and other mechanical improvements, which insure accuracy as well as save time and labour. To this he listened with great attention; but when I introduced Divine subjects, man’s misery, and man’s redemption, he looked at me with mouth dilated, and asked, “‘A ga u morihi pula?” Art thou a rain-maker? This man had also an interesting son and daughter, to whom I often spoke, as well as to some others, in social converse, which I hoped and prayed might he blessed; but what became of these Bahurutsian families I never knew.

Specimens of the wire, a hammer, and the plate, may be seen in the Missionary Museum, Mission House, Blomfield-street, Fhnsbury.

Some time after my arrival among these Barolongs, certain people came from the Bauangketsi, who, on seeing me, expressed a strong desire that I should visit their king, Sebegne, the son of Makaba. I explained why I could not comply at that time, and sent a small present. A fortnight after, while sitting writing in my wagon, the hue-and-cry was raised that an enemy was approaching, when many fled, leaving the village with few inhabitants. I did not like the idea of leaving my wagon and other property, after their example, and sat waiting to see who the enemy was, when presently Sebegne, with two hundred warriors, flne-looking men, emerged from a thicket of acacias, and the trembling inhabitants were amazed to observe the chieftain, whom they never saw be¬ fore, come and salute me in a way which proved that we were old acquaintances. I walked into the village with him and his men, to the no small astonishment of its owners, who drew near, out of breath with their flight, to see the king of the Bauangketsi. They were still more surprised when he told them that he had broken an established law of his people, which would not permit the king to leave his own dominions, but that his martial appearance among them was on de¬ signs of peace; for his sole object was to induce me to accompany him to his capital. He remained two days, during which I had much interesting conversation with him, but could not, from want of time, accede to his urgent request to accompany him to his own country. He referred with much apparent pleasure, to my visit to his late father, and expressed an earnest desire that I should go and live with him and his ])eople. He had ])nrchased one horse, and

stolen another from an individual who had visited him, and wishing to appear before me in trowsers, had got a pair made of some shape, begging I would supply him with better a request which was granted. The Barolongs were so suspicious of the visit of such a great man, that they could not feel comfortable, until they had heard that he had passed the Molapo, the boundary of his kingdom; they then came and gave me the credit I did not deserve, of preventing his fierce warriors from destroying their villages, and taking their cattle. His last words were, “Trust me, as you trusted my father.’’

After ten weeks’ sojourn among this people, who showed me no little kindness, I prepared to return home; and on the Sabbath collected all, and gave them my concluding address, on the importance of believing the Gospel of mercy. After a thirsty journey, I reached home, with a heart filled with gratitude to God for the comforts I enjoyed, and the progress I had made in the language, during these months of a semi-savage life. In that country it was not then easy to convey letters, owing to a dangerous desert path, and the tribes living in constant suspicion of each other. It was no uncommon thing in those days for ambassadors never to return, and for trading parties to he entirely cut off. Postmen and carriers were therefore not easily found, though they were safe if known to belong to us. I have more than once found it difficult to convince a messenger that the letter would not say a word to him on the road; and part of a journal, and a letter to Mrs. M., were thrown away from this superstitious notion.

A remarkable providence was observable in this

visit to the Barolongs. Immediately on my return to the station, the news reached us that a marauding party had proceeded from the Orange River to the northward, and fell on the people among whom I had lived, and they, in consequence, fled to the Kalagare desert, with the loss of much cattle. The distance at which they had passed and repassed to the north of our station, and the feebleness of the party, excited no alarm among the Kuruman people.

The above is a sketch of the lekuka, or Bechuana milk-sack, referred to in the present work, and is made of the hide of an ox, or that of a quaga, which is said to give the milk a better flavour. The strongest part of the skin is selected, and stretched on the ground with wooden pegs; and when it has become hard, the hairy side is scraped smooth with a small iron adze; cut, and sewed into the above shape. After being soaked with water, it is filled with sweet milk, which, in warm weather, or on being exposed to the sun, soon becomes sour. The spigot at the bottom is to draw off the whey, when more milk is added. The thick sour milk thus prepared is very agreeable and wholesome, and will keep a long time. These sacks do not last long, especially if used for water; and l)y them, it is easy for ns to understand the old leather bottles of Scripture, into which new wine was not to be put.