The
Only Effective Argument For The Learning To Read Is, That It Is Their
Duty To Know The Revelation From Their Father In Heaven, As It Stands
In The Book.
Our messenger returned on the evening of the following day with "You
speak truly," says Sekeletu, "the disease is old, come on at once, do
not sleep in the path; for I am greatly desirous (tlologelecoe) to
see the Doctor."
After Mochokotsa left us, we met some of Mokompa's men bringing back
the ivory, as horses were preferred to the West-Coast goods. They
were the bearers of instructions to Mokompa, and as these
instructions illustrate the government of people who have learned
scarcely anything from Europeans, they are inserted, though otherwise
of no importance. Mashotlane had not behaved so civilly to Mr.
Baldwin as Sekeletu had ordered him to do to all Englishmen. 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. It
crossed about twenty yards in front of us, the wind apparently
rushing into it from all points of the compass. Whirling round and
round in great eddies, it swept up hundreds of feet into the air a
continuous dense dark cloud of the black pulverized soil, mixed with
dried grass, off the plain. Herds of the new antelopes, lechwe, and
poku, with the kokong, or gnus, and zebras stood gazing at us as we
passed. The mirage lifted them at times halfway to the clouds, and
twisted them and the clumps of palms into strange unearthly forms.
The extensive and rich level plains by the banks, along the sides of
which we paddled, would support a vast population, and might be
easily irrigated from the Zambesi. If watered, they would yield
crops all the year round, and never suffer loss by drought. The
hippopotamus is killed here with long lance-like spears. We saw two
men, in a light canoe, stealing noiselessly down on one of these
animals thought to be asleep; but it was on the alert, and they had
quickly to retreat. Comparatively few of these animals now remain
between Sesheke and the Falls, and they are uncommonly wary, as it is
certain death for one to be caught napping in the daytime.
On the 18th we entered Sesheke. The old town, now in ruins, stands
on the left bank of the river. The people have built another on the
same side, a quarter of a mile higher up, since their headman
Moriantsiane was put to death for bewitching the chief with leprosy.
Sekeletu was on the right bank, near a number of temporary huts. A
man hailed us from the chiefs quarters, and requested us to rest
under the old Kotla, or public meeting-place tree. A young Makololo,
with the large thighs which Zulus and most of this tribe have,
crossed over to receive orders from the chief, who had not shown
himself to the people since he was affected with leprosy. On
returning he ran for Mokele, the headman of the new town, who, after
going over to Sekeletu, came back and conducted us to a small but
good hut, and afterwards brought us a fine fat ox, as a present from
the chief.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 62 of 134
Words from 62352 to 63380
of 136856
