RHODESIAN-PIONEERS-L Archives

From: "Carruthers-home" <>
Subject: [RHODESIAN-PIONEERS] The Zambezi/Lomagundi - early days
Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 21:31:48 +0200
References: <BCEAKJKFAJIHFAPPGNPHKEMOCIAA.mlambo@tseward.wanadoo.co.uk>

In the eyes of Jack Carruthers : Recollections of the Sinoia Caves/Lomagundi & to the Zambezi:



Selous incorrectly thought the caves were ancient gold diggings. They had however been formed by contunious water action flowing through joints and fractures within the Dolomite. The inner pool had crystal clear deep blue water, haunted by the serpent Chirorodziwa (Siri-Roedzwa) the pool of the fallen or silent pool. Early warring tribes chased the locals in to the caves where they were forced into the pool, 'Sleeping pool' as it is now known. In the past home to a pigmy tribe of honey-eaters who communicated by whistling, they attacked only those that tampered with their hives.



"Chanetsa had his small kraal, a wild domain uninhabited stretched away across the Angwa River towards the Zambezi Valley some 150 miles away distant. There was no sign of Tsetse fly in the basin between Umvukwe and Wrongga hills, game of every kind were encountered in big herds. The first Tsetse fly we encountered was half a mile west of the Sinoia caves on top of the hills and out beyond, the whole district was infested right on to the Zambezi. It was difficult to move out anywhere then, there were no beaten tracks and we had no knowledge of the country, there was long grass, swamps and a dearth of supplies, natives fled on our approach, it took us some time to win their confidence. After that they would follow us for days in a suspicious manner for the sake of meat and curiosity. Some would carry what little gear we had, but they usually deserted when we wanted them most. They placed no value on money and preferred skin coverings to European clothing. Most of them were strangers to their neighbouring districts and would refuse to go beyond a certain boundary. An instance of this when I was heading for the headwaters of the Ruia river in the Darwin district in search of a salt pan which the natives had promised to show me, this being well worth my while as salt was fetching @12 per tonne. I passed the kraal of a chief named Temaringa, who was later killed in an attack during the rebellion. His brother Mapondera had managed to escape into Portuguese territory. All my natives deserted, it was the end of their "Country" Temaringa's people refused to carry my kit any further or return with it, I suspected this was a ploy to take what goods I could not carry, so I built a fire and burnt everything but a few necessities, which I carried back to Fred Nesbitt's camp the Mining Commissioner at Mazoe. Temaringa's people were somewhat distraught."



The name Selous was well known to the natives of this area he having been there in 1889 passing on his way from Tete, it was Selous that named Mount Darwin. For this rich area and west to the Dande river, he received the mineral concession from the Ma'Kori-Kori chiefs Ma-Pondera and his brother Temaringa.



"Jack Spreckly our District Mining Commissioner fixed his camp on the small spruit two miles down from the present Sinoia Township. Spreckly had prospected in the area back in 1887, the end of June 1891 he was appointed, acting administrative official, (confirmed early 1892). As we trekked through to the Angwa fields we were forced to congregate every night for protection, game of every kind roamed there at their will."



"On one occasion when travelling past Nyamative waterholes after making camp and dark set in I was scared away to dense timber where I could make myself and native carrier safe. The hundreds of buffalo and other game that came to drink was a sight I will never forget, near this spot behind the Shaghoola hill I found a small kraal of pigmies, apparently not honey eaters, however may distantly, once been related to the 'Whistling Pigmies' the men were firm set, pleasing little men, the woman with babies looked like children themselves. Years later I met with some of the same "stick family" as they were later called further out in the district. They have no particular connection to the Ma-Shona or the Ma-Korikori. When they accompanied us, meat was their only desire, they often deserted, the first night out."



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" June 1892 the Chartered Company had Saw Pits out in the Umvukwe hills, Skipper H. Hoste, George Bowen, Lientenant Tyndale-Biscoe of "C" troop and others were busy sawing timber, that was used in the erection of the Government Offices. Wal Palmer was in charge of the transport work for the Company. Armstrong, Selou's friend was sent out with me by the Company, to the Chinoyi Caves, where I directed him how to burn lime. During the Matabele raids in to the area in search of cattle Chinhoyi drove his people and over three hundred cattle and goats in to the cave, they never discovered the stockade and lived in peace till the 1896 rebellion, when a British officer routed them after threatening dynamite. I was the first 'pioneer' to find the underground passage through to the lower levels it was stocked with corn bins and ladders stretching down in to the darkness. The intensely blue pool was home to small fish, lilies and pond weed. There were no Natives west of the Hunyani range in those days due to the 'Fly' which stretched from there to the Zambezi. From here I pushed on to the Angwa passed Kagonda where chief Lo-Magondi was killed by the Matabele."



