Chap. XII. ASCENT OF THE LEEAMBYE. 211 



CHAPTER XII. 



Procure canoes and ascend the Leeambye — Beautiful islands — Winter land- 

 scape — Industry and skill of the Banyeti — Bapids — Falls of Gonye — 

 Tradition — Annual inundations — Fertility of the great Barotse valley 

 — Execution of two conspirators — The slave-dealer's stockade — Naliele, 

 the capital, built on an artificial mound — Santuru, a great hunter — The 

 Barotse method of commemorating any remarkable event — Better treat- 

 ment of women — More religious feeling — Belief in a future state, and in 

 the existence of spiritual beings — Gardens — Fish, fruit, and game — Pro- 

 ceed to the limits of the Barotse country — Sekeletu provides rowers and 

 a herald — The river and vicinity — Hippopotamus-hunters — No healthy 

 location — Determine to go to Loanda — Buffaloes, elands, and lions above 

 Libonta — Interview with the Mambari — Two Arabs from Zanzibar — 

 Their opinion of the Portuguese and the English — Eeach the town of Ma- 

 Sekeletu — Joy of the people at this the first visit of their chief — Beturn 

 to Sesheke — Heathenism. 



Having at last procured a sufficient number of canoes, we 

 began to ascend the river. I had the choice of the whole fleet, 

 and selected the best, though not the largest ; it was thirty-four 

 feet long by twenty inches wide. I had six paddlers, and the 

 larger canoe of Sekeletu had ten. They stand upright, and 

 keep the stroke with great precision, though they change from 

 side to side as the course demands. The men at the head 

 and stern are selected from the strongest and most expert of 

 the whole. The canoes, being flat-bottomed, can go into very 

 shallow water ; and whenever the men can feel the bottom they 

 use the paddles, which are about eight feet long, as poles to 

 punt with. Our fleet consisted of thirty-three canoes, and about 

 one hundred and sixty men. It was beautiful to see them 

 skimming along so quickly, and keeping the time so well. On 

 land the Makalaka fear the Makololo ; on water the Makololo 

 fear them, and cannot prevent them from racing with each 

 other, dashing along at the top of their speed, and placing their 

 masters' lives in danger. In the event of a capsize many of the 

 Makololo would sink like stones. A case of this kind happened 

 on the first day of our voyage up. The wind, blowing generally 

 from the east, raises very large waves on the Leeambye. An 



p 2 



