CHAPTER XL 



FROM TETE TO FORT JAMESON. 



TETE has often been described in books of travel, and there is really nothing 

 interesting about the place, although it has been in existence for about four 

 hundred years. 



Its importance waned with the passing of the slave trade, for it was the chief 

 centre on the Zambesi for that nefarious traffic. The town is built on some rising 

 ground on the south bank of the river, and at a distance it looks rather pretty ; but 

 closer inspection proves it to be a dirty, evil-smelling place, for its sanitary 

 arrangements have received little or no attention from the authorities. 



After getting together sufficient carriers, I got away on October 19th, 1906, 

 and transported my loads across the Zambesi in a big boat belonging to the African 

 Lakes Corporation, which concern has an agent stationed in Tete. That day I did a 

 short trek of about fifteen miles, as it is always advisable to give the carriers an easy 

 day to begin with, until they become accustomed to their loads. The heat in the 

 Zambesi valley at this time of year can only be described as terrific. The burning 

 rays of the sun heated the rocks and hard earth so much that at times the carriers 

 had to stop under the shade of a tree. Even with boots on it was almost unbearable, 

 and any metal such as a rifle barrel got so hot that it meant burning one's fingers to 

 touch it. 



I had to take my boots off on several occasions to cool my feet. The carriers 

 had to put green leaves between the tin boxes and their hands. As I did not have a 

 thermometer with me I cannot say what the heat registered. 



October is about the hottest month here, and, as it can be imagined, the great 

 heat soon evaporates most of the water, and one has to go long distances between the 

 water-holes. 



The second day I passed into a pretty valley with a perennial stream, and 

 here I found big groves of mango trees which were planted, I believe, by Jesuit 

 missionaries some hundreds of years ago. Passing here the previous December I 

 had some glorious feeds of the luscious fruit, but at this time (October) they were not 

 ripe. I was now on the look out for game, for I had not yet been lucky enough to 

 see any since leaving Tete, but on the 22nd, while walking along ahead of the carriers. 



