542 DEATH OF INFLUENTIAL MEN. 



and her people were extremely alarmed, and would have fled and 

 left their cattle in a panic, had he not calmed their fears. Ben 

 Hahib informed the uncle of Sekeletu that he could easily guide 

 him thither, and he might get a large number of cattle without 

 any difficulty. This uncle advised Sekeletu to go ; and, as the 

 only greatness he knew was imitation of his father's deeds, he 

 went, but was not so successful as was anticipated. Sebola 

 Makwaia had fled on hearing of the approach of the Makololo ; 

 and, as the country is marshy and intersected in every direction 

 by rivers, they could not easily pursue her. They captured ca- 

 noes, and, pursuing up different streams, came to a small lake 

 called " Shuia." Having entered the Loangwa, flowing to the 

 eastward, they found it advisable to return, as the natives in those 

 parts became more warlike the further they went in that direc- 

 tion. Before turning, the Arab pointed out an elevated ridge in 

 the distance, and said to the Makololo, "When we see that, we 

 always know that we are only ten or fifteen days from the sea.' 1 

 On seeing him afterward, he informed me that on the same ridge, 

 but much further to the north, the Banyassa lived, and that the 

 rivers flowed from it toward the S.W. He also confirmed the 

 other Arab's account that the Loapula, which he had crossed at 

 the town of Cazembe, flowed in the same direction, and into the 

 Leeambye. 



Several of the influential Makololo who had engaged in these 

 marauding expeditions had died before our arrival, and Nokwane 

 had succumbed to his strange disease. Ramosantane had perished 

 through vomiting blood from over-fatigue in the march, and Leri- 

 mo was affected by a leprosy peculiar to the Barotse valley. In 

 accordance with the advice of my Libonta friends, I did not fail to 

 reprove " my child Sekeletu" for his marauding. This was not 

 done in an angry manner, for no good is ever achieved by fierce 

 denunciations. Motibe, his father-in-law, said to me, "Scold him 

 much, but don't let others hear you." 



The Makololo expressed great satisfaction with the route we 

 had opened up to the west, and soon after our arrival a "picho" 

 was called, in order to discuss the question of removal to the 

 Barotse valley, so that they might be nearer the market. Some 

 of the older men objected to abandoning the line of defense afford- 

 ed by the rivers Chobe and Zambesi against their southern ene- 



