Chap. XVI. SINAMANE'S PEOPLE. 317 



CHAPTER XVI. 



Sinamane — Canoe navigation — Moemba — "Water-drawing stockades — Gene- 

 rosity of the Batoka — Purchase of a canoe — Ant-lions — Herd of Hippo- 

 potami — Cataract doctor of Kariba — Albinos, human and hipj:>opotaraic — 

 Meet Sequasha, not quite so black as painted — Native mode of salutation 

 — Karivua — Gallant conduct of the Makololo — Breakfast interrupted by 

 Mambo Kazai — Dinner spoilt by pretended aid — Banyai — Rapids of Ke- 

 brabasa — Dr. Kirk in danger — Sad loss of MSS., &c. — Death of one of 

 our donkeys — Amiable squeamishness of Makololo — Dinner a la Panzo — 

 Keach Tette 23rd Nov. — "Jacks of all trades" — Imposition practised on 

 the King of Portugal's Colonial scheme. 



Sinamane's people cultivate large quantities of tobacco, 

 which they manufacture into balls for the Makololo market. 

 Twenty balls, weighing about three-quarters of a pound each, 

 are sold for a hoe. The tobacco is planted on low moist 

 spots on the banks of the Zambesi ; and was in flower at 

 the time we were there, in October. Sinamane's people ap- 

 pear to have abundance of food, and are all in good condi- 

 tion. He could sell us only two of his canoes ; but lent us 

 three more to carry us as far as Moemba's, where he thought 

 others might be purchased. They were manned by his own 

 canoe-men, who were to bring them back. The river is 

 about 250 yards wide, and flows serenely between high 

 banks towards the North -East. Below Sinamane's the 

 banks are often worn down fifty feet, and composed of 

 shingle and gravel of igneous rocks, sometimes set in a 

 ferruginous matrix. The bottom is all gravel and shingle, 

 how formed we cannot imagine, unless in pot-holes in the 

 deep fissure above. The bottom above the Falls, save a 

 few rocks close by them, is generally sandy or of soft tufa. 

 Every damp spot is covered with maize, pumpkins, water- 