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"While camped on the Zambesi, a few miles up stream from the pretty Karabi Island, I crossed my traded cattle, taking them over singly, swimming along side the Dug out. A white man came sailing down stream in a Dug out. He came ashore to ask the way, telling me he was going up country. He had no definite purpose in view. I remarked: "there was a deal of risk travelling alone, especially having no knowledge of the native language". He was an Australian fellow and said he knew all about roughing it in the bush. He had no provisions, but carried @200 in a belt round his body. I suggested he should follow the Zambezi down to the coast. I could not persuade the chap to give up his foolish attempt to get up through to the Congo."



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"Travelling to Kachumba on the Zambezi, sixty miles from Fiera my old boy Kapeakwa, who knew this part of the country well suggested carrying water, as it was necessary to sleep on the way, there being no water for twenty miles miles. We had camped halfway, among the hills for the night. I was awakened by my native companion at daylight saying, "there is a native kraal close by". I could also hear the early sounds of habitation, the bleating goat and the cackling rooster. I remarked to Kapeakwa, "are we on the wrong road - what kraal is that?" He laughed saying: "What you hear is T'Songgu (Yamunga) the big snake, with red ears, that makes a nest of twigs on a tree branch. To draw it's prey it can mimic any creature it wishes to catch." The natives have a great dread of this particular snake, and will avoid any road it lives near. It is over 10 feet long and four inch round, it will stand up to half it's length and face you. I know of two friends having been killed by this snake, one a surveyor many years ago down near Inyanga and the other in the Mount Darwin district." It's Dark brown snake with a small head and red gills, generally found in rugged hills and caves. Not a Python!"



"On the North escarpment among the hills, I came out on rice fields, growing high and dry on the mountain side, a red variety as grown in Melsetter. What a task to find our way through the hilly escarpment.

We slept on the mountain, near a nice stream, Lions kept my boys burning fires all night. Places such as these where game is plentyfull, I found the Lion no anxiety to campers. A lamp above the camp would have been sure protection. On the Angwa River in the early days I often found Lion resting among buck grazing peacefully. I struck a trail diret, crossing a section of rugged Metamorphic, Mica and Tourmaline Chrystal rocks, a few miles on we negoiated an entanglement of Bamboo finally reaching Wyllie's Tobacco Plantation just under the berg in the Zambesi valley. It was a miserable outlandish place his crop was standing six feet high in places. His two Yankee workman were fed up. I found them baracaded up, long after sun up, in fear of lions. I never saw men so pleased to see anyone, speaking in Yankee complaining they had been fooled coming from America, to be placed in such a corner of the earth. I visited for the day and enjoyed a feed of banana. From there the footpath was circuitous, I travelled along dry river courses and among the dense scrub leading from kraal to kraal on narrow cut tracks until I met up with an old friend Lynel Wyllie, we reached Feira together, the Portuguese, West boundary on the Zambesi, one hundred and twenty miles from the Kafue confluence. This place was of some importance then. The African Lakes Companies Store, N.C. Quarters, and a few Police, the four hundred year old Portuguese Depot is situated on the opposite bank. A fair waterway continues down to Chicoa one hundred and fifty miles down stream bearing coal measures on either side for most of the way."



"Watkins ferry dug-out called Susan, was just upstream and carried me and thirty two of my boys on one trip across the Zambesi to Kanyemba's kraal. Watkins was a kindly back velt citizen, full of light hearted homour and quit happy away in the hills A wonderfull spot with the Luangwa coming in from the North makes the spread of water about 2 miles wide and the banks twenty feet high. Across the bay stands Zumbo of ancient fame, situated under a hill dating back four hundred years, all built of stone that was carried there by natives, bringing in one stone each every time they came to pay taxe or tribute. Here the Potuguese are fully staffed Post office, phone etc. At the daily parade a buglar sounds his trumpet for every event. We were nine hundred and fifty miles from the coast, at an altidue of 1010'. Tetse fly we found all along the Zambezi North bank From Fiera to Kachumba with only a small section on the South bank, up stream of the Kafue cofluence."



"Out of the valley we dined on Masawo berries, they can be eaten green, yellow or brown when fallen, It has the taste of a mellow apple. A strong pure sprit is primativly distilled from the ripe fruits called Cha-Sawo the tree is generally 10 foot high, I have seen them over twenty foot. I was glad to see the top of the escarpment on reaching Sepulilo's kraal (Sipolilo) and breath freely again, out from the hot Zambesi valley in September. Not having the everlasting worry of boy's feed I felt quit relaxed. If I sat down by the wayside for a moments rest, I would go off to sleep, the boy would wake me saying "Elanga Chonila". I covered fifteen hundred miles of trail with not a days illness or discomfort, arriving back home in November 1903. My son Leslie Raymond had been born. For a long while after I returned I often fell asleep at my meals, my wife would have to wake me up. I was done, it took months to rest me out"

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