This Is Done By Cutting It Up Into Long Strips
And Pouring In Water Till It Is Covered.
When that is boiled dry,
the meat is considered ready.
The people at Gonye carry the canoes over the space requisite
to avoid the falls by slinging them on poles tied on diagonally.
They place these on their shoulders, and, setting about the work
with good humor, soon accomplish the task. They are a merry set of mortals;
a feeble joke sets them off in a fit of laughter. Here, as elsewhere,
all petitioned for the magic lantern, and, as it is a good means
of conveying instruction, I willingly complied.
The falls of Gonye have not been made by wearing back, like those of Niagara,
but are of a fissure form. For many miles below, the river is confined
in a narrow space of not more than one hundred yards wide.
The water goes boiling along, and gives the idea of great masses of it
rolling over and over, so that even the most expert swimmer
would find it difficult to keep on the surface. Here it is that the river,
when in flood, rises fifty or sixty feet in perpendicular height.
The islands above the falls are covered with foliage as beautiful
as can be seen any where. Viewed from the mass of rock
which overhangs the fall, the scenery was the loveliest I had seen.
Nothing worthy of note occurred on our way up to Nameta.
There we heard that a party of the Makololo, headed by Lerimo,
had made a foray to the north and up the Leeba, in the very direction
in which we were about to proceed. Mpololo, the uncle of Sekeletu,
is considered the head man of the Barotse valley; and the perpetrators
had his full sanction, because Masiko, a son of Santuru,
the former chief of the Barotse, had fled high up the Leeambye,
and, establishing himself there, had sent men down to the vicinity of Naliele
to draw away the remaining Barotse from their allegiance.
Lerimo's party had taken some of this Masiko's subjects prisoners,
and destroyed several villages of the Balonda, to whom we were going.
This was in direct opposition to the policy of Sekeletu,
who wished to be at peace with these northern tribes;
and Pitsane, my head man, was the bearer of orders to Mpololo
to furnish us with presents for the very chiefs they had attacked.
Thus we were to get large pots of clarified butter and bunches of beads,
in confirmation of the message of peace we were to deliver.
When we reached Litofe, we heard that a fresh foray was in contemplation,
but I sent forward orders to disband the party immediately.
At Ma-Sekeletu's town we found the head offender, Mpololo himself,
and I gave him a bit of my mind, to the effect that, as I was going
with the full sanction of Sekeletu, if any harm happened to me
in consequence of his ill-advised expedition, the guilt would rest with him.
Ma-Sekeletu, who was present, heartily approved all I said,
and suggested that all the captives taken by Lerimo should be returned
by my hand, to show Masiko that the guilt of the foray
lay not with the superior persons of the Makololo, but with a mere servant.
Her good sense appeared in other respects besides, and, as this was exactly
what my own party had previously resolved to suggest, we were pleased to hear
Mpololo agree to do what he was advised. He asked me to lay the matter
before the under-chiefs of Naliele, and when we reached that place,
on the 9th of December, I did so in a picho, called expressly for the purpose.
Lerimo was present, and felt rather crestfallen when his exploit was described
by Mohorisi, one of my companions, as one of extreme cowardice,
he having made an attack upon the defenseless villagers of Londa,
while, as we had found on our former visit, a lion had actually killed
eight people of Naliele without his daring to encounter it.
The Makololo are cowardly in respect to animals, but brave against men.
Mpololo took all the guilt upon himself before the people, and delivered up
a captive child whom his wife had in her possession; others followed
his example, till we procured the release of five of the prisoners.
Some thought, as Masiko had tried to take their children by stratagem,
they ought to take his by force, as the two modes suited
the genius of each people - the Makalaka delight in cunning,
and the Makololo in fighting; and others thought, if Sekeletu meant them
to be at peace with Masiko, he ought to have told them so.
It is rather dangerous to tread in the footsteps of a marauding party
with men of the same tribe as the aggressors, but my people
were in good spirits, and several volunteers even offered to join our ranks.
We, however, adhered strictly to the orders of Sekeletu as to our companions,
and refused all others.
The people of every village treated us most liberally, presenting,
besides oxen, butter, milk, and meal, more than we could stow away
in our canoes. The cows in this valley are now yielding,
as they frequently do, more milk than the people can use,
and both men and women present butter in such quantity that I shall be able
to refresh my men as we move along. Anointing the skin prevents
the excessive evaporation of the fluids of the body, and acts as clothing
in both sun and shade. They always made their presents gracefully.
When an ox was given, the owner would say, "Here is a little bit of bread
for you." This was pleasing, for I had been accustomed to the Bechuanas
presenting a miserable goat, with the pompous exclamation, "Behold an ox!"
The women persisted in giving me copious supplies of shrill praises,
or "lullilooing"; but, though I frequently told them to modify
their "great lords" and "great lions" to more humble expressions,
they so evidently intended to do me honor that I could not help being pleased
with the poor creatures' wishes for our success.
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