།།།།།།།།
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
MC.O. 885
22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
152
The game killed is as follows: --- From January to March, 1911
21
April, 1911, to March, 1912 April, 1912, to March, 1913 April, 1913, to December, 1913
Total
11 head of game. 37 13
11
3
64
#
From April to September, 1911, two headmen were paid for looking after the It was during these months that the 37 head of game was killed. From October, 1911, to March, 1912, nothing was killed.
area.
The object of the experiment was, I understand, twofold:-
(1) To discover whether the natives in this part of the country, without guns but otherwise given a free hand, were able to destroy, drive away, or otherwise seriously diminish the number of game in a particular
area.
(2) Whether a reduction in the number of game in a particular neighbour- hood would in any way affect the number or distribution of tsetse fly in that neighbourhood.
With regard to No. 1, I attach hereto the opinions of four intelligent headmen who are well acquainted with that part of the sub-district which is affected by the experiment. It will be seen that they are unanimously of the opinion that not the slightest reduction in the number of game has taken place.
My own experience is similar. I have only been able to visit the area once, and that was in October, 1913. I saw as much game there as anywhere in the district; in fact, I am inclined to think that there is still actually more game there than elsewhere.
The main reason for this, as may be gathered from the remarks of the headmen whom I have consulted, is undoubtedly that the Achewa are not now, and never have been, a hunting race. They are naturally timid, and, moreover, exceedingly lazy. While the two headmen were being paid they felt that they must do something or they would not get their money. They therefore persuaded their people to Directly this inducement was withdrawn organise some drives and dig some pits. the natives came to the conclusion that the meat obtained was not worth the trouble expended in obtaining it. The old traps were left and occasionally attended to, but nothing further was done, with the result that very little was killed in 1912 and practically nothing in 1913.
The first part of the experiment having resulted as it has, there is nothing to be learnt as regards the second part. Remarks as to the spread of tsetse, there- fore, hardly come within the scope of this report. But I should like to mention that it is still spreading down the Dwangwa, and if it is to be stopped before it reaches the main road, and so cuts off Mzimba from the south, as far as the export I would of cattle is concerned, some drastic step will have to be taken at once. suggest clearing both sides of the Dwangwa, but it would be a big undertaking and should only be done on expert advice.
The following documents are attached :---
Ngara,
A. (1) Map showing free shooting area, tsetse fly, &c.
B. (2) Opinion of headman Chinungu.
(3) Opinion of headman Mangwazo.
(4) Opinion of headman Mpampa.
(5) Opinion of headman Kapiriuka.
January 20th, 1914.
Not reproduced.
ROBERT H. MURRAY,
Assistant Resident.
153
OPINIONS OF HEADMEN AS TO THE RESULTS OBTAINED IN THE EXPERIMENTAL FREE SHOOTING AREA IN THE NGARA SUB-DISTRICT.
(2) Chinungu (game warden).—There seem to be just as many head of game in the area as before people were allowed to kill them. Not a great deal of game was killed. The reason was that only perhaps one head of game would fall into a pit in a month, so people did not think it worth while. We did not have many drives because it only kills small game. We can't make fences strong enough to hold the bigger game.
(3) Mangwazo (game warden).-The game is still in the area, just as it was before. At first a good deal of game was killed but the people soon got tired, because they only killed a little at a time, and that mostly small game. In the old days there were men who did nothing but hunt either with bows or guns. They supplied meat to the villages. The ordinary villager did not go to the tengo. Now the race of hunters has died out and no one knows how to kill game well. Three villages near me have moved from the Lingadzi within the last three years.
(4) Mpampa.--Game is still very numerous round my village just as it always has been. Many people tried to kill game at first, but they got tired because they killed very little. One reason that they killed very little is that they had very few arrows. There are no blacksmiths now, and all the iron for the tops of arrows has to be bought in Angoniland. Three of my villages have left me in the last three years because of the lions.
(5) Kapiriukų. Many of my people tried to kill the game at first, but they soon got tired. They dug some pits, but because the game became wary of the pits and not very much fell into them they soon gave it up. No one in my village knows well how to kill game with bows now. Often the game went away with the arrows sticking in them. It was very difficult to get iron for arrow points. There are tsetse at my village at certain seasons, particularly after the elephant have been in the gardens. One village has left the Liziwazi within the last three years. They went away because of the lions and elephants.
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No. 77.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNORS. [Answered by Nos. 92 and 93.] (East Africa Protectorate. No. 535.) (Uganda. No. 237.)
(Nyasaland. No. 150.) Downing Street, 4th June, 1914.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you, for your consideration, copies of the report* of the Interdepartmental Committee on Sleeping Sickness, which was appointed last year to enquire into certain questions connected with trypanoso- miasis, including the relationship between wild animals and the maintenance or spread of trypanosome diseases of man and stock. Copies of the minutes of evidence, &c., will be forwarded to you as soon as they are available.
2.
It is not necessary for me to comment in detail upon the report, which explains itself; but there are certain points to which I would invite your attention.
3.
In paragraphs 41 and 42, and again in paragraph 126, the Committee lay emphasis upon the importance of ascertaining definitely whether man does or does not form a reservoir of the human trypanosome in the case of the Nyasaland and Rhodesia form of trypanosomiasis. They state that it is desirable, as a step in the direction of acquiring this knowledge, that a large number (not less than 500) of apparently healthy natives living in proclaimed morsitans areas in Nyasaland should be carefully examined, both by the direct method and by the inoculation of their blood into susceptible animals. [To Nyasaland only:-This examination should not be difficult of accomplishment, if the Medical Officer or Medical Officers entrusted with the work handle the matter tactfully, and I am of the opinion that you should arrange for the immediate carrying out of this recommendation. The results,
[Cd. 7349], May, 1914.