488 TENACITY OF LIFE. CHAP. XXIL there being but an inch of the barbed arrow-head visible, it was thought better not to run the risk of her dying under the operation necessary for its removal; so we carried her up to her own hut. One of her relatives was less scrupulous, for he cut out the arrow and part of the lung. Mr. Young sent her occasionally portions of native corn, and, strange to say, found that she not only became well, but stout. The constitution of these people seems to have a wonderful power of self-repair-and it could be no slight privation which had cut off the many thousands that we saw dead around us. We regretted that, in consequence of Dr. Meller having now sole medical charge, we could not have his company in our projected trip; but he found employment in botany and natural history after the annual sickly season of March, April, and May was over, and his constant presence was not so much required at the ship. Later in the year, when he could be well spared, he went down the river to take up an appointment he had been offered in Madagascar, but, unfortunately, was so severely tried by illness while detained at the coast, that for nearly two years he was not able to turn his abilities as a naturalist to account by proceeding to that island. We have no doubt but he will yet distinguish himself in that untrodden field. CHAP. XXIII. CULTIVATION-COTTON. 489 CHAPTER XXIII. June 16th, 1863, start for the Upper Cataracts.-Cultivation.-Cotton.-Huts empty, or tenanted by Skeletons.-Buffalo-birds and dread of the poisoned Arrow.—Kombi, a species of Strophanthus, the Poison employed.—The 'Ngā Poison.-Its Effects.-Instinct in Man. -Mukuru-Madse.-Sanu, or pricklyseeded Grass.-Its Use.-Native Paths.-Guinea-fowls.-Cotton Patches.Expedition recalled.-No other Course open to us, Labor being all swept away by Portuguese Slave-trading.-Mr. Waller witnesses a small part of the Trade.-Friendliness of the Ajawa and Makololo to the English.—Try to take another Boat past the Cataracts.-Loss of the Boat.-Penitence of the Losers.-The Cataracts.-Geology. ON the 16th of June we started for the Upper Cataracts with a mule-cart, our road lying a distance of a mile west from the river. We saw many of the deserted dwellings of the people who formerly came to us, and were very much struck by the extent of land under cultivation, though that, compared with the whole country, is very small. Large patches of mapira continued to grow, as it is said it does from the roots for three years. The mapira was mixed with tall bushes of the Congo-bean, castor-oil plants, and cotton. The largest patch of this kind we paced, and found it to be six hundred and thirty paces on one side; the rest were from one acre to three, and many not more than one third of an acre. The cotton-of very superior quality-was now dropping off the bushes, to be left to rot-there was no one to gather what would have been of so much value in Lancashire. The huts, in the different villages we entered, were standing quite perfect. The mortars for pounding corn--the stones for grind ing it-the water and beer pots-the empty corn-safes and kitchen utensils, were all untouched; and most of the doors 490 BUFFALOES AND BUFFALO-BIRDS. CHAP. XXIII. were shut, as if the starving owners had gone out to wander in search of roots or fruits in the forest, and had never returned. When opened, several huts revealed a ghastly sight of human skeletons. Some were seen in such unnatural positions as to give the idea that they had expired in a faint, when trying to reach something to allay the gnawings of hunger. We took several of the men as far as the Mukuru-Madse for the sake of the change of air and for occupation, and also to secure for the ships a supply of buffalo meat—as those animals were reported to be in abundance on that stream. But, though it was evident from the tracks that the report was true, it was impossible to get a glimpse of them. The grass being taller than we were, and pretty thickly planted, they always knew of our approach before we saw them. And the first intimation we had of their being near was the sound they made in rushing over the stones, breaking the branches, and knocking their horns against each other. Once, when seeking a ford for the cart at sunrise, we saw a herd slowly wending up the hill-side from the water. Sending for a rifle, and stalking with intense eagerness for a fat beefsteak, instead of our usual fare of salted provisions, we got so near that we could hear the bulls uttering their hoarse deep low, but could see nothing except the mass of yellow grass in front; suddenly the buffalo-birds sounded their alarm-whistle, and away dashed the troop, and we got sight of neither birds nor beasts. This would be no country for a sportsman except when the grass is short. The animals are wary, from the dread they have of the poisoned arrows. Those of the natives who do hunt are deeply imbued with the hunting spirit, and follow the game with a stealthy perseverance and cunning quite extraordinary. The arrow making no noise, the herd is follow CHAP. XXIII. POISONED ARROWS. 491 ed up until the poison takes effect, and the wounded animal falls out. It is then patiently watched till it drops—a portion of meat round the wound is cut away, and all the rest eaten. Poisoned arrows are made in two pieces. An iron barb is firmly fastened to one end of a small wand of wood, ten inches or a foot long; the other end of which, fined down to a long point, is nicely fitted, though not otherwise secured, in D C B A. Common form of Ajawa arrow iron head, with barbs. B. 66 66 Manganja, poisoned at head and barbs, and neck. C. Manner of inserting arrow-head into the shaft. D. Entire arrow nearly four feet long, and feathered. the hollow of the reed, which forms the arrow shaft. The wood immediately below the iron head is smeared with the poison. When the arrow is shot into an animal, the reed either falls to the ground at once, or is very soon brushed off by the bushes; but the iron barb and poisoned upper part of the wood remain in the wound. If made in one piece, the arrow would often be torn out, head and all, by the long shaft catching in the underwood, or striking against trees. The poison used here, and called kombi, is obtained from a species of strophanthus, and is very virulent. Dr. Kirk found by an accidental experiment on himself that it acts by lowering the pulse. In using his tooth-brush, which had been in a pocket containing a little of the poison, he noticed a bitter taste, but 492 THE 'NGA POISON. CHAP. XXIII. attributed it to his having sometimes used the handle in tak ing quinine. Though the quantity was small, it immediately showed its power by lowering his pulse, which at the time had been raised by a cold, and next day he was perfectly restored. Not much can be inferred from a single case of this kind, but it is possible that the kombi may turn out a valuable remedy; and, as Professor Sharpey has conducted a series of experiments with this substance, we look with interest for the results. An alkaloid has been obtained from it similar to strychnine. There is no doubt that all kinds of wild animals die from the effects of poisoned arrows, except the elephant and hippopotamus. The amount of poison that this little weapon can convey into their systems being too small to kill those huge beasts, the hunters resort to the beam-trap instead. Another kind of poison was met with on Lake Nyassa which was said to be used exclusively for killing men. It was put on small wooden arrow-heads, and carefully protected by a piece of maize-leaf tied round it. It caused numbness of the tongue when the smallest particle was tasted. The Bushmen of the northern part of the Kalahari were seen applying the entrails of a small caterpillar which they termed 'Ngã to their arrows. This venom was declared to be so powerful in producing delirium, that a man, in dying, returned in imagination to a state of infancy, and would call for his mother's breast. Lions, when shot with it, are said to perish in agonies. The poisonous ingredient in this case may be derived from the plant on which the caterpillar feeds. It is difficult to conceive by what sort of experiments the prop erties of these poisons, known for generations, were proved. Probably the animal instincts, which have become so obtuse by civilization, that children in England eat the berries of the |