308 LENDING KOOFS OF HUTS. 



at water being thrown away without a slight, quick impression 

 flitting across the mind that we were guilty of wasting it. Every 

 now and then we emerged from the deep gloom into a pretty little 

 valley, having a damp portion in the middle ; which, though now 

 filled with water, at other times contains moisture enough for 

 wells only. These wells have shades put over them in the form 

 of little huts. 



We crossed, in canoes, a little never-failing stream, which pass- 

 es by the name of Lefuje, or " the rapid." It comes from a good- 

 ly high mountain, called Monakadzi (the woman), which gladdened 

 our eyes as it rose to our sight about twenty or thirty miles to 

 the east of our course. It is of an oblong shape, and seemed at 

 least eight hundred feet above the plains. The Lefuje probably 

 derives its name from the rapid descent of the short course it has 

 to flow from Monakadzi to the Leeba. 



The number of little villages seeemed about equal to the 

 number of valleys. At some we stopped and rested, the people 

 becoming more liberal as we advanced. Others we found de- 

 serted, a sudden panic having seized the inhabitants, though the 

 drum of Manenko was kept beaten pretty constantly, in order 

 to give notice of the approach of great people. When we had 

 decided to remain for the night at any village, the inhabitants 

 lent us the roofs of their huts, which in form resemble those of 

 the Makololo, or a Chinaman's hat, and can be taken off the walls 

 at pleasure. They lifted them off, and brought them to the spot 

 we had selected as our lodging, and, when my men had propped 

 them up with stakes, they were then safely housed for the night. 

 Every one who comes to salute either Manenko or ourselves 

 rubs the upper parts of the arms and chest with ashes ; those 

 who wish to show profounder reverence put some also on the 

 face. 



We found that every village had its idols near it. This is the 

 case all through the country of the Balonda, so that, when we 

 came to an idol in the woods, we always knew that we were 

 within a quarter of an hour of human habitations. One very 

 ugly idol we passed rested on a horizontal beam placed on 

 two upright posts. This beam was furnished with two loops of 

 cord, as of a chain, to suspend offerings before it. On remarking 

 to my companions that these idols had ears, but that they heard 



