532 CHITLANE'S VILLAGE. 



was presented to me, was a hundred and seventy-five unfledged 

 birds. They had been rather late in collecting them, in conse- 

 quence of waiting for the arrival of Mpololo, who acts the part of 

 chief, but gave them to me, knowing that this would be pleasing 

 to him, otherwise this colony would have yielded double the 

 amount. The old ones appear along the Leeambye in vast flocks, 

 and look lean and scraggy. The young are very fat, and, when 

 roasted, are esteemed one of the dainties of the Barotse valley. In 

 presents of this kind, as well as of oxen, it is a sort of feast of joy, 

 the person to whom they are presented having the honor of dis- 

 tributing the materials of the feast. We generally slaughtered 

 every ox at the village where it was presented, and then our friends 

 and we rejoiced together. 



The village of Chitlane is situated, like all others in the Barotse 

 valley, on an eminence, over which floods do not rise ; but this 

 last year the water approached nearer to an entire submergence 

 of the whole valley than has been known in the memory of man. 

 Great numbers of people were now suffering from sickness, which 

 always prevails when the waters are drying up, and I found 

 much demand for the medicines I had brought from Loanda. The 

 great variation of the temperature each day must have a trying 

 effect upon the health. At this village there is a real Indian 

 banian-tree, which has spread itself over a considerable space by 

 means of roots from its branches ; it has been termed, in conse- 

 quence, " the tree with legs" (more oa maotu). It is curious that 

 trees of this family are looked upon with veneration, and all the 

 way from the Barotse to Loanda are thought to be preservatives 

 from evil. 



On reaching Naliele on the 1st of August we found Mpololo 

 in great affliction on account of the death of his daughter and 

 her child. She had been lately confined ; and her father natu- 

 rally remembered her when an ox was slaughtered, or when the 

 tribute of other food, which he receives in lieu of Sekeletu, came 

 in his way, and sent frequent presents to her. This moved the 

 envy of one of the Makololo who hated Mpololo, and, wishing to 

 vex him, he entered the daughter's hut by night, and strangled 

 both her and her child. He then tried to make fire in the hut 

 and burn it, so that the murder might not be known ; but the 

 squeaking noise of rubbing the sticks awakened a servant, and 



