110 THE CHIEF'S GUARD 



the industry of these little laborers; they seem, to impart 

 fertility to the soil which has once passed through their 

 mouths, for the Makololo find the sides of ant-hills the 

 choice spots for rearing early maize, tobacco, or any thing 

 on which they wish to bestow especial care. We had the 

 Chobe on our right, with its scores of miles of reed occupy- 

 ing the horizon there. It was pleasant to look back on the 

 long extended line of our attendants, as it twisted and bent 

 according to the curves of the footpath, or in and out behind 

 the mounds, the ostrich-feathers of the men waving in thb 

 wind. Some had the white ends of ox-tails on their heads, 

 hussar fashion, and others great bunches of black ostrich- 

 feathers, or caps made of lions' manes. Some wore red 

 tunics, or various-colored prints which the chief had bought 

 from Fleming ; the common men cai*ried burdens ; the gen- 

 tlemen walked with a small club of rhinoceros-horn in their 

 hands, and had servants to carry their shields; while the 

 "Machaka," battle-axe men, carried their own, and were 

 liable at any time to be sent off a hundred miles on an 

 errand, and expected to run all the way. 



Sekeletu is always accompanied by his own Mopato, a 

 number of young men of his own age. When he sits down 

 they crowd around him ; those who are nearest eat out of 

 the same dish, for the Makololo chiefs pride themselves on 

 eating with their people. He eats a little, then beckons 

 his neighbors to partake. When they have done so, he 

 perhaps beckons to some one at a distance to take a share; 

 that person starts forward, seizes the pot, and removes it 

 to his own companions. The comrades of Sekeletu, wish 

 ing to imitate him in riding on my old horse, leaped on the 

 backs of a number of half-broken Batoka oxen as they ran ; 

 but, having neither saddle nor bridle, the number of tumbles 

 they met with was a source of much amusement to the 

 rest. 



When we arrived at any village, the women all turned 

 out to lulliloo their chief. Their shrill voices, to which 

 they give a tremulous sound by a quick motion of the 



