112 DEPARTURE FROM NALIELE. 



copious supplies of shrill praises, or "lullilooing;" but. 

 though I frequently told them to modify their "great lords" 

 and "great lions" to more humble expressions, they so evi- 

 dently intended to do me honor that I could not help being 

 pleased with the poor creatures' wishes for our success. 



The rains began while we were at Naliele; this is much 

 later than usual; but, though the Barotse valley has been 

 in need of rain, the people never lack abundance of food. 

 The showers are refreshing, but the air feels hot and close; 

 ,he thermometer, however, in a cool hut, stands only at 

 84°. The access of the external air to any spot at once 

 -raises its temperature above 90°. A new attack of fever 

 here caused excessive languor; but, as I am already getting 

 tired of quoting my fevers, and never liked to read travels 

 myself where much was said about the illnesses of the 

 traveller, I shall henceforth endeavor to say little about 

 them. 



We here sent back the canoe of Sekeletu, and got the 

 loan of others from Mpololo. Eight riding-oxen, and seven 

 for slaughter, were, according to the orders of that chief, 

 also furnished; some were intended for our own use, and 

 others as presents to the chiefs of the Balonda. Mpololo 

 was particularly liberal in giving all that Sekeletu ordered, 

 though, as he feeds on the cattle he has in charge, he might 

 have felt it so much abstracted from his own perquisites. 



Leaving Naliele, amid abundance of good wishes for the 

 success of our expedition, and hopes that we might return 

 accompanied with white traders, we began again our ascent of 

 the river. It was now beginning to rise, though the rains 

 had but just commenced in the valley. The banks are low, 

 but cleanly cut, and seldom sloping. At low-water they are 

 from four to eight feet high, and make the river always 

 assume very much the aspect of a canal. 



These perpendicular banks afford building-places to a 

 pretty bee-eater,* which loves to breed in society. The 



* Merops apiaster and M. bullockoides, (Smith.) 





