I have dreamed! Thou Mosale and thou
Pekonyane, my lords, be not faint-hearted, nor let your hearts be
sore, but believe all the words of Monare (the Doctor) for his heart
is white as milk towards the Makololo. I dreamed that he was coming,
and that the tribe would live, if you prayed to God and give heed to
the word of Monare." Ma-Pulenyane showed Dr. Livingstone the
burying-place where poor Helmore and seven others were laid,
distinguishing those whom he had put to rest, and those for whom
Mafale had performed that last office. Nothing whatever marked the
spot, and with the native idea of HIDING the dead, it was said, "it
will soon be all overgrown with bushes, for no one will cultivate
there." None but Ma-Pulenyane approached the place, the others stood
at a respectful distance; they invariably avoid everything connected
with the dead, and no such thing as taking portions of human bodies
to make charms of, as is the custom further north, has ever been
known among the Makololo.
Sekeletu's health improved greatly during our visit, the melancholy
foreboding left his spirits, and he became cheerful, but resolutely
refused to leave his den, and appear in public till he was perfectly
cured, and had regained what he considered his good looks. He also
feared lest some of those who had bewitched him originally might
still be among the people, and neutralize our remedies. {4}
As we expected another steamer to be at Kongone in November, it was
impossible for us to remain in Sesheke more than one month. Before
our departure, the chief and his principal men expressed in a formal
manner their great desire to have English people settled on the
Batoka highlands. At one time he proposed to go as far as Phori, in
order to select a place of residence; but as he afterwards saw
reasons for remaining where he was, till his cure was completed, he
gave orders to those sent with us, in the event of our getting, on
our return, past the rapids near Tette, not to bring us to Sesheke,
but to send forward a messenger, and he with the whole tribe would
come to us. Dr. Kirk being of the same age, Sekeletu was
particularly anxious that he should come and live with him. He said
that he would cut off a section of the country for the special use of
the English; and on being told that in all probability their
descendants would cause disturbance in his country, he replied,
"These would be only domestic feuds, and of no importance." The
great extent of uncultivated land on the cool and now unpeopled
highlands has but to be seen to convince the spectator how much room
there is, and to spare, for a vastly greater population than ever, in
our day, can be congregated there.
On the last occasion of our holding Divine service at Sesheke, the
men were invited to converse on the subject on which they had been
addressed.
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