He Had
Been Very Uncivil To The Messengers Sent By Moselekatse With Letters
From Mr. Moffat, Treated Them As Spies, And Would Not Land To Take
The Bag Until They Moved Off.
On our speaking to him about this, he
justified his conduct on the plea that he was set at the Falls for
the very purpose of watching these, their natural enemies; and how
was he to know that they had been sent by Mr. Moffat?
Our men
thereupon reported at head-quarters that Mashotlane had cursed the
Doctor. The instructions to Mokompa, from Sekeletu, were to "go and
tell Mashotlane that he had offended greatly. He had not cursed
Monare (Dr. Livingstone) but Sebituane, as Monare was now in the
place of Sebituane, and he reverenced him as he had done his father.
Any fine taken from Mr. Baldwin was to be returned at once, as he was
not a Boer but an Englishman. Sekeletu was very angry, and Mokompa
must not conceal the message."
On finding afterwards that Mashotlane's conduct had been most
outrageous to the Batoka, Sekeletu sent for him to come to Sesheke,
in order that he might have him more under his own eye; but
Mashotlane, fearing that this meant the punishment of death, sent a
polite answer, alleging that he was ill and unable to travel.
Sekeletu tried again to remove Mashotlane from the Falls, but without
success. In theory the chief is absolute and quite despotic; in
practice his authority is limited, and he cannot, without
occasionally putting refractory headmen to death, force his
subordinates to do his will.
Except the small rapids by Mparira island, near the mouth of the
Chobe, the rest of the way to Sesheke by water is smooth. Herds of
cattle of two or three varieties graze on the islands in the river:
the Batoka possessed a very small breed of beautiful shape, and
remarkably tame, and many may still be seen; a larger kind, many of
which have horns pendent, and loose at the roots; and a still larger
sort, with horns of extraordinary dimensions, - apparently a burden
for the beast to carry. This breed was found in abundance at Lake
Ngami. We stopped at noon at one of the cattle-posts of Mokompa, and
had a refreshing drink of milk. Men of his standing have usually
several herds placed at different spots, and the owner visits each in
turn, while his head-quarters are at his village. His son, a boy of
ten, had charge of the establishment during his father's absence.
According to Makololo ideas, the cattle-post is the proper school in
which sons should be brought up. Here they receive the right sort of
education - the knowledge of pasture and how to manage cattle.
Strong easterly winds blow daily from noon till midnight, and
continue till the October or November rains set in. Whirlwinds,
raising huge pillars of smoke from burning grass and weeds, are
common in the forenoon. We were nearly caught in an immense one.
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