Chap. XII. THE MAKOLOLO POLKA. 225 



now followed my example, by ordering some to be kept for me. 

 According to their habits, every particle of an ox is devoured at 

 one meal ; and, as the chief cannot, without a deviation from 

 their customs, eat alone, he is often compelled to suffer severely 

 from hunger, before another meal is ready. We henceforth 

 always worked into each other's hands by saving a little for each 

 other ; and when some of the sticklers for use and custom grum- 

 bled, I advised them to eat like men, and not like vultures. 



As this was the first visit which Sekeletu had paid to this part 

 of his dominions, it was to many a season of great joy. The 

 head men of each village presented oxen, milk, and beer, more 

 than the horde which accompanied him could devour, though 

 their abilities in that line are something wonderful. The people 

 usually show their joy and work off their excitement in dances 

 and songs. The dance consists of the men standing nearly 

 naked in a circle, with clubs or small battle-axes in their hands, 

 and each roaring at the loudest pitch of Ins voice, while they 

 simultaneously lift one leg, stamp heavily twice with it, then lift 

 the other and give one stamp with that ; this is the only move- 

 ment in common. The arms and head are thrown about also in 

 every direction ; and all this time the roaring is kept up with 

 the utmost possible vigour ; the continued stamping makes a 

 cloud of dust ascend, and they leave a deep ring in the ground 

 where they have stood. If the scene were witnessed in a lunatic 

 asylum it would be nothing out of the way, and quite appro- 

 priate even, as a means of letting off the excessive excitement 

 of the brain ; but here grey-headed men joined in the perform- 

 ance with as much zest as others whose youth might be an 

 excuse for making the perspiration stream off their bodies with 

 the exertion. Motibe asked what I thought of the Makololo 

 dance. I replied, " It is very hard work, and brings but small 

 profit." " It is," replied he, " but it is very nice, and Sekeletu 

 will give us an ox for dancing for him." He usually does 

 slaughter an ox for the dancers when the work is over. 



The women stand by, clapping their hands, and occasionally 

 one advances into the circle, composed of a hundred men, makes 

 a few movements, and then retires. As I never tried it, and 

 am unable to enter into the spirit of the thing, I cannot recom- 

 mend the Makololo polka to the dancing world, but I have the 



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