MAKOLOLO HUTS. 113 



soles. When they were guilty of this and other misde- 

 meanors, we got the loan of a hut. The best sort of Ma- 

 kololo huts consist of three circular walls, with small holes 

 as doors, each similar to that in a dog-house; and it wt 

 necessary to bend down the body to get in, even when on 

 all-fours. The roof is formed of reeds or straight sticks, 

 in shape like a Chinaman's hat, bound firmly together with 

 circular bands, which 'are lashed with the strong inner 

 bark of the mimosa-tree. When all prepared except the 

 thatch, it is lifted on to the circular wall, the rim resting 

 on a circle of poles, between each of which the third wall 

 is built. The roof is thatched with fine grass, and sewed 

 with the same material as the lashings ; and, as it projects 

 far beyond the walls, and reaches within four feet of the 

 ground, the shade is the best to be found in the country. 

 These huts are very cool in the hottest day, but are close 

 and deficient in ventilation by night. 



The bed is a mat made of rushes sewn together with 

 twine ; the hip-bone soon becomes sore on the hard flat 

 surface, as we are not allowed to make a hole in the floor 

 to receive the prominent part called trochanter by ana- 

 tomists, as we do when sleeping on grass or sand. 



Our course at this time led us to a part above Sesheke, 

 called Katonga, where there is a village belonging to a 

 Bashubia man named Sekhosi,-r-latitude 17° 29' 13", longi- 

 tude 24° 33'. The river here is somewhat broader than at 

 Sesheke, and certainly not less than six hundred yards. 

 It flows somewhat slowly in the first part of its eastern 

 course. When the canoes came from Sekhosi to take us 

 over, one of the comrades of Sebituane rose, and, looking 

 to Sekeletu, called out, <: The elders of a host always take 

 the lead in an attack." This was understood at once; and 

 Sekeletu, with all the young men, were obliged to give the 

 elders the precedence, and remain on the southern bank 

 and see that all went orderly into the canoes. It took a 

 considerable time to ferry over the whole of our largo 

 party, as, even with quick paddling, from six to eight 

 H io* 



