We Saw The Man With His Shoulder Still Dislocated.
Sebetuane
was present at the fight, and had an exalted opinion of the power of
white people ever afterwards.
The ancient costume of the Makololo consisted of the skin of a lamb,
kid, jackal, ocelot, or other small animal, worn round and below the
loins: and in cold weather a kaross, or skin mantle, was thrown over
the shoulders. The kaross is now laid aside, and the young men of
fashion wear a monkey-jacket and a skin round the hips; but no
trousers, waistcoat, or shirt. The river and lake tribes are in
general very cleanly, bathing several times a day. The Makololo
women use water rather sparingly, rubbing themselves with melted
butter instead: this keeps off parasites, but gives their clothes a
rancid odour. One stage of civilization often leads of necessity to
another - the possession of clothes creates a demand for soap; give a
man a needle, and he is soon back to you for thread.
This being a time of mourning, on account of the illness of the
chief, the men were negligent of their persons, they did not cut
their hair, or have merry dances, or carry spear and shield when they
walked abroad. The wife of Pitsane was busy making a large hut,
while we were in the town: she informed us that the men left house-
building entirely to the women and servants. A round tower of stakes
and reeds, nine or ten feet high, is raised and plastered; a floor is
next made of soft tufa, or ant-hill material and cowdung. This
plaster prevents the poisonous insects, called tumpans, whose bite
causes fever in some, and painful sores in all, from harbouring in
the cracks or soil. The roof, which is much larger in diameter than
the tower, is made on the ground, and then, many persons assisting,
lifted up and placed on the tower, and thatched. A plastered reed
fence is next built up to meet the outer part of the roof, which
still projects a little over this fence, and a space of three feet
remains between it and the tower. We slept in this space, instead of
in the tower, as the inner door of the hut we occupied was
uncomfortably small, being only nineteen inches high, and twenty-two
inches wide at the floor. A foot from the bottom it measured
seventeen inches in breadth, and close to the top only twelve inches,
so it was a difficult matter to get through it. The tower has no
light or ventilation, except through this small door. The reason a
lady assigned for having the doors so very small was to keep out the
mice!
The children have merry times, especially in the cool of the evening.
One of their games consists of a little girl being carried on the
shoulders of two others. She sits with outstretched arms, as they
walk about with her, and all the rest clap their hands, and stopping
before each hut sing pretty airs, some beating time on their little
kilts of cowskin, others making a curious humming sound between the
songs.
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