Tette stands on a succession of low sandstone ridges on the right bank of the Zambesi, which is here nearly a thousand yards wide (960yards).Shallow ravines, running parallel with the river, form the streets, the houses being built on the ridges.The whole surface of the streets, except narrow footpaths, were overrun with self-sown indigo, and tons of it might have been collected.In fact indigo, senna, and stramonium, with a species of cassia, form the weeds of the place, which are annually hoed off and burned.A wall of stone and mud surrounds the village, and the native population live in huts outside.The fort and the church, near the river, are the strongholds; the natives having a salutary dread of the guns of the one, and a superstitious fear of the unknown power of the other.The number of white inhabitants is small, and rather select, many of them having been considerately sent out of Portugal "for their country's good."The military element preponderates in society; the convict and "incorrigible" class of soldiers, receiving very little pay, depend in great measure on the produce of the gardens of their black wives; the moral condition of the resulting population may be imagined.
Droughts are of frequent occurrence at Tette, and the crops suffer severely.This may arise partly from the position of the town between the ranges of hills north and south, which appear to have a strong attraction for the rain-clouds.It is often seen to rain on these hills when not a drop falls at Tette.Our first season was one of drought.Thrice had the women planted their gardens in vain, the seed, after just vegetating, was killed by the intense dry heat.Afourth planting shared the same hard fate, and then some of the knowing ones discovered the cause of the clouds being frightened away:our unlucky rain-gauge in the garden.We got a bad name through that same rain-gauge, and were regarded by many as a species of evil omen.The Makololo in turn blamed the people of Tette for drought:"A number of witches live here, who won't let it rain."
Africans in general are sufficiently superstitious, but those of Tette are in this particular pre-eminent above their fellows.Coming from many different tribes, all the rays of the separate superstitions converge into a focus at Tette, and burn out common sense from the minds of the mixed breed.They believe that many evil spirits live in the air, the earth, and the water.These invisible malicious beings are thought to inflict much suffering on the human race; but, as they have a weakness for beer and a craving for food, they may be propitiated from time to time by offerings of meat and drink.The serpent is an object of worship, and hideous little images are hung in the huts of the sick and dying.The uncontaminated Africans believe that Morungo, the Great Spirit who formed all things, lives above the stars; but they never pray to him, and know nothing of their relation to him, or of his interest in them.The spirits of their departed ancestors are all good, according to their ideas, and on special occasions aid them in their enterprises.When a man has his hair cut, he is careful to burn it, or bury it secretly, lest, falling into the hands of one who has an evil eye, or is a witch, it should be used as a charm to afflict him with headache.They believe, too, that they will live after the death of the body, but do not know anything of the state of the Barimo (gods, or departed spirits).
The mango-tree grows luxuriantly above Lupata, and furnishes a grateful shade.Its delicious fruit is superior to that on the coast.For weeks the natives who have charge of the mangoes live entirely on the fruit, and, as some trees bear in November and some in March, while the main crop comes between, fruit in abundance may easily be obtained during four months of the year; but no native can be induced to plant a mango.A wide-spread superstition has become riveted in the native mind, that if any one plants this tree he will soon die.The Makololo, like other natives, were very fond of the fruit; but when told to take up some mango-stones, on their return, and plant them in their own country--they too having become deeply imbued with the belief that it was a suicidal act to do so--replied "they did not wish to die too soon."There is also a superstition even among the native Portuguese of Tette, that if a man plants coffee he will never afterwards be happy:they drink it, however, and seem the happier for it.
The Portuguese of Tette have many slaves, with all the usual vices of their class, as theft, lying, and impurity.As a general rule the real Portuguese are tolerably humane masters and rarely treat a slave cruelly; this may be due as much to natural kindness of heart as to a fear of losing the slaves by their running away.When they purchase an adult slave they buy at the same time, if possible, all his relations along with him.They thus contrive to secure him to his new home by domestic ties.Running away then would be to forsake all who hold a place in his heart, for the mere chance of acquiring a freedom, which would probably be forfeited on his entrance into the first native village, for the chief might, without compunction, again sell him into slavery.
