180 SLAVE-TRADERS. Chai>. IX. 



ship of the " Mopato " of the age of his daughter, chose him as 

 the nearest male relative to occupy that post; and presuming 

 from Mpepe's connection with his family that he would attend to 

 his interests and relieve him from care, he handed his cattle over 

 to his custody. Mpepe removed to the chief town, " Naliele," 

 and took such effectual charge of all the cattle, that Sebituane 

 saw he could only set matters on their former footing by the 

 severe measure of Mpepe's execution. Being unwilling to do 

 this, and fearing the enchantments which, by means of a number 

 of Barotse doctors, Mpepe now used in a hut built for the 

 purpose, and longing for peaceful retirement after thirty years' 

 fighting, he heard with pleasure of our arrival at the lake, and 

 came down as far as Sesheke to meet us. He had an idea, 

 picked up from some of the numerous strangers who visited him, 

 that white men had a " pot (a cannon) in their towns which would 

 burn up any attacking party ;" and he thought if he could only 

 get this he would be able to " sleep " the remainder of his days 

 in peace. This he hoped to obtain from the white men. Hence 

 the cry of the herald — " Give us sleep." It is remarkable how 

 anxious for peace those who have been fighting all their lives 

 appear to be. 



When Sekeletu was installed in the clneftainsliip, he felt his 

 position rather insecure, for it was believed that the incantations 

 of Mpepe had an intimate connection with Sebituane's death. 

 Indeed, the latter had said to Ins son, " That hut of incantation 

 will prove fatal to either you or me." 



When the Mambari, in 1850, took home a favourable report of 

 this new market to the west, a number of half-caste Portuguese 

 slave-traders were induced to come in 1853; and one, who re- 

 sembled closely a real Portuguese, came to Linyanti while I was 

 there. This man had no merchandise, and pretended to have 

 come in order to inquire " what sort of goods were necessary for 

 the market." He seemed much disconcerted by my presence 

 there. Sekeletu presented him with an elephant's tusk and an 

 ox; and when he had departed about fifty miles to the west- 

 ward, he carried off an entire village of the Bakalahari belonging 

 to the Makololo. He had a number of armed slaves with him ; 

 and as all the villagers — men, women, and children — were re- 

 moved, and the fact was unknown until a considerable time 





