Out of Darkness, Shining Light by Petina Gappah

Author:Petina Gappah
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scribner
Published: 2019-09-09T16:00:00+00:00

7

19 May 1873

Seventh Entry from the Journal of Jacob Wainwright, written at Muanamuzungu’s Village; in which the Livingstone Expedition sets off, preceded by a Mournful Farewell to Chitambo and his People before Marching into the Interior, where Wainwright prays for the Blessings of Providence and Redemption.

The Livingstone Expedition, if I may be so bold as to give this name to our small band of Pilgrims, set off from Chitambo’s before dawn on the sixteenth day of May 1873, in the Year of Our Lord. It was exactly fifteen days after the Doctor’s Death. Such was the determination of the party that we were all up before the roosters gave the cry.

Then we made our final call on Chitambo, who came back with us to our settlement. As he watched the preparations for our final departure, he told us we were to pass through his brother Muanamuzungu’s village. He had already sent a messenger with word, he said. Indeed, we had seen the man being instructed in his message, and heard him reciting it over and over again to himself, so that he remembered it.

I am told that it is the way that the chiefs in these parts send messengers to each other. Their men carry messages of considerable length over great distances, and deliver them word for word. On even longer distances, two or more will go together, rehearsing and reciting to each other the message that they bear.

We thanked Chitambo for sending this emissary and gave him strict injunctions to keep the grass around the grave of the Doctor’s heart cleared, so as to save it from the bush fires. And he was to be sure that no man would cut down the tree under which his heart reposed. We showed him as well the signpost that we had built out of two high thick posts, with a crosspiece which we covered with tar.

We left the rest of the tar with him, so that he and his people might use it should the need arise. We also left with him a large tin biscuit box and some newspapers. “On this is printed the white man’s knowledge,” we said, “and if, in future, travelers from their lands should come this way, you and your descendants are to show them this, that they may know that one of them has been on your land.”

As he promised to do all this, he looked at us wistfully and said, “My people too were travelers once, and they went all the way to the sea. But these Engerese, if they come, they should not be long in coming, because there might at any time be an invasion of the Mazitu. And if that happens, I and my people will be forced to fly farther north into the forests beyond the Lualaba.”

Then he added, “The tree might be cut down for a canoe by someone, and then all trace of it would be lost.”

We assured him that they would come soon, the English, but we knew as well as he did that it was a guarantee we could not make.

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