102 CAREER OF SEBITUANE. 



canoes to co-operate in the manoeuvre. When they were all fer- 

 ried over to the island, the canoes were removed, and the Matebele 

 found themselves completely in a trap, "being perfectly unable to 

 swim. They subsisted for some time on the roots of grass after 

 the goats were eaten, but gradually became so emaciated that, 

 when the Makololo landed, they had only to perform the part of 

 executioners on the adults, and to adopt the rest into their own 

 tribe. Afterward Mosilikatse was goaded on by his warriors to 

 revenge this loss ; so he sent an immense army, carrying canoes 

 with them, in order that no such mishap might occur again. Se- 

 bituane had by this time incorporated the Barotse, and taught his 

 young men to manage canoes ; so he went from island to island, 

 and watched the Matebele on the main land so closely that they 

 could not use their canoes to cross the river any where without part- 

 ing their forces. At last all the Makololo and their cattle were 

 collected on the island of Loyelo, and lay all around, keeping watch 

 night and day over the enemy. After some time spent in this way, 

 Sebituane went in a canoe toward them, and, addressing them by 

 an interpreter, asked why they wished to kill him ; he had never 

 attacked them, never harmed their chief: "Au!" he continued, 

 "the guilt is on your side." The Matebele made no reply; but 

 the Makololo next day saw the canoes they had carried so far ly- 

 ing smashed, and the owners gone. They returned toward their 

 own country, and fever, famine, and the Batoka completed their 

 destruction ; only five men returned to Mosilikatse. 



Sebituane had now not only conquered all the black tribes over 

 an immense tract of country, but had made himself dreaded even 

 by the terrible Mosilikatse. He never could trust this ferocious 

 chief, however ; and, as the Batoka on the islands had been guilty 

 of ferrying his enemies across the Zambesi, he made a rapid de- 

 scent upon them, and swept them all out of their island fastnesses. 

 He thus unwittingly performed a good service to the country by 

 completely breaking down the old system which prevented trade 

 from penetrating into the great central valley. Of the chiefs who 

 escaped, he said, "They love Mosilikatse, let them live with him: 

 the Zambesi is my line of defense;" and men were placed all 

 along it as sentinels. When he heard of our wish to visit him, 

 he did all he could to assist our approach. Sechele, Sekomi, 

 and Lechulatebe owed their lives to his clemency; and the latter 



