9<3 THE TRADITION OF RA'LOLO. 



had very long thin rifles and had killed them all, at a place where 

 the Magakala now live, keeping these guns, which were always 

 shown at their big festivals and danced round. We believe them 

 to have been Arabs with red fezzes. The Malepa — who are still 

 found here — with Mohammedan religious laws, might have been 

 left by them and intermarried. The son of Tobele was Kabu. 

 There was no war all this time. We paid our tribute in thatching 

 grass and building-poles ; we paid no other taxes. The sons of 

 Kabu were Tobele and Tobejane. Tobele made use of his 

 father's wives, when not yet circumcised — not yet a man. So the 

 nation grumbled and mocked him. He went with his friends to 

 the cattle-kraal, where the young girls brought the ground 

 Kaffir-corn for porridge. One day he left with these girls and 

 all the cattle, and fled away. We do not know where his tribe 

 is now — perhaps at the Victoria Falls. He had many followers, 

 also the Ba-Ramapulana (Batsuetla, ba-Makgato — against whom 

 the South African Republic had its last Native war in Zoutpans- 

 berg ) . These Batsuetlas were then of our tribe, but later 

 changed even their language. 



Tobele being, in fact, the Chief, we did not follow him to 

 fight, but remained with his younger brother Tobejane. It was 

 a peaceful rule, without wars. We still greet each other after 

 him: Dumela moroa oa Tobejane. His son was Moukangoe. 

 Both Tobejane (his name of praise: Tobejane oa Botobele) and 

 Moukangoe (his name of honour) : Moukangoe oa diala tsc 

 Tobele ) had hymns upon their names. Moukangoe lived very 

 long, and became so old that the wrinkles of his forehead 

 covered his eyes*. He was much beloved by his 



people. Our taxes from that time till to-day to our 

 Chiefs were : the right-side-ribs of an ox, and of grain a leselo 

 of Kaffir-corn. It was not compulsory to bring him beer. Those 

 who brought these got something killed for them. It was a 

 voluntary sign of loyalty. Moukangoe was very rich in cattle, 

 not taken from other tribes, but peacefully bred in that splendid 

 grazing country, although the country was full of big game, and 

 sometimes the tsetse killed many. When very old he went no 

 more to the Kgoro, the council-fire-place before or at the 

 entrance to the cattle-kraal, round which our huts were built. 

 His eldest son was Lesailane (Passoane), who soon died, without 

 leaving any children. The second son, Mohube, was already 

 acting Chief, when the old Chief grew too old. One day 

 Mohube went to the cattle-kraal. His young men then killed a 

 piece of game. A Bakone tribe, ba-Gakomana (now on De Kom ; 

 Lulu Mountains), whose kraal was near Mohube's cattle-kraal 

 quarrelled about this game, claiming it as theirs. They killed 

 our young men and Mohube, but did not take the cattle. The 

 Gakomana went quickly to headquarters at Fighting Hill, to 



* He therefore had his skin tied up by a bandage, so that he could see a 

 little. 



