In stitching the parts together, we should commence with the shoulder seam, from the armhole upward; then with the side seam, from the arm downward; then, folding the sleeve piece, we should stitch the inner seam from the wrist upwards; and, placing the termination of this seam on the fore part of the armhole, 1½in. or 2in. below the shoulder line, stitch the sleeve in; then, commencing at the collar, would make the back seam, and, this done, would trim off all inequalities of the edges; then turn down, and hem them, and finish, more or less, according to taste or convenience.
We have had but little experience in jacket-making, as it is a garment we seldom use in African travel; but to our ability to cut one, in at least endurable style, for the chief Moshotlani, on the Zambesi, we are indebted for some of our best views of the falls. At 9 o’clock each morning we would say to him, “We have fixed enough for your men to sew all day, now we want the canoe, and the man to go down with us to the waterfall.”
Distinctive Box Markings.
When a traveller has to employ (as is most generally the case in wild countries) servants who cannot read, it is as well to mark his boxes with some rudely-drawn pictorial sign, which should, if possible, have some relation to the contents; though this is not a matter of absolute necessity, so long as the owner himself knows what is in each and what distinguishing mark is placed upon it. We give a few specimens, which will sufficiently illustrate our meaning; and any number may be devised if necessary, such objects being chosen as are most likely to be familiar to the servants employed: thus, on maritime or fishing stations, different vessels, cutters, luggers, schooners, brigs, barques, or ships, or parts of vessels, as guns, anchors, capstans, windlasses, various knots, as the reef-knot, bowline, &c., remarkable and at the same time familiar forms of fish, or implements used in catching them, as hooks, large and small hand-leads, harpoons, grains, nets, &c., would be appropriate; while in hunting or pastoral countries various animals—the ox, the horse, the sheep or goat, the elephant, the camel, the giraffe, the lion, and many others—would naturally be chosen. One box might bear the figure of a man, another of a woman; the tool chest might have a saw or an axe; a powder horn would indicate the box containing gunpowder; while others, holding round or conical bullets, cartridges, or small shot, might be marked with their peculiar sign; clothing might be indicated by a jacket and trousers.
The late eminent and amiable Dr. Holden, who perished in the attempt to explore South-Western Africa, was accustomed to mark all his boxes in this manner. He had left a waggon in the care of the chief Leshū la tēbē, at Lake Ngami, and when this was received by the agent of the surviving relatives it was found that all the boxes had been broken open, and plundered of everything of value to the natives; but one, after being broken, had been sent out of the town to a lonely hut near some adjacent village. We insisted that it should be returned, no matter in what condition or however terrible might be the contents; and at length the mysterious box, which for more than two years had been a terror to the country, was placed before us. It had been broken, like the rest; but the plunderers, on lifting the lid, and finding themselves confronted by a veritable human skull, grinning horribly a ghastly smile, had shut it hurriedly down, and sent the dreaded box away. They were not a little astonished at our temerity when they saw us quietly lift up the emblem of mortality; nor were we less gratified to find beneath, securely guarded by the grisly sentinel, five bottles of the best French brandy, which the unfortunate doctor had taken this ingenious method of preserving. We ought also to mention that his medicine chest was marked with the figure of a snake, signifying poison; and it would be well if all chests, bottles, or cases containing either poison or medicines, which might be hurtful if wrongly used, were marked with a death’s head, a snake, or crossed bones, or some other unmistakable warning.
Demeanour towards Companions or Natives and White Servants, Hints on Travel, etc.
Everything during a journey beyond the limits of civilisation depends upon the good feeling and harmony among the party, and nothing short of unavoidable necessity should be suffered to interfere with this; there are, of course, cases in which human nature can stand no farther provocation, but it should be remembered that forbearance is seldom repented of, while hasty resentment, even if expressed only in words, may lay the foundation of ill-feeling, which becomes all the more bitter because the parties cannot separate from each other. At the same time, even forbearance should be exercised in a kindly spirit, for even an outspoken quarrel is better than the habit of “nursing the wrath to keep it warm;” the first may admit of explanation, or the parties to it, if reconciliation does not follow, may agree to dismiss the subject and work together till the close of the journey; and, if both be honourable, each will disdain to do less than his duty, or to throw an unfair share of labour or privation upon the other. But in the second case no such explanation is possible; the person who feels himself the subject of displeasure has no chance of learning what is the nature of his offence, and goes on unconsciously, perhaps repeating it, till, like an overcharged thunder-cloud, the storm bursts, and the restoration of peace which, in the first instance, would have been easy, becomes impossible.
Many a tale could we tell of comrades in travel who have freely risked their lives over and over again for each other, and counted it not even a thing for which they expected thanks, who have remained fast friends until the close of their journey, and in most instances, we are glad to say, this friendly feeling has remained undisturbed.