MESSAGE TO MASIKO. 285 



CHAPTER XV. 



Message to Masiko, the Barotse Chief, regarding the Captives. — Navigation of the 

 Leeambye. — Capabilities of this District. — The Leeba. — Flowers and Bees. — 

 Buffalo-hunt. — Field for a Botanist. — Young Alligators ; their savage Nature. — 

 Suspicion of the Balonda. — Sekelenke's Present. — A Man and his two Wives. — 

 Hunters. — Message from Manenko, a female Chief. — Mambari Traders. — A 

 Dream. — Sheakondo and his People. — Teeth-filing. — Desire for Butter. — Inter- 

 view with Nyamoana, another female Chief. — Court Etiquette. — Hair versus 

 Wool. — Increase of Superstition. — Arrival of Manenko; her Appearance and 

 Husband. — Mode of Salutation. — Anklets. — Embassy, with a Present from Ma- 

 siko. — Roast Beef. — Manioc. — Magic Lantern. — Manenko an accomplished 

 Scold : compels us to wait. — Unsuccessful Zebra-hunt. 



On the 27th of December we were at the confluence of the 

 Leeba and Leeambye (lat. 14° 10' 52" S., long. 23° 35' 40" E.). 

 Masiko, the Barotse chief, for whom we had some captives, lived 

 nearly due east of this point. They were two little boys, a* little 

 girl, a young man, and two middle-aged women. One of these 

 was a member of a Babimpe tribe, who knock out both upper 

 and lower front teeth as a distinction. As we had been informed 

 by the captives on the previous Sunday that Masiko was in the 

 habit of seizing all orphans, and those who have no powerful 

 friend in the tribe whose protection they can claim, and selling 

 them for clothing to the Mambari, we thought the objection of 

 the women to go first to his town before seeing their friends 

 quite reasonable, and resolved to send a party of our own people 

 to see them safely among their relatives. I told the captive 

 young man to inform Masiko that he was very unlike his father 

 Santuru, who had refused to sell his people to Mambari. He 

 will probably be afraid to deliver such a message himself, but it 

 i3 meant for his people, and they will circulate it pretty widely, 

 and Masiko may yet feel a little pressure from without. We 

 sent Mosantu, a Batoka man, and his companions, with the cap- 

 tives. The Barotse whom we had were unwilling to go to Ma- 

 siko, since they owe him allegiance as the son of Santuru, and 

 while they continue with the Makololo are considered rebels. 



